Almost every cat believes they are the king or queen of the household, so why not give them an actual castle to rule? Although they’ll usually still rule the household. The great thing about building your own cat castle is they are actually quite easy to make if you don’t mind making one out of cardboard.
We’ve collected a number of DIY cat castle instructions from a variety of websites, blogs, and videos to help make your job a little easier. Follow the links of your favorite ideas, and we hope you’ll find and create a cat castle that will make both you and your cat happy. The following projects range from beginner level to slightly more advanced. It’s all a matter of time, material, and size.
The 13 DIY Cat Castles
1. Simple Cardboard Castle
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This two-story castle is easy to make and is made up of most cat’s favorite things—cardboard boxes. Boxes are pretty easy to come by, so it’s just a matter of a little cutting and putting them together, and your cat will have a cozy castle to lounge in. The instructions for this easy project are here.
- 3 large cardboard boxes
- Non-toxic marker
- Glue
- Paint (optional)
- Box cutter or heavy-duty scissors
2. Rambling Cardboard Castle
| Difficulty: | Easy |
More cardboard! It’s one of the most accessible materials to work with. This castle is one of the easiest on this list but is a little more complicated than the first one. Just follow the instructions in this video, and your cat will enjoy not only have her own castle but one that is constructed out of her favorite material!
- Cardboard boxes
- Non-toxic markers
- Packing tape
- Glue
- Box cutter or heavy-duty scissors
3. Fairytale Cardboard Castle
| Difficulty: | Easy to moderate |
If you love the idea of the simple castle made out of cardboard but are looking for something a little prettier, you can create almost anything that you can imagine. Follow the instructions here, but you can certainly make it your own by using different colors and shapes as well as personalizing it with some of your cat’s favorite toys and any other items.
This castle includes a variety of items like a cat fountain, cat grass, and garlands, but you can add your own unique cat-oriented objects.
- 5 large/tall cardboard boxes
- 2 medium/square boxes
- Duct or packing tape
- Black non-toxic permanent marker
- Glue
- Non-toxic acrylic craft paint
- 3 wooden dowels
- Twine or string
- Felt
- Decorations
- Box cutter
- Heavy-duty scissors
- Paintbrush and/or roller
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
4. Three Box Castle
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This castle is similar to the first one on this list but is a little larger and has more decorative marker use. Just like most of these cardboard box castles, it’s an easy project and doesn’t require a lot of special material. The video instructions can be found here.
- 1 large cardboard box
- 1 medium box
- 1 small box
- Duct or packing tape
- Non-toxic marker
- Box cutter
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
5. Castle with Stairs
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
This castle is a little more complex compared to many of the others on this list. The designer of this castle states that he used minimal tape by slotting parts of the boxes together, which gave him a pretty sturdy structure. This one has 2 floors and a fun little staircase so your cat can easily climb to the different levels. Instructions are here.
- Cardboard boxes (same sizes are best)
- Duct or packing tape
- Non-toxic marker
- Box cutter
- Ruler
- Scissors
6. Sturdy Bamboo Castle
| Difficulty: | Moderate to difficult |
This is our first castle that’s not made out of cardboard boxes. The designer of this castle originally created a cardboard castle for his kitten but later decided to make something sturdier. He used insulation boards and covered them with bamboo sticks to look a little more attractive—and it is!
The author also added a balcony of sorts that you will need a few extra items for if you decide to add one as well. The instructions for this castle can be found here.
- Insulation/foam board
- Construction adhesive
- Bamboo tiles
- Carpet pieces
- Jigsaw
- Box cutter
7. Two Box Castle
| Difficulty: | Easy |
Back to another nice and easy cardboard box castle. This one is similar to the other simpler castles on this list but has a cute drawbridge. You can make any castle more “castle-like” and decorative by adding in the crenellations, which are the rectangular gaps usually found on the castle turrets and battlements. The instructions are here.
- 1 medium cardboard box
- I small box
- Packing tape
- Decorations (felt, ribbons, etc.)
- Box cutter
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
8. Cardboard Box Fort
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This is technically a fort rather than a castle. But would your cat be able to tell the difference? The designers of this fort started by building a steady base and then went vertical. This is a big old rambling series of boxes attached with tape that your cat will have a blast exploring! Here are the instructions.
- Cardboard boxes (the designer used 9 for this project)
- Packing or duct tape
- Box cutter
- Scissors
9. Two-Story Cat House
| Difficulty: | Easy |
And now we have a pretty little house for your cat to relax in. This home has a larger box for the base, a smaller box for the second floor, and a roof. It’s also been painted to resemble a house with siding and bricks, but you can paint it in any way you want or not paint it all if that’s not your thing. Instructions are here.
- 1 large cardboard box
- 1 medium or small box
- Pieces of cardboard for the roof
- Strong adhesives (designer used rubber cement and liquid latex)
- Paint
- Box cutter
10. Decorative Cat House
| Difficulty: | Easy to moderate |
This is a much fancier cat house that, let’s face it, is more for us than it is for cats. Having said that, this is a pretty adorable house that you probably won’t mind if it’s situated in your living room. This house has a tiled roof made from cardstock and little doors, and adding in your cat’s favorite blanket will make this a cute and cozy place for your cat to snooze in. Instructions are here.
- 2 medium cardboard boxes
- Non-toxic acrylic paint
- Cardstock
- Paper straw
- Painter’s tape
- Box cutter
- Scissors
- Utility knife
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Paintbrush and/or roller
- Measuring tape
11. Scratching Post Castle
| Difficulty: | Moderate to difficult |
This is one of the more novel and challenging castles on this list, as it is the only one that includes a scratching post as part of the structure. It’s also one of a few that requires some extra woodwork using a variety of tools, but it is a rather attractive structure that your cat will enjoy exploring. Instructions can be found here.
- Birch plywood
- Metal angle brackets or biscuit joiner for joints
- Brass paper fasteners
- Cardboard tube (paper towel roll could also work)
- Carpet
- Scratching post
- Screws
- Glue
- Carpet knife
- Jigsaw
- Drill
- Screwdriver
12. Beehive Cat House
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
Now, this is one unique little house for your cat! It’s made of cardboard, like most of the structures on this list, but is made in a peculiar way. It kind of looks like a rather charming beehive. Of course, you can follow the instructions exactly but keep in mind the size of your cat and increase the sizes of the circles accordingly. The instructions are in a video here.
- Corrugated cardboard
- White glue
- Pencil
- Box cutter
- Ruler
- Compass
13. Artistic Cat House
| Difficulty: | Easy to moderate |
This is essentially a house for cats that can be designed to look like it has wood panels—all with colored pencils! This is another project where you can allow some of your creativity to shine through. The rope for this project is purely decorative and not really necessary, but it does add a charming quality to this cat house. Video instructions can be found here.
- Cardboard boxes
- Rope
- Fabric
- Colored pencils
- Box cutter
- Ruler
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
A Few Notes
When you start to put your cat castle together, keep in mind that the boxes you use need to be large enough for your cat to fit comfortably. He should be able to stand up, turn around, lie down, and climb through to the next room.
Ensure that any holes you cut are big enough for your cat to get through without getting stuck, and the entire structure should be stable. Keep an eye on the castle, particularly if it’s made with cardboard since cats have a reputation for chewing and destroying cardboard boxes. Replace with fresh boxes when they become damaged.
Alternatively, if you want to surprise your cat with something cool, check out the Hepper Hi-Lo Cat Scratcher. It's not just a scratcher; it's a piece of modern furniture that your cat can play on. It's got a curvy design that's perfect for stretching and moving, and it's built tough with strong birch plywood and thick B-flute cardboard. You can adjust it to three different heights, which keeps cats entertained. Plus, it won't break the bank! Our cats love it, and we do too.
- Premium Materials - Hepper's cardboard scratcher is made with dense, B-flute cardboard, and a metal...
- High, Low and Lower - A single cat scratch pad won't keep your cat engaged. 3 unique positions keeps...
- Activates Muscles - The Hi Lo isn't just a cat nail file to stop the chief cat couch scratcher. The...
At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest, so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Conclusion
So, now you have the ideas and tools to create the perfect castle for your perfect cat. You can also consider donating a cat castle to a shelter for cats. You’re only limited by time and materials, but you can use your imagination and come up with anything you want. Painting or adding material to the outside is a fun way to dress it up a little but be sure to add some of your cat’s favorite toys and blankets to make it extra cozy and fun.
In the long run, all you need is a bunch of boxes, something to cut them with, and something to stick them together, and you’ve got yourself a castle for your kitty!
See Also:
- 16 DIY Cardboard Cat Toys You Can Make at Home (With Pictures)
- 10 Free DIY Cat Shelves You Can Build Today (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: Algorithm images, Shutterstock
The 13 DIY Cat Castles
