With all the other supplies that you have to buy when you welcome a new cat into your family, a new litter box can make a sizeable dent in both your wallet and the space that you have available in your home. If you’re short on funds or simply don’t have much room, there are plenty of simple and snazzy ways to create a DIY litter box, without spending a small fortune.
We put together this list of DIY cat litter box plans so you can save space or hide unsightly litter trays from your guests. Whether you’re looking for a simple litter box, hidden litter boxes, or sifting litter boxes, you’re bound to find a DIY solution that suits your needs.
Cats can make a huge mess, and some of them always kick litter out of even the tallest litter boxes or somehow manage to do their business outside the box. This design uses 26-gallon Sterilite boxes to create an enclosed litter box with high enough sides that your cat will find it harder to make a mess.
Walking barefoot anywhere near your cat’s litter tray is a recipe for disaster, especially if you use crystal litter. Those tiny crystals can hurt when you step on them. This litter box holder might not look like much, but it gives your cat space for the litter to fall off their feet before they hop onto your carpet, saving your toes from sharp surprises.
Top-entry litter boxes can be on the expensive side. Plastic totes, on the other hand, can be surprisingly cheap. This design uses an 18-gallon tote, though you can use a bigger one if you prefer — just make sure it has a lid. It’s a simple but effective idea: You just fill the bottom with litter and cut a hole in the top for your cat.
This design is a similar idea to a DIY top-entry litter box. If you have a big enough tote already but lost the lid for it, this is a snazzy way to hide the litter tray, anyway. It doesn’t require much work either. Just cut a cat-sized hole in the side, and flip the whole thing upside down over the litter tray.
Litter trays are an eyesore and don’t often match your home décor. If you can’t afford the fancy litter boxes styled after furniture, you can make a DIY enclosed tray disguised as a fake plant. It’ll help keep your décor looking interesting and give your kitty somewhere private to do their business. Plus, if you decide that the litter idea doesn’t work, you can use the same design as a snazzy cat bed instead.
Buying litter boxes that look like furniture can be a brutal blow to your wallet, especially if you want something that matches your existing décor. While the choices with litter boxes are limited, this repurposed toy box is a great way to breathe new life into old, unused furniture or repurpose a cheap cabinet that you found in a yard sale.
Cats are notorious for tracking litter everywhere or kicking it out of their tray when they use it. This design uses a large container to hide the litter box and act as a private bathroom for your cat. You can fill it with a cozy rug and a few lights to give it an even more welcoming and safe feel for your cat. It can be paired with your existing litter box too.
If you have a cat, consider turning your worn cabinet into a safe place for their litter tray. Not only will you be able to keep their litter tray out of sight, but you can also use your existing tray, store their litter, and save on an expensive, specially designed cabinet.
A similar idea to the old cabinet, you can repurpose a dresser into a new house for your litter box too. This plan might be a little difficult to follow along, but it’s well worth the work. You’ll have cupboard space for your kitty’s litter, a drawer for their toys and accessories, and space on the top for their favorite napping spot.
Hiding the litter tray in a cabinet of some kind is a popular idea, but it doesn’t always have to be a worn-out dresser or cheap cabinet. This farmhouse-style cabinet uses end tables and pine panels to make a place for your cat to use the bathroom and for you to store the necessary supplies to keep their litter tray clean.
With a built-in catwalk to dislodge those pesky pieces of litter stuck to your cat’s paws, this design is a cabinet you can build from scratch. It takes more work than revamping an old cupboard, but if you fancy a challenge for your carpentry skills, you can customize this design to fit your space restrictions and the size of your litter tray. Better still, the litter box is completely hidden, giving your cat privacy and keeping unsightly trays out of the way.
Repurposed cabinet ideas are great, but sometimes, we just don’t have space in our homes to add another cupboard. Most of us have a coffee table, though. When you’re short on space, a few curtains and some sisal rope to make a few in-built scratching posts are ideal for hiding your cat’s litter tray.
There are loads of places where you can get wicker chests to hide your litter tray in. This design uses a collapsible and lidded basket from Ikea to keep your kitty’s toilet private. Cut a cat-sized hole in the side, and you’ve got a private bathroom for your cat — and a reduced risk of stepping on forgotten litter left on the floor. As a bonus, your guests won’t know what’s inside either!
Many DIY ideas use plastic totes to hide litter trays, but deck boxes work just as well and they even offer your cat more space. This idea requires a bit of craftsmanship to build a sturdy slope covered with sisal rope for your cat to scratch. It’s a great way to keep litter off your floor and repurpose an old deck box that you don’t use anymore.
Cleaning out the litter tray is the worst thing about owning a cat. You can buy sifting litter boxes but they’re not always as effective as we want them to be, which is where this design comes in. Using aluminum trays and a sturdy, plastic enclosure, you can make a DIY sifting litter box for your cat and keep it away from inquisitive canine noses.
Owners of multiple cats know better than anyone how often they end up bent over the litter tray scooping out poop. This simple design for an inbuilt sifter takes the work out of sifting with a scoop. Build it to match the size of your existing tray, and let it catch the big clumps of the used litter when you need to clean the tray.
If you use wood pellets in the litter tray, this design is an affordable alternative to expensive sifting litter boxes. Using stackable plastic trays and a drill, you can make a simple litter box with high sides that will even fit into an enclosed chest — depending on the size of the boxes that you buy — to hide it from view.
Poking holes in the bottom of totes can work, but your cat can also get their claws stuck in them as they dig through their litter. This idea uses the same theory, but you drill the holes in one side of the tote instead. You’ll need two totes that are the same size. Drill a few holes in the side of both, and you can put the empty tote on the bottom whenever you empty the tray.
Conclusion
Making a DIY litter box is a cheap and easy way to cater to your cat’s needs, keep things tidy, and match the rest of your décor. You can use anything from aluminum trays and plastic totes to old furniture to make a litter box or an enclosure to hide it in. Hopefully, these designs gave you a few ideas for your cat’s bathroom!
Nicole is a lover of animals of all sizes but is especially fascinated with the feline variety. She’s the proud mom of Baby, a Burmese, and works every day so he can relax in the sunshine or by the fire. She’s always had a cat in her home and has spent countless days with others, observing behaviors and softening up even the grouchiest of the lot. Nicole wants to share her kitty expertise with you so you and your cat can live happy, healthy, and care-free.
