I'm sure many people have pets. Our family is no exception. We have a cat in our house. She likes to spend her time in closed spaces and relax there quietly, so that no one disturbs her. I wanted to buy a special house for her, but my husband decided not to spend money and made a two-story tunnel with his own hands for our beloved family member.
Making a house for a cat with your own hands: simple solutions and selection of materials + 59 photo ideas
The tunnel can be horizontal, it can be placed on a sofa, in an armchair or on the floor. There are vertical tunnel designs for brave and playful cats.
In a cold room, the tunnel is an excellent secluded and warm place for
sleep _ Plush and fleece tunnels can replace a cat's bed or house.
For a pet's play, a tunnel is absolutely irreplaceable. For example, a model with foil sewn into the lining creates a rustling sound when the cat moves along the pipe, which animals like so much. Such a toy will distract the cat from playing with plastic bags, since they are unsafe for animals. If a cat swallows pieces of plastic film, it may even die.
Very cheerful and active cats are helped to have fun by tunnels that have several side branches or just holes. The cat changes direction of movement, looks out from one edge of the tunnel, then from the other. She imagines herself as a hunter who went out for prey. And there is no greater joy for such an animal than playing in a tunnel.
author Admin Via
This entry was posted on January 20, 2014, in Pets and tagged cats. Bookmark the link.
Covering tunnels with carpet
The next stage is to cover the tunnels with carpet. We chose a gray shade. It matched perfectly with the color of our cat's coat. Buy a covering measuring 3 m x 6 m, because you need to cover two 60 cm long tunnels from the inside and outside. If you don't want to cover the inside, you can simply buy a 3m x 3m to cover just the outside of the pipes. We decided that it would be better to have leftovers than not have enough material to create such wonderful houses for our cat.
We chose a natural fiber carpet. It cost much more than synthetic in the store, but there was nowhere to go. I didn't want to constantly clean our pet's houses. With natural carpet there will never be any problems with cleaning, I guarantee you that. Loop natural carpet does not accumulate pet hair like other types of pile. Moreover, it will be convenient for the cat to sharpen its claws on it.
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We place the tube in the middle of a 120 cm x 150 cm piece of material so that the sections wrap around it. Leave two and a half centimeters at the ends. This is necessary so that the edges of the tunnel are also completely covered with carpet and are not visible. Wrap the carpet around the pipe and make sure it completely covers its circumference.
We make several marks along the carpet, 2.5 cm more than where it overlaps. We cut the carpet so that it completely covers the pipe with a slight overlap. We apply liquid nails to the back of the carpet only where the carpet backing touches the pipe. We start along the first end of the pipe. We use liquid nails. Do not spare them, because the carpet must fit tightly and securely to the tunnel. Then we apply liquid nails along the pipe until we reach the second end. We cut off the carpet remnants. Glue the seams. It is necessary for the structure to dry for 2-3 hours.
In order to proceed to the next step, you need to place the tunnel on the table. We find the place where the two seams meet, measure about 15 cm and cut the carpet into strips. We apply liquid nails to the strip, stretch it and pull the carpet into the pipe.
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We cut another strip and apply liquid nails, pull and pull the carpet into a pipe, align the edges with the first strip that we glued. We continue to follow the same pattern until we reach the last strip. We will have to cut this strip along the edges to match the first and last strip we glued. We turn the pipe over and do the same on the other side. If there are any gaps, you can take the carpet scraps and glue them inside.
Is a cat tunnel a necessity or a game?
September 20, 2016
Cats love to hide under chairs, behind the TV, on the closet, and even in bags and boxes. We habitually believe that a pet is simply playing with us, splashing out its natural energy. However, in fact, this is not a joke at all; hiding in dark corners, the animal realizes its hunting instincts within the framework of the means available to it. It is in order to give the pet the opportunity to fully satisfy the needs of life that a cat tunnel is needed in the house.
Assembling the top and bottom parts
For the bottom and top layers we will need:
- (4) 2.5cm PVC elbow fitting;
- (2) 2.5 cm PVC tee;
- (4) 2.5 cm PVC pipe, cut to 23 cm;
- (3) 2.5 cm PVC pipe, cut to 30 cm for each layer.
We connect PVC pipes and fittings. We focus on the photos presented in the article.
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Where do “legs grow” from?
Throughout their “evolutionary life,” these animals seek shelter in order to feel protected from large predators. In an open area, a cat is practically unable to relax and fully rest - to do this, it needs to hide in a safe place. Of course, our pets do not experience such constant stress; they are able to sit comfortably in a chair, on the kitchen table, and even on their owner’s head. However, they sometimes get nervous, not finding a quiet place where they could hide from troubles and wait out some time. A tunnel for a cat is simply necessary, especially if the animal has a shy character or has just arrived in the house.
Wild cats need shelter not only for protection from predators, but also for hunting. A pet, no matter how lazy it may be, is also a hunter. And deep down, each of them dreams of catching valuable prey. If there are no suitable objects for this, the owner’s feet are used as they pass by the cat sitting in ambush.
Pets rarely walk outside, so they don’t move enough, which can harm the animal’s health. Boxes, cabinets, tunnels are objects that help maintain the required level of activity for the cat.
Asylum
Cat owners know that finding a hidden pet can be very difficult: it can be on the mezzanine, under the bottom shelf of the closet, under the bathroom - anywhere. Animals often choose places that are completely unsuitable for playing and sleeping: it could be an oven, a microwave oven, a washing machine, a car engine, or any other place. Cats are instinctively drawn to warmth and secluded places, and even in sleep they remain alert.
To prevent an animal from seeking shelter in inappropriate places, it is best to provide it with a suitable one. Today you can choose a shelter to suit every taste: houses, palaces, couches, tunnels.
Hammock
A cat hammock is also great for a restful sleep. These structures are made of various materials and have a variety of designs.
Before you buy a hammock for your cat, you need to make sure that its fastenings are secure and that the structure will support the weight of your animal. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the preferences of a particular pet: does it like to sleep on a smooth or hard surface, does it need fabric or fur, does it want to rock, or does the bed need to be stable.
The battery-mounted design is very popular. Most animals willingly spend time at such observation points. However, it is worth remembering that if the battery gets too hot, a cat, especially a young one, may overheat. In addition, such a place is not suitable for animals with thick and long hair - near radiators it becomes brittle and dry.
No less popular, but more expensive are play complexes that include a hammock. Such structures are equipped with scratching posts, houses, pedestals, and tunnels. Any animal will be happy to have such a “hut” at its disposal, but not every apartment and budget will accommodate such a gift for a pet.
Game tunnel
Sometimes owners decide to create a cat-friendly home. To do this, a cat tunnel is placed around the entire perimeter of the home. Most often, it is made under the ceiling, leaving holes with convenient descents along the entire length, so that the animal can go out where it wants, or watch what is happening in the house.
This design fully corresponds to the natural inclinations of the animal: it observes from above, remaining unnoticed, as if from the branches of trees, where the wild ancestors of modern pets preferred to hide.
In order for such a device to be used as a play tunnel for cats, in some areas you can sew foil, which will make their favorite rustling sound. You can equip the passages with hanging toys that you can “hunt” on. Be sure to make several side corridors along which the animals can run after each other. Of course, it is worth making a huge tunnel if there is more than one animal in the house - this way it will be much more interesting for them to run through the passages. For a single pet, a small device is quite enough, in which it is convenient to hide, sleep comfortably and have fun playing.
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Customer Reviews
Tatyana: “I’ve been planning to buy a tunnel for a cat for two years, but I couldn’t choose everything. Finally bought the Trixie Spieltunnel with sleeves. The cat had already grown beyond the age of a kitten, but immediately showed interest in the toy. Runs in and freaks out inside. Sometimes you have to lure him out of there with treats.”
Sania: “I bought a collapsible S-shaped tunnel for my cats on Aliexpress at a discount for ridiculous money. I have two of them. Now they don’t even need a mistress. They hide there, run after each other, jump out unexpectedly from the windows - they hunt me and each other.”
Vladislav: “Our cat is already an adult. She is 6 years old. They thought that things like tunnels were no longer interesting to her, so they didn’t buy them. Our friends gave us a plush Trixie tunnel, so she sleeps in it and hides in it when there are guests in the house. She never liked noisy companies.”
Should I buy a tunnel for cats or make it myself?
Cats are one of the most inquisitive creatures on earth! They always care about everything. And of course, one of their favorite pastimes is to explore the world around them, or rather your apartment or house, and crawl through places that are difficult for humans to reach, for example, under a bed or sofa, or maybe secretly sneak inside a cardboard box. If you are the owner of a soft, warm ball of fur, you simply have to make him happy and give him cat toys and accessories that are interesting to him. There are many options for such toys, let’s consider one of cats’ favorite preferences. So, we will talk about a tunnel for a cat, believe me, this is one of the favorite pastimes for cats, crawling inside the tunnel for hours, hiding from the owner and playfully hitting with their paws at passing household members.
Online pet stores offer caring owners a number of different options to choose from. What should an ideal tunnel for cats
? First you need to ask yourself why cats like tunnels so much; the answer lies in the manifestation of their hunting instinct, and the thirst for knowledge of everything unusual and unknown. Instincts are especially pronounced during long hours of games. So, you need to choose an option that would fully reveal the hunting skills of your furry, and would not get boring for him quickly. Therefore, it is better to choose options for composite multi-level transforming tunnels for kittens and cats. Typically, such a tunnel consists of four or five parts that can be connected, so you get a whole multi-level network of corridors. Believe me, the kitten will spend hours crawling through them, going up and down, left and right, this is especially useful for small kittens as it improves their coordination skills and imitates climbing trees. In pet stores, such a maze may be called a wall-mounted cat tunnel. Let your cat feel like a real climber!
Another option for tunnels, more interactive and safe. The tunnel looks like a coil. This type of shelter remains on the ground to avoid injuries that could occur if your kitty accidentally falls from a wall-mounted cat tunnel. As mentioned above, a coil labyrinth is formed. In this version, cats love to play chase, you can easily play with her, pretending to be the victim. It is especially interesting if you have several cats; they will play, hunt and relax in such a toy for hours. The appearance is so playful that it usually does not spoil the surrounding interior due to the use of bright colors in the materials. Manufacturers have tried to make the tunnels not bulky and easy to clean; you can easily assemble and put it away if you have guests. The tunnel is decorated with strong, durable synthetic fabric that is not afraid of sharp cat claws and is easy to wash.
Tunnels for cats
The production itself is simple. You will need a regular corrugated pipe of large diameter, just enough for your cat to fit inside. Fortunately, manufacturers produce them in different colors, and you can create a fairly pleasant-looking gaming room. Next, the corrugated pipe can be attached using metallized tape to a cardboard box, which cats love as a house. To do this, you need to cut several entrances and exits into the box. In this simple way, you can make a tunnel of any shape and size yourself.
Similar materials
Mouse Lion Scratching Post || cat house
When a cat lives in a house, especially if it is a small apartment, the owners of these cute animals constantly have to deal with their inexhaustible activity, curiosity and desire to explore all accessible and even hard-to-reach places in the human home.
Cognitive games of meowing pets lead to objects flying from shelves, the plaintive meowing of an animal stuck in a closet or behind a sofa, and other destructive consequences, which have long been excellent material for the plot of short animated films.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to avoid the mess that cat play can bring into your home - go to the pet store and buy interactive toys for your furry or non-furry pet, including a cat play tunnel. Tunnels are able to fully satisfy the ineradicable love of these animals for heights, help them cope with the irresistible instinct of the hunter and the craving for research.
DIY cat toys: From simple to interactive
How to make a soft toy for a cat
To prepare the material for the ears, the fabric is folded with the wrong side inward, interlining is placed between the layers and ironed.
When the stuffing is completed, the tail blank is inserted into the remaining hole with the raw edge. Everything is sewn together with a hidden seam.
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Miniature rattle
Another option for a soft toy
It is not advisable to use tape in this situation, as it is less secure and may pose a health hazard to the cat if it swallows it.
What is an interactive toy
They are intellectual entertainment where the cat has to go around an obstacle to get to the treat.
This interactive toy is easy to make with your own hands. This woodpile will look original next to cat furniture.
Option for an interactive toy made from pipes
A complex labyrinth made from improvised means
To take care of their pet, some owners buy comfortable carriers, clippers, closed trays, collars , and in order to entertain them, they build complex game labyrinths.
Although it will take more time to make such a toy for a cat with your own hands, you will only need available materials for it.
You can see ideas using egg containers, parts cut out of plastic bottles, yogurt cups and much more.
The simplest and most accessible
A ball of thread. It is unlikely that any kitten (or even an adult cat) will remain indifferent to it. To prevent the ball from unwinding and the kitten from getting entangled, it is recommended to secure the end of the thread.
In order to make a tunnel for cats with your own hands, you need to be patient and time. It is necessary to purchase a special corrugated blank, which must be larger than the size of the cat so that he can walk through it completely calmly and without obstacles. Nowadays you can find a large number of different pipes in different colors on the market, so the choice will depend only on the wishes of the cat’s owner. Then you should connect one end of the pipe to a regular cardboard box. This can be done using special metallized tape. You can make a few more holes in the box and attach pipes to them,
What types of cat tunnels are there?
Both small kittens and adult cats can play in play tunnels, and older animals, as a rule, sleep in them with pleasure. With the appearance of a play structure of this kind in the house, the cat will leave its attempts at pieces of furniture and will crawl, hide or rest inside the pipe.
There are only two types of play tunnels for cats - horizontal and vertical - but there is a huge variety in the designs of this toy. Firstly, there can be a different number of holes in the structure; there are toys with one entrance, and others with holes located on the side and top. By the way, cats turn some holes into an observation post, where they warily monitor the world around them and, of course, hunt, as a rule, for the legs of their owners. Horizontal species may have only one “sleeve” or several additional ones. Cats really like triple designs, which have three “sleeves” located in different directions.
Wall-mounted, that is, vertical play tunnels , are ideal for animal owners who live in small apartments. In toys of vertical design, the base is made of plywood, which gives reliability and strength to the entire product. Vertical species can have several “floors” and they are all connected to each other by openings, which allows the animal to move freely throughout the entire gaming system. After climbing the tunnel, on the top floor your pet will find a cozy cat bed where he can rest.
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To keep your pet purring with pleasure all year round, build him a system of secret passages in the steampunk style
Cats are always up to something, which is why the owners of one of them decided to transfer her energy into a peaceful direction. They built a secret cat tunnel in a private home in San Francisco so that their furry friend can walk around the entire room without ever stepping on the floor or computer keyboard. After all, she has her own shelter in the steampunk style.
This design looks absolutely stunning, reminiscent of Kathryn Bigelow's early work. Using the right materials and tools, you can build something similar for your cat - in this article we'll show you how to do it. Checked: everyone will have fun.
First, think about where exactly to build the cat tunnel. The Californian design bureau Because We Can, whom the cat's owners contacted to implement their plan, decided to build a tunnel around the perimeter of the room, hanging it on large hooks.
When looking for a suitable place, think about what your cat likes to do. Most of them love to hide, peek out from hiding places, jump on tall pieces of furniture and look down on everything. This lifestyle was taken by the designers as a basis when developing the project.
The entrance to the tunnel is located above an old chest that has been in this room for a long time. There is nothing easier for a cat than to jump on a chest and then dive into a secret hole.
Laid at the junction of the walls and ceiling, the tunnel forms many so-called viewing platforms, from where the cat can spy on its owners.
Windows, reminiscent of embrasures or portholes, allow the cat to “follow the object” (that is, the owners) from a hiding place.
After circling the room, the tunnel emerges onto the top shelf of a high shelving unit. Fortunately, st.
First, think about where exactly to build the cat tunnel. The Californian design bureau Because We Can, whom the cat's owners contacted to implement their plan, decided to build a tunnel around the perimeter of the room, hanging it on large hooks.
Check out 15 DIY cat toys you can make!
Many pet owners place various cat toys on the “floors” of the wall tunnel, which the animals undoubtedly really like, and they can play in this structure for hours. What materials are play tunnels made from?
Play structures for “mustachioed and striped animals” are made from only two materials: soft, most often plush, and rustling, which the animals really like, despite the fact that it is made from synthetic fabrics. The “sleeves” and “floors” of the play tunnels have different colors that enliven the interior of the house with a bright spot; some cat owners even specially select this toy to match the color scheme of the room.
The play tunnels for cats produced by the popular companies Triol and Trixie are practically the same in design, their differences lie only in size and materials, but in any case, the toy is made of dense fabric with a reliable frame inside.
Popular models, description, characteristics
- Trixie tunnel for cats beige plush - the best model for medium-sized cats;
- Triol play tunnel for cats made of nylon;
- Triol 3005NT play tunnel - a model for those who have children;
- PAWZ Road S-shaped collapsible tunnel for animals - the best model from the aliexpress website;
- Speedy pet leopard triple tunnel - a model for owners of several cats;
- Triol Scratching post “Tunnel with a toy” is the best model for kittens.
Compact soft tunnel for cats made of plush fabric. Can be used as a cat house or bed. Dimensions: length – 60 cm, diameter – 22 cm. Suitable for kittens and small cats. The design is discreet - there is a brown cat's paw print on the beige plush. A rustling material is sewn under the fur lining to attract the animal's interest. The tunnel keeps its shape thanks to the rings sewn into the plush.
- Pro: compact size.
- Minus: no windows.
Price: 1004 rub. More details about the product
A bright and long play tunnel made of practical and lightweight nylon for kittens and active cats. Has two windows and a fluffy bell for cat games. It rustles thanks to the sewn-in filler. The fabric has wide stripes of red and gray. Keeps its shape thanks to the built-in metal frame. Can be used indoors and outdoors. The exit from the tunnel can be tightened with ribbons.
Dimensions: length – 130 cm, diameter – 25 cm.
- Plus: easily folds into a ring for storage and carrying.
- Minus: no sleeves.
Price: 846 rub. More details about the product
This popular model of original design is an excellent playground for cats and a designer decoration for your apartment. The tunnel is made of soft beige plush in the shape of a lying dog. The shape of the product is supported by sewn-in MDF rings. The toy has two windows that imitate the paws of a dog. The color is nice peach. The tunnel rustles thanks to the gasket sewn into the product.
Product dimensions: length – 100 cm, diameter – 25 cm.
- Plus: children like the design of the toy.
- Minus: light fur gets dirty quickly.
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Price: 2036 rub. More details about the product
A collapsible long tunnel with an original S-shape made of nylon. Available in three colors: brown, gray and blue. It has a curved shape, two windows, and a rustling texture. The shape of the tunnel is supported by metal rings. The toy folds into a ring for storage and transportation.
Product dimensions: length – 120 cm, diameter – 25 cm.
- Plus: can be purchased on Aliexpress at a discount.
- Cons: not durable.
Price: 1278 rub. More details about the product
A toy in the shape of a trefoil - three pipes (length 55 cm, diameter 25 cm) sewn together, in the middle there is a window directed upwards. The leopard-print fabric is very durable, the seams are well stitched. There are rustling inserts between the material and the lining. The shape of the product is supported by a strong spring that can withstand the weight of large cats. The tunnel has fastenings that can be connected to similar products, expanding the playing space.
- Plus: suitable for several cats playing together.
- Cons: high price.
Price: 2821 rub. More details about the product
A fun play set for kittens - a small slide with a tunnel made of MDF with sisal coating and carpet edging. At the top of the slide there is a soft toy attached to a spring, and a tassel is suspended inside the tunnel. The kitten sharpens its claws while playing.
Product dimensions: tunnel diameter – 26 cm, scratching post length – 26 cm.
- Plus: natural antibacterial sisal coating.
- Disadvantage: high cost.
Price: 1505 rub. More details about the product
How to choose a play tunnel for a cat
Pet stores offer several design options, but the best option for this toy is, of course, a multi-level model that has a composite design that allows it to be easily transformed.
When purchasing, it is important to pay attention to its size. It is better to choose a play tunnel consisting of at least five parts; in this case, you can not only assemble a toy that does not interfere with people, but also fully satisfy the play needs of the animal. The material must be durable and pleasant to the touch. Particular attention should be paid to the strength of the material when purchasing a vertical tunnel, along which the animal will certainly climb, climbing up and releasing its sharp claws.
