Make a Cat Bed from a Computer Monitor

OK, you've seen them everywhere, those old TV's and Monitors everyone's kicking to the curb replacing with those new fan dangle flat screens.  And few of us could  fault  them... the flat screens take up so little room, and have all kinds of resolution... ohhh ahhh.

But what to do with the old monitors!?!   Trash 'em? na... bad idea, they have all kinds of lead, and stuff in them you really don't want in your ground water.  Recycle 'em? Hard to do sometimes, and may even cost you a couple of bucks... but certainly worth it !!  

My cat and I like to reuse 'em... and recycle them!
I also make these from time to time for other people.. you can purchase one at my Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44569557.

Step 1: Find A Monitor

Old monitors and TV's are pretty readily available these days.... just ask a few friends, post it on your facebook page,  look out for one on freecycle... and Goodwill always has a stash!

I however, simply walk up to my attic & select... 
(The neighbors all know I'm crazy, so they bring me their trash ).

Cats seem to like to be "cozy"... pick a monitor, that's not to big, and not to small.  I generally use monitors between 15 & 19 inches.

Comments

[16405]

So cute! And considering I work at a technology recycle factory, and I get to take home a lot of old computers and monitors, I'm definitely doing this :D

[Dusk Shadows]

Suppa cute!! love the devil 1!

[resistanceisfutileiflessthan1ohm]

pity the cat when you try to do this with a flat screen, ha ha.

[dvgvintage]

Wow what an excellent job!! I have two (2) here to finish and I didn't know that you could paint them. My big cat (the older and longest) has a vintage tv cabinet for me to make a backing and pillow for her, only I can't decide on the fabric. The baby I found a monitor at the Salvation Army for .99 that I loved taking it apart. I'm going to try and make the custom pillow that you did with the pattern and her's I can't decide on the fabric too.

I live for my girls to have pink always, so I may try painting it. I've tried to use plastic paint in the past and it turned out awful for me :(

Nice job!!!!!!

[Dusk Shadows]

SUPER CUTE BTW would this work for dogs too?

[colorex]

Will my flatscreen plasma work? LOL just kidding!

[ramascour]

Yeah it will :P

[David97]

It will if you use a hammer LOL.

[tankdo]

always the same cat website, lol

[Prototyp 81]

so funny with the mouse in front of the monitor :) great job!!!

[eaarsvold]

I think my chihuahua needs one!

[cedfors-colon]

Finally! A use for several old monitors I've kept because "There might be a use for them some day".

I can't wait to tell me husband LOL

[king kolton9]

is it olny old tv that need grounded ive had my moniter for what 3 years will it still hold a charge

[AlpineButterfly]

No it's not only TV's that hold a charge... monitors do to. But ... personally, (like don't hunt me down if I'm wrong) if it hadn't been plugged in for 3 years, i don't think i would be worried, i think it slowly looses it's charge. Mind you... 2nd disclaimer... I am not a technician, just a gal who likes to tinker ;-)

[asauerbrei-kelly]

You know what...you were right about monitors holding a charge. My husband is an Electronics Tech in the Navy and he's my go-to guy for all things electrical. He told me that since our monitor hadn't been plugged in for 5+ years, I didn't have to worry about shocking myself, but there was that chance with the monitor I bought this morning because it's condition was unknown to us. I wore work gloves, and my husband pointed out to me what parts of the "guts" to watch out for, just in case. :) Good advice all around!

[AlpineButterfly]

Yeah!!! [and a shout out to handy husbands, who go along with their wife's fun, silly, crazy ideas!! ]

[king kolton9]

thx that really helped i just dident want a repeat of the wet hands open outlet again

[AlpineButterfly]

Sound as bad as my coat hanger in to socket incident... ;-)

[king kolton9]

ouch!!! and no

[asauerbrei-kelly]

Whooo hoooo! I've been wanting one of these for my cat for awhile now but didn't want to buy one. Thanks to stumbling across your tute, my cat's new bed is almost done. I just need to go make the pad for it.

I used our original monitor that we still had from 1998, and I bought a second one this morning from a guy on CL for $10 for a friend's cat.

But I do have a question: in all seriousness, if you were/are selling these in your Etsy shop, then why post a tute? You might lose a sale or two from someone like me. :) But thanks for posting it!!!!!!!!

[AlpineButterfly]

I'm SURE posting this... has lost me some Etsy sales... but then that's not really the point. The point is to keep people thinking creatively about recycling, and trying to keep a few more monitors out of land fills. :-) ... oh yeah and happy cats, happy cats are REALLY important!

I also like keeping my art as transparent as I can... It helps me learn, and keeps me honest. I strive to keep things as eco-friendly as possible, and often other people have great ideas about how I can improve my process. Writing tutorials, helps me examine that process and share my motivation :-)

& finally, I'm putting a little faith in my abilities as an artist.... people will make more of these (and I LOVE seeing Pictures of them...hint hint), but no one will make them exactly like mine, they will make them beautiful in there own way... which I trust is different than the weird & funny I make mine. I'm totally psyched that you are making one!!!!!!

[LuzminasCorner]

Oh! that is awesome!! love that idea!!

[sdhardie]

These are wonderful!!

For years now, I've wanted to make an aquarium out of an antique console tv (the kind that has claw feet and is free standing.)  I guess I should search instructables for how to make one!

 

[Shingalana]

I once saw where someone used one of those to make a catbox enclosure. There was a curtain along the front. I thought it was ingenius!

[AlpineButterfly]

Oooohhh Wow!   I'd love to get my hands on a TV with the claw feet... droool.  That would look great as an Aquarium! 

[ladylissa]

i can't wait to make one for my kitty "Boudoir"! I inherited her recently when my grandmother passed away and I think a cozy place for her to relax away from my dogs may be just what she needs. She misses my grandmother a lot, and she is 16!!! So naturally as a senior kitty she likes her privacy and needs extra comfort! Perhaps i will put some catnip in the cushion before i sew it up to encourage her to hop inside! Thank you so much for this instructable!

[MicioGatta]

I love this one! I've got a monitor case, as soon as possible I'll make it :)

[philip bond]

I surely post photo of my cat ..I have unique photo my cats in beautiful cat beds ..these monitor
cat beds are amazing

[philip bond]

this would be a great idea for my cats ..i think this
cat bed is
affordable and not so complicated to do practically ..i will surely do this to give my cats a unique
cat bed ...

[chrizw123]

This is a great idea :) I wonder could I add a bird cage front to it for budgies

[TheGreatS]

Wow, nice screen saver.

[woodstockbirdy]

Well... my dog is too big!

[AlpineButterfly]

Sniff...
Maybe you can find a REALLY big tv?

I sometimes dream I can make a HUGE GIANT TV, in my back yard, so my kiddo's can pretend they are on TV... instead of watching TV :-)

[girlcousin]

Too wonderful!! I have a neighbor with double digit number of cats. Must get busy for her christmas!

[ChristyDurr]

This idea is too cute. I love it. I just have to find an old computer monitor and make me one for my puppy. This may be one of the best ideas I have seen on here

[tulekah]

i gots the cats...now where do i get a moniter?

[AlpineButterfly]

Ask a friend... or a school... or goodwill, people are throwing them in to the landfill like you wouldn't believe!

considering all the monitor's i've been rescuing lately... I'm going to be in need of more cats !!! (just don't tell my husband ) ;-)

[mary candy]

greattt!!! sweettttttt!

[chocogrape]

lol!

[simonig]

Thank you for this nice cat house idea,I am going to make one for my cat. : )