Cat beds that you buy from a store can give your home décor a stylish flair. You can get them in a variety of designs, from enclosed wooden frames to cozy hammocks. However, they can also be incredibly expensive, and it can be a devastating blow if your cat prefers the magazines on the coffee table to the snazzy new cat bed in the corner.
Fortunately, cats aren’t all that fussy about how their bed looks or how much it costs, which is why DIY cat beds are the best idea. DIY cat beds are cheap and can be rewardingly challenging. Some can even help you reuse those old dresser drawers that your cat loves to hide in.
Here are the best DIY plans that you can make at home from scratch or by upcycling old furniture. There are even a few doggy beds that you can redesign to suit your cat.
The 15 DIY Wooden Cat Beds
1. Kitty Hammock by Hunker
| Materials | 13-foot square dowel, 3-foot pine, wood glue, wood screws, cabinet knobs, black hair ties, fabric |
| Tools | Pencil, tape measure, sandpaper, countersink drill bit, drill, screwdriver, saw, sewing machine, fabric scissors |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
While they can be difficult to get into, hammocks are among the most comfortable beds that you can find. This kitty hammock is more stable than the old hammock in your backyard, but it’s just as comfortable for your cat. It takes a little patience to cut the wood and fix it all together, but the design is relatively simple.
You’ll need a sewing machine for the hammock and two different fabrics so you can turn it over whenever you want to change the style of your cat’s bed.
2. Rustic Crate by A Fresh Squeezed Life
| Materials | 1x4s, castor wheels, screws, pillow, paint |
| Tools | Drill |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
If you like rustic farmhouse-style crates but don’t have one to upcycle, you can make your own with 1x4s and a few screws. This one requires a bit of work putting all the planks together, and you’ll have to figure out the dimensions yourself.
Once you’ve got the main framework, though, all you have to do is add a coat of paint, a few personal touches, and a comfy cushion. You can even add castor wheels to make it easy to move around when you’re vacuuming.
3. DIY Pet Bed by Shanty 2 Chic
| Materials | 1x4s, 1x2s, 2x4s, pocket hole screws, wood stain, pillow |
| Tools | Kreg jig, saw, nailer, wood glue, sander, painter tape, chalkboard spray paint |
| Difficulty | Easy |
One crate-like design is this simple pet bed. While it’s not as in-depth as some of the other ideas on this list, it’s a nice way to try your hand at carpentry if you’re new to DIYing. It doesn’t take much to put together either. Add a bit of glue and a few nails for extra security, and you’ll have a new cat bed in no time at all. With a super comfortable cushion, your cat will never want to leave.
4. Cat Couch by Stephanie Marie
| Materials | High-density foam, fabric, plywood, steel corner braces, tee nuts, end table legs, temporary adhesive spray, screws |
| Tools | Saw, drill, sewing machine |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
A snazzy idea — especially if your cat isn’t allowed on the furniture — is to give them a couch of their own. This one will be a challenge for newbie DIYers when it comes to putting together the wooden framework, and you’ll need skill with a sewing machine to sew the fabric cover together.
With patience and perseverance, though, your cat will be able to curl up on their cat-friendly sofa. Better still, it looks just like one that you can buy from a store.
5. Double Hammocks by Makezine
| Materials | Sisal rope, 2x2s, Frosta stool legs, blankets, pocket hole screws, wood stain |
| Tools | Kreg jig |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
If you have wood and fabric left over from another project, this hammock bunk bed is a great way to use such materials. It has a modern, sleek-looking design that can give your décor a stylish flair and your cats plenty of space for themselves.
You can also change the dimensions based on your available space or the wood that you’re using. For an extra challenge, if you’ve got more than two cats, you can split the longer hammocks into smaller sections with a central partition.
6. Modern Pet Bed by Kreg Tool
| Materials | Plywood, board, base cap molding, pocket hole screws, finish nails, wood filler, pocket hole plugs (optional), primer, paint |
| Tools | Kreg jig, circular saw, jigsaw, miter saw, square, tape measure, drill, nailer, sander |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
Many cat beds can make your décor look cluttered, which is where this sleek, modern pet bed design wins. It might be difficult for beginners, but if you’re familiar with all the tools and patterns, it’ll be a fun challenge.
Fill it with cushions and your cat’s favorite toys, and keep it in your living room so you can wow your friends. If the plain wood seems boring, you can personalize it with your cat’s name.
7. TV Tray Tepee by Lily Ardor
| Materials | Wooden TV tray, wooden dowel, screws, stain (optional), fabric, string, hot glue, pillow |
| Tools | Drill, impact drill, screwdriver |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
If you want a challenge when it comes to revamping old furniture, you can try out this TV tray tepee project. It takes a bit of work to make it sturdy and reliable enough for your cat, but it’s a simplistic design.
Use a wooden TV tray that you don’t need anymore or find one at a second-hand store, and flip it upside down. The idea is that the legs make the tepee shape. You’ll have to adjust where the legs are attached to give your cat plenty of room. Cover it with fabric to give it a rustic, tent-like feel. Finish it off with your cat’s favorite pillow, and maybe add a scratching spot on the side.
8. Reused Drawers by Salvage Sister & Mister
| Materials | Drawers, 1x2s, paint (optional), pillows, screws |
| Tools | Sander, drill |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Old dressers can take up a great deal of space, and if they’ve been stored for a while, they can pick up all sorts of water damage that makes them unusable. Sometimes, though, you can salvage a few of the drawers and repurpose them as cat beds. The best part about this DIY plan is that it gives several cats plenty of space for themselves while keeping them close to their friends.
If you don’t want to buy 1x2s or don’t have any spare wood on hand, you can screw these drawers into a wall instead.
9. Wooden Crate by The Little Things
| Materials | Wooden crate, wooden knobs, paint, wood glue, pillow |
| Tools | Paintbrushes, hammer, pliers |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Wooden crates are always useful for something, but they can also take up a great deal of storage space when you don’t need them. This design reuses an old crate and turns it into a rustic pet bed. Don’t let the fact that it’s aimed at dogs put you off — small crates are the perfect size for cats too.
If you have several crates that you want to repurpose, you can challenge yourself to create bunk beds with spare pieces of wood.
10. Bench Hideaway by Haus Panther
| Materials | IKEA ÄPPLARÖ bench, wooden board, yoga mat or pillows |
| Tools | Drill |
| Difficulty | Easy |
If you’re short on inspiration or space, IKEA is a great place to find multipurpose furniture for DIY projects. The ÄPPLARÖ bench, for example, is designed to hold tools but can also make a cozy hideaway for your cat.
It’s easy to restyle too. Just leave off the ends when you put the bench together, and place a cushion inside. You can keep it on the porch or in a mudroom or put it in an outdoor patio.
11. Doggy Bunk Beds by Instructables
| Materials | Wood, OSB, wood screws, pocket hole screws, finishing nails, cat beds |
| Tools | 120-grit sandpaper, brushes or rags, wood stain, wood filler, wood glue, Kreg jig or biscuit joiner, clamps, chop saw, tape measure, drill, nailer |
| Difficulty | Hard |
For the cat-loving carpenters out there who want a big challenge, check out this bunk bed. It might be designed for dogs, but that makes it perfect for adjusting to your needs. Downsize it to suit the number of cats in your household or add a few partitions to make several spaces for more cats. You can enclose the lower bunk in a curtain to give your cat a super quiet spot to sleep.
12. Dog Bed and Feeder Station by Budget 101
| Materials | 2x4s, wooden planks, screws |
| Tools | Drill, saw |
| Difficulty | Hard |
If you have an older cat that isn’t quite as mobile as they used to be, this design has stairs to help them get to the top level. You could also replace the steps with a sisal-covered ramp to make it easier to climb and to provide a scratching spot.
This design is more geared toward dogs, but with a few adjustments to the plan, it can suit your cat too. You can use it as a quiet space to feed them or just restyle it as a bunk bed for multiple cats.
13. DIY Custom Wooden Dog Bed by DIY Huntress
| Materials: | ½” full sheet plywood, (2) 2” x 2” x 36” poplar, (6) 0.25” x 4” x 36” poplar, (3) 0.25” x 2” x 36” poplar, (30) 1” pocket hole screws, polyurethane, euro pillow, (25) 1” brad nails, and wood adhesive |
| Tools: | Accu Cut, Kreg Pocket-Hole jig, mobile project center, circular saw, miter saw, drill, nail gun, sander, and a shop vacuum |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
While this is technically for dogs, it works just as great for cats, too. The great thing about this DIY custom wooden dog bed is that you can customize the dimensions to get exactly what you need without too much work. The plan as-is works great for a 15- to 20-pound dog, so it should be like a throne for your kitty!
The guide also does a phenomenal job of breaking down everything you’ll need and walks you through everything you need to do step-by-step, so it’s perfect for novice DIYers looking for a slightly more advanced project.
14. DIY Modern Cat Bed by Charleston Crafted
| Materials: | ½” plywood, 2” x 2” board, wood glue, 18 gauge brad nails, and stain |
| Tools: | Table or circular saw, nail gun, and a sander |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
There’s just something about this DIY modern wood cat bed that screams sleek and stylish. It looks amazing and fits in with just about any décor, whether it’s upscale or functional. Even better, it’s pretty simple to build, and you don’t need a ton of tools to complete the project.
In fact, while a table or circular saw will make the job a lot easier for you, all you really need is a hand saw if you’re willing to put in a little extra work when making your cuts. No matter what you have on hand, we recommend tackling this project simply because of how simple and fun it is to make.
15. DIY Cat Condo from a Wood Pallet by Hoosier Homemade
| Materials: | Pallet, plywood board, nails, screws, stain, carpet, rope, staples, and wood glue |
| Tools: | Circular saw, measuring tape, pencil, drill, hammer, sander, level, hot glue gun, and a staple gun |
| Difficulty: | Challenging |
You might think that a cat bed using a wood pallet might be the easiest way to go but think again. If you already have a pallet on hand, it might be the most affordable, but getting a pallet into a top-tier cat bed takes a bit of work.
Fortunately, this guide on how to build a cat condo from a wood pallet does a great job of walking you through everything you need to do, but it’s still going to take quite a bit of work and time to get the job done.
Conclusion
Cats love to be cozy and are more than happy to curl up anywhere that’s comfortable. If their favorite spot is your pillow right before you go to bed, it might be worth getting them a cat bed of their own.
These DIY plans are all made of wood and look just as good as the cat beds that you can buy in a store but without the price tag. We hope that they have given you inspiration for your own creations!
Featured Image Credit: Patrick Hatt, Shutterstock
The 15 DIY Wooden Cat Beds
