Quick answer: Make an IKEA hack cat tree look like furniture by starting from a solid piece such as a cube shelf or sideboard, keeping one colour palette, fixing it to the wall, adding felt or wool cushions inside openings, wrapping only one panel in neutral sisal and leaving some shelves for books or plants. Hide brackets and avoid carpet.
Most cat trees look like cat trees: beige carpet, wobbly tubes and dangling pom poms. An IKEA hack aims for the opposite, a piece that guests see as furniture first and a cat tree second. The trick is to treat it as a design project, with a palette, materials and styling, not just a pile of platforms.
For the full build steps and safety rules, see the IKEA hack cat tree build guide and stud-safe cat tree construction. This guide focuses on the design decisions that make the finished piece look intentional. CozeCats builds furniture for cats and people, and these are the details we pay attention to.
Pick a base piece that already looks good
Start with something that already reads as furniture. Cube shelving units, low sideboards and open bookcases are popular because they give you openings for cats to sit in and flat tops for jumping. Choose solid construction over hollow-core pieces; you will be adding weight and movement. Check the load rating printed in the assembly instructions and stay well under it.
| Base piece type | Look | Cat use |
|---|---|---|
| Cube shelf (2x4 or 4x4) | Modern, gallery-like | Cubbies, staggered climbing |
| Low sideboard | Mid-century | Top perch, hidden bed inside |
| Ladder shelf | Light and airy | Step-up climbing, needs anchoring |
| Wall-mounted shelves | Minimal | Climbing route along the wall |
The more stable the starting piece, the less you need to add to make it safe.
Three looks that work
Scandinavian: white or birch cube unit, pale grey felt cushions, natural sisal on one end panel, a trailing cat-safe plant like a spider plant. Calm and bright, suits small flats.
Mid-century: low sideboard in a walnut-tone finish, mustard or rust wool cushion inside, tapered legs added for height, sisal wrapped around a single back post. Works well beside a leather sofa.
Minimal: wall-mounted floating shelves in the wall colour, with thin cork or felt tops and one sisal post at floor level. Almost invisible until a cat is sitting on it.
Pick one and let it guide every choice, from screws to cushions. A clear look is what stops the piece reading as a craft project.
Choose one palette and stick to it
The most common reason cat furniture looks messy is too many colours and textures. Pick two or three: the colour of the unit, one textile colour for cushions, and the natural tone of sisal. White, oak and soft grey work in most homes. Darker rooms suit walnut-tone wood and charcoal felt.
Avoid bright toys glued to the structure. Let toys live in a basket and come out at play time.
Hide sisal, or make it a feature
Sisal is the material that most often makes a piece look like a cat product. You have two good options. Hide it on the side facing the sofa or wall, where your cat stretches but guests do not look. Or make it deliberate: one full panel or one leg wrapped in tight, even rope, with neat ends tucked underneath.
Avoid mixed materials such as half carpet, half rope. Use natural undyed sisal; see whether sisal is safe for cats for why dyes and oils matter.
Size it for the cat you have
Platform and opening sizes matter for looks and for use. A cube opening of about 13 inches suits most cats, but large breeds such as Maine Coons need a cushion area at least 16 by 20 inches to lie down fully. If a cat cannot fit, it will sit on top instead, and the cushioned cube becomes a dust-gathering decoration.
Top perches should be at least 14 by 18 inches. Narrow tops look sleek but cats hang off them and may knock items to the floor. For one room with limited floor space, see the apartment cat tree under 2 sq ft.
Concealed fixings and clean edges
Platform brackets under shelves are where a hack often looks DIY. Use L-brackets painted the same colour as the unit, mounted underneath and towards the back. Fill and sand screw holes on visible faces. Edge-band any cut plywood.
Fix the whole unit to the wall with the anti-tip kit, into studs where possible. Cats jumping from height push furniture sideways. The non-wobbly cat tree stability test shows how to check.
Cushions, beds and textiles
Cats love enclosed spaces. Fit a felt or wool cushion into one or two cube openings, sized to fill the space so it does not look like an afterthought. Washable covers are worth it. Avoid foam with strong smells; air new cushions for a few days.
For the top, a thin felt pad stops claws slipping and protects the finish. Choose a colour that matches the cushions.
Mix cat space and human space
A cube unit that is entirely for the cat looks like cat furniture. Leave some cubes for books, a plant (check it is cat-safe on the ASPCA list) or baskets. This is what makes it read as a bookcase. The cat gets a route, and the room keeps its look.
For ideas about blending cat furniture into the living room, see cat furniture that doesn't look like cat furniture and modern cat living rooms.
Mistakes that make a hack look cheap
- Carpet offcuts stapled to shelves. They fray, trap hair and instantly say pet product.
- Visible metal brackets in a contrasting colour. Paint them or hide them.
- Rope ends glued on the outside of a post. Tuck and staple ends where nobody sees them.
- Too many dangling toys. Keep toys in a basket.
- Mismatched cushions. Buy or sew a set in one fabric.
- Gaps between the unit and the wall. Anchor it tight; it looks and feels sturdier.
None of these fixes costs much. Most are about patience during the build. If you are deciding whether to build or buy, DIY vs store-bought cat tree cost per year compares the numbers, and the DIY cat tree hub links every build guide.
Budget for a design-led hack
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cube unit or sideboard (new or second-hand) | $40 to $150 |
| Natural sisal rope, 50 to 100 ft | $15 to $35 |
| Felt or wool cushions (2) | $20 to $60 |
| Brackets, anti-tip kit, screws | $10 to $20 |
| Paint or finish for added parts | $10 to $25 |
Most hacks land between $95 and $290. Second-hand units cut costs further; check they are solid and undamaged. Wool cushions cost more but last longer and look better than cheap fleece. Check any plant you add against the ASPCA poison control resources first.
Plan the climbing route
Platforms should be 12 to 18 inches apart vertically for most adult cats, closer for seniors and kittens. Offset them so the cat steps diagonally, not straight up. A top perch near a window or with a view of the door is usually the most used spot.
If the base piece is low, add wall shelves above it to extend the route. The wall shelves and window perches hub covers the fixings.
Lighting and placement in the room
Where the hack stands changes how it reads. Against a feature wall with a picture light, a styled cube unit looks like a gallery shelf. Squeezed into a corner beside the litter box, the same unit looks like pet storage. Give it a spot you would give a good piece of furniture, ideally near a window so the top perch gets daylight, which is the spot most cats choose anyway.
Keep at least a cat's body length of clear floor in front of the lowest platform so cats can land without skidding into furniture. On hard floors, a small rug in front softens the landing and visually anchors the piece in the room.
Keep it looking good
Vacuum cushions weekly, and wash covers monthly. Replace sisal when it frays. Check wall fixings every month; cats jumping loosen screws over time. International Cat Care on making your home cat friendly explains why stable, high resting places matter for cats' wellbeing, which is the real reason to keep the piece in good shape.
Finish any new wood with a water-based low-VOC finish and let it cure. The EPA guidance on VOCs and indoor air explains why curing time matters in living spaces.
IKEA hack cat tree design: FAQ
Which IKEA piece is best for a cat tree hack?
Solid cube shelving and low sideboards are the most popular bases, because they are stable, heavy and already have openings a cat can sit in. Cube units in particular give square spaces that suit a cushion or bed. Avoid tall, narrow bookcases with thin backs unless you reinforce them, since they flex more and need very secure wall fixing.
How do I stop it looking like a cat tree?
Pick one colour palette for the wood, fabric and sisal and stick to it. Skip carpet, which instantly looks like a pet product, and use felt or wool cushions instead. Either hide sisal on an inside panel or make one wrapped panel a deliberate feature. Leaving a few shelves for books, plants or baskets is what makes it read as furniture.
Do I need to anchor an IKEA hack cat tree?
Yes. Cats landing on the top shelves create forces that can tip even a heavy unit. Use the anti-tip kit that comes with the furniture or a steel bracket, and fix it into a wall stud wherever you can, using suitable wall anchors if there is no stud. Check the fixing every month, as repeated jumping can loosen screws.
What fabric is best for cushions?
Wool felt is ideal because it is dense, warm and resists claws, and it looks refined against wood. Tight-weave covers with zips are a practical alternative since you can wash them. Avoid loose weaves, chunky knits and loop piles, which catch claws and pull. Choose a colour from your sofa or rug so the cushions tie the piece into the room.
How far apart should platforms be?
Roughly 12 to 18 inches vertically suits most healthy adult cats, staggered so each jump has a clear landing. Bring platforms closer, around 10 to 12 inches, for kittens, seniors or cats with stiff joints. Check that each step down is as easy as the step up, since cats often struggle more coming down than climbing up.
