How to Make a Cat Tree

Co-authored by Jean Johnson

Last Updated: January 10, 2023 References

Cats are natural climbers, and will happily crawl all over tall structures. A homemade cat tree will provide your kitty with hours of entertainment, and can be built at a fraction of the cost of cat trees available at a pet store. With some tools and dedication, you can make a customized cat tree based on your cat's personality!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Building a Cat Tree from Wood and Carpeting

1
Design your cat tree. Before purchasing materials or starting to build, you need a design plan, which you can sketch out on a piece of paper to determine your materials shopping list.^{[1]
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Research source} There are several things to consider when designing your cat tree.
- First, consider your space limitations. Determine where your cat tree will be placed, and what size will fit well into that space. It's a good idea to take measurements to ensure your finished product will fit the space.
- You should also consider your cat's personality. If your cat likes to climb, consider building a tall cat tree with several perches. If your cat would like a private place to hide or sleep, consider building in a covered sleeping nook.^{[2]
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- Finally, you should keep your carpentry skills in mind. If you are relatively inexperienced with building things and using tools, keep your design simple so that you aren't overwhelmed.
- If you're at a loss for where to begin, there are several websites that have pictures of do-it-yourself cat trees you can use for inspiration, or even patterns for cat trees other people have made.^{[3]
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2
Buy your materials. Use your design plan to determine which materials you will need. Plywood works well for horizontal platforms; dimensional lumber and cardboard or PVC pipe work well for vertical supports, and carpet is ideal for covering the wood.^{[4]
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Research source} You may also need the following tools to assemble your tree:
- A drill and some wood screws
- An electric stapler
- A table saw and a handsaw
- A Hammer and nails
- A carpet or utility knife
- Wood glue or another powerful adhesive
- If you want to create covered areas for your cat to perch, you may also want to pick up a concrete form tube. These heavy-duty cardboard tubes make great perches and tunnels for cats.^{[6]
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- These can also be cut lengthwise using a utility knife to create concave platforms or open-topped beds for your cat.
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3
Cut all materials to size. Using your plan as a guide, cut all the plywood and lumber sections to size.
- A simple hand saw works well for cutting dimensional lumber, while a handheld circular saw or table saw is better for cutting sheets of plywood.
- Sand rough edges if desired.
4
Build the base of your cat tree. The tree needs a sturdy base, which should extend farther out from the center than any other platform or component of the tree in order to prevent tipping. To make the base, a good option is to cut 2 squares of plywood to size and glue them together for extra thickness.^{[7]
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- A 24" (60 cm) square works well for a basic cat tree, but the taller your tree, the larger you'll want to make the base, to ensure it is sturdy.
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Cover the base in carpet. Before attaching any vertical supports, it's best to cover the base with carpet or a thick upholstery fabric.^{[8]
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- Cut the carpet to size, making it a few inches larger than the base on all sides. Then, wrap its edges over the edges of the plywood base, and staple it in place on the underside of the base with a staple gun.
- You may need to cut small notches in the carpet at the corners to make it fold neatly beneath the base.^{[9]
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Attach the vertical supports to the base. The vertical supports that will hold up your platforms can be attached to the base with screws, nails, bolts or wood glue.
- Flip the base over so the carpeted side is face down. Then, drill holes through the underside of the base in the spots where you want the supports to be. Attach the supports by inserting screws or nails through the holes and driving them into the supports.^{[10]
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- You may want to cover the supports with carpet before attaching them, as this will be easier than doing it after they are already secured in place.
- To make your cat tree double as a scratching post, wrap one or more of the supports in sisal rope, securing each end with wire brads or staples, placed where they will be out view and won't be scratched by the cat. If you use staples, you may need to tap them down with a hammer to make sure they don't stick out too much.^{[11]
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Attach the horizontal perches to the supports. The plywood perches can be attached using wood screws and/or gluing them to the tops of the vertical members.
- Wrap them in carpet or fabric after affixing them, so that the screws aren't visible through the carpet, and staple the carpet in place on the underside as you did with the base.^{[12]
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Continue building according to your design. Continue to affix each component, referring back to your plan for measurements and placement.
- Adjustments to your design can be made as you go to account for stability issues, new ideas, or incorrect measurements.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Building a Cat Tree from a Ladder

1
Obtain a ladder. For this simple, unique cat tree, you'll need an old wooden ladder. Look around at garage sales, thrift furniture stores, and antique stores for one 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 m) high.
- Choose an old-fashioned ladder that looks like an upside-down "v" with several steps on either side that are at matching levels.
- It's fine if the wood looks old, but make sure the foundation of the ladder isn't too rickety. You want to be certain your cat tree won't tip over and hurt your cat.
- Try to find a ladder that's around four feet tall. A very tall ladder my be less stable or too tall for your cat.
2
Gather your supplies. The ladder is going to be the base of the tree, but you'll need to alter it a bit to make it more cat friendly. Gather these supplies:
- A piece of plywood long and wide enough to rest on two rungs of the ladder at the same level. This will provide a platform for your cat. If you want more than one platform, you'll need more than one piece of plywood.
- A hammer and 2" nails
- Carpet
- An electric staple gun
- A piece of canvas, denim, or other sturdy fabric you can use to create a hammock between the two bottom rungs
- A can of paint (optional)
- A toy that hangs from a piece of rope or string
- Sisal rope to wrap around the legs of the ladder
3
Sand and paint your ladder and wood pieces. Use fine-grain sandpaper to sand down the ladder and remove any jagged edges or splinters. Do the same to the pieces of plywood you bought.
- Paint the ladder and plywood pieces with a coat or two of paint, if you're using it. Let the paint dry completely.
- Use your imagination when it comes time to paint. You could just paint the ladder to match your existing decor. But you could also paint it brown and green to make it look like a tree, or use stencils to make designs up and down the sides.
- Instead of painting the platforms, you can make them more comfortable for you cat by covering them in carpet, attaching it to to the platforms after nailing them into place. Use your staple gun and affix the carpet with staples in the perimeter and in the center.^{[13]
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  Research source} Make sure they don't stick up from the platform, tapping them down with a hammer if necessary.
4
Nail the plywood platforms to the ladder. Position the first piece of plywood so that it is lined up across two ladder rungs of equal height. Use the hammer and four nails to nail the plywood into the wooden rungs, placing one nail in each corner of the plywood.
- Make sure the platforms are very secure when you're finished nailing them down. You may wish to use more nails, or substitute wood screws for a firmer hold.
- If you have a second piece of plywood to create another level, use the same procedure to nail it down.
5
Install the hammock. Many cats enjoy sleeping in hammocks. If you'd like to add one to your cat tree, measure and cut your piece of cloth so that its four corners stretch between the four legs of the ladder. Nail or staple a corner of the fabric to the inside of each leg, making sure that the nails are all at the exact same height.
- Be sure the fabric you use for the hammock is thick enough to hold the weight of your cat. You can double the fabric or hem the edges before nailing it down to make it sturdier.
- Fabric that stretches a little is ideal for cat hammocks.
- Make sure nails or staples do not protrude in such a way that your cat could be scratched or cut. Tap your staples with hammer if necessary.
- Instead of a hammock, you can also use a carpeted concrete form tube, fastened to the ladder by attaching it to two 2X4 pieces of lumber secured to the base of the ladder with bolts, nails, or screws, between the legs. This will make your cat tree less portable, but also sturdier.
6
Wrap the ladder legs in rope. If you want the cat tree to double as a scratching post, you can wrap the bottom of the ladder legs in strong, coarse rope.
- Cut the rope in four pieces. Use staples to secure the end of the first piece of rope to the inside of the base of one of the legs.
- Wrap the leg tightly with rope, tapping it down with a hammer if necessary. Secure the other end with a staple, making sure it is away from any areas the cat is most likely to scratch often.^{[14]
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- Repeat with the other four legs.
- If you want to, you can cover the legs entirely with rope, from top to bottom, using a new piece of rope between each rung of the ladder. This will allow your cat access to a scratchable surface nearly anywhere on its new cat tree.
7
Finish up. Hang the toy you bought from the top of the ladder, somewhere the cat will be able to reach it, so as to entice your cat to come and play. Add any other finishing touches you want to make your cat tree unique and fun for your cat.

Expert Q&A

Question

We have a decorative tree in our house. Is this an option for a cat "Tree?"

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Probably not because a cat tree is designed to be climbed and has a platform for the cat to perch on. A decorative tree is unlikely to be sturdy enough for climbing activity.

Warnings

Be sure exposed hardware (nails, screws, staples, etc.) do not stick up from the wood or carpet on areas that your cat could come in contact with. Where possible, ensure they are covered with carpet.

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Helpful 32 Not Helpful 5
Make sure that the rope will not come loose from the cat tree. Your cat could get tangled and injure itself.

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Make sure you cat tree is sturdy and stable before allowing your cat to play on it. If it is not staple, additional screws or nails may be needed.

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Helpful 23 Not Helpful 6