How can I make a dresser into a comfy place for 2 kitties to play and eat?

Question

I have this dresser and its old and the drawers don't really fit into it so I am thinking of the drawers out so I can fit their litter box and food in it somewhere and then they can sleep in their too if they want too but I'm not sure how to do it.

I am going to take the side of the dresser off too because its coming off and they can have a way to get in and I have a way to clean their box and the dogs can't get it.

Answer 1

I would take a couple drawers out, and extend some other one in the open position and secure open with screws, cut holes in the bottom of the drawers so they can climb through, line the drawers with carpet. Depending on how heavy your cats are you might need to add another "leg" or two to support the open drawers.  Carpet the side of the dresser so they can climb up it with their claws, and of course carpet the top.

Answer 2

You could just leave it the way it is for now. I have cats that like to sleep in my dresser drawers. I wouldn't put there litter box in there too because I always thought they didn't like that and wouldn"t eat or use the box. I wouldn't want to eat where my toilet is.  

Answer 3

You don't need to take the side off, if you are going to pull the drawers out.

Cats like to climb, and they like small enclosed spaces...

Here is what I would do to turn this old dresser into a 'cat house', hehehe...

Create shelving where the drawers used to be, leaving a hole at one end, for the cats to climb up inside.  IF this dresser has several drawers stacked, then put the holes at opposite ends of each level.  So, the cat would climb up, on one side, walk across that level, to reach the opening to the next level, and so on.  Line the shelves with carpet.  Put the litter box on the bottom level, at the opposite side to the entry to the next level.  

I'd also take the top drawer space, and create a 'hammock'... cats love to sleep in hammocks, lol.

Cover the front with plexiglass, or chicken wire, if you want to watch the cats playing inside the unit... and leave some holes so they can get in and out at the different levels.  Perhaps even leaving one level completely open.

You can use one of the drawer fronts to make a 'cabinet' door, with a little work, so the dogs can't get into it.  For that matter, you could make one big door of plexiglass, or chicken wire on a frame, with a cabinet latch, without too much expense.  If this is a wide dresser, then you could make one half, or less a door, and fix the rest, or make two doors (Two doors on a wide unit, will make it easier to clean)

Feel free to email me, if you want to go over this in more detail.

Have Fun