Design A DIY Litter Box Like A Pro! Simple Homemade Litter Box Ideas

By Davis Wilkins •  Updated: 12/07/22 •  9 min read
axe splitting wood

Have you ever wondered how to craft your own DIY cat litter box? Building a homemade litter box requires items you could easily find around the house, as well as a little DIY, know-how.

A lot of folks are looking for inexpensive ways to take care of their felines.

Don’t spend money on a pricey litter box when you can make it yourself for under $10!

Making a do-it-yourself litter box can be a bit intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start.

Lucky for you, this guide will show you how to make the perfect litter box for your cat using items that are available in your household.

With the right tools, you can make a homemade litter box in your own home. This will save you money and time, especially if you have more than one cat.

And by making your own, you even customize it with your cat’s personality in mind.

While a homemade litter box that doesn’t contain chemicals might be a bit more work initially, you will find the benefits worth the little extra effort required.

What can I use instead of a litter box?

There is a wide variety of litter box alternatives that are cheaper and easily customized than the traditional litter box.

These are homemade litter boxes and popular options include:

  1. Cardboard cat litter box
  2. DIY-covered litter box
  3. DIY hidden litter box
  4. DIY travel litter box
  5. DIY disposable cat litter box
  6. DIY top entry litter box
  7. A tote as a cat litter box

How to make a homemade litter box

There is something very satisfying about a DIY project and also about making your home as cat-friendly as possible.

Try this DIY litter box enclosure for a clean and cozy look.

This project is inexpensive and easy to make, in just one afternoon you can have a hidden litter box that won’t take up too much space in your home or apartment.

Option 1: Cardboard Cat Litter Box

Materials Needed:

  1. Cardboard or thick paper
  2. Scissors/knife
  3. Paint/paintbrush

Instructions:

This is how to make a litter box out of cardboard.

This is a simple tutorial on how to make your own DIY cat litter box. I currently have 3 cats and they were driving me crazy with litter all over the place, inside my cabinets and out of them. I decided to build my litter box and it works great!

Option 2: Container DIY Box

Tutorial:

Materials:

  1. Two large plastic storage containers
  2. Cheap Litter
  3. Scissors
  4. Drill (with drill bit attachment)
  5. Hot glue gun

Instructions:

Option 3: DIY litter box cabinet

Instructions:

A standard DIY cat litter box house usually measures 19-19.5” (L) X 15” (W) X 5- 5.5” (H).

Pro tip:

These standard procedures will avail you of the best DIY cat litter box.

You can adjust the homemade litter box measurements depending on the size and breed of your cat.

Caution:

These steps may also come in handy when you want a DIY senior cat litter box.

hammer and nail

Option 4: How do you make a Rubbermaid container into a litter box?

If you have a fat or huge cat, a Rubbermaid container may come in handy as a DIY cat litter box cupboard.

The fact that Rubbermaid containers are taller than the other litter boxes reveals why it would be highly preferred for your cat’s bathroom needs.

Requirements:

Instructions:

This is how to make a cat litter box out of a Rubbermaid container.

Option 5: Homemade top entry litter box

Requirements:

How do you make a homemade litter box?

Procedure:

Hiding the litter box

Did you know that even the cleanest cat litter box will still produce pints of stinky eyesores? Kitty got to do her business after all.

Nonetheless, placing the cheap DIY litter box out of sight is one of the most effective solutions to this problem.

Be sure to live a feline-sized point of entry for your kitty to have away.

This list gives you the best ways to make a hidden cat litter box DIY.

1.    DIY IKEA cat litter box:

You may turn your IKEA cabinet into a DIY cat litter box for multiple cats using the procedures above.

This time, you’ll only need to increase the number of compartments to fit your fellas.

Come up with your homemade cat litter box wooden enclosure by turning your wall cabinet horizontally. Then place a textured mat between the exit point and the litter box just to minimize the amount of dirt getting to the carpet.

2.    Use wine crate covers:

You’ll only put two wine crates together top-to-top.

Gluing will avail you of one of the best DIY wooden cat litter boxes that are ever hidden.

3.    Use a pallet litter box:

This will present you with something more rustic than the ceremonial DIY litter box.

What can be used instead of cat litter?

Now that we are all about saving money and minimizing your environmental effects by adopting homemade cat litter solutions, these cat litter alternatives are dope.

The options are vast; from household items to the organics in your garden.

Nonetheless, you must vet the advantages and disadvantages presented by each of these options before making a choice.

Even though the list is endless, these options will work best for you:

1.    Shred junk mail and newspapers:

Though you’ll need newspapers in lumpsum amounts, shred newspapers and junk mail give a sense of appeal to cats.

Pro tip: Ensure they are clean and dry.

2.    Sawdust or wood shavings:

You’ll have to visit a local workshop for this.

It’s one of the best materials if you want to minimize the smell of ammonia.

3.    Chicken feed:

A mixture of chicken feed, cedar shavings, and baking soda is very effective and gives one of the best litter box experiences.

However, they may attract rats, bugs, and mice. You got to be extra careful.

Conclusion

Homemade cat litter boxes are easy to make. Not only that, but they can be made more quickly, and more inexpensively than the commercial ones.

Better yet, many of these homemade boxes seem to work just as well as those sold in pet stores.

How do I make a cat litter box?

So if you are looking to find a way to reduce your pet expenses without sacrificing the quality of life for your feline friend, consider making yourself a homemade cat litter box!

Davis Wilkins

Davis Wilkins is a dedicated cat lover, with three cats under his care. He grew up in a cat-loving family, nurturing these feline friends. As a result, he purposed to share his cat knowledge with the universe. Wilkins has been writing professionally for over four years, specializing in feline care with a keen interest in litter box care and handling. He hopes to help other feline lovers achieve their pet care goals.