How to Make a Heat Reflecting Cat Bed

Cats are like heat-seeking missiles -- they go straight to the warmest spot in the house. If you don't want your kitty sleeping on top of the television, in the clothes dryer or in the middle of your bed, provide him with a gently warmed bed of his own to snooze on. A cozy bed 10 to 15 degrees warmer than room temperature attracts your cat and can provide health benefits for an elderly or arthritic feline senior citizen or comfort for a newly weaned kitten missing Mama's warm side. This quick and easy flat cat mat can be spread out on floor or furniture to allow your cat to stretch out or curl up, and is flexible enough to drape into a basket or line a cardboard box or plastic crate.

Things You'll Need

  • Heat-reflecting fabric
  • Quilted fabric or other padding
  • Straight pins
  • Standard pillowcase
  • Dental floss or quilting thread
  • Large needle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the heat-reflecting fabric on top of the padding, pin them together and cut them simultaneously to the same width as and approximately two-thirds to three-fourths the length of the pillowcase, depending on the size and number of cats likely to occupy the mat.. Heat reflecting fabric can be bought or salvaged from old outdoor gear such as a jacket or sleeping bag, and these may also supply padding. An emergency blanket -- also called a space blanket -- is inexpensive and also readily available as the heat-reflecting layer, and can be cut up to make multiple mats.

    • 2

      Thread the needle with dental floss or quilting thread. Baste the two layers of cut fabric together around the edges, or just put a single stitch in each corner, to hold them together to form a pad. The more stitching you do, the firmer and more durable -- and easier to handle -- the mat will be.

    • 3

      Remove the pins from the pad. Lay the pillowcase out flat on a work surface, open end toward you.

    • 4

      Slide the pad into the pillowcase, heat-reflecting fabric on top, and smooth out any wrinkles.

    • 5

      Grasp the top edge of the open end of the pillow ase with one hand, lift it up slightly and use the other hand to fold the lower edge of the opening up and over the pad. Lay your hands flat on center of the mat under the top flap and slide them outward to tuck the sides in smoothly. Fold the remaining fabric at the top edge over the end of the mat to close the pillowcase.