If you want a place that’s fun for your cat(s) to hang out in but aren’t ready to invest in a cat tower or tree, a cardboard cat house is a cheaper, less permanent option.
(Or hey, maybe you already have a cat tree, but you also want your cat to have their own cardboard box to hang around in. Nothing wrong with that.)
We all know that cats have this strange yet intense desire to climb into cardboard boxes (which we’ll talk about more in a minute). But instead of just leaving your latest Amazon Prime box laying around the living room for your cat to climb into, why not get them a house that looks cute and was designed just for them?
After reading this post, you’ll be able to choose the cat house that best fits your needs, and even learn how to make a homemade one if that’s what you prefer.
And you also might learn a thing or two about cats and cardboard in the process!
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The Best Cardboard Cat Houses
Seny Cardboard Cat House
PAWNIE Christmas Cat HousePet Craft Supply Space HouseASPCA Cat House & ScratcherPETIQUE Feline Penthouse Cat HousePETIQUE Feline Fortress Cat House
These 6 cardboard boxes had the highest overall ratings on Amazon at the time of this writing. Keep scrolling to read detailed reviews of each of these houses plus several others.
More Things to Make Your Cat Happy:
Why Do Cats Like Cardboard Boxes?
Even though your cat spends spends most of the day laying on your bed and having a bowl of canned food routine delivered to him, he’s still am ambush predator at heart and likes finding confined places where he can hide, hunt prey, and feel safe.
Cats like to and need to stay warm. Between the confined space of a box and the fact that cardboard is an amazing insulator, a cardboard box fits the bill perfectly.
Finally, cardboard has a texture that cats love to scratch and chew.
Is it okay for cats to chew on cardboard?
If you’ve noticed your cat loving cardboard boxes, you also might have noticed them gnawing away on the cardboard … and you may be wondering whether that’s safe.
Well, it depends. Is your cat just chewing on cardboard (and maybe ingesting a little bit in the process), or are they intentionally eating it?
Chewing cardboard is completely normal and safe. It could be your cat acting predatory, marking its territory, or dealing with anxiety.
However, if they’re actively grinding it with their molars and eating it, then it’s possible they may have pica.
Which, of course, leads us to the next question …
What is Pica in Cats?
According to Pets WebMD, Pica Syndrome is the urge to eat nonfood items — not only cardboard, but possibly things like plastic bags, houseplants, wool, paper, or rubber bands.
Cat pica tends to be more common in older cats, and could be caused by dietary deficiencies, medical problems, genetical predispositions, or environmental factor.
If you suspect your cat may have pica, you should discuss it with your vet to see if they have any advice and if there’s an underlying medical concern. In the meantime, try to keep them away from their favorite non-food snack, as continuing to eat it could cause intestinal blockage.
And now on the cat houses …
PETIQUE Feline Fortress Cat House
PETIQUE Feline Condo Cat House
This cat condo, made of 90% cardboard, has 3 levels and 4 different rooms, making it perfect for households with multiple cats.
Amazon reviewer County Loyalist said that even the oldest of their 3 cats like to play inside this:
… We throw toys, stuff bird wands into tall pillars and hide springs inside to enthusiasm from the four legged. The corrugated cat scratch roofs holding up well and one or more cats will sunbathe there from time to time.
Takes a bit of time to assemble but easily done. Double sided walls and sturdy corner pillars add to its strength. A great hit with our furry friends …
PETIQUE Double Decker Penthouse
Made by the same company as the Fortress above, this Penthouse is a double-decker house with a slightly different design.
It’s both sturdy (one reviewer said that her 22-pound cat could jump onto the roof of it without a problem) and easy to move around the house, so your kitties can hang out with you wherever you go.
Reviewers liked how there were lots of scratch boards all around this house. One reviewer said that their cat especially loved rolling around and rubbing her face around the curvy edges.
Furhaven Corrugated Cardboard Gingerbread House for Cats
Furhaven Corrugated Cardboard Gingerbread House for Cats
When I first saw this house, I thought, “Well, that’s kind of plain and brown and boring.”
And then I instantly realized, Duh, that’s the point. It’s blank so that people can paint it, design it, write on it, any way they want. (When my girls were little, they would have gone crazy covering this house with stickers. I mean, covering it. Completely.)
This house has dimensions of 14.96 by 15.35 by 14.57 inches, had a corrugated cardboard base that’ ideal for scratching, and has little bird hanging in the doorway. (Don’t get too excited about the bird, though; one reviewer said it got shredded after about ten minutes.)
One easy-to-miss bonus about this house is that it comes with two pom-poms and the box becomes an instant after you punch out the pre-cut holes.
ASPCA Cat Cottage & Scratcher
ASPCA Cat House & Scratcher w/ Bonus Catnip Included
This house, designed to look like a kitty cottage, is Amazon’s Choice in the “Cat House” category.
Its dimensions are 19.5 by 14 by 11 inches. The front door is 8 by 11 inches, making it easy for even a 16 pound cat to enter.
Reviewers said that assembly took about 5 minutes and was “so easy even a spider monkey could do it.”
One reviewer suggested putting some toys inside the chimney to give cats something extra to play with when they’re inside.
Troppipets Cardboard Cat Tepee House
Troppipets Cardboard Cat Tepee House
Assembles in secondswithout tools or expertise. Simply connect the sides of the cardboard walls to form a tent shape. Fold and connect the base and insert the tabs into the floor panel put the Pillow inside .Your cat house is now move-in ready.strong. It easily supports the brawniest cat of any size or breed, or a small dog of up to 25 lbs.
One thing that makes this house unique (other than its tepee design) is that it comes with a pillow cushion for the floor instead of a scratcher. That makes it a good choice for a cat who is declawed or already has plenty of scratchers and doesn’t need another one — or less active cats who jump want a cozy place to sleep.
Reviewers said this tepee was cute, well-constructed, and better quality than other cardboard cat houses they’re tried.
The size is big enough to hold any size cat, or even two cats.
It’s also super-easy to put together, with an assembly that takes less than 10 minutes and doesn’t require any tools.
Pet Craft Supply Corrugated Cardboard Space House
Pet Craft Supply Corrugated Cardboard Space House
If you’re a big NASA fan (like my husband), you’ll probably get a kick out of seeing your kitty transformed into a Space Cat with this house.
It has a scratcher floor and comes with catnip.
Amazon Vine Voice Patrick wrote an excellent description of this unique house:
Positives:
- Super fun space capsule (cat-sule) that goes together by hand without the need for any tools.
- 1/4 inch thick cardboard walls with a 1-inch thick flooring and scratch surface.
- Overall size is 18” wide x 18” long x 17” tall. Easy to carry to another room.
- Scratch flooring is not sharp cardboard, but feels feathered and soft… not really sure how to describe soft cardboard.
- Outside walls have a very playful space capsule theme printing and each wall has a different picture. This looks to be a durable high quality paper coating that has been applied to the cardboard …
- All the panels slide firmly together with dovetail joints. The joints fit cleanly, however they can pop apart in case a cat feels trapped.
- Velcro straps are provided to lash the walls together if you own an aggressive play-cat.
- As the capsule is pyramid shaped, any pushing out of a joint does not cause the toy to collapse. You can see from my photos that as my cat played he slid some joints outward. The whole cat-house stayed upright.
- Capsule has one main opening (door) a side circular opening (window) and an open-top. All openings allow for a normal sized cat to jump through.
- Catnip is also provided and is ground fine enough that it can be sprinkled into the scratching floor openings.
- My advice when putting this together is to slowly slide the panels together. The only weak panel is the one with the large door, and it could get damaged if you don’t go slow …
- Totally fun scratching cardboard and hiding-house. My wife and I enjoy watching the cats play in and around the capsule. My cats even started playing with it while I’m trying to assemble. I feel it is at a good price for the enjoyment we are all having.
Negatives:
- Only real negative is that the assembly instructions are on a sticker on the outside of the box. I didn’t see this until I’d put it all together. That said… it really is only 5 panels so instructions are not necessary.
- Also… I’m a guy… and the sticker is bright orange… sigh.
Furhaven Pet Cardboard Cat Tower
Furhaven Pet Cardboard Cat Tower
Another winner from Furhaven, this tower is 33 inches high, 22.83 inches wide, and 17.72 inches deep.
Reviewers said that assembly was pretty easy with the video instructions.
Amazon reviewer Sara says this tower was totally worth the price:
… We decided to give this a shot, since it seemed like it would have space for everyone and it’s pretty dang cute. It was easy to put together and is sturdy for what it is. Even my adventurous and jumpy Maine Coon hasn’t been able to take it out yet. The cats do like to take advantage of ALL the scratchy bits, so the roof looks like it has been through some rough storms, but it is hanging in there and gets more use than any other their other towers or toys each day.
It has space for all three cats to hang out together comfortably – they still like to swat at tails and sometimes harass each other, but they can also all spread out and relax at the same time. I questioned whether it was worth the price but I have to say that this is one of the best things we’ve bought in terms of cat entertainment …
Midlee Castle Cat Scratcher House
Midlee Castle Cat Scratcher House
If your cat believes themself to be the king or queen of your house, then this castle might be perfect for them.
It’s 20 inches tall, 16 inches wide and 13 inches deep, with a door opening that is 11 inches tall and 8 inches wide. It comes with a removable scratch pad, a hanging mouse, and a bag of catnip, and it has four windows for cats to peek out of.
If your cats really like to swat at dangly things, this castle will be a dream for them, because you can tie extra toys onto the turrets.
This castle does not have a roof or “second story,” so you can’t have one cat sitting on top while the other cats sits inside. However, some cats love having a big opening at the top.
PAWNIE Christmas Cat House Made of Recyclable Cardboard Material
PAWNIE Christmas Cat House Made of Recyclable Cardboard Material
This house is Amazon’s Choice in the “Christmas Cat Scratcher” category.
It’s made from heavy duty recycled cardboard and is red and green, decorated with candy canes, fir trees, and gingerbread men.
The floor on the house has a scratching pad, and a bag of catnip is included so you can encourage your kitties to scratch at it.
Midlee Gingerbread Christmas Cat Scratcher House
Midlee Gingerbread Christmas Cat Scratcher House
This cardboard gingerbread house is another great choice for Christmas time.
It’s 16 inches tall and has a base with dimensions of 14 by 12 inches. It has a little mouse toy hanging in the doorway, which is a nice touch that will give your kitty an extra reason to hang out inside. The scratch pad inside is removable. It ships flat, so some assembly is required.
Reviewers loved how cute this house is and how easy it was to put together.
American Cat Club Halloween House
Halloween Cabin House for Cats
This Halloween-themed house is purple and orange with yellow windows. It has drawings of cobwebs, pumpkins, tombstones, brooms, and a black, plus a scratch pad floor. The dimensions are 5 by 14 by 11 inches.
Reviewers and their cats generally were very happy with this house. However, it’s worth noting that the doorway may be too small for large cats (say, over 12 pounds) to easily get into.
Hyde & EEK! Boutique Basic Haunted House Cat Scratcher
Hyde & EEK! Boutique Basic Haunted House Cat Scratcher
Here’s another Halloween-themed house if you’re looking for something special during the month of October. It had an orange, black, and white design including cobwebs and black cats, and its dimensions are 16 by 15.75 by 2.5 inches.
DoyenCat Ocean Fun Box with Scratching Board
DoyenCat Ocean Fun Box with Scratching Board
If you want a box with a cute and silly theme, this is the one for you.
The great thing about this box is that provides great photo ops with your cat as a mermaid, underwater sea diver, or poking their head out of the top. (And the sushi design version of this box can provide some very cute moments as well.)
Reviewers liked how these boxes were visually attractive, sturdy, and big enough to accommodate a larger cat.
Midlee Cottage Cat Scratcher House
Midlee Cottage Cat Scratcher House
This cute cat cottage has a more cheery look than being just a plain brown box. It has a pink striped roof, butterflies and flowers on the side, and four windows for cats to look out. There is also a mouse that hangs in the doorway.
It’s 20 inches tall (to the peak of the roof, 16 inches wide, and 13 inches deep.
Reviewers were impressed with the sturdiness of this house (one reviewer described the cardboard as “thick and strong without being cumbersome”).
One thing worth noting is that this house is a little on the small side compared to other houses in this post.
Seny Cardboard Cat House Condo
Seny Cardboard Cat House Condo
This house has two doors and a balcony, making it easy for two cats to enjoy it together. It’s made of 5 layer corrugated kraft paperboard.
Reviewers liked how the cardboard was “super thick,” making the house nice and sturdy.
American Cat Club Retro Van Cat House & Scratcher w/ Catnip
American Cat Club Retro Van Cat House & Scratcher w/ Catnip
Want a groovy cat house with a retro feel?
Then check out this house that designed with a bunch of cool cats going on a trip in their van!
One nice plus about this cat house (other than the unique design) is that there is a hole in the top. Some cats enjoy popping their head through the top, and maybe even playing with a nearby kitty that’s outside the house.
The van has a scratcher floor and comes with catnip, so you can encourage your cat to come on in and and start scratching.
The main downside to this kitty van — and it’s a big one — is the size. At 16 by 8 by 12 inches, many adult cats won’t be able to comfortable fit in it. It’s best for kittens, a small cat, and/or a cat who doesn’t need or want a whole lot of extra space to move around in.
How Do I Make a DIY Cardboard House for My Cat?
Finally, if you just want to try your hand at making your own cat house, here’s a video tutorial”