How to Build a Modern Cat Condo with Wood Crates

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Shortly before Steph got her dog Mac, my son Stephen and his family were adopted by a tiny little kitten! Stephen's mother-in-law found the kitty outside, under the car and brought her inside. (We thought the kitty was a he because of a blue hair dry around her neck. Surprise! She was found to be female after a trip to the vet).

No one claimed the kitty, so she was named Axel and became part of Stephen's family. 

The grands have been asking for a cat condo/tower/tree for Axel, Tyler even drew up a design! Although, really cute and well thought out, it would have taken far too much space.

We settled on a Pinterest idea and designed with that idea in mind. 

As we were working out the design, we decided simple was better. We decided we'd use "found" material rather than going out and buying new. It was fun to gather items and see if they'd make it into the final design.

Found items

• Wood Crate (leftover from another project)
• Wine Box (yard sales)
• Wood Tray (thrift store, yard sales)
• 2x4 (purchased and not used from another project)
• Carpet (leftover from previous carpet install)
• Velcro (from craft supply stash)
• Screws (we always have a variety of sizes on hand)
• Metal peel and stick tiles (free samples)
• Scrap wood 1/2” dowel
• Scrap 1/2” plywood

Purchased 

• Spray paint
• Everbilt Sisal Rope 1/2” x 50’
• Rope Monkey Fist Knot (Target Dollar Spot)
• Varathane Briarsmoke Wood Stain

We gathered all our materials, cut the 2x4 and base and started working out the design. You can see the entire process by watching the video.

This carpet remenet has been around far too long so we were excited to have a use for it. It only took a small amount so we still have a lot left! It cut easily with these tin snips.

We hot glued sisal rope around the edges to give the carpet a finished look and to help the carpet from fraying.

Everything got sanded and a good wipe down before being spray painted.

A nice coat of white spray paint helped to unify all the pieces. Tip: use a lot of thin coats rather than one heavy one. Patience is key here!

Time to assemble! We used lots of wood glue, hot glue, screws and clamps.

Finishing up the assembly. The base of that cat scratching post had broken, so we decided to incorporate it into our design. The boys loved that we used it as it was one of the first things they had gotten for Axel. That monkey fist knot was an impulse purchase at the Target dollar spot. Both the kids and Axel really like it!

This was a fun addition to the top of the wood tray. We used these leftover peel and stick tiles. We thought Axel might enjoy the coolness of the tiles on our hot Florida days.

For the last two tasks of the build, we enlisted the help of grandsons, Tyler and Andrew. Tyler and Steph worked on wrapping and hot gluing the sisal rope to the bottom of the post.

Andrew helped out by attaching self-stick velcro to the backs of the carpet pieces. We wanted the pieces removable so they could be cleaned or replaced.

All finished! This hinged wine box holds toys for Axel and also provides a space for her to sit.

The rope knot was a big hit with the cat...

...and the kids (that's my granddaughter Ava)!

It was fun to see Axel explore the new cat condo. At first she was hesitant, but she ended up exploring every inch of it. I think the boys are happy with it and her reaction!

We loved the challenge of using "what we had" to design this project. We like the farmhouse look to it and the compact size. The base is approximately 19" wide by about 3' long. It is about 3' tall. 

Please note: This is not a sponsored post.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don't claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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