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Home > Cats > 6 Amazing DIY Cat Ladders You Can Make Today (With Pictures)

6 Amazing DIY Cat Ladders You Can Make Today (With Pictures)

ragdoll cat sitting on a climbing frame

All active felines deserve a place where they can roam around and explore. Cat ladders are one of the best options for this, but they can cost an arm and a leg at your typical pet store. That’s why you might want to build your own from scratch, and we’ve got just the right thing for you.

Today we’ll go over these amazing DIY cat ladder plans you can get started on today, with directions, materials, and more!

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The 6 DIY Cat Ladders

1. Cat Ramp Ladder by Instructables

DIY Cat Ladders
Image Credit: Instructables

Materials: 2 wood planks (1”6”x6’), screws, 3 hinges, nails
Tools: Chop saw, square ruler, brad nailer, screwdriver, router
Difficulty Level: Medium

Although it requires some professional tools and a decent number of materials, this cat ramp ladder has a lot going for it. It can be placed outside or inside, depending on your type of cat. The build consists of wood that features humps or holds that make areas easily accessible for your feline. You can always trim it down just in case the dimensions don’t fit the space your cats like to play around with.


2. Cat Tree Steps by Instructables

DIY Cat Tree Instructables
Image Credit: Instructables

Materials: Carpet, square edge timber, plywood (½ inch thick), double-sided tape, sisal rope, angle brackets, plywood for the base, screws/wall plugs
Tools: Saw, hammer, drill, screwdriver, measuring utensil, knife, staple gun, level
Difficulty Level: Advanced

There are a ton of materials and tools needed to make this cat tree, but it could save you a hefty amount of money. The cat tree is sturdy enough for a medium-sized cat and has plenty of cushioning from the carpet to keep the surface comfortable. Each step is square, and some can be leaned against a wall to keep them from falling on their sides. It’ll take a while to build, though, as there are a lot of cuts to be made and parts to connect.


3. PVC Ladder by Budget 101

DIY Cat Ladders
Image Credit: Budget 101

Materials: PVC pipes, cloth, PVC primer, glue
Tools: Knife or scissors
Difficulty Level: Moderate

The PVC cat ladder is a clever way to reuse any leftover PVC piping. If you don’t have any, you might be able to grab some at a scrap yard for free or at low cost at a home improvement store near you. Either way, this construction is relatively straightforward; it’s about five squares filled with cloth to keep it lightweight but comfortable for your cat. You can make them in any assortment of colors as well, as they can be used with multiple cats. Plus, it even doubles as a cat bed!


4. Cat Tree Ladder IKEA Hack by Walkerville Vet

Wakerville Vet DIY Cat Ladder
Image By: Wakerville Vet
Materials: Lack wall shelf unit from IKEA (or something similar), drillable filler, extra screws
Tools: Drill, screwdriver
Difficulty: Moderate

If you’re looking to make a cat ladder from a ready-made structure, this IKEA hack cat ladder is made with a LACK wall shelf unit, but it could no doubt work with a similar product, too. The creator removed corners from the offset shelves and attached the structure to the wall with the help of wall filler or putty, a drill, and a screwdriver.

We like the fact that this cat ladder is put in place without you needing to go out and buy a whole load of materials—all you need is some filler, screws, a drill, and a screwdriver.


5. Cat Superhighway with Shelves & Stairs by WikiHow

DIY Cat Ladder Plans
Image By: WikiHow
Materials: Cat climbing shelves or regular shelves, pre-made cat furniture (optional), some furniture or shelving units already in your home, 10–20-pound weights
Tools: Drill, screwdriver
Difficulty: Easy

For cats, variety is the spice of life. This amazing cat superhighway by WikiHow Pet incorporates shelves that you can screw into the wall and arrange however you like and bits of pre-made cat furniture and/or home furniture (like shelving units) that you can reposition to make part of the highway or build your highway around.

These instructions show you how to complete the project, but you have a lot of freedom with this one—you can arrange the shelves and furniture and adapt the number of shelves to suit the look you’re going for.


6. Recycled Ladder Cat Tree by Instructables

DIY Cat Ladder Plans
Image By: Instructables
Materials: Old wooden ladder, scrap wood, scrap carpet or carpet mats, staples, screws
Tools: Screw gun, stapler gun
Difficulty: Moderate

Got an old ladder lying around? You could always have a go at repurposing it into this cool ladder cat tree. The creator made this cat tree to avoid expensive pet store prices and be able to build something sturdy enough to withstand scratching and general “cattishness”.

To add some variety, scrap wood pieces were added to lengthen some of the steps and make the structure easy enough for cats to access and certain parts long enough for them to snooze on should they get the urge.

divider-catFAQ

Is It Safe for Cats to Climb Ladders?

Yes! Climbing is one of the feline’s favorite activities, as they do this to hunt prey and move around easily in nature. Their agility and mobility are unmatched, so you don’t need to worry about them falling. Even if they do have a mishap, they always land on all fours!

How Do I Get My Cat to Climb a Ladder?

The best way to get your fluff-ball comfortable with ladders is to let them become interested in the ladder. Whenever something new is placed in their territory, they will inspect it with a lot of detail. Eventually, they will get the idea and try to put their paws on it to see what happens.

If they don’t seem interested, you can try slowly putting treats on the ladder steps to get them accustomed to the new addition.

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Conclusion

Cat ladders are a great means of keeping your cat busy and exploring their environment. It’s great that you can make something inexpensive that will keep them off your precious furniture without feeling guilty about their instincts. Hopefully, you considered these amazing DIY cat ladders; good luck if you end up building one yourself!


Featured Image Credit: izmargad, Shutterstock

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