Create a Budget-Friendly Cat Corner Yourself

This guide outlines how to build a functional and aesthetically pleasing cat corner, designed to provide separate spaces for cats and deter dogs from accessing their food and litter boxes. The project utilizes readily available materials to create a discreet and elevated feeding station with integrated litter box enclosures.

Required Materials:

• Two IKEA Lack side tables
• Paint (latex recommended for washability)
• Sponge (for painting technique)
• Masking tape
• Two enclosed litter boxes
• Hot glue gun or cable ties
• A mat for in front of the litter boxes

Steps for Creating the Cat Corner:

1. Prepare the Area: Clear and clean the chosen corner.
2. Plan Wall Design: Decide which part of the wall to paint for easy cleaning. Use masking tape to mark the desired painted area. Ensure the tape is level and straight. If the wall has textured wallpaper (like Raufaser), paint along the edge of the tape with the original wall color first to create a smooth line.
3. Paint the Wall: Apply paint using a sponge for a textured effect. Latex paint is suitable due to its washable properties, which is beneficial for containing any minor messes from the cats.
4. Assemble the Tables: Position the two side tables in the corner. Connect the legs of the tables together using cable ties, a hot glue gun, or wood glue. Cable ties offer the flexibility to separate the tables later if needed.
5. Final Setup: Place the cats’ food bowls on a mat on top of the tables. Position the litter boxes in the space between the table legs. Lay an additional mat in front of the litter boxes to catch any litter scatter.

Alternative Solutions Considered:

Previous attempts to house litter boxes in IKEA Besta cabinets proved problematic due to material susceptibility to moisture. Another approach involved using a baby gate to partition a kitchen area, effectively separating the dog from the cats’ feeding and litter areas. However, these solutions were not feasible in the current living situation, necessitating the development of the described multifuncational cat corner.