20 DIY Gifts for Cat Lovers You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
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Most of us have a few cat lovers in our lives we care about very much. We’ve put together this collection of DIY gifts for cat lovers you can make today that are sure to make any cat-obsessed person in your life purr with delight. Some of these items are fast and easy to make, while others require some planning and tools.
Regardless of what you’re looking for, we’ve got the plan for you below. Check out 20 DIY gifts that you can start to make now!
The 20 DIY Gifts for Cat Lovers
1. Small Cat Face Planter – Up Cycle That
| Materials: | plastic soda or water bottle, spray paint, scissors, string |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
To make this cat face planter pot, all you need is a plastic soda bottle, some spray paint, permanent markers, scissors, and string! You can put the whole thing together quickly, and it doesn’t take much skill to complete. If you’ve got kids at home, get them involved so they can make their own to give to cat lovers they know.
2. Felt Mouse Plush Toy – Rhythms of Play
| Materials: | mouse pattern, cardstock, felt, embroidery floss, wool or cotton yarn, wool filling, scissors, fabric marker, large eye hand sewing needle |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Cats love playing with mouse toys, and any cat owner would love having this soft-felt mouse plush toy to give their kitty! This is an easy project to complete, and you can even fill the toy with catnip for an extra special treat for your friend’s cat! You don’t even need a sewing machine to make this DIY cat toy, as it’s all hand-sewn.
3. Kitty Cubicle – I Heart Cats
| Materials: | foam padding, 1.5 yards of material, scissors, needle, thread, pins, ruler |
| Tools: | sewing machine |
| Difficulty Level: | medium |
This adorable kitty cubicle is big enough for an adult cat, and it makes the perfect cat hideaway. It’s a super cute project you can make using a few basic sewing supplies. You can use fabric for the exterior that matches your friend’s decor for a more personal touch if you’d like.
Plan on spending about 2 hours putting together this sweet kitty cat cubicle that any cat would like.
4. Cat Tree Play Tower – Southern Revivals
| Materials: | plywood, 1x2s, concrete, branches, screws, wood glue, stain, sealer, hot glue staples, nails, jute rope, sandpaper, faux fur |
| Tools: | hot glue gun, table saw, miter saw, jigsaw, nail gun, belt sander |
| Difficulty Level: | medium to advanced |
If you need a gift for someone with an indoor cat, this fantastic cat tree play tower is a great idea! Just make sure your friend has plenty of room in their home for this tower because it’s kind of big. You’ll need plenty of room to build it, so clear out that workshop of yours or set up a makeshift workshop in your basement or garage and get to work.
This multi-level cat tower made of real tree branches and plywood has a natural look so it will fit into any home decor.
5. No-Sew Cat Collar – A Feathered Stitch
| Materials: | scrap material, break-away buckle, adjuster, metal loop, tag |
| Tools: | clothes iron |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
As the name suggests, this cute cat collar doesn’t require any sewing, which is great if you’re all thumbs. This collar doesn’t qualify as a sewing project because you only have to make a few stitches to put the whole thing together.
This collar is safe for cats to wear because it features a break-away buckle. You can even embellish the collar by adding an ID tag by simply including a metal loop.
6. Scratching Post – Dream a Little Bigger
| Materials: | plywood, untreated 4×4, 100 feet of sisal rope, small rug, wood glue, wood screws, wire nails, yardstick, pencil |
| Tools: | staple gun, glue gun, hammer, circular saw, utility knife, miter saw, or hand saw and miter box, power drill |
| Difficulty Level: | advanced |
Anyone with an indoor cat would appreciate being given a handmade cat scratching post to save their furniture and rugs. This budget-friendly scratching post is a sturdy piece that will last for years because it’s not made of cheap cardboard. This is a scratching post made of plywood and sisal rope, which is a very durable material. You can even dye it to make it colorful.
7. Macrame Hammock for Cats – Macrame for Beginners
| Materials: | 3-ply macrame cords, wooden rings, small round or square pillow |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | medium to advanced |
This beautiful macrame cat hammock is the perfect way to pamper a pet. It’s easier to make than you might think and an appropriate project for anyone with some patience. It’s made mostly using a simple square knot, so practice makes perfect.
The video instructions are easy to follow, but you can slow the video down if you’d like by simply adjusting the playback speed in the settings.
8. Cat Bookmark – Tea Time Monkeys
| Materials: | white or colored card, small scraps of paper or card, scissors, glue, black pen, googly eyes (optional) |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Any bookworm who loves cats would be thrilled to get this cat bookmark that’s super easy to make. This bookmark looks super cute peeking out from between the pages of a book, and it can be made with scraps of card you’ve probably got around your house.
The instructions include a template to download, which saves on measuring. If your budget is tight, this DIY project is perfect because it costs very little or even nothing to make.
9. Cat Teepee – Craft Your Happiness
| Materials: | TV tray, dowel, pillowcase, scissors, faux sheepskin rug, eucalyptus leaves, eucalyptus bouquet w/ flower |
| Tools: | staple gun, drill, hand saw |
| Difficulty Level: | medium |
Believe it or not, you can make this cat teepee from an ordinary TV tray, and it’s as cute as it can be! Because cats like to have their own safe spaces to hang out, this teepee offers up the ideal resting spot for any pampered feline.
The instructions for making the teepee are easy to follow, and you only need some basic supplies and tools to put it together.
10. Cat Shelves – Adventure Ratheart
| Materials: | pine boards, wood post, stain, 100 feet of sisal rope, indoor/outdoor carpet roll, velcro fasteners, L-corner brace brackets |
| Tools: | power saw, drill |
| Difficulty Level: | medium to advanced |
Perfect for the cat owner that doesn’t have room for a cat tree, these vertical cat shelves are a great idea! They give a cat a good view of their domain, and they’re ideal for dressing up a big blank wall.
These shelves are covered in indoor/outdoor carpet to give cats a good grip. The shelves are made of ordinary pine boards and natural sisal rope. There’s some measuring involved with this project, as well as some sanding and staining, so be prepared to do a bit of hard work.
11. Cactus Cat Scratcher Tree – Kitty Loaf
| Materials: | plywood, 210 feet of sisal rope, green dye, glue sticks, glue gun, spray paint, wood screws, stones or concrete, fake flowers, plumbing pipe, pipe lid, two single tees, two 90-degree elbow pipes, polystyrene baubles |
| Tools: | electric drill |
| Difficulty Level: | medium |
If you think all cat scratching posts are boring, you’ll love making this cactus-shaped cat scratcher tree that looks like a real cactus. Not only does it look cool, but this scratcher tree will also give your cat friend something safe to scratch on that’s not a piece of furniture.
This is an easy project to complete that requires some plumbing pipe, plywood, sisal rope, and green dye. You’ll also need lots of glue sticks, a glue gun, an electric drill, as well as some simple things like wood screws and stones for filling the body. You can add some fake flowers if you’d like to give it a cute, finished look.
12. Smartypants Cat Food Bowl – Salvaged Living
| Materials: | old or new book, cat food bowl, paint, wood ball feet, glue |
| Tools: | electric drill, jigsaw |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Using a new or old book, you can make this clever cat food bowl by simply cutting a hole in the book that’s large enough for a cat food bowl to fit in. You can paint the book if you’d like or leave it as it is and add some feet to the bottom to get it up and off the floor.
Imagine the look of surprise on your cat-loving friend’s face when they see this unique cat dish that will make any cat look smart while munching on kibble.
13. Ribboned Wand Toy – Out Numbered 3-1
| Materials: | ribbon, baker’s twine, glue, bells |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
No fun-loving feline can resist a good wand toy and that’s a fact. This wand toy with ribbons is easy to make and sure to please any cat, regardless of its age. Your local dollar store will have all the things you need for this project.
You can use any colors you like and add bells to the toy to make the wand even more exciting to play with. Perhaps best of all is the fact that this toy costs pennies to put together and doesn’t require any special skills or tools.
14. Eco-Friendly Cardboard Cat Ball – Instructables
| Materials: | cardboard, pencil, compass, glue, scissors |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
This is a simple project that only requires a few pieces of cardboard, glue, scissors, and a compass for drawing circles. No cat can resist playing with this cardboard cat ball that’s eco-friendly. Once you’ve got all the circles cut out and glued correctly, you must allow the glue to dry before wrapping the ball up as a gift or tossing it down for your cat to play with.
15. Self-Scratcher – CatLessons
| Materials: | scrubbing brushes, hinges, screws |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Learn how to make a cat self-scratcher by watching this instructional video that lays the whole project out step by step. All you need to make this self-groomer for cats are a couple of plain scrubbing brushes, hinges, and screws.
This is a great gift idea for any cat lover with limited space as the self-scratcher attaches to any table leg to make it very discreet and low-profile.
16. Cat Basket Bed – Martha Stewart
| Materials: | cat-sized storage basket, screws, washers, plush towel or blanket |
| Tools: | electric drill |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Not only does this cat basket bed get your cat up and off the floor away from traffic and gusts, but it’s also as cute as a button! This cat bed will be the focal point of whatever space it’s used in, and it’s easy to make. You simply need a cat-sized storage basket, a drill, screws, and washers. Of course, you’ll have to place something cozy inside the basket, such as a plush towel or blanket for warmth and comfort.
17. Suitcase Cat Bunk Bed – Oddity Mall
| Materials: | old trunk or shell suitcases, table legs, glue, pillows |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
If you’re like most people, you have a couple of suitcases tucked away that haven’t seen the light of day in a very long time. You can repurpose those suitcases by using them to make this super cool cat bunk bed for your friend who has two cats.
This tiered bed uses wooden table legs and pillows that fit inside the suitcases. If you want to make this bed for just one cat, skip the legs and the extra suitcase on top, and you’re good to go.
18. Pet Feeding Station – The Inspired Hive
| Materials: | 1 x 2” boards, wood stain, spray paint, nails, two pet food bowls, pencil |
| Tools: | jig saw, brad nailer, circular saw |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Any cat lover would enjoy getting this pet feeding station for their feline companion because it’s stylish and practical! You’ll need some wood boards, a circular saw, two cat food bowls, wood stain, and nails to put this feeder together. It’s a classy way for a cat to eat, and it will look great no matter where it’s used.
19. Homemade Cat Treats – Mess for Less
| Materials: | baking supplies for the treats including tuna, eggs, flour, parsley, bottle cap for cutting treats, glass mason jar, ribbon |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice |
Whip up a batch of these delicious homemade cat treats, place them in a fancy jar, and adorn it with a pretty ribbon. Your cat-loving friend will love receiving this gift for their feline friend. You don’t have to be a master chef to make these cat treats because the recipe is simple.
While you might make a bit of a mess and get flour all over your counter, all the work you put into making these treats will be worth it as cats love them because the secret ingredient is tuna!
20. Pet Stairs – Mildmile
| Materials: | double-walled cardboard box, yardstick, pencil, box cutter, glue |
| Tools: | none |
| Difficulty Level: | novice to medium |
Ideal for kittens and older cats, these DIY pet stairs are easy to put together. You’ll need to find a big double-walled cardboard box, a yardstick for measuring, a boxer cutter, and some glue. Once you get the steps put together, you can paint or cover them with any material you’d like, or you can leave them as they are.
If you can’t find any double-walled cardboard, check with your local hardware or appliance store as they may have some lying around. Any senior citizen cat or young kitten would love using these steps to make their way to their favorite sofa or easy chair.
Final Thoughts
Nowadays, with so many DIY instructions and videos online, you don’t have to spend lots of money on gifts for cat lovers. All the items above are relatively easy to make and affordable. Once you decide which project to start on, be sure you have all the materials and tools you need to put it together.
Related Reads:
- 41 Best Gift Ideas for Cats – Our Top Picks!
- 10 Amazing Valentine’s Day Gifts For Cats That You Can Get Today
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
