Housecats tend to behave in many of the same ways as their less-than-domesticated cousins. Even the most dedicated lap cat will most likely prefer exploring around dusk and dawn, even if all they’re doing is moving from one side of the couch or bed to the other. Similarly, kitties tend to crouch when they eat, and it’s much easier for cats, particularly older cats, to eat in a more upright position, leading some veterinarians to recommend raised bowls for their feline patients. While there are plenty of raised cat dishes you can purchase, you can also design and build one at home. Read on for more information on raised cat bowls you can make at home!
The 9 DIY Raised Cat Bowl Plans
1. Small Raised Pet Feeder by Ana White
| Materials: | Wooden planks, stainless steel bowls, screws, wood glue, paint |
| Tools: | Jigsaw, tape measure, Kreg jig, drill, miter saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Advanced |
This beautiful raised feeder creates an enclosed space where your pet’s bowls rest, making it difficult for your four-legged friend to play with their food. It’s a fun project for woodworkers and requires a few specific tools you might not have on hand. Unless you already know what a Kreg jig is and how to use a miter saw safely, this might not be the most suitable project. It’s a great project if you’re into woodworking and already have the tools on hand.
2. Wooden Raised Feeder by Tonyastaab
| Materials: | Wood, screws, pencil, paint, wood stain, bowls |
| Tools: | Jigsaw, Drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
This cute raised feeder is relatively easy to put together. It was created for dogs, but the design works just as well as a cat feeder. The instructions are adaptable; they don’t call for you to purchase a specific length of wood but to base your measurements on the size of the food and water bowls you plan to use. The actual construction will probably take around 30 minutes. Add a bit of extra time if you’re planning on painting or staining your feeder.
3. Simple Wooden Raised Cat Bowl Station by The inspired hive
| Materials: | 1″x2″ boards, pine board, wood stain, two pet food bowls, wood glue |
| Tools: | Circular saw, jig saw, brad nailer, sander |
| Difficulty Level: | Advanced |
This simple raised feeding station is relatively easy to put together, provided you have the right materials and tools on hand and feel relatively comfortable working with circular saws and jig saws. Since the project is a raised feeding station designed for cats, you can rest assured it’s just the right height for your feline friend. The bowls nestle in the top plank, which holds them securely so your cat can’t overturn their bowl and make a mess. Properly constructed, the feeder will also keep your cat’s food far enough off the floor to discourage ants and other unwanted visitors from investigating the contents.
4. Super Easy Planter Raised Bowl Holder by Crafty In Crosby
| Materials: | Planters, bowls |
| Tools: | None |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re looking for an easy way to create raised feeding bowls for your kitty, search no further! This ingenious idea takes minutes to get together, and there’s a good chance you won’t even need to head to the store for supplies. Just drop your kitty’s bowl into a round decorative planter. Your biggest challenge will be finding the right-sized planter; the bowl’s edge needs to rest on the edge of the planter. Make sure to use a bowl and planter wide enough to keep your cat from knocking over your new creation!
5. Simple Raised Pet Bowl Hack by YouTube
| Materials: | Plastic planter, bowls |
| Tools: | Utility knife, sandpaper |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
You’ll have an elevated feeder on your hands in no time, thanks to this innovative design that repurposes old plastic planters. You don’t need to worry that much about sizing since you’ll be cutting the planter to fit the bowl’s dimensions. While it’s a super easy project, you’ll need to use a super sharp utility knife to essentially take the bottom off the planter, making this a distinctly kid-unfriendly project. You can head to the store and purchase new planters or simply re-use old ones you have lying around the house after giving them a good clean.
6. Modern Wooden Elevated Cat Feeding Station by Almost Makes Perfect
| Materials: | Bowls, wooden dowels, wood screws, wood glue |
| Tools: | Clamps, sandpaper, drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
This attractive, modern-looking elevated feeding station requires a bit of drilling, but it’s far simpler to construct than some of the options on this list requiring specialized tools. You’ll need a few tools, but nothing too outrageous. It’s secure enough that your cat won’t be able to make a mess out of the dining area, and the design features room for three bowls, giving you a place (other than the floor) to put cat treats!
7. Sturdy Elevated Bowls by Garrison Street Design Studio
| Materials: | ½” wooden boards, wood glue, paint or stain |
| Tools: | Hole saw, miter saw, tape measurer, sanding device |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Do you have some scrap wood and a handful of power tools lying around? This project may be the perfect way to put them to use!
With this plan, you can create your cat’s sturdy elevated feeding bowls in only a couple of hours. You need to be comfortable with power tools, which makes the project a bit more moderate in difficulty. If you can make careful cuts, it shouldn’t be difficult for you.
What’s great about this project is that it is easily adjustable to suit the size of your cat, as you can stack or remove boards to meet your cat’s needs.
8. Plant Pot Bowl by Instructables
| Materials: | Two plant pots, nuts, and bolts |
| Tools: | Two socket wrenches |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
For DIY beginners, this is a great introductory project. The materials you need are minimal, as are the tools. With just two plant pots and socket wrenches, you can attach the pots by their bottoms and create the base from the bottom pot and a bowl from the top.
If you use ceramic or terracotta plant pots, the durability of this project increases. Just be aware that the bowl may break if tipped over, so keeping it in a secure location is important.
In the instructions, the creator uses two larger pots for their dog. For a cat, you need to look for smaller pots so that it suits your feline’s size.
9. Stacked Magnetic Bowls by the art of doing stuff
| Materials: | Ceramic bowls, magnets, superglue |
| Tools: | None |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Ceramics is one of the best materials for bowls, which means it is a bit more expensive. Even the clumsiest DIY novice can make this project work. All you need to do is superglue a magnet on the bottom of each bowl, making them detachable for easy cleaning. The hardest part of this project will be ensuring you get two bowls that suit your cat’s size and match each other—and even that won’t take much time.
Alternatively, you could invest in food and water dishes that are both functional for your cat and beautiful for your home. Designed with your cat's well-being in mind, the Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl takes a modern spin on traditional cat dishes and is aimed at offering the utmost comfort and support to cats of all ages, sizes, and breeds. It's spillproof, dishwasher safe, and comprised of cat-safe materials. Learn more about the NomNom Cat Bowl here. 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!
Final Thoughts
Raised feeders are a great option for cats, particularly older felines that have difficulty crouching down to get close enough to their food and larger cats that benefit from higher bowls. Whether you’re interested in tackling a serious woodworking project or just looking for a quick hack to get your kitty’s food and water bowls off the floor, there are tons of suitable options in styles ranging from quirky to elegant.
Featured Image Credit By: Kristi Blokhin, Shutterstock
The 9 DIY Raised Cat Bowl Plans
