Quick answer: Use one sturdy box about 40 x 30 x 30 cm as the hide, cut a 15 cm round doorway and a back exit, then glue a corrugated scratch pad to the roof. Kids can draw, measure and decorate; an adult does all cutting. Spread it over two days so the glue dries before the cat moves in.
Small apartments rarely have room for a cat tree and a cat bed and a scratcher. A box that does two jobs, hiding underneath and scratching on top, fits beside a sofa or under a desk and earns its floor space.
Building it over a weekend also gives children a real part in caring for the cat. If you want a bigger, multi-room version, our kids and cats cardboard castle weekend has a full castle plan; this one stays compact for tight rooms.
Pick the Spot Before the Box
Walk the apartment with the kids and choose where the box will live. Good spots are quiet, against a wall, and away from the litter tray and the food bowl. Measure the gap: most hide boxes need a footprint of about 40 x 30 cm, plus 15 cm clear in front of the doorway.
Let a child write the measurements on a sticky note and stick it on the wall. That note becomes the brief for the build, and it stops the family making something too big for the corner. Our small apartment cat home hub has more ideas for fitting cat gear into tight floor plans.
Jobs by Age
| Age | Good jobs | Adult only |
|---|---|---|
| 4–6 | Choosing the box, drawing the door circle, sticking paper decorations | Any cutting |
| 7–9 | Measuring, marking cut lines, spreading glue with a brush | Knife and scissors on thick board |
| 10–12 | Planning layout, cutting thin card with safety scissors, timing glue | Craft knife on double wall board |
Craft knives and corrugated board are a poor mix for small hands, because the blade can skip on the flutes. Keep the knife with the adult and let children do the marking and testing.
Saturday Morning: Box and Doorways
Choose a double wall box if you can; it holds its shape when a cat jumps on the roof. Tape the flaps shut on the outside with paper tape. Draw a 15 cm circle on one long side, about 5 cm up from the floor, using a bowl as a template.
Cut a second, smaller exit about 12 cm across at the back or side. Cats prefer a hide they can leave without passing whoever is standing at the front door, and a second exit stops a nervous cat feeling trapped. Sand or tape the cut edges so they are smooth to the touch.
Saturday Afternoon: The Scratch Pad Roof
Cut strips of corrugated board 5 cm tall and as long as the roof is wide. Stand them on edge with the flutes facing up and glue them side by side into a block about 30 x 20 cm. A child can count strips and press them together while an adult cuts.
Use water-based PVA or flour paste, never hot glue that leaves hard strings. Our guide to tape, ink and staples to avoid in cardboard projects explains which materials are fine around cats.
Glue the finished block to the roof and set a few books on top. Leave it overnight. The waiting is part of the lesson: the cat gets the box only once the glue is fully dry.
Sunday: Decorate Without Hazards
Plain paper, crayons and water-based paint are safe choices. Skip glitter, ribbons, pom-poms, googly eyes and anything stuck on with tape that a cat could peel off and chew. Decorate only the outside walls, and leave the inside and the scratch pad bare.
A nice touch is a name plate over the door. Children love choosing a name for the house, and it gives them something to point at when they tell visitors about it.
Introducing the Box: Rules the Kids Can Follow
Set the box in its spot and put an old t-shirt that smells of the family inside. Then the rule is simple: nobody reaches into the box, nobody blocks the door, and nobody lifts the cat in. The cat decides.
Children can scatter three treats on the floor leading to the doorway and one just inside. If the cat goes in, everyone stays quiet. International Cat Care on cat-friendly homes explains why hiding places help cats feel safe, especially in busy households.
Teaching the Scratch Pad
Many cats discover the roof on their own after jumping up to look around. If yours does not, drag a feather wand slowly across the pad so the claws catch, and let the kids reward any scratch with a treat. Play should be with a toy, never with hands, so the cat does not learn that fingers are for scratching.
International Cat Care on play gives tips on gentle play styles that suit children and cats together.
Shopping List for the Weekend
- One double wall box about 40 x 30 x 30 cm, plus one spare box for roof strips
- Paper packing tape (not plastic or duct tape)
- Water-based PVA glue and a cheap brush
- A bowl about 15 cm across to trace the doorway
- Ruler, pencil and a craft knife for the adult
- Plain paper, crayons or water-based paint for decorating
- One old t-shirt that smells of the family
Most families already have everything except the glue. Ask the kids to tick items off the list on Friday night; it builds excitement and saves a mid-project trip to the shops.
Turning the Build Into a Small Lesson
A cat box is a good excuse to practise measuring and planning. Ask an older child to work out how many 5 cm strips fit across a 30 cm roof if each strip is about 6 mm thick. The answer is about 50, and checking it by counting the real strips makes the maths stick.
Younger children can learn about cat body language while they wait for the glue. Show them what a slow blink, a tail held up and flattened ears each mean. Then, when the box goes down, they will know whether the cat is curious, relaxed or worried, and they can adjust by stepping back.
Keep a simple chart on the fridge where the kids mark each day the cat uses the box or the pad. A row of ticks after a week is a nice reward for the whole family.
If the Cat Ignores the Box
Some cats take a week or more to trust a new object. Do not move the box every day; that resets the clock. Instead, try one change at a time: move the t-shirt to the doorway, add a second scatter of treats, or turn the doorway away from the room so the inside feels more private.
If the cat still avoids it after two weeks, check that the box is not near something it dislikes, such as a noisy radiator, a busy hallway or a window where it sees outdoor cats. A quieter spot often fixes it.
Keeping It Going Past the First Week
Give each child one weekly job: checking the doorway edges, vacuuming shreds, or swapping the t-shirt. When the pad wears flat after a few weeks, glue a fresh block over the old one. When the box sags, build the next one together using the same plan.
For more boxes made from what arrives at the door, our one-hour moving box castle for apartments and the original one-hour build use the same tools. Our guide to cat furniture for small spaces shows how to combine hiding, perching and scratching in one footprint.
Scratch-and-Hide Box Questions From Families
What size box works best for a cat hideout?
A box around 40 x 30 x 30 cm suits most adult cats and fits a small apartment corner. It is big enough to turn around in and curl up, but small enough to feel snug. Double wall boxes hold their shape when the cat jumps onto the roof.
Is it safe for kids to help build a cardboard cat house?
Yes, as long as an adult does all knife cutting. Younger children can choose the box, draw the doorway and decorate with paper and crayons. Older children can measure, mark lines and spread glue. Keep blades and staples out of reach throughout.
Why does a cat hide box need two openings?
A second, smaller exit lets the cat leave without passing whoever stands at the front doorway. Cats feel safer in a hide they cannot be cornered in, so a box with two openings is more likely to be used, especially in a busy home.
What glue should we use for the scratch pad on the roof?
Water-based PVA wood glue or a flour and water paste. Both are low odour and dry hard. Avoid hot glue, which leaves stringy bits a cat can chew, and avoid spray adhesives. Let the pad dry overnight before the cat uses it.
How do we get our cat to use the new box?
Put a family-scented t-shirt inside, scatter a few treats leading to the doorway, and leave the cat to explore. Nobody should reach in, block the door or place the cat inside. Most cats investigate within a few days when left to choose.
