Cats are known for their innate need to scratch and maintain their claws. Not only does scratching help them keep their claws healthy, but it also serves as a way to mark their territory and relieve stress. To keep them from scratching your furniture and curtains, you’ll need to provide them with a scratching post, but a quick look in any pet store will show you that they can be quite expensive. Fortunately, they’re not difficult to build, so keep reading as we list several DIY plans you can follow to create a scratching post at home using inexpensive materials.
The 10 Cat Scratching Post Ideas
1. Scratching Post From Phill Wyatt Projects
| Materials: | 2×4 boards, screws, wood glue, carpet |
| Tools: | Hammer, saw, drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
The Scratching Post from Phill Wyatt Projects is an interesting project that uses carpet for scratching instead of sisal rope like many other projects, which helps weigh down the scratching post and make it sturdier.
It also enables you to create an attractive design that might not be possible with rope. The author uses 2×4 boards to make the post, and it isn’t too difficult to build if you have the tools.
2. DIY Scratching Post by Life of Pot Pie
| Materials: | 2×4 boards, plywood, screws, sisal rope |
| Tools: | Saw, sandpaper, measuring tape |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
The DIY Scratching Post by Life of Pot Pie is a fun and fairly easy project that uses sisal rope for the scratching surface, which most cats love to sharpen their claws on.
The author explains each step clearly, making the instructions easy to follow, and you will likely be able to complete it in only a few hours. The author uses a carpet base, which is handy because you can use one that matches your surroundings.
3. DIY Scratching Post From The Cat Chronicles
| Materials: | Two pieces of wood, screws, sisal rope |
| Tools: | Glue gun, saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
The DIY Scratching Post from The Cat Chronicles is an easy-to-build project that requires only two pieces of wood, sisal rope, and glue. It’s highly customizable, and you can adjust the measurements to suit your cat’s size, making them more likely to use it.
According to the author, the most difficult part is gluing the sisal rope onto the wood, which can take an hour or more.
4. Easy DIY Scratching Post by Right Rope
| Materials: | Wood, sisal rope, screws |
| Tools: | Screwdriver, hammer, saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
The Easy DIY Scratching Post by Right Rope shows you how to recycle old wooden spools into a durable and stable scratching post for your cat. Besides showing you how to build the scratching post, the author provides plenty of tips and tricks to help you get better results.
What we like about this project is that it creates a perch for your cat to sit on and survey the environment, making them more likely to use it.
5. Scratching Post With Cat Perch by Morley Kert
| Materials: | Plywood, wood glue, 2x4s, carpet |
| Tools: | Screwdriver, hammer, saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
The Scratching Post With Cat Perch by Morley Kert is a fantastic project. The author uses the underside of the carpet as the scratching surface, meaning you won’t need to wrap sisal rope around the post, which will reduce the time it takes to build it.
The perch on top will provide a space for your cat to sit while they survey their environment, which is one of their favorite hobbies. The instructions are easy to follow, and it’s suitable for a beginner.
6. DIY Scratching Post by Dream a Little Bigger
| Materials: | Plywood, wood glue, nails, screws |
| Tools: | Hammer, saw, drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
The DIY Scratching Post by Dream a Little Bigger is great fun to build and results in a scratching post that will last for many years. It’s sturdy and durable and stands nearly 3 feet tall, so your cat will enjoy using it to stretch.
It only requires a few materials and is relatively easy to build, but it’s considered a moderately difficult project because it requires multiple cuts.
7. Scratching Post by Cats and Pats
| Materials: | Plywood, sisal rope, 4×4 wood post |
| Tools: | Hammer, saw, drill, router |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
The Scratching Post by Cats and Pats is similar to the previous entry and involves many of the same tools and materials. However, these instructions are in video format, so they are easier to follow, and the base is also slightly easier to make without sacrificing durability or stability.
The finished product is about 2.5 feet tall and will only take a day or two to complete. It’s considered a moderately difficult project, but if you have the tools and follow the instructions closely, you can complete it even without much experience.
8. Heavy-Duty Cat Scratching Post
| Materials: | Wood screws, 2×4, wood screws, carpet, plywood |
| Tools: | Circular saw, drill, glue gun |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
The Heavy-Duty Cat Scratching Post helps you produce a high-quality and incredibly durable cat scratching post at an affordable price. The author uses few tools and materials and lists them all at the beginning of the video, so it’s easy to get everything together.
The instructions are straightforward to follow, and you will likely be able to finish it in 1–2 days. It’s also simple to customize to make it taller or shorter.
9. Modern Scratching Post by Evan and Katelyn
| Materials: | Sisal rope, wood screws, catnip spray |
| Tools: | Circular saw, drill, glue gun |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
The Modern Scratching Post by Evan and Katelyn is a new take on the traditional scratching post. It slides over the sleeve of the couch, so it is more stable and enables the post to double as a drink holder. Another significant benefit of this design is that your cat is more likely to use it because you can place it in an area that they already like to scratch.
The instructions are easy to follow, and you can paint and stain it in different ways to make it look even better and help it match your interior. It’s a creative way to keep your cats from scratching the furniture.
10. PVC Scratching Post by Mother Daughter Projects DIY
| Materials: | PVC pipe, rope, wood |
| Tools: | Saw, drill, measuring tape |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
The PVC Scratching Post by Mother Daughter Projects DIY is perfect for someone who wants to create a scratching post for their cat without doing too much woodworking. Besides the round wood base, which you might be able to purchase, the scratching post uses primarily PVC in its construction. The result is an incredibly durable yet lightweight scratching post that your cat will enjoy.
Alternatively, if you want to surprise your cat with something cool, check out the Hepper Hi-Lo Cat Scratcher. It's not just a scratcher; it's a piece of modern furniture that your cat can play on. It's got a curvy design that's perfect for stretching and moving, and it's built tough with strong birch plywood and thick B-flute cardboard. You can adjust it to three different heights, which keeps cats entertained. Plus, it won't break the bank! Our cats love it, and we do too.
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At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest, so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Summary
As you can see, there are many ways to build a scratching post for your cat. We recommend the Scratching Post from Phill Wyatt Projects if you are a beginner because it’s relatively easy to complete and quite sturdy. The DIY Scratching Post from The Cat Chronicles is another good option and adds a perch on top that your cat can use. Once you gain more experience, we highly recommend the PVC Scratching Post by Mother Daughter Projects DIY since it’s an extremely durable but lightweight scratching post.
Read Also:
- 20 Free DIY Cat Tree Ideas You Can Build Today (With Pictures)
- 13 DIY Cat Castles You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: Svetlana Rey, Shutterstock
The 10 Cat Scratching Post Ideas
