Cat Cave Felted Knit Pattern

Cat Cave Felted Knit Pattern by Monique Rae Designs

Project Overview

The Kitty Pod is a cozy felted knit cat cave designed to provide a comfortable, enclosed sleeping space for feline pets. This downloadable PDF pattern, created and copyrighted by Monique Rae in 2016 and updated with an improved larger opening for accommodating various cat sizes, combines traditional knitting techniques with wet felting to produce a durable, cushioned pet bed. The finished structure features a cave-like design that appeals to cats' natural instinct to seek enclosed, secure spaces for rest and security.

What You Will Make

This pattern produces a felted knit pet bed available in five graduated sizes to suit different cat dimensions. The smallest option, the Small pod, measures 9 inches in length, 9 inches in width, and 6 inches in height. Larger sizes progress through Medium, Large, X-Large, and XX-Large configurations, with proportionally increased dimensions to accommodate bigger cats. Each finished pod features a structured, cave-like opening that has been enlarged in the updated pattern version for easier entry and exit for pets of all sizes.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Kitty Pod employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners, making it an accessible project for those new to the craft. The pattern utilizes garter stitch as the primary stitch structure, created by knitting every row to produce a textured, reversible fabric with excellent drape and flexibility. The pattern incorporates yarn overs (abbreviated as m1 in the instructions) to create strategic increases that shape the pod's three-dimensional form. Knit two together (k2tog) decreases are employed in later rows to refine the opening and shape the cave structure. The yarn is worked double throughout the pattern, meaning two strands are held together simultaneously during knitting, which increases fabric density and creates the substantial weight necessary for successful felting.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Garter Stitch: The foundation stitch used across the majority of the pattern, created by knitting every row. This produces a bumpy, textured fabric that is reversible and provides excellent structure for a pet bed.
• Make One (m1): Yarn over increases used strategically throughout the pattern to expand the fabric and create the pod's rounded form. These increases appear in specific rows to build width and depth.
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): Decreases used in rows 56 through 64 to shape the opening and refine the cave entrance, creating a defined rim around the pod's opening.

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The pattern requires 100% wool yarn in worsted weight (weight category 4). Specific yardage varies by size: Small pods require 7-8 ounces, Medium pods need 10-11 ounces, Large pods use 13-14 ounces, X-Large pods require 16-17 ounces, and XX-Large pods need 19-20 ounces. The yarn must be suitable for wet felting, as the finished knit structure will be intentionally felted to create a dense, matted fabric. Wool is essential for this process, as synthetic fibers do not felt.

Needles: US size 11 circular needles measuring 24 inches (8.0mm, equivalent to UK/Canadian size 0) or double-pointed needles of the same size. Circular needles are recommended for managing the increasing stitch count as the pod expands.

Additional Materials: A yarn needle is required for weaving in ends and seaming if necessary. Boning is listed as optional, suggesting that some crafters may choose to insert flexible boning material into the pod's rim or structure to help maintain shape after felting.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 14 stitches and 22 knitted rows equaling 4 inches in garter stitch using double strands of yarn before felting. This pre-felting gauge is important, as the finished dimensions will be significantly smaller after the wet felting process shrinks and densifies the fabric. The pattern includes a color-coded sizing system to help knitters select and track the appropriate size throughout the instructions, ensuring consistent sizing for the intended finished pod dimensions.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner pattern, the Kitty Pod is accessible to knitters new to the craft. The techniques required—garter stitch, basic increases, and basic decreases—are fundamental skills that beginning knitters typically master early. The pattern's straightforward construction and the forgiving nature of garter st