DIY Cat Window Perch

Want to make a DIY cat window perch? I made one using just a few pieces of wood, and it’s the cutest little cat shelf for my babies to watch things out the window!

DIY cat window perch build plans

Hey all! One last DIY for a while…I’m starting a new job, and I know that I’m going to be mentally exhausted in the evenings (and even on weekends) for a while, but I wanted to eek in one last project that I’ve been wanting to do for a while!

It’s a DIY cat window perch. If you’re just finding my blog, I have two kitties names Henry and Blanche. They are absolutely amazing, and I have done a lot of projects for them. A few of them are the indoor cat house that doubles as a side table, the cat tree made of real branches, and the cat condo made out of Ikea tables.

Today I’ve got another kitty-centric project: A DIY cat window perch! This is a pretty simple build that I made using some scrap wood, some new pieces. My kitties are indoor cats, so they love sitting and looking out the window—especially when it’s open. But our windowsills are so small. So here’s how I gave them some more space!

Here’s what I used:

CUT LIST:

• (1) 1″ x 12″ x 18 1/2″ (actual: 3/4″ x 11 1/2″ x 18 1/2″)
• (2) 1″ x 4″ (actual” 3/4″ x 3 1/2″) cut to opposing 45-degree angles, 10″ at the longest points
• (2) 1/2″ x 2″ x 11 1/2″ (actual: 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ x 11 1/2″)
• (1) 1/2″ x 2″ x 19 1/2″ (actual: 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ x 19 1/2″)

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• Miter saw
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• KregJig
• Cordless drill
• 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws
• Wood glue and nail gun
• Wood filler
• Paint
• Faux fur, batting, needle, and thread for the cushion

And here’s how I made this cute DIY cat window perch!

Always take the proper precautions and safety measures before working with any tools or materials. Wear safety equipment and work with a professional to complete projects when necessary. Read my full terms of use and disclosure for more. Happy building and stay safe!

Step 1: Cut main piece and base supports

The first thing for any project like this is to decide on the size you want to make your project. This is really going to depend on the size of your windows, the size of your window sills, and how large you want it to be for your cats.

Our window sills are pretty standard, I’d say. So these measurements might work for your situation, but they might not. You will have to check your window as you’re cutting to make sure.

I first cut a piece of 1×12 down to 18 1/2 inches. I also cut two pieces of 1×4 down to 10 inches—and that’s at the longest point since they are cut at opposing 45-degree angles on each end.

I recommend deciding on the size you want the base piece to be first. Then cut the angled pieces to slightly larger than you think you want. Do a “dry fit” where you set the base piece on the window sill and hold up the angled pieces. Does the 45-degree angle work? Do you need to shorten them for things to be stable? If so, do that now!

Step 2: Attach base supports

I drilled two pocket holes in each of the base supports and attached them to the bottom of the base piece. Using a right-angle square is super helpful to ensure everything is straight. And clamping it into place (or using an extra set of hands) is really helpful to ensure nothing moves while you’re attaching the base supports!

I chose to have the pocket holes facing in so that they’d be mostly hidden and I wouldn’t have to deal with filling them before painting. You can see that in the pics below. After attaching the base supports, I double-checked to make sure everything fit on the window sill.

Step 3: Attach lip around three sides

Originally I’d planned to just make a simple shelf, but something looked a little unfinished about this to me. So I decided to put a lip of 1×2 around three sides of the bed for a more finished look. You’ll cut those based on the size of your bed.

For me, that meant (1) 19 1/2″ inch piece on the front and (2) 11 1/2″ inch pieces on the sides. I attached these using a bit of wood glue and a nail gun. Then I filled all visible nail holes with wood putty and sanded everything smooth using fine-grit sandpaper.

Step 4: Finish as desired

Finally, it was almost done! I agonized over whether to paint or stain it, but I ultimately decided to paint it using semigloss white paint. The same I’d used on the DIY window trim to keep everything looking uniform.

And then I made a simple cushion using quilt batting, faux fur fabric, needle, and thread. I didn’t use my sewing machine for this, actually. I thought it was easier to sew by hand instead of battle the long faux fur fabric on my machine (I’m not the best at sewing).

To keep costs down, I bought some thin quilt batting and cut it into 5 layers that I layered on top of one another to create a cushion. Foam is soooo expensive, so I wanted to avoid that. Then I cut faux fur fabric down to size and sewed it together with the right sides facing one another.

Sew by hand around three sides, then stick the batting in. Fold the unopened side in and sew that shut my hand. And that’s it! As you can see here, Blanche jumped right one without me even coaxing her. She can’t resist a soft fabric.

Stability tip…

My DIY cat window perch fit pretty well in place and was pretty stable. However, before I set the cushion on, I also decided to drive a single wood screw down through the center of the perch into the window sill to ensure everything stayed in place.

This is easily covered up by the cushion I added to the piece, and I am 100% sure the shelf won’t move if my little buttheads are chasing each other or horsing around. So if you feel like yours isn’t super secure, you can always do this! A single hole is super easy to patch.

Pin my DIY cat window perch!