How to Build an Outdoor Cat House From a Plastic Tote

If you have a cat that likes to stay outdoors or you want to provide shelter for a feral cat, you can build your own cat house with a few inexpensive materials. Although this project can be done with a single plastic storage tote, placing a smaller tote inside a large tote gives you space to add insulating material to keep the inside of the house warm.

Things You'll Need

  • Large plastic tote with snap-on lid (20-gallon size or larger)
  • Smaller plastic tote with snap-on lid (see Tips section)
  • Permanent marker
  • Jig saw
  • Insulating material (see Tips section)
  • Old towels
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the lids from both containers and set the lids aside.

    • 2

      Draw a circle large enough for your cat to fit through on the larger tote. Draw the circle in the center of the tote's end.

    • 3

      Cut out the circle using a jig saw.

    • 4

      Place the smaller tote inside the larger tote. Use the hole in the larger tote as a stencil to draw a circle on the smaller tote. Remove the smaller tote from the larger tote and cut out the circle with the jig saw.

    • 5

      Place the smaller tote back inside the larger tote so the holes in the totes line up. Stuff the space in between the totes with the insulating material.

    • 6

      Snap the lid onto the smaller tote. Place more insulating material on top of the smaller tote before putting the lid on the larger tote.

    • 7

      Reach through the holes to place an old towel inside the cat shelter. Place the shelter so the entry hole is minimally exposed to rain and prevailing winds.