10 DIY Litter Boxes for Large Cats You Can Make Today
Every cat deserves a comfortable litter box to do their business, and for large cats, that’s a little tricky. If your cat doesn’t have enough space, he’ll make a mess or just find a place that he likes better. But that doesn’t mean you have to find an expensive or ugly option—in fact, there are lots of ways to DIY an extra-large litter box. These projects are all relatively easy, and most don’t require fancy tools. Whether you’re looking for a basic solution to fit in your garage or an elegant hidden box, we’ve got you covered!
The 10 DIY Litter Boxes for Large Cats
1. DIY Cat Litter Box with High Sides by Meowtain Climbers
| Materials: | Tote bin |
| Tools: | Dremel saw, sharpie |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
One of the easiest options for a big kitty is to adapt an oversized plastic container. The folks over at Meowntain Climbers struggled with a cat that aimed high, spraying and splashing over even a high-sided store-bought box. This tutorial only takes a few minutes to follow and can come together for under $20, making it the perfect solution if your cat likes to spill litter or splash urine up over the edge. With such a simple solution, it’s no trouble to help your cat find a comfortable and simple litter box in his size.
2. The Original DIY Mess-Free Litter Box by Living Well Mom
| Materials: | Tote bin, stickers (optional) |
| Tools: | Plate for tracing, sharpie, box cutter or strong scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Super easy |
Another plastic tote conversion box, this tutorial from Living Well Mom shows how to make a box with a lid opening. This style of box is ideal for keeping the messiest cats contained. If your cat likes to push litter out the opening of the box or over the sides, she can scratch to her heart’s content here without causing a spill. The lid opening is a bit of an adjustment for most cats, but as long as there’s plenty of clearance for your cat to jump in and your cat doesn’t have mobility issues, most reviewers say their cat adjusted just fine.
3. Ikea Litter Box Hack by All The Little Details
| Materials: | Covered litter box, wicker chest slightly larger than box, ribbon, hot glue |
| Tools: | Sturdy wire cutters or small pruning shears, pencil, hot glue gun |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’ve got a big kitty, you might already have a litter box that’s just a little hard to fit somewhere discreet. Concealing it in a piece of furniture is a great solution! This DIY IKEA Litter Box Hack is a perfect choice because the wicker basket is easy to cut through without power tools, and the end result is clean and professional. The only trick is to make sure that your box fits easily inside. You end up with an attractive storage solution that won’t look out of place anywhere in your home.
4. The Ultimate Homemade Litter Box by Patos Gatos
| Materials: | Large tote, tape, embellishments (optional) |
| Tools: | Hacksaw, heated knife or rotary tool, sandpaper |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Although there are lots of tote box litter tutorials here, this one from Patos Gatos definitely deserves a look—no matter what your final design looks like. It is full of useful tips and info, from the best way to start a cut in plastic to figuring out what size of box is best for your cat. This extra info helps you figure out exactly what your cat needs and how to go about making the perfect litter box for your large cat.
5. Attractive DIY Kitty Litter Box by A Design Story
| Materials: | MDF Board, Wood Glue, Nails, Wood Trim, Paint |
| Tools: | Nail gun, saw, tape measure |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
With some careful measuring and simple woodwork, this tutorial shows you how to make an attractive litter box from MDF wood. With a removable lid and a clean finish, it’s easy to use and will look good anywhere in your house. Plus, you can scale up the litter box to work with any size of cat if needed. Although the instructions are a little sparse, the detailed pictures and material list makes it a manageable project to figure out yourself if you have a little experience working with wood.
6. Make Your Own Cat Litter Box Furniture from an Old Cabinet by Lindsey Blogs
| Materials: | Cabinet, tote that fits inside |
| Tools: | Saw, sandpaper |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Making a homemade litter box caddy from an old cabinet is another great way to upgrade your litter box game. An old entertainment center and an Ikea tote come together here in a simple DIY tutorial. Although you’ll have to adapt it to your own space constraints and furniture, this is still a useful walkthrough for making a nice cabinet box.
7. DIY No-Sew Cat Litter Box Curtain by Sensibly Sara
| Materials: | Fabric, tension rod, fabric glue, storage tub |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If your litter box is under a sink or counter, consider using a curtain to keep the area neat and tidy so that your setup doesn’t overtake its space. By using a large tub, a tension rod, and some fabric, the writer of this tutorial created a private litter nook that is easy to clean and attractive. Plus, you have plenty of space for storing bags of litter and everything else, not just the box itself. The tutorial is super easy, with no sewing and almost no materials needed.
8. Easy Clean Litter Box by Byromie
| Materials: | 2 plastic storage bins |
| Tools: | knife, drill |
| Difficulty: | easy |
The Easy Clean Litter Box by Byromie is an easy-to-build project for beginners. It’s also perfect for large cats and uses two plastic storage containers to make a large litter box with a giant scooper, making it easy to clean. The video instructions are easy to follow and demonstrate how to use it so you can clean it quickly, and the finished product will likely last you a few years.
9. Monster Litter Box by Cats & Fluff
| Materials: | 2 plastic storage bins, one with wheels |
| Tools: | knife, drill |
| Difficulty: | easy |
The Monster Litter Box by Cats and Fluff is a great project for beginners, and it’s suited for the biggest cats. It uses a huge storage bin with wheels to make the box easier to move, clean behind, and get into position, so it’s extremely convenient. The author also explains how to make a large scoop from another storage container. You can likely complete this project in 1–2 hours with only a knife and a drill.
10. DIY Litter Box by Fundamentally Feline
| Materials: | 2 plastic storage totes |
| Tools: | knife, drill, Dremel, safety glasses |
| Difficulty: | easy |
The DIY Litter Box by Fundamentally Feline is another easy-to-build project you can complete in a few hours and in order to have a suitable litter box for a large cat. What we like about this project is that the author provides plenty of tips for creating a better litter box, which includes determining how big it should be. Most people should be able to finish it quickly, and your cat will likely be using it the same day.
Conclusion
We hope these DIY plans get you inspired to make a litter box for your robust furry feline. These plans range from easy to moderate, so you can choose whichever plan you think is right for your skill level. Your cat will definitely thank you!
See Also:
Featured Image Credit: Melinda Rózsa, Pixabay
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Ed Malaker is a veteran writer who has contributed to a wide range of blogs that cover tools, pets, guitars, fitness, and computer programming. When he’s not writing, Ed is usually performing DIY projects around the house or working in the garden. He’s also a musician and spends a lot of time helping people fix their guitars and composing music for independent films.
