Small Pet Beds…That You Can Make For Free

LAST MONTH…We have 4 cats and because last year I tossed out a couple of ratty pet beds, I was in the market for some new ones. They actually prefer plain old cardboard boxes but with the weather cooling down, I wanted something with a bit of warmth against the hardwood floors and tile.

Well, even at the big discount stores, cat (and small dog) beds can range from $20 to $60 (and up.) I love our cats but didn’t really want to spend a lot of money on beds because sometimes they use them, and sometimes they don’t. Plus, we typically need 4 of everything or they get a bit miffed about the “sharing.” I decided to wait and see if I could eventually find some on clearance.

THIS MONTH…We were preparing for company who would be staying overnight at our house and to be honest, the “guest” pillows were old, stained, and just needed to be replaced. As I was changing out the bedding and tossing the old pillows on the floor, the cats came into the room and kept wanting to lie on them. I shooed them off a couple of times and then…there was that “light bulb” moment.

Why spend a ton of money on a “pet bed” when an old pillow (that was going in the recycling bin) would do? Why had I never thought of that? Of course if you have a large dog, the pillow would be too little but for cats and smaller dogs, the size is perfect.

USING PILLOW CASES TO “PERSONALIZE” THE BEDS…

You can use old pillow cases you already own to cover your “pet bed” or pick up used cases at your local thrift store for next to nothing. Or pick up some inexpensive new ones like at Walmart which sells some basic ones for $5.00 (for 2.)

• You can toss the pillow cases in the washing machine when they get dirty/smelly/full of hair.

• Use cool cotton cases in the warmer months and warmer flannel cases in cooler weather.

• On cold days, you can treat your pet to a “heated” place to nap by tossing the pillow case in the dryer for a few minutes.

• You can coordinate pillow cases to match a room’s décor.

• Use holiday themed pillow cases during the holidays, which your animal will totally not care about, but will look festive.

Such a simple idea, maybe one that you already have been using but for some of us, what a cool idea. The cats now have 4 “new” beds, which didn’t cost me a dime, any effort, and can easily be cleaned.

Wonder if I could find a pillow big enough for mama?

Of course they are nestled in their boxes (or other things) now that they have permission to use the pillows. And could I get a picture of them on their “new beds?” Nope…they are cats.