Cats love to sleep, snooze, and nap. They can turn almost any surface into a bed. In fact, they will often turn their noses up at the cat bed that you do buy and opt for something else completely.
Below are the top DIY cat beds that are made using crochet, upcycled wood, or even an old cardboard box and a T-shirt. Most require little equipment and few accessories, and if your cat does ignore it, you can always repurpose it as something else and find an alternative DIY cat bed to try.
The 17 DIY Cat Bed Plans
1. Pet Bed Sewing Tutorial by Charmed by Ashley
If you’re new to sewing, this cat bed is a great project to start. It doesn’t have to be precise, and you can use old dressing gowns and other fabrics to create a comfortable and upcycled cat bed.
2. Round Cat Bed and Bolster Pillow by Instructables
This round bed has a little stuffing in the bottom and extra stuffing in the side cushions. The bolster pillow works really well, giving your feline friend somewhere to rest their head.
3. Ridiculously Easy No-Sew Cat Bed by Your Purrfect Kitty
With this ridiculously easy no-sew cat bed, you only need to know a single basic stitch to make a comfortable bed that will support your cat while providing them a comfortable place to sleep.
4. DIY Cat House Using an Old TV Tray by Lily Ardor
The TV tray gets a brand-new lease of life with this project. Turn it upside down, secure the legs, and add a scratch post on one outside edge and a cushion on the inside of the tray. You can also hang a few toys.
5. No-Sew Pet Bed by Instructables
Cat beds can cost a fortune in pet shops, especially if you need more than one around the house or if your cat ignores the ones you buy. You can make this no-sew pet bed while watching your favorite show.
6. Cat Bed Sewing Tutorial by Swoodson Says
Made from a cardboard box with a circular hole and old fabric sewn over, this cat bed is simple but effective, and the guide teaches you everything that you need to know to make it.
7. Easy and Stylish Cardboard Box Cat Bed by Your Purrfect Kitty
Take a cardboard box, reinforce it, and add a decorative layer to the outside, and you’ve got an attractive and functional cat bed for your favorite kitty. There’s no sewing involved in this design because you glue the fabric to the box.
8. Cardboard Igloo by craft.ideas2live4
Recycled cardboard is surprisingly tough and agile. In this case, it is used to make a cat igloo. The cardboard acts as insulation too, so your cat will be warm in there, no matter how cool the room is. Since the bed is made of cardboard, it doesn’t really matter if your cat scratches it to shreds.
9. Crochet Pet Cat Bed Free Pattern by Let’s Crochet
Some cats like to sprawl while they sleep. Others prefer the security of being squashed up nice and tight in their bed. This crochet pet cat bed pattern is for a small bed, almost like an upturned beret, that your cat will enjoy for its reassurance as much as its comfort.
10. Kitty Cat Couch Bed Crochet Pattern Yarnspirations
The Kitty Cat Couch Bed Crochet Pattern is a literal translation of a cat couch. It is a miniature sofa, complete with a lace throw on the back.
11. DIY Crochet Cat Cave by Intocraft
The cat cave cat bed has become quite popular. Most commercial iterations of this bed type are pricey, but with this project, you can make your own cat cave using your crochet skills.
12. Custom Wooden Bed by DIY huntress
This is described as being a dog bed, but it could easily be modified to be smaller and more suitable for your cat. It has a lower front, but the wooden walls are secure and offer the resident cat (or dog) additional security. Add a cushion, and you can create a homely and relaxing environment for your pampered pet.
13. Easy to Make Cat Bed by Kicking It With Kelly
This cat bed looks simple but is extra comfy for your kitty! And although it says it’s easy to make, it does require some sewing skills, particularly when it comes to the zipper part. For the rest of the bed, there’s an option to use iron-on tape to hold it together.
There are several steps to this bed, but the instructions are fairly detailed, so putting it together shouldn’t be overly complicated. It just might take a bit of time to complete. Overall, it’s a perfect size for felines, but if you have more than one, you might want to make the bed larger.
14. Old Sweater Cat Bed by WikiHow
wikiHow has an excellent tutorial on how to make a cat bed out of an old sweater, so if your kitty loves to lay about on your clothes, you’ll want to try this one out! And it’s super easy to make (though you will be sewing either via machine or hand).
Once you have your sweater, you’ll start by sewing a couple of lines onto it. Next, fill up the sleeves with fiberfill. After that, it’s just a matter of doing a bit of tucking and a bit more sewing. Finally, you’ll stuff the part of the sweater that makes up the center of the bed with the fiberfill and sew that up. That’s it! Now the kitty has a cozy, comfy bed that smells just like you.
15. Wicker Cat Bed by A Butterfly House
If you want to get fancier with your DIY cat bed, we recommend this awesome wicker one. It looks like it would be difficult, but it really isn’t. The biggest thing with this one is the time it takes to make it (the person in the video spent 8 hours wrapping fiber rush!). But if you have the time and are dedicated, it should come out looking fabulous.
When it comes to making it, all you have to do is wrap the fiber rush around an inflated beach ball, then cover it with mod podge. That’s literally it! Of course, you have to let the mod podge dry overnight (or a bit longer), but you’re good to go once it has. The person in the video added legs to theirs with dowels, but that doesn’t seem to be an absolute necessity, so skip it if you’d rather.
16. Cat Tent Bed by Practically Functional
Kitties love when they can crawl into things and hide, so why not make a cozy little hideaway bed for your cat? With this tent bed, you can use things you probably already have lying around the house to put together a bed in no time!
You’ll need to cut the front off an empty litter box, then stretch a couple of hangers into long metal pieces. You’ll use the hangers to make the top of the “tent” for this bed. The floral wire is used to tie the hangers together, but if you don’t have that, something else could be used to connect it all together easily. The old tee is, of course, the fabric of the tent.
Altogether, this one should only take a few minutes to complete!
17. Macrame Cat Bed by Cuckoo 4 Design
This DIY cat bed is great because you get to hang it up, so your favorite feline can nap up high. It is a bit more complicated than several cat beds on this list, though, due to needing to know how to do the knots (there’s a video tutorial, don’t worry!). But overall, the bed looks fantastic.
This cat bed will probably take a fair bit of time to put together, too, as you’ll need to do a lot of wrapping and knotting. It’ll be worth it to see your kitty enjoying its new favorite sleeping spot, though!
DIY Cat Beds
There are many ways to make a cat bed, from recycled wood or cardboard to crochet or no-sew patterns. Hopefully, using these patterns, you can create something that your cat will love, and that also brings you pleasure and a sense of satisfaction from making.
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Featured Image Credit: photosforyou, Pixabay
