How to make a hammock for your favorite cat with your own hands – a bed on a radiator or a window?

Cats adore warm, comfortable places to unwind and observe the outside world. Making a hammock specifically for your pet is one of the best ways to spoil them. A homemade hammock can quickly become your cat’s new favorite place to nap, whether it’s mounted on a radiator to keep them warm in the winter or hung by the window for birdwatching.

It’s not only inexpensive and simple to modify, but it’s also a lot of fun to do yourself. You can design a space that precisely suits your cat’s lounging style by selecting materials that go with the décor of your home.

We’ll take you through the easy steps of making a cat hammock in this article. Whether your cat prefers to lounge in the sun or curl up by the radiator, you’ll see how simple it is to make a bed they’ll adore.

What is a hammock, why do cats like it?

A hammock is a bed-like product made of material with different origins that is suspended at multiple points for sleeping and resting. This hanging structure appeals to cats for a number of reasons:

• when the four-legged dormouse wakes up and stretches, it begins to swing rhythmically, which has a lulling effect on him;
• the hammock follows the contours of the animal"s body, allowing it to relax as much as possible and get comfortable;
• a hanging bed is usually attached near heat sources, which is very much appreciated by such heat-loving pets;
• in a hammock, the cat has the opportunity to retire, because. . it is installed in secluded places.

Your cat will love having a hammock to hang out in, especially next to a window or radiator where they like to stay warm and observe the outside world. Hammocks are easy and enjoyable to make. You can make a personalized bed that matches your cat’s preferred relaxing areas with just a few simple supplies and tools. An inexpensive and easy way to show your pet some love while keeping them occupied and comfortable is to make your own cat hammock and hang it over a radiator or next to a window.

Models of hammocks and beds and instructions for their manufacture

There are various models of these cat designs available. The traditional cat hammock can be constructed from hangers and fabric beneath a table or chair. It can also be made portable and shaped like a bed, a shelf with a battery-operated mount, or a pipe on a radiator. What equipment and supplies are required to build a hammock on your own for a pet with four legs? How can you make a hand-made hammock for a cat?

From hangers and fabric

This kind of design requires the following:

• Two clothes hangers. You need to choose only those that can withstand the weight of the cat, for example, wooden. It is desirable that they are equipped with rotating hooks.
• A piece of durable soft fabric – fleece or terry. The width of the cut and the hanger should match each other.
• A round rod (for example, from an old shower curtain), on which the hammock will be hung.
• A sewing machine.

See also: How do cat repellent sprays work to keep cats away from furniture so they don’t scuff it?

Guidelines for assembling the product:

1. Having folded the fabric along the width on each of the hangers, lay a line to fix it. For reliability, it is recommended to stitch the seam twice.
2. Having secured the rod in a place convenient for the pet, hang the hangers on it.

The completed structure can be put in other locations, such as under a bench, table, chair, radiator, and stairs. Make sure your four-legged friend can get into his new bed with ease.

Portable structure

In order to create this product at home, you must first:

• A PVC pipe 3 m long and 1.3 cm in diameter.
• 4 connecting tees and plugs for PVC pipes without threads with a diameter of 1.3 cm.
• A piece of fabric (jersey, cotton, denim). Some people use old T-shirts for the base of the hammock.
• A sewing machine.
• Fray Check edge treatment liquid. This product is not necessary, but desirable.
• Threads.
• Scissors.
• Ruler or tape measure.

Detailed instructions for creating a transportable cat bed:

1. Cut 2 pieces of 30 cm long and 6 pieces of 20 cm long from the tube.
2. Wash the PVC blanks in a hot soapy solution.
3. Fasten 2 tubes of different lengths using tees. As a result, you should get a rectangle with sides of 20 and 30 cm.
4. Insert the remaining tubes of shorter length into the free holes of the tees so that all the tubes form something like a chair without a seat.
5. Put a plug on each “leg” of the chair.
6. Cut out a rectangle from the fabric measuring 42 x 30 cm if jersey or knitwear is used, or 40 x 28 cm if denim or cotton fabric is used as the base of the hammock.
7. Hem the workpiece along the long sides.
8. Fold it in half with the right side facing inward so that the hemmed sides remain free.
9. Sew the joined sides together on a sewing machine.
10. Turn the product inside out and stretch it over the tube frame.
11. To secure the seams, apply a few drops of "Fray Check" to the edges of the fabric or to places where tension is most likely.

A shelf with a mount on a battery

You only need a few simple tools and some time to make such a bed. To assemble it, get ready a board whose width matches the size of your four-legged companion, as well as sturdy chains. The battery should be used to hang a wooden bed from a chain. Your pet should be able to sleep comfortably on this bed if the base is covered in fabric or soft bedding.

See also: Apartment cat ownership guidelines: maintaining a kitten or adult cat at home

A lounger in the form of a pipe on a radiator

Tools and equipment required for work:

• thick wire;
• thick soft fabric;
• threads;
• needle;
• scissors;
• hammer;
• pliers;
• nippers;
• ruler or tape measure.

Guidelines for assembling the product:

1. Measure the length of the lying animal from head to tail. The resulting value will be the length of the fabric. For a medium-sized cat, it is 65 cm. The optimal width of the fabric is 25 cm.
2. Measure the width of the radiator. This parameter will allow you to determine the size of the wire hooks on which the bed will be held.
3. Using a hammer, pliers and nippers, make a frame for the future product from wire.
4. Sew a sleeve or rectangle from the fabric with three sides sewn up.
5. Stretch the fabric base onto the wire frame.
6. Hang the structure on the radiator.

A classic hammock under a table or chair

To assemble a standard cat hammock beneath a chair or table, gather the following supplies:

• Two types of fabric. For the base of the bed, it is recommended to use a durable and non-stretchable material, such as denim, for the top – a soft material such as microfiber or plush.
• Sewing machine.
• Needle.
• Pins.
• Threads in the color of the fabric and contrasting.
• Scissors.
• Ruler or measuring tape.
• Trim tape 2.5 cm wide.
• Velcro.

Methodical completion of the task:

1. Measure the length of the animal in a lying position from head to tail.
2. Make measurements of the chair (this piece of furniture will act as an example of support for the future structure). The size of the product should be equal to the sum of the lengths of all 4 sides. To this value, add 2 cm for sagging.
3. Fold both materials (for the base and top) with the right side inward.
4. Add 3 cm for allowances on each side of the workpiece. The dimensions of the sleeping place are 27×30 cm, which corresponds to the space under the chair.
5. Cut out the pattern.
6. Having secured both parts with pins, baste the edges with contrasting threads so that they are better visible on the fabric.
7. Stitch on a sewing machine, leaving 6 cm free on each side at the corners.
8. Turn the workpiece inside out.
9. Fold the remaining edges of the fabric without seams inward, baste and insert a decorative tape folded in half between them 6 cm on both sides.
10. Leave 4 cm on the outside and cut off.
11. Having secured with pins, sew the tape to each corner of the structure.
12. Turn the edges of each free piece of tape and hem to prevent them from fraying.
13. For strength, stitch the product on all sides from the front surface.
14. Prepare 4 Velcro strips. The length of each of them should correspond to the measurement of the chair legs at the place where the hammock is attached.
15. Sew or melt the edges of the Velcro strips with fire.
16. Having applied the outer side of the Velcro strip to a piece of 3-centimeter tape, sew on both sides.
17. Sew the entire surface of the base of the structure through with tacks in a checkerboard pattern. This will prevent the material from shifting. You can also sew the base and top of the product together diagonally.
18. Secure the finished structure under the chair and check its strength.

A hammock on the window for the most curious

Suction cups are the simplest way to hang a window crib for a four-legged companion who enjoys watching the world outside from the window. If they are not firmly fixed to the glass, the animal will tumble onto the windowsill with the building and become very frightened. What you’ll need to make such a hammock is:

• a long PVC tube;
• connectors for PVC pipes without threads;
• suction cups;
• strong soft fabric;
• wire;
• ruler or measuring tape;
• threads and a needle.

How-to guide for creating a cat bed that hangs from a window:

1. Cut 4 tubes from the tube. The length of two of them should correspond to the length of the body of a lying pet from head to tail, the width – to the width of the animal"s body plus a few centimeters so that the cat is free.
2. Using connecting elements and cut tubes, assemble a hammock frame with two U-shaped connectors on one side of the rectangle and the same number of T-shaped connectors on the other.
3. Insert suction cups into the free hole of each of the T-shaped fittings.
4. Cut a rectangle out of fabric in accordance with the dimensions of the frame of the future product.
5. Stretch the fabric over the rectangle of tubes and sew around each of them.
6. Attach one end of the wire to the suction cup, the other to the open corner of the rectangle. Do the same with the second open corner.
7. Hang the finished structure on the window and invite the cat to try out the new bed.

Making a comfortable hammock for your cat is a fun project that will benefit both of you and your pet. Whether you choose a window perch or a bed on the radiator, your cat will love having a unique place to unwind and observe the outside world.

Both expensive materials and sophisticated skills are not needed for this process. You can make a cozy hammock that fits your house and your cat’s tastes with a few simple tools and a little imagination. It’s also an enjoyable way to create something useful and strengthen your relationship with your pet.

Most importantly, don’t forget to make sure your cat can use the hammock safely and securely. Your pet will have a new favorite spot to lounge and nap after it is installed, adding comfort to their everyday routine and happiness to yours.

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