Ikea hack: Making a new cat tree

10/2/2013

Last summer Taiyo and Vashti got their very own custom made cat shelves! On the right you can see the previous tree. It was sufficient when I bought it for Vashti and Taiyo when I got them as kittens, but the top baskets became too small for them, especially for Taiyo. Unfortunately, he was way too stubborn to stop sleeping in them, which resulted in his paws and head all hanging overboard. That definitely did not look very comfortable, so a new cat sleeping solution was needed!

Since I only have room for a cat tree in my living room, I decided I now really wanted something that wouldn't scream Crazy Cat Lady as soon as you entered the room. I also didn't like how the tower blocked the entire corner, which caused the room to look a lot smaller than it actually is. So shelves it had to be.

After gathering some inspiration from Pinterest and Ikeahackers.com I was ready for my first little DIY project (I am usually more of a DIbuY girl), and headed to Ikea for all the accessories I needed.

And below is the result! As you can see the whole corner looks a lot more ' open' and less messy. The top shelf is also lot higher then the top basket of the previous tree was, which both cats really like, because they now can look down on me more. Cats will always be cats....

Want to make one as well?

This is what you will need:

2 small Lack shelves / 4 Ekby Mans brackets / 1 off-white Ådum rug / 2 long Lack shelves

Apart from that you will also need:

Scissors or a stanley knife
A marker
A ruler
(Carpet) glue
Screws for attaching the shelves to the wall
A screwdriver and/or a drilling machine.

How do you make it?

Measure the surfaces of the Lack shelves that you want to cover with carpet.
Draw the measurements you just wrote down on the back of the Adum rug with a marker.
Cut the rug with sharp scissors or a stanley knife.

4. Glue the pieces of carpet on the tops of the lack shelves (I used carpet glue for this), and let it dry for
at least 24 hours.
5. Attach the Lack shelves to the wall that you want to create the cat tree on (as explained in the
enclosed instructions).
6. For extra solidity, attach the long sides of the Ekby Mans brackets at the bottom of the long Lack
shelves (and the short sides to the wall, obviously).
7. DONE!

And the most important thing of all: Taiyo and Vashti are both very happy with the new shelves and use them a lot!

61 Comments

penny

6/24/2014 12:36:41 pm

This looks amazing. I'm going to see if I can get my Dad to help me do this! My Koko and Khloe would love it. : )

p.s your cats are gorgeous !

Jeanette Nielsen

2/3/2015 03:22:14 am

Hi! Looks really nice! How are the small shelves holding up?
Have a norwegian forrest cat mix, so he is about 5 kg, and dont know if he is to heavy for them...
Thanks for sharing :)

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2/4/2015 08:19:43 pm

Thank you! They still look great and the cats love them. My Ragdoll Taiyo (the white one in the picture) is now 5.5 kg and that is no problem at all. I did however add the brackets on the long ones to make sure they would be able to do the job. I would not recommend going without those!

2/5/2015 03:39:50 pm

Awesome :)

Kate link

12/22/2015 08:58:03 am

This looks so awesome and I'm defiantly going to make it today!

Becky

12/28/2015 11:38:04 pm

I put these up and they looked amazing. However the longer lack shelves absolutely must have the brackets if you don't put them in a stud. We used drywall anchors and put them in the drywall only and the first time our 7lb cat jumped on it the shelf fell out of the wall.

Connie

6/17/2016 04:00:03 pm

where did you get the nice brackets?

Kris

1/21/2017 07:53:02 pm

When you talk about the long Lack shelves, did you use the ones that are 43" or 73" long? The link for those only lead to the ikea homepage.

11/1/2017 09:28:04 am

Yeah ... need brackets for the lack shelves. Most of the smaller lacks only support 10lbs or so. That’s the main reason I haven’t committed to this kind of project. Might as well just get some actual shelves that are designed to have brackets and have a higher weight limit.

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7/17/2018 10:36:50 pm

Actually, I like the cat very must!I'll try this <a href="https://www.dearlives.com/">diy project</a> for mine.

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8/3/2018 02:56:11 am

Good Morning,

I have just come across your website and been browsing your Facebook page with great interest. Congratulations on building up such a large community!

I wanted to introduce myself as I am the owner of the U.K.'s largest online retailer of cat scratching posts and cat trees..

I am sure that you receive hundreds of emails every day from companies looking to collaborate. But, as we sell such a unique range of products I thought it would be a good idea to reach out to you and see whether there are any opportunities for us to collaborate..

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4/17/2019 05:32:17 pm

Great cat tree!

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Thank you for sharing informative content. It means a lot to me hope you do more articles to post.

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11/2/2023 10:40:59 pm

Absolutely love this Ikea hack, Tatiana! It's so refreshing to see pet furniture that can actually blend with the home decor and not stick out like a sore thumb. Your previous cat tree had a good run, and it's adorable that Taiyo was so attached to it, but comfort is key, especially as our furry friends grow.

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11/3/2023 07:51:44 pm

Wow, Tatiana! Your Ikea cat tree hack is absolutely amazing! I can totally relate to the struggle of having a cat tower that takes up so much space and doesn't quite fit the aesthetic of the room. Your solution of using shelves is not only practical but also looks incredibly stylish. It's great to see that Taiyo and Vashti are enjoying the new setup, especially with the higher shelf for them to observe their surroundings. Your DIY skills are impressive, and you've definitely inspired me to consider a similar project for my own feline friend. Thanks for sharing this fantastic idea!

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The idea of turning Ikea furniture into a new cat tree is pure genius! Not only does it offer a budget-friendly alternative to store-bought cat trees, but it also allows you to unleash your creativity. I've seen some incredible transformations online, from incorporating cozy hideaways to adding scratching posts, all with the simplicity of Ikea products. Plus, it's a wonderful way to recycle and repurpose furniture while providing your cat with a stimulating environment.

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