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A purrfectly cosy DIY cat house

15 Aug 2024

Give your feline friend a delightful retreat with this DIY cosy cat house. Using simple materials and a few tools, you can create a snug, stylish haven for your cat to enjoy. Fleur used a touch of Resene Casper for a chic finish, but you can also use a colour that matches your home’s colour schemeor your cat. Follow these easy steps to craft a beautiful and functional cat house that will have your cat purring with joy. 

You will need: 
  • Two 1.8m lengths of 180mm wide x 19mm thick untreated pine board 
  • One 1.2m length of 180mm wide x 19mm thick untreated pine board 
  • 48 metres of 5mm thick sisal rope 
  • Saw 
  • Pocket hole jig 
  • Electric drill and screws 
  • Sandpaper 
  • Hole filler 
  • Wood glue 
  • Hot glue 
  • Cushion 

Step 1: Start by cutting the two 1.8m long boards into three lengths so that you have two of each length – 90cm, 64cm and 20cm.  


Step 2: Use a pocket hole jig to drill holes into the long side of the 90cm long board and use screws to attach the two shorter boards. There should be a 6cm gap between the two short boards. Repeat this for the other set of boards. Sand any rough edges smooth.   

Step 3: Fill the screw holes with hole filler, and once this is dry, sand it smooth and paint both sets of boards with one coat of Resene Quick Dry. Once the primer is dry, paint with two coats of your chosen shade – Fleur used ReseneLustacryl tinted to the shade Resene Casper. Once the paint is dry, wrap sisal rope around one of the sides. Secure this in place with hot glue.  

Step 4: Slot the two sides together and depending on the size of your cushion, measure how big to make the base. Cut the 1.2m pine board to length, and as with the upright boards, join two lengths together to make it as wide as the upright boards. Cut the ends of the base on an angle for a nicer fit. Use wood glue and screws to attach the base to the upright boards. Add a cushion to the bottom. 

project and images Fleur Thorpe 

Published: 15 Aug 2024