Cat-Cave Waterproof and Insulated

In this project I show something that I had already pending to do and is the creation of a resting space for feral cats (I have not managed to catch them, or even touch), as several cat cave.

My partner and I have been feeding a colony of feral cats for several years and so far only one has been the most curious and possibly domesticable. He lies down to sleep in the parking lot where we put food and water for these cats, but this is the only one that seeks to rest on the site. Wanting him to have more confidence in us so we can try to adopt him, while he builds confidence and can better protect himself from the cold (our climate is tropical, but sometimes at night it gets cold), I decided to create a waterproof and sheltered cave for him.

• Canvas sky
• Taffeta igloo
• Sherpa fleece
• Tape measure
• Chalk, marker or pencil
• Scissors
• Needle
• Sewing thread
• Pliers
• Clothespins
• Adhesive tape
• Zipper
• Sewing clips
• Silicone padding

Take the measurements standing, sitting and lying down.

For the cat for which it is intended, it has a standing height of approximately 24 cm (I measured it when I saw him pass under the car, so I measured the height of the bottom of the car) and lying about 30 cm, I will take these measurements as a basis for creating the cat cave.

External part:

• A rectangle A of 34.5 x 84 cm (from canvas and sherpa fabric).
• A half circle B of 34.5 cm base and 32 cm height, with a hole in the middle of it of about 16.5 cm (made of canvas and sherpa fabric).
• Two half circles C of 34.5 base and 32 cm high (made of canvas and sherpa fabric).
• One square D of 34.5 cm x 34.5 cm of canvas cloth
• Two strips E of 3 cm x 84 cm (where the hooks will be inserted) of sky canvas fabric
• One strip H of 4 cm x 60 cm of sherpa fleece.

Inner part:

• Two squares F of 34.5 cm x 34.5 cm (one of taffeta fabric and one of sherpa fleece fabric).
• Four 5 cm x 34.5 cm G rectangles.

*I used taffeta for the cushion instead of canvas, as taffeta, although waterproof, is more manageable than canvas.

Cut all the fabric pieces, using the measurements from the previous step.

1. Join pieces of fabric: Join cuts A, B and C of sherpa fleece and sky canvas, back to back, 1 cm from the edge respectively.
2. Sew a strip H 1 cm from the inner circle of faces B and sew it as bias binding: Place right side of strip with outer face of B, sew at 1 cm, then turn inside out, make a double and sew again at 1 cm.
3. Join fabric cuts: Use two strips E, fold in half lengthwise (this is where the clothespins will pass through) and place it between layers A and B, and A with C.
4. Sew the base D to the previous structure, leaving the corners unsewn where the clothes hooks will be inserted.
5. Turn the cave over.
6. Cut wire and put adhesive on the ends. Move it to give it an arched shape.
7. Insert the hooks
8. Sew the corners by hand.

1. Sew leaving a seam allowance of 1 cm from each right side to right side of F, making a square "ring".
2. Sew part E of sherpa fabric all around the edge of the resulting hoop, with 1 cm seam allowance, joining right side to right side of the fabrics.
3. Sew zipper on the taffeta piece E, 1 cm from the edge: Place zipper strip on the right side of one side of the square F, place the other zipper strip on one side of E, sew right side to right side. Finally close with single stitching on the sides of the zipper.
4. Sew part E above 1 cm from the edge to the cushion frame.
5. Turn cushion over.
6. Stuffing.

Move the wiring a little to even it out and insert the cushion into the cave.