Quick answer: An IKEA hack multi-level cat tower can be built from cube storage units set side by side as a staircase, one, two and three cubes high. Anchor the tallest unit to the wall, top each level with a fitted non-slip cushion, add a sisal panel to one side and leave one cube as a hidden bed. It reads as shelving.
Cat trees are good at what they do and rarely good-looking. Carpeted posts and dangling toys stand out in a room that is otherwise calm. Cube storage shelving, on the other hand, is already in millions of living rooms and blends in.
Set a few cube units side by side at different heights and you get a staircase a cat can climb, with storage behind closed fronts and open cubes for resting. This guide shows the layout, the safety steps that matter most, and the finishing touches that keep it looking like furniture rather than a pet product.
Why Cube Shelving Works for Cats
International Cat Care describes freestanding cupboards and wardrobes as giving cats large areas where they can rest or hide in a high place, and recommends making sure a cat can get down easily, especially an older cat. A staircase of cubes gives both: height at one end and short steps all the way down.
Ohio State's Indoor Pet Initiative says perches give cats a safe and private place to watch the action from above. The top of the tallest unit becomes that perch, with a view of the room and a solid surface under it.
Multi-Level Cat Tower Layout
Measure your units rather than relying on catalogue figures; cube sizes differ between ranges and over the years. The layout below works with any cube shelving that has square openings of roughly 30 to 35 cm.
| Unit | Height in cubes | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Low unit, laid horizontally | 1 | First step, with a cushion on top |
| Medium unit | 2 | Middle level, one open cube as a bed |
| Tall unit, anchored | 3 | Top perch and lookout |
Each step up is one cube height, so a cat climbs from floor to top in three similar jumps. Keep the units tight together with no gaps a paw could slip into, and line the fronts up so the piece reads as one long shelf.
If your cat is older or heavy, add a fourth unit at half height or a step stool in front of the low unit to reduce the first jump.
Units, Tools and Time
Second-hand cube shelving is common and works just as well as new, as long as every panel is sound and the cam fittings still tighten. Check the back panel is present and fixed; it is what keeps the unit square. Avoid units with swollen particleboard edges, a sign of water damage that weakens the fixings.
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Three cube units | One, two and three cubes high, same range and depth |
| Wall anchors and screws | Suited to plasterboard, stud or masonry |
| Bolts or connector screws | To join units through side panels |
| Foam, fabric covers, non-slip mats | One set per level plus the bed cube |
| Sisal panel or board and rope | Sized to the tall unit's side |
With the units assembled, joining, anchoring and fitting cushions and sisal takes most people an afternoon. Allow longer if you are sewing covers.
Anchoring Comes First
A cat landing on the top of a tall unit pushes it outwards. Cube shelving is usually sold with wall-anchoring hardware for exactly this reason, and it must be used. Fix the tallest unit to the wall with fixings suited to your wall type, into a stud or solid masonry if possible. Clamp or bolt the three units to each other through their side panels so they act as one piece.
Test it before the cat does: push the top of the tall unit firmly away from the wall and sideways. Nothing should move. Our safety checklist for anchoring a tall DIY cat tower covers wall types and fixings, and making a non-wobbly IKEA hack cat tree goes through a stability test step by step.
Cushions, Grip and Sisal
Painted or laminated shelf tops are slippery. Cut a firm foam pad for the top of each level and give it a fitted, washable cover in a fabric that matches the room. Put a thin rubber non-slip mat under each cushion so it cannot slide when the cat lands.
- Top of low unit: cushion with a short lip so it does not slide off.
- Top of middle unit: cushion, or a sisal mat for a horizontal scratch spot.
- Top of tall unit: the deepest cushion; this is the lookout.
- Side of tall unit: a sisal panel or wrapped board for vertical scratching.
Fix the sisal panel with screws through the side panel from inside, or with a board clamped to it, so there is no adhesive smell and it can be replaced. Choose a natural or dark sisal that suits the shelving colour.
Hidden Bed and Storage Cubes
Leave one open cube at the middle level as a bed. Line it with a cushion cut to size and add a soft fabric curtain or a half-height fabric insert across the front, so the cat can hide but still see out. Many cats like a bed that is enclosed on three sides.
Use closed fabric or wooden inserts in the remaining cubes for your own storage. Keep cat items such as spare toys, grooming tools and litter bags in one of them, so everything lives in the same piece. International Cat Care recommends putting toys away and rotating them, which a closed cube makes easy.
Styling the Tower as Shelving
The difference between a cat tower and a shelf is styling. Keep the top of the tall unit for the cat and style the rest as you would any shelf: a plant (cat-safe), a few books, a lamp on the low unit if there is room beside the cushion.
| Choice | Looks like furniture | Looks like pet gear |
|---|---|---|
| Cushion fabric | Linen, wool, boucle in room colours | Bright fleece with paw prints |
| Sisal | One neat panel on a side | Rope wrapped round every edge |
| Inserts | Matching wood or fabric fronts | Mixed colours |
| Toys | Stored in a closed cube | Hanging from every level |
For more pieces that hide their purpose, see cat furniture that doesn't look like cat furniture and furniture for cats and humans.
Upkeep and Checks
Wash cushion covers every week or two and vacuum the cubes. Check the anchoring every month, and every time you move the units. Replace the sisal panel when it wears through; a panel on screws makes this a ten-minute job. The guide to replacing carpet on a DIY cat tree covers re-covering if you used carpet instead.
Compare the cost with a store-bought tree using the DIY cat tree vs store-bought cost per year of use breakdown. If you want a taller, single-unit design instead, the original IKEA hack cat tree that looks like real furniture and the DIY cat tree hub are the next places to look.
Cube Shelf Cat Tower Questions
Can you make a cat tower from IKEA cube shelves?
Yes. Place cube storage units side by side as a staircase, for example one, two and three cubes high, so each step is one cube. Anchor the tallest unit to the wall, bolt the units together, add non-slip cushions on each level and a sisal panel on one side. Measure your units first.
How do I stop a cube shelf cat tower tipping over?
Use the wall-anchoring hardware supplied with the shelving and fix the tallest unit to a stud or solid wall with suitable fixings. Bolt or clamp all units together through their sides so they act as one. Push the top firmly away from the wall and sideways; nothing should move before a cat uses it.
How tall should a multi-level cat tower be?
Tall enough to give a view of the room, with even steps up. Three units at one, two and three cube heights give a top perch three cubes high reached in three similar jumps. For older or heavy cats, add a half-height step in front of the low unit to shorten the first jump.
How do I make a cat tower look like normal furniture?
Use storage furniture as the base, choose cushion fabrics that match the room, limit sisal to one neat panel, use matching closed inserts and keep toys in a closed cube. Style the lower levels with books or a cat-safe plant and keep the top for the cat.
