Fun DIY & Upcycling Pet Project to Save Time and Money

Materials Needed: Wood, dog bowls, hardware
Est. Cost: $40 to $100*

If your veterinarian gives you the okay, consider building your dog a raised feeder, as opposed to buying one. HGTV recommends that you have a variety of saws, tools, tape measures, straight edges, and painting supplies on hand to carry out this DIY raised dog feeder, as it is very hardware-intensive.

Raised Food Bowl @hgtv / Pinterest.com

You can construct the raised feeder from plywood using a circular saw. You can use wood glue to glue the sides of the feeder together, but let the glue set for an hour before continuing assembly. Tons of drilling, sawing and clamping later, you’ll have a raised feeder, ready to paint. 

Materials Needed: Plywood, rug, paint, basket
Est. Cost: $50 to $150*

HGTV came up with this DIY idea for doggie stairs. As dogs age or if they’re simply just short, they might have trouble getting on and off the bed. These doggie stairs will help fix that problem. You’ll need to start with a 4×8 sheet of plywood and a 1x3x6 pine board, which HGTV says you should cut with a jigsaw.

DIY Doggie Stairs @diynetwork / Pinterest.com

Measure the shape of the stairs and assemble them, leaving a hole for storage, as these stairs can double as a little hidey-hole for dog toys. Once you’ve finished building the stairs, it’s time for a coat of paint.

Materials Needed: Wooden boards, rope, ribbon, textured string
Est. Cost: $35*

CharlestonCrafted.com is responsible for this play gym for cats, which is ideal for an active feline (or a chonky feline that you’re forcing to take an interest in exercise). This DIY gym is far cheaper than you’ll find online or at the pet store. You’ll need wooden boards to create the legs, two pieces of rope, and the “gym” itself—pieces of ribbon and textured string.

Play Gym for Cats @homebncdecorideas / Pinterest.com

Create the triangular frame, using the rope as the bottom connector to ensure that the frame is collapsible. Use a wooden pole as the “bar” from which you can hang pieces of ribbon and textured string that your cat will love to play with. 

Materials Needed: Deep frame, mounting hardware, door mat
Est. Cost: $40*

If you’re tired of your cat picking the arms of your couch and curtains to scratch, considering DIY’ing a scratch board for them. HGTV came up with the idea for saving your brand-new linen sofa, while also avoiding declawing your cat, a process that is super harmful for our feline friends.

miochen1212/Pinterest

You’ll need a deep frame and a doormat, particularly one made of rough material. Frame the doormat within the deep frame and secure the cat scratch picture low on the wall. You’ll have a stylish, easy-to-access scratch post that your cat will hopefully approve of (but you never know, with cats).

Materials Needed: Two hand towels, fabric ribbon, sewing supplies
Est. Cost: $30*

Muddy paws are a disaster for any homeowner who is just trying to keep their space clean. Luckily, you can quickly DIY some mud puppy mittens for your dog, thanks to the creative minds at OscarAteMyMuffin.com. This mud puppy mittens require two hand towels, sewing materials, and a fabric ribbon.

@Oscaratemymuffin.com/Pinterest

Fold the bath towels in half and sew each shut, leaving an opening that will serve as the paw hole in the mitten. Then, attach the fabric ribbon to the top of each “mitten,” so that you have a built-in loop to hang it from the door or coat rack. Now, you have mittens that are washable and easy to access to keep your dogs from tracking mud into the house. 

Materials Needed: Measuring tape, crates, wood glue, drill and bit, hammer, nails, 1×10 board, door hinge, hardware, small rug, carpet ape, miter, pencil
Est. Cost: $100*

This design combines crates with a ramp, allowing you to both have new areas to store stuff while giving your dog a ramp up onto the bed. You’ll need crates of various sizes to start, and you can attach those crates to one another using wood glue and nails.

Doggie Ramp @lucybomb / Pinterest.com

The ramp is a 1×10 board. Attach a door hinge on the center of one of the ends of the board. Wrap the board in a rug for traction and style. Using the center hinge, attach the board to the top crate. You can store blankets, dog toys, and whatever else you want in this DIY storage center/doggie ramp.

Materials Needed: Fabric, sewing machine, scissors, cutting mat, iron, safety pin, tape measure, thread, fabric marker
Est. Cost: $40* (Minus Sewing Machine)

Name tags are an important way to identify your pet and their home in the event that—God forbid—they ever go missing. Using this quick DIY trick, you’ll be able to make fashionable fabric tags for your pet. These DIY fabric dog tags can be made using the fabric of your choice, as well as stuff you probably have around the house.

DIY Pet Name Tags @geagramsma / Pinterest.com

When picking the fabric, you should probably stick to standard cotton, avoiding anything spandex or stretchy. Measure the tag and cut, sewing the strips together. Iron-press the fabric and label it with your dog’s name, either with fabric marker or embroidery.

Materials Needed: Basket,  three heavy-duty suction cups, two S-hooks, a chain, wire cutters, pillow
Est. Cost: $90*

Cats, for whatever reason, love staring out the window all day. So, why not give your cat a nice seat to pursue its favorite hobby? Materials required for this project include a basket large enough for your cat, three heavy-duty suction cups, two S-hooks, a chain, wire cutters, and a pillow.

Cat Window Seat @doreenmccoy29 / Pinterest.com

Hook a suction cup to each corner of the basket, and an S-hook to the front corners. Place one suction cup on the window where you’ll place the perch. Hook up the chain, using wire cutters to trim if necessary. Add the lower suction cups to the window and attach the perch, adding in a pillow for extra comfort.

Materials Needed: Pre-made pallet sign, mason jar, coat hooks, treats
Est. Cost: $60-$100*

Must Have Mom described this DIY dog sign as both “on-trend” and “functional.” The leash holder/sign is cute, and she placed it right next to her front door for easy access to the leash. Materials required include a pre-made pallet sign, which you can find at the Walmart craft section, a mason jar, hose clamp, coat hooks (3), picture hangers, burlap letters, a hot glue gun, and your dog’s treats.

musthavemom/Pinterest

Attach the letters to the pre-made sign, gluing them with a hot glue gun. Attach coat hooks and the mason jar, into which you can place your dog’s treats. Hang the sign/hanger using the picture hangers on the back. Make sure to let the glue dry and set before hanging.

Materials Needed: Prefabricated cabinet, oscillating saw, carpet, litterbox, and litter
Est. Cost: $300*

HGTV, the purveyor of all things home-improvement-related, came up with this DIY trick to turn a regular old cabinet into a neat, privacy-focused kitty litter station that will cut down on odor and give your feline pal some privacy when they use the litterbox. You’ll need a cheap prefabricated cabinet to start.

Kitty Litter Station @larryandbob0187 / Pinterest.com

Find a cabinet that has doors that open in the front, providing you with easy access to the litter pan. Cut the opening with an oscillating saw and use heavy duct tape to finish the edges of the opening. For the base, cut a piece of carpet (you can find one at the dollar store) to keep litter dust to a bare minimum.   

Materials Needed: Ribbon, bows, hot glue, scissors
Est. Cost: $30*

No-sew dog bow ties are a cute way to keep your canine companion in style. First, take a small fabric strip and glue one end to the back of a bow. You can buy bows online for under $10. After measuring your dog’s neck, you can cut the ribbon to the correct length.

No-Sew Dog Bow Tie Collar ©Jennifer McCallum / Shutterstock.com

Wrap the strip around the bow’s pinched center and hairband three times, creating the bow tie’s center. Then, glue the strip to hold it in place at the bow’s back, keeping the loose end out of sight. Finally, trim away any excess length and affix it to your dog.

Materials Needed: Disposable 10-cup food container, utility knife, sharp scissors, rubbing alcohol, lighter, black marker, small casters, cat toys, cat treats
Est. Cost: $50*

The Glam Cat came up with this DIY puzzle box for her cats. The puzzle box is cheaper than one you’d buy on Amazon, but it still does the trick, fascinating cats for hours. You’ll need a disposable 10-cup food container, utility knife, sharp scissors, rubbing alcohol, lighter, black marker, small casters, cat toys, and cat treats.

DIY Puzzle Cat @lizmaryabreu / Pinterest.com

Secure the container to the floor using casters, drawing three circle openings in the lid with a black marker (about the size of a shot glass). Cut the circles and remove the excess marker with rubbing alcohol. You can cauterize the plastic with a lighter to avoid jagged edges. Then, insert the toys and kibble for your cat to paw at.

Materials Needed: Old toilet paper rolls or tissue paper rolls and scissors
Est. Cost: $2.50*

Aww, bunnies are just so cute – and the way they eat with their little noses wiggling about is frankly too adorable. No need for their food dispensers to cost anything at all really: all you need is upcycled toilet paper rolls and some scissors! 

Toilet Paper Bunny Food Dispenser @binkybunnystore / Pinterest.com

The easiest way to cut the roll is to flatten it and then cut the squares or rectangles out. If you have a larger space for the bunnies you can also use a longer tissue paper roll. You can then stuff the roll with their grass or food of choice and enjoy watching them eat for hours on end.

Materials Needed: An old table or board, thick branches, rope and rocks and a drill
Est. Cost: $49*

This project is definitely one for someone who is more adept to more complex DIY jobs. It could be achieved by turning an unused table upside down, and this would save the trouble of securing the branches to the base, using the feet of the table instead. Otherwise any base will do, an old plank of wood or an unused board. 

DIY Cat Tree @franciesherwood / Pinterest.com

The branches would have to be secured using a drill from the bottom of the base and another board would need to be secured onto the branches as a cat pedestal or throne (you know, cats). Then the fun part, decorating the base with stones and rope and even vines of leaves to create a one of a kind cat tree for your beloved feline that Bed Bath & Beyond could only dream of stocking.