Homemade Cat Cube

Cat cubes are places for cats to escape and find privacy. As cats tend to be fairly territorial, providing them with a space of their own can help to keep them happy. There are many options to consider when making your own homemade cat cube, including the building materials, padding and other features.

  1. Cardboard

    • Cardboard boxes are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can make quick cat cubes by simply cutting a few square-shaped holes in the sides. Many cats enjoy chewing cardboard, which can be a positive or a negative feature of a cardboard cat cube, depending on how tolerant you are of the mess. Once your cat has sufficiently shredded the cube to make it unusable, you can recycle it and easily make a new one.

    Plywood

    • You can make more-durable cat cubes out of plywood. 3/4-inch and 1-inch plywood works well because it can be drilled, nailed and screwed together with less risk of splitting than thinner varieties. You need some experience with tools and woodworking to build a plywood cat cube, but it has the benefit of being much more durable. This cube can last for years, and over time can become your cat's favorite place to find a little privacy.

    Carpet or Bare

    • Many commercial cat cubes are covered in carpeting, which has its own pros and cons. Carpeting certainly provides a soft surface for your cats to enjoy, but they may also have difficulty telling the difference between the carpet on the box and the carpet on the floor when they want to scratch. If you decide to glue squares of carpet to your homemade cat cube, use a style that is different from that in your home to help avoid confusion.

    Additions

    • You can easily make a cushion for your cat cube out of two squares of fleece, some thread and cotton batting. This provides your cat with a comfortable place to rest. You may also want to hang a few strings or other cat toys from the cube's ceiling to provide entertainment. If you have more than one cat, consider stacking several cat cubes on top of each other to create a cat tower.