How to Make a Cat Scratching Post

Learn how to make a cat scratching post! This chic DIY cat scratcher uses sisal rope and a few other materials to make a beautiful scratcher for your kitty.

How to Make a Cat Scratching Post

Hey there, today I am sharing an awesome post that is actually an old project! This post about how to make a cat scratching post first appeared on Pretty Handy Girl’s blog back in May 2017. Right after I found out I was pregnant with Tootie and hadn’t told anyone yet!

I loved being a contributor for Pretty Handy Girl Brittany’s blog. She is awesome and does some seriously badass stuff. But I had to scale back on some of my commitments when I found out I was pregnant and started barfing nearly every day. God it was terrible.

Now I am finally re-sharing this project over here on my blog…over two years later 🙂 It’s an adorable DIY cat scratcher that you might even be able to make using scrap wood. Depends on how much of a hoarder you are.

Supplies

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• 3/4″ plywood, I used a scrap from my wood pile that was about 14″ x 14″
• 2″ thick wooden dowel cut to 24″ long
• Strong adhesive
• Hand-held staple gun
• Sandpaper or orbital sander
• Sisal rope or jute cord
• Scissors
• Disposable gloves
• Pliers
• Black and bronze paint
• FrogTape
• Brushes

Like projects for cats? Check out my DIY cat tree made using real branches, my Ikea tables cat condo, my indoor cat house build plans, and a roundup of awesome pet projects!

And here’s how to make a cat scratching post!

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 making and stay safe!

Step 1: Create the scratcher pole portion

I created the cat scratcher pole portion first. First I took my 2″ thick wooden dowel and stapled the jute cord/sisal rope into place a few inches above the bottom of the dowel. I added a dab of adhesive and then used a handheld staple gun and just one staple to hold the rope in place while the glue dried.

Then I tightly wound the rope up around the dowel, not leaving any gaps in the rope. As I wound it, I also added a few lines of strong adhesive up the dowel. I wanted to ensure the rope would stay in place when everything was dry and I removed the staples. Oh, and I also did a staple about halfway up the rope to hold everything in place as well.

I kept gluing and winding until I got near the top of the dowel. Then I added a dab of glue to the very end of the rope and staple it in place, just as I did when I started winding the rope. Once all of the glue was dry, I used pliers to carefully remove the staples. You don’t want your kitties snagging their nails!

Step 2: Create the base

I used a square piece of plywood for my base. I left it unfinished, but I did give it a good sand first to make the plywood look more polished. Then I decided to paint it using a modern pattern. You can paint it however you’d like, but I used FrogTape to create triangular designs. I painted two in using black paint and the remaining two in a bronze color.

As a tip for using painter’s tape to create designs: I like to peel away the tape immediately after painting while everything is still wet. This helps to keep the lines crisp. Then, if you need a second coat, you can reapply the tape and paint again.

Step 3: Attach the post to the base

As the last step, I used strong adhesive to glue the post in the center of the base. You can reinforce this using nails up through the bottom of the base if you’d like, but I didn’t need to.

And here’s the final cat scratching post! Isn’t it adorable? All you really need to make a cat scratching post is some sisal rope or jute cord and a surface to put it on. Easy as that.

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