If you have a cat, you’ll likely know that one of their favorite pastimes is…sleeping. Most cats love finding a warm and cozy spot to curl up and take a good long nap. Learning how to make a cat house is a perfect way to provide a safe and enclosed space for your kitty to nap. It is especially useful if you have a busy home.
We scoured the internet for eight of the best DIY cat house plans available, and the good news is that they’re all completely free. From a minimal and modern plywood cat house to a simple and cute cardboard hideaway, take a look through them all before choosing your favorite.
For every plan, we’ve listed the tools and materials you’ll need, plus the required skill level.
The 8 Best DIY Cat House Plans
1. Cozy Crocheted Cat Cave by Eilen Tein
Skill Level: Medium to Advanced
Created by Finnish designer Eilen Tein, this cozy crocheted cat cave provides the perfect soft spot for your cat to curl up in. Once built, the cave should measure approximately 37 cm wide by 20 cm high.
Your cat can also choose to sleep on top of this cave since it will easily squash down to form a snuggly bed. While this bed requires minimal materials and tools, you must be confident at crocheting before you attempt to make it!
- Carpet yarn or thick t-shirt yarn
- Crochet hook size 8
2. Simple Cardboard Cat House by Cat Lessons
Skill Level: Beginner
If you’re short on materials but have a spare cardboard box lying around, you can turn it into a simple cardboard cat house from Cat Lessons. You only need basic tools to transform your old box into a stylish house for your kitty.
As a plus, there’s a nice video tutorial here, and you can let your imagination run wild when it comes to decorating!
- Cardboard box
- Glue
- Scissors
- Clothespins
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Craft knife
3. Beehive Cardboard Cat House from Instructables
Skill Level: Beginner
Now, we’re inspired by the use of spare cardboard, but what about this stylish Beehive Cardboard Cat House from Instructables? The stylish and eye-catching design is created from layer upon layer of cardboard circles, with a door in the lower sections.
The cool thing about this plan is that you can adapt it to suit the size of your cat by adjusting the size of the circles!
- Thick cardboard
- Glue
- Cutter
- Compass
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Paintbrush
4. Pallet Cat House from Instructables
Skill Level: Medium to Advanced
If you have old pallets, they’re the perfect materials that can be upcycled into a cat house. You can easily adapt this plan for a Pallet Cat House from Instructables to the size of your cat, as well as add extras like a tower, carpet, or whatever you think your cat will enjoy!
Feel free to paint it to match your existing décor, and your cat can enjoy a cool crib all of their own.
- Pallets
- Carpet
- Roof shingles
- Nails
- Screws
- Drill
- Hammer
- Saw
- Sandpaper
- Staple gun
- Craft knife
5. Double Storey Cardboard Cat House by Martha Stewart
Skill Level: Beginner
Many cats love to sleep up high, so they’ll love this Double Storey Cardboard Cat House from Martha Stewart. This plan includes a printable template to make crafting the house simple.
Within a few hours, your cat can enjoy their new house in style! The plan for this cat house includes a step-by-step photo tutorial which is easy to follow along.
- Two cardboard boxes of the same size
- Glue
- Craft knife
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Hot glue gun
6. Wool Felted Cat House with Ears by Wool Walker
Skill Level: Medium
This extremely cute wool-felted cat house with ears by Wool Walker will keep your cat feeling super warm and cozy all winter. The extra-large size measures 50 centimeters wide, making it perfect for bigger kitties.
Wool Walker estimates you’ll need 5 hours to make this cat house, but you can follow their video tutorial with all the steps you need.
- Wool
- Thin mesh fabric
- Bubble wrap
- Soap
- Water
- Large table
- Scissors
- Bamboo mat
7. Minimal Indoor Cat House by Brittany Goldwyn
Skill Level: Advanced
This stylish Minimal Indoor Cat House by Brittany Goldwyn has exposed plywood sides for an industrial and minimal feel. The hairpin legs add a stylish touch, and this cat house won’t look out of place in a modern office or kitchen.
While the project requires someone with advanced knowledge of tools and woodworking skills, it has a step-by-step plan that includes a list of all the cuts you need to make. Plus, depending on which hardware store you get your plywood from, they’ll sometimes cut it to size for you!
- Plywood
- Glue
- Cloth
- Hole saw
- Sandpaper
- Hairpin table legs
- Wood screws
- Table saw
- Miter saw
- Sander
- Kreg jig
- Krill
- Finish nailer
8. Double Cat House by Rag ‘n’ Bone Brown
Skill Level: Medium to Advanced
If you have cats who like to snuggle up together, this Double Cat House by Rag ‘n’ Bone Brown is a great choice. It’s made from reclaimed wood.
The video tutorial is clear and easy to follow, so even if you don’t have advanced DIY skills, you could surprise yourself by making this!
- Scrap wood
- Glue
- Nails
- Screws
- Sisal rope
- Carpet
- Wood stain
- Glue
- Sandpaper or wood plane
- Saw
- Hammer
- Hot glue gun
- Staple gun
Conclusion
We hope you found our roundup of the best free DIY cat house plans useful. There’s something there for any cat owner’s skill level, from an easy cardboard house your young kids can help you build to an impressive double cat house that requires some skill and tools to complete. Completing DIY projects like these is always fun and rewarding.
But, of course, aside from learning how to build a cat house on your own, the best thing of all will be watching your cat enjoy their cozy new house.
- Another simple idea but fun idea for your cat: Best Cat Tents
- See also: How to Build an Insulated DIY Outdoor Cat House: Step-By-Step Guide
Featured Image Credit: Mel Elías, Unsplash
The 8 Best DIY Cat House Plans
