You love your cat more than anything in the world, but you definitely love its litter box much less. It’s not only cleaning it out that can get icky, either; it’s having it right in the open in your home where you can always see it (and smell it). If you’re tired of constantly looking at and smelling your cat’s poop, you might want to create a litter box enclosure!
Building a litter box enclosure can seem like a difficult task, but it’s much easier than you think to create one. There are so many options for making these enclosures that no matter how you do it, you shouldn’t have too challenging a time.
If you’re ready to stop staring at the litter box every day, we’ve featured easy DIY cat litter box enclosure plans that you can do regardless of your skill level. Just don’t follow the “out of sight, out of mind” adage and forget to clean the box out regularly!
The 15 DIY Cat Litter Box Enclosure Plans
1. Easy Hidden Kitten Litter Box by Hometalk
| Materials: | Plastic terra cotta pot, pot saucer, floral foam, moss, fake plants, litter, liner |
| Tools: | Sharpie, wood burner tool, scissors, metal file, sandpaper, hot glue |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This cute litter box enclosure will likely only work for kittens or small cats, but it’s an adorable way to hide where your cat goes to the bathroom. You need a large plastic terra cotta pot, fake plants, and a few tools. Then, in less than an hour, you can create a litter box enclosed within a “plant” you can stick in the corner.
Simply cut a hole in the pot large enough for your kitty to get through, put down a liner and litter inside, then make a lid with the pot saucer and fake plant material. It truly doesn’t get easier than this!
2. Inexpensive Enclosure Hack by Worstontheblock
| Materials: | Furniture, litter box |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, jigsaw, pencil, square, sandpaper, paint or stain (optional), vinyl or linoleum (optional) |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This litter box enclosure hack will require a suitable piece of furniture. If you already have a piece that fits, it will be inexpensive, but if you have to find a piece of furniture, it will get a bit pricier. Once you have furniture that works, this enclosure is so simple! The type of furniture you’ll need will be something that opens up, such as a cedar box, chest, cabinet, etc.
After you’ve chosen the furniture, cut holes in two sides for cats to enter and exit, sand down rough edges, and paint or stain if you’d like. You may also want to put a piece of vinyl or linoleum inside for an easier clean-up. Then, place the furniture where you want it and put the litter box inside. Voila, all finished!
3. Modern Plywood Litter Box Enclosure by Hunker
| Materials: | ½ inch thick plywood sheets, nails, screws, door hinges, litter pan, 4 1.5” x 5.5” end table legs, 4 table leg angle plates, plate or bowl, sheet or tarp |
| Tools: | Sandpaper, measuring tape, jigsaw, wood glue, painter’s tape, hammer, power drill, screwdriver |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy to Moderate |
Okay, this super neat enclosure looks difficult, but as long as you can cut plywood into pieces and use a drill, it’s incredibly simple. It also has a modern look, which will fit any home design. First, you’ll figure out the size of your litter pan, then cut the plywood into six boards with dimensions according to the size (or have your local hardware store cut them for you).
After that, it’s just a matter of making an entrance hole, gluing the pieces into a box shape, and installing the hinges and legs. Sure, it will take a bit of time, but once it’s done, you’ll have a fancy hidden litter box enclosure you can brag to your friends about making!
4. Kitty Litter Station by HGTV
| Materials: | Prefab cabinet with doors that open, litter box |
| Tools: | Screwdriver, saw, duct tape |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This kitty litter station made from a cabinet is one of the easiest litter box enclosures to make. If you don’t have a cabinet that works, you can buy one from a thrift store. After you have a cabinet that opens in the front, all you have to do is remove one of the doors and cut an opening your cat can fit through. Then, put the door back on, and that’s it. If you’re looking for a quick fix, this is your plan!
5. Cat Cave by Dimplesandtangles
| Materials: | Small table, fabric, paint (optional), litter box |
| Tools: | Hot glue, sandpaper (optional), scissors, needle & thread (optional) |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you want something a little bit fancier than other enclosures on this list, this cat cave is the enclosure for you. All you need is a small table large enough to fit over your cat’s litter box and fabric to make small curtains for the sides and paint if you want the table to be a different color.
If you’re going to re-paint the table, do that first. Then, measure and cut your fabric so it covers all sides of the table. You can hem and pleat the fabric if you have the sewing skills, but it isn’t necessary. Once the fabric is the size it should be, just hot glue it to the table. Congrats—you are all done!
- You may also like: 13 Easy DIY Cat Cave Plans You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
6. Dog-Proof Litter Box Enclosure by Instructables
| Materials: | 30-gallon storage bin, 18-gallon storage bin, scrap wood, small piece of carpet |
| Tools: | 5” hole saw and drill, jigsaw, 4 wood screws |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Do you have a dog that keeps raiding your cat’s litter box for “tasty” treats? Then, you’ll love this litter box enclosure that not only hides your cat’s litter but will keep the dog from getting into it, too! By putting the smaller bin inside the larger bin, you’ll have a bit of room that works as a foyer to keep your dog away.
Before you put the bins together, you’ll need to cut openings in both large enough for the kitty to get through. You can also cut holes in the lid of the larger bin for aesthetic purposes and more airflow if you like. Once you have both openings, you can stick the smaller bin inside the larger to work as a litter box, then put down the wood and carpet in the space left between both openings to create the foyer. It’s a bit of work, but this enclosure is relatively simple overall!
7. DIY Litter Box Enclosure by Pineandpoplar
| Materials: | 4’ x 8′ 3/4″ plywood, 3 full overlay concealed hinges, edge banding, 1.25” Kreg screws, 1.25” #6 screws, sealer, stain (optional), litter box |
| Tools: | Sandpaper, wood glue, drill, circular saw with track or table saw, Kreg Jig, electric sander, jigsaw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy to Moderate |
Okay, here’s another litter box enclosure that looks like it will be challenging to put together but is quite easy. You’ll need woodworking skills, but you should have no issues as long as you can cut wood into the proper sizes and use a drill. All you need to do is cut plywood into the sizes listed on the plan, add supports on the bottom, drill holes, assemble, cut a hole out for an entrance, then seal and stain (optional).
Once finished, you’ll have a stunning enclosure with a hinged top that will look incredible anywhere in your home.
8. DIY Hidden Litter Box by Mer Issa Mom
| Materials: | 3-piece plastic drawers |
| Tools: | Knife or box cutter |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This DIY Hidden Litter Box is easy to make and affordable. You only need an inexpensive set of three-piece plastic drawers and a box cutter to make this litter box. Not only do you have a litter box when you’re done, but you can also keep the top drawer as a storage area for your cat’s unused litter, scoop, or toys; the choice is yours.
No one wants to see a cat litter box, especially an unclean one, and this simple enclosure checks all the boxes.
9. DIY Litter Box With High Sides by meowtainclimbers
| Materials: | A clear container with high sides |
| Tools: | Box Cutter |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
If you’re anything like us, you hate that your feline pal tracks litter everywhere. Also, they kick litter all over the floor when they get in the litter box. You can stop that with the DIY Litter Box With High Sides. This one is easy to make and only takes a clear container with high sides and a box cutter.
You can cut a hole in the door for your cat to enter, especially if you want to put the lid on the box and fill it with litter. Nothing could be easier, and your cat will keep the litter inside the litter box where it belongs.
10. Amazing Litter Box Enclosure by cuckoo4design
| Materials: | Base cabinet frames, low drawers, cabinet drawers, cabinet top, cabinet knobs, cabinet hinges, cat door, exhaust fan, litter genie, motion sensor nightlight |
| Tools: | Screwdrivers, hammers, drills, etc. |
| Difficulty: | Advanced |
If you’re looking for the kitty condo of litter box enclosures, then the Amazing Litter Box Enclosure is the one you want. While this is a bit more difficult to build than others on our list, it’s undoubtedly the most advanced.
You’ll need several materials, including a motion sensor nightlight for your cat’s nightly bathroom trips and a litter genie to tie it all together. The exhaust fan will keep the smell away, and the litter genie will also clean the box for you.
11. No Dogs Allowed Litter Box Enclosure by craftylittlegnome
| Materials: | Small cabinet, fake wood bars |
| Tools: | Jigsaw |
| Difficulty: | Intermediate |
Most pet parents have had dogs and cats in the same house before. The last thing you want to see is your dog using the cat’s litter box as a breakfast buffet, but it happens. If you’re looking to keep the litter box hidden, the litter contained, and your pup out of the feline’s litter, the No Dogs Allowed Litter Box Enclosure is the enclosure for you.
It’s not that hard to make, and if you get a small cabinet with two sides, you can use one for the litter box and the other for the unused litter, scooper, and your cat’s food. Make the hole in the cabinet just big enough for your cat to slip through, and keep the cabinet closed unless you’re changing or scooping the litter for the best results.
12. Giant Litter Box by Instructables
| Materials: | Large plastic bin with a flat bottom, |
| Tools: | Tape measure, marker, rotary tool, wire mold cordmate, JB Weld Plastic Epoxy |
| Difficulty: | Intermediate |
When you have several cats, especially when they’re outside, you don’t want them using the bathroom all over your lawn. That’s where this Giant Litter Box comes in handy. If you know how to use a tape measure and a rotary tool, this shouldn’t be that hard to build.
The great thing about this litter box is that it’ll work for cats, dogs, small pigs, tapirs, and more. Any pet under 30 pounds can benefit from this large litter box.
13. Cheap Mess Free Cat Litter Box by musingssahm
| Materials: | 18-gallon bin, plate |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
Sometimes, all you need is a simple, high-sided box with a lid for your cat to use. For less than 10 dollars, you can have just that. You only need a cheap 18-gallon bin, a plate to draw a circle on, and a strong pair of scissors to create this Cheap Mess Free Cat Litter Box for your feline pal.
Make sure that you cut the hole in the bin so that it’s large enough for your cat to fit through. Then, fill the box with litter, put on the cover, and you have a litter box fit for your feline at a very low price.
14. Easy DIY Litter Box Cabinet by petfaves
| Materials: | 5 shelf wire shelf unit, shelf liner, wire storage cubes, boot tray, bungee cords |
| Tools: | Velcro |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This Easy DIY Litter Box Cabinet is something anyone can make for their feline pal. It is the perfect cabinet to keep the litter in and the dogs out. All you need is a five-shelf wire unit, shelf liners, a wire storage cube, a boot tray, and bungees. You can even put parts of it together with Velcro.
With this cabinet, you won’t have to worry about your dog’s having poop breath or your cats getting litter everywhere in your bathroom.
15. Mess-Less Litter Box by Instructables
| Materials: | Magic marker, cat litter box, plastic deck box, board, metal L brackets, screws, natural sisal rope, carpenters wood glue, plastic tape |
| Tools: | Hot cutting tool, pencil, hand saw, electric screwdriver, scissors, square |
| Difficulty: | Advanced |
This Mess-Less Litter Box might not be easy to make, but it will keep the mess in the box where it belongs. It eliminates the mess on your floor and encourages your feline to climb the sisal rope to get inside, meaning you have no mess, and your cat gets exercise. You’ll like this enclosure, and your feline will as well.
Final Thoughts
There are so many ways you can create a litter box enclosure for your cat, many of which use pieces of furniture you already have in your home. No matter which kind of enclosure you choose, you’ll find that most plans are as easy as the ones on this list. Only a few require moderate skills, so even if you’re the least crafty or handy person on the block, you should be able to throw something together quickly!
See also:
- 5 Amazing DIY Senior Cat Litter Box Plans (With Pictures)
- 10 Best Cat Litter Box Furniture & Enclosures: Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image: Jennifer McCallum, Shutterstock
The 15 DIY Cat Litter Box Enclosure Plans
