Crocheted cat cave—a soft yet sturdy hideaway made in one piece
Crochet a cozy cave for your cat from chunky twine! The dome shape offers a safe, warm retreat that’s sure to become your pet’s go-to nap spot.
Size: S(M)L—for cats weighing 3–4(4–5)5–6 kg (≈ 6 ½–9(9–11)11–13 lbs).
Cat cave—materials:
- 1(1.5)2 kg of Lankava Paulina chunky twine in terracotta (86) or light brown (54) (80 % recycled cotton, 20 % polyester, 1 kg ≈ 170–180 m).
- 8 mm crochet hook or the size needed to obtain gauge.
Gauge: 7.3 sts × 6.5 rnds = 10 × 10 cm (4" × 4").
Abbreviations:
- rnd: round
- ch: chain stitch
- sc: single crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
- st: stitch
- tog: together
Crocheted cat cave—pattern:
You'll begin at the center of the back and work toward the front edge. Decrease at three points along the front edge to create a triangular opening. Note. Work Rounds 1–16 the same for every size.
Size S
- Rnd 1: Make a magic ring around your finger, insert the hook in the ring, yarn over, and pull through the ring. Ch 1, 6 sc in the ring, sl st in first sc to close rnd. Close every rnd the same way. Pull the yarn tail to tighten the ring.
- Rnd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
- Rnd 3: ch 1, *1 sc, then 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 5 more times—18 sts.
- Rnd 4: ch 1, *1 sc, 2 sc in same st, 1 sc*; repeat from * to * 5 more times—24 sts.
- Rnd 5: ch 1, *5 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—28 sts.
- Rnd 6: ch 1, *3 sc, 2 sc in same st, 3 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—32 sts.
- Rnd 7: ch 1, *7 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—36 sts.
- Rnd 8: ch 1, *4 sc, 2 sc in same st, 4 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—40 sts.
- Rnd 9: ch 1, *9 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—44 sts.
- Rnd 10: ch 1, *5 sc, 2 sc in same st, 5 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—48 sts.
- Rnd 11: ch 1, *11 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—52 sts.
- Rnd 12: ch 1, *6 sc, 2 sc in same st, 6 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—56 sts.
- Rnd 13: ch 1, *13 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—60 sts.
- Rnd 14: ch 1, *7 sc, 2 sc in same st, 7 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—64 sts.
- Rnd 15: ch 1, *15 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—68 sts.
- Rnd 16: ch 1, *8 sc, 2 sc in same st, 8 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—72 sts.
- Rnds 17–19: ch 1, sc in each st around—72 sc.
- Rnd 20: ch 1, *4 sc, sc2tog (= insert hook through st, yarn over and pull through, do the same with next st, yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook)*; repeat from * to * 11 more times—60 sts. Note: At the decreases, work the stitch slightly taller so the curve looks smooth.
- Rnd 21: ch 1, sc in each st around—60 sc.
- Rnd 22: ch 1, **5 sc, *sc2tog, 1 sc*; repeat from * to * 2 more times, sc2tog, 4 sc**, repeat from ** to ** 2 more times—48 sts.
- Rnd 23: 48 sl st.
Size M
Work Rnds 1–16 as for Size S, then continue:
- Rnd 17: ch 1, *17 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—76 sts.
- Rnd 18: ch 1, *9 sc, 2 sc in same st, 9 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—80 sts.
- Rnd 19: ch 1, *19 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—84 sts.
- Rnd 20: ch 1, *10 sc, 2 sc in same st, 10 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—88 sts.
- Rnds 21–24: ch 1, sc in each st around—88 sc.
- Rnd 25: ch 1, *6 sc, sc2tog*; repeat from * to * 10 more times—77 sts.
- Rnd 26: ch 1, sc in each st around—77 sc.
- Rnd 27: ch 1, *7 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2tog, 3 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2tog, 5 sc*; repeat from * to * 2 more times, 2 sc—65 sts.
- Rnd 28: ch 1, sc in each st around—65 sc.
- Rnd 29: ch 1, **6 sc, *sc2tog, 1 sc*; repeat from * to * 2 more times, sc2tog, 4 sc**, repeat from ** to ** 2 more times, 2 sc—53 sts.
- Rnd 30: 53 sl st.
Size L
Work Rnds 1–16 as for Size S and Rnds 17–20 as for Size M. Continue as follows:
- Rnd 21: ch 1, *21 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—92 sts.
- Rnd 22: ch 1, *11 sc, 2 sc in same st, 11 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—96 sts.
- Rnd 23: ch 1, *23 sc, 2 sc in same st*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—100 sts.
- Rnd 24: ch 1, *12 sc, 2 sc in same st, 12 sc*; repeat from * to * 3 more times—104 sts.
- Rnds 25–28: ch 1, sc in each st around—104 sc.
- Rnd 29: ch 1, *6 sc, sc2tog*; repeat from * to * 12 more times—91 sts.
- Rnd 30: ch 1, sc in each st around—91 sc.
- Rnd 31: ch 1, *10 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2tog, 3 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2tog, 6 sc*; repeat from * to * 2 more times, 4 sc—79 sts.
- Rnd 32: ch 1, sc in each st around—79 sc.
- Rnd 33: ch 1, **9 sc, *sc2tog, 1 sc*; repeat from * to * 2 more times, sc2tog, 5 sc**, repeat from ** to ** 2 more times, 4 sc—67 sts.
- Rnd 34: 67 sl st.
Carrying handle
Ch 16(20)22, leaving a 30 cm (12") tail at the beginning for sewing. Row 1: Sl st in the back horizontal bar of the 2nd ch from hook and in the back bar of each remaining ch. Leave another 30 cm (12") tail at the end.
Finishing
Place the cave so that the round join is at the bottom, and sew the loop ends side by side to the highest point of Rnd 18(23)27. Weave in the yarn tails inside the stitches.
Design: Lankava, Shizuka Takagi. Yarn and pattern inquiries: Lankava.
