Cat Scratching Post: Make Your Own MEOW

Do you remember this photo taken in the “before photos” of our Lake House Fixer Upper? When I first saw these stairs I said it reminded me of a cat scratching post. Well, when we took up the carpet of course I saved it. Guess what I used some of that carpet for….

You guessed it (or maybe not)…a cat scratching post!

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DIY Cat Scratching Post Supplies:

• 2×6 boards
• 12″ mitre saw
• Wood glue (this is what I used for this project)
• 2″ trim screws
• Liquid nails
• Staple gun
• Corner braces
• Paint
• Comfort Grip (This makes spray-painting a breeze)

DIY Cat Scratching Post Accessories:

• Carpet scraps
• Eye Hooks
• Sisal rope for cats
• Jute
• Car seatbelt cover
• Cat toys

DIY Cat Scratching Post Instructions:

Step 1) Cut 2×6 boards to the sizes in the sketch.

• MEOW sketch measurements
• HOME sketch measurements
• LOVE sketch measurements

Step 2) Using a 12″ mitre saw, cut the 6 1/2″ boards at a 45 degree angle, standing the board up on edge. (not flat)

Step 3) Spray paint both sides of the boards. Let dry. If you have never tried the Rust-Oleum’s Comfort Grip you are missing out! This is a great, inexpensive tool when painting several items!

Step 4) Lay the boards out to spell the word MEOW as shown in the sketch. Decide what pieces you want to accessorize for the scratching post.  DO NOT SCREW IT TOGETHER YET!

Step 5) Sisal rope accessory. Take the painted board and wrap it with rope. Staple the beginning and wrap until the board is covered, adding staples to the back side of the board as shown above.

Step 6) Carpet accessory. Lay the board on the carpet to measure the length of the board. Cut the carpet on the top and bottom as shown in the above picture. Then roll the board to cut the approximate length around the board.

Step 7) Put liquid nail on both sides of the board. Wrap the carpet around the board and add staples to the back to secure. Using a carpet knife cut the carpet to size, leaving the back of the board open.

Step 8) Lay the boards out to spell MEOW again and begin the assemble the boards with 2″ trim screws.

Diva Tip:  Add wood glue to all the boards ends before you screw them together. This is always a good idea when attaching wood to wood.

Step 9) Glue and screw together the W and M angles with 2″ screws.

Step 10) Glue and screw the boards together starting at the top and working your way down.

Step 11) Because this will have your kitty cats on it, add braces to the inside of the intersections where you feel they are needed. It’s better to add one when in question!

Yes, that’s me being a dork and getting excited about my MEOW starting to take shape!

Step 12) Add eye hooks to hang cat toys from. Here are some close-ups of the cat scratching post accessories.

Step 13) Add wall brackets to the end of the top platform and the end of the E to attach it to the wall.

The makers of the MEOW cat scratch post (with Stella) and my crazy cat lady niece! It was the perfect Christmas gift.

Meet Spaz and Mongo. The DIY MEOW cat scratcher is cat approved! 

Other Options:

The cat scratching post was inspired by shelves I had been noticing on Pinterest. Here are shelving options we created.

DIY HOME Shelf Option

DIY LOVE Shelf Option 

Each and everyone of you inspire me and I LOVE to see the work that you’ve created. Feel free to share with me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. And as always, be sure to follow Diva Of DIY on Pinterest and sign up for our FREE Newsletter to receive the latest projects delivered straight to your inbox!