100 Cheap & Easy DIY Pet Ideas

Save money with these DIY pet ideas and projects! From DIY dog beds to DIY cat toys, there are plenty of DIY pet ideas to choose from. These budget-friendly pet projects include pet bowls, furniture, toys and much more.

You will need basic tools and supplies for these projects that you probably already have:

glue gun
glue sticks
drill
nails
saw
scissors
sewing machine, needle, thread, etc

Cat Furniture & Scratcher DIY Pet Ideas

Modern Cat Scratcher
sisal rope + two pieces of wood + staple gun

DIY Cat Tree with Hammock
ladder + blanket + drill + mat

DIY Cat Window Perch
old tray- brackets + pillow

DIY Cat Tipi
fabric + leather cord + safety pin + cushion + sticks

DIY Cat Tent
t-shirt cardboard + two wire hangers + safety pins

Self Scratcher
brushes + hinges + screws + double sided tape

DIY Cat Scratcher Pad
wood + sisal rope + leather cord

DIY Cat Self Petting Station
wood + fabric + toilet bowl brushes + small wood cube

Cat Hotel
You can get an old TV stand from a thrift store for about $10 and transform it into a cat hotel with some paint and add hammocks, beds or scratchers

DIY Cardboard Cat Scratching Post
corrugated cardboard + wood dowel + plywood board + wood screw + X-Acto knife

Traffic Cone Scratcher
traffic cone + sisal rope + yarn + spray paint (optional)

Cat Cardboard House
large cardboard box + tape + paint + scissors + blanket

Mess-Free Cat Litter Box
18 gallon bin + sharp scissors or knife

Pet Station
old dresser + paint + pillow or cushion + wood boards. There is no tutorial, but you could just remove the bottom drawers, add a wood base on the bottom with holes for food/water bowls. Make a wood overhang with wood scraps for the top and paint the whole thing. Then add a pillow or cushion of some kind (there are many tutorials for the cushion under DIY Pet Beds).

IKEA Cat Shelves
(great for people who don’t have enough space for big cat condos)
Lack shelves & Ekby brackets from IKEA + rug fabric.
The cost for this project will vary depending on how many cat shelves you want to build.
Regardless, it will still be cheaper than buying a cat condo.

Cardboard Cat Scratch Pad
corrugated cardboard + cutting mat

DIY Pet Beds

Upcycled Sweater Pet Bed
sweater + 2 towels + stuffing (minimal sowing skills needed; only need basic sowing supplies like needle and thread)

No Sew DIY Dog Bed
fabric + stuffing + elastic

DIY Wooden Crate Bed
wood crate + wood legs + wood glue + paint + blanket

Upcycled Footstool Pet Bed
old footstool + wood trim + feet + paint + pillow or cushion. No tutorial for this one because i couldn’t find the source, but it’s fairly simple to figure out!

Upcycled Wood Pallet Pet Bed
pallet + cushion + screws +nails + drill and saw

Dog Cot
PVC pipes + corner pieces + plastic mesh + screws + PVC cutter

DIY Sweatshirt Pet Bed
sweatshirt / hoodie + pillow + needle and thread

Upcycled End Table Pet Bed
old end table + bun feet + paint + cushion or pillow

Drawer Dog Beds
old drawers + paint + knobs (optional) + cushion or pillow

DIY Pet Hammock
wood boards + fleece fabric

DIY Metal Tub Dog Bed
metal tub + pillow + paint

DIY Dog Bed
4 pillows + blanket

Suitcase Pet Bed
hard shell suitcase + pillow + pillow sham

Cardboard Box Cat Bed
cardboard box + fabric + stuffing + buttons (optional)

DIY Pet Princess Canopy Bed
end table + spray paint + ribbon + T-shirt + stuffing + sheer fabric + decorative knobs

Easy Washable DIY Dog Bed
fabric + velcro + ribbon + batting or foam

DIY “Envelope” Dog Bed
heavy fleece + pillow stuffing + sewing machine

Water and Food Bowl DIY Pet Ideas

Modern Pet Bowl Stand
wooden dowel + wood screw + drill + sandpaper + wood glue

Drawer Storage for Pet Bowls
Just add an appropriately sized wood board into the bottom drawer and cut holes for bowls

Chalkboard Dog Bowl
ceramic bowl + tape + chalkboard spray paint

DIY Pet Bowl Stand
wood boards + screws + jig saw + brackets, wood stain + primer & paint + pet food bowls. This one does require some intermediate skill, but it’s very elegant looking and inexpensive!