Easy Comfortable DIY Cat Carrier

Have you noticed lately just how expensive cat carriers can be?  How about how hard it is to load your furry friend into them?  I’ve noticed the same thing.  Luckily, I haven’t had to stuff a protesting feline into a cat carrier in years, and she even complains less when she’s in one!

Best of all, it cost less than ten dollars to make our safe, sturdy, easy to clean carrier.

Here’s what you’ll need.

1 large clear plastic storage tub, preferably with a latching top.

1 old towel.

1 drill with a 1-inch bit.

Sandpaper or round file (optional)

Sturdy cord (optional)

Directions:

First, decide where you’ll want your air holes.  We made a grid of holes on the top, and a row on both sides.  We left enough room between them so there was plenty of strength left in the plastic.  Take a look at the photo for reference.

Once you’ve decided where your holes should be, use your drill to bore them out.  You can just keep the lid latched on and drill from the outside into the storage tub.  The plastic is pretty soft so it’s not too difficult.

IF you would like, take the round-file, or sandpaper, and smooth the edges of the holes.

Shake out the bin to get rid of all plastic chips.

Put an old towel or pet blanket in the bottom of the tub.

You’ve got yourself a carrier!  If you’d like, you can thread rope through some of the holes in the sides of the carrier to make yourself a handle, so you only have to use one hand.  I didn’t do this but it’s definitely possible.

Benefits of this DIY carrier:

Your cat can see out.  Many of them actually like that.   My little girl certainly is calmer when she knows what’s going on around her, even if it happens to be big scary dogs at the vet’s office.   If your cat wants a cave, you could drape a towel over the top for privacy.

Low cost.  Even a good quality storage tote costs much less than even a badly made pet carrier.

Sturdiness.  I’ve used mine for a long time with very little sign of wear.

Built in pee-gutter.  Most bins are slightly deeper towards the edges, which helps keep your kitty’s feet dry.

Good ventilation.  All those holes let in a nice breeze.

Easy loading.  Just pick up your cat, gently lower the lid, make sure the tail is in, and snap it closed.  Much easier than having to lure/stuff/wrestle a struggling cat into a carrier.  Of course, if you have an end loader, you could use the old trick of putting it somewhere high and holding the cat so it has nowhere else to step, but this still seems easier.

And, you made it yourself!

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