How to Build a cat Condo

Cats love to scratch, hide and climb, so many pet owners invest in cat condos for Kitty's enjoyment. Pre-made cat condos are expensive and after the cat gets used to it, often sits unused. Use one of these ideas to make inexpensive cat condos at home.

Things You'll Need

  • Carpet rolls or wooden spools
  • Bolts and nuts
  • Drill
  • Small handsaw
  • Sisal rope
  • Staple gun
  • Batting toys
  • Tree limbs from fallen trees
  • Plywood
  • Saw
Show More

Instructions

  1. Core Scrap cat Condos

    • 1

      Call carpet stores and ask for core rolls or contact your local utility company to ask for any wooden spools for free. Often when the spools are older, utility companies give them away instead of use them, although some may charge a nominal fee.

    • 2

      Stack two or more rolls on top of each other and secure by bolting them together in about four spots where the two flat ends meet.

    • 3

      Cut away half of one of the middle platforms, creating a semi-circle in the middle of the cat condo. Leave the top and bottom of the condo in full circles.

    • 4

      Wrap the center of the cores with sisal rope, coiling it tightly. Secure the rope in several places with a staple gun.

    • 5

      Attach some dangling batting toys from the underside of the top platform, allowing the toy to hang freely on the side where there is no platform in the middle.

    • 6

      Encase the top and semi-circle platform with scrap carpet, securing the underside with a staple gun.

    Cat Condo to Bring Nature Inside

    • 7

      Figure out placement of old fallen tree limbs on a plywood base and mark where to bolt them together. Look for places to add platforms to the tree limbs and cut small squares of the extra plywood as needed. Pre-drill tree limbs and plywood base for bolting later.

    • 8

      Wrap the base and each platform in carpet remnants and secure the carpet on the underside with a staple gun.

    • 9

      Move all parts of the cat condo inside the home in the area where it will eventually stand and make room to assemble it there, as the finished product is heavy and can be difficult to move. Placing the nature limb cat condo near a window allows cats to play as well as lounge during sunny days.

    • 10

      Assemble the tree limbs to the base and attach any platform with bolts. There is no need to wrap any part of the natural cat condo with rope as most cats love to scratch on natural wood.