You've seen them. Those beige, carpet-covered monstrosities that look like a relic from a 1994 basement. They shed. They wobble. Honestly, they’re an eyesore that we only tolerate because we love our cats. But your house shouldn't have to look like a bargain-bin pet store just because you want a happy feline. This is exactly why the IKEA hack cat tree has become such a massive subculture in the DIY world.
It’s about reclaiming your aesthetic.
When you walk through the aisles of IKEA, you aren't just looking at cheap fiberboard; you're looking at the skeleton of a high-end feline jungle gym. People are taking $20 shelves and turning them into $400-looking "cat-fication" masterpieces. It works because IKEA furniture shares a common DNA of clean lines and modularity. This isn't just about saving money, though that's a nice perk. It’s about the fact that most commercial cat trees are built for a generic cat, whereas a hack allows you to build for your cat—the one who hates heights or the one who thinks they're a literal mountain goat.
Why the Lackaroo and Kallax Rule the Roost
The IKEA hack cat tree universe basically revolves around a few "Holy Grail" pieces. If you’ve ever stepped foot in an IKEA, you know the Lack side table. It’s light. It’s dirt cheap. It’s also hollow, which is a weirdly specific advantage when you’re trying to bolt things together without adding fifty pounds of weight to a vertical structure.
Take the classic "Lack Tower." You stack three or four of these tables, rotate them slightly for a spiral effect, and wrap the legs in sisal rope. Boom. You have a floor-to-ceiling scratching post with built-in perches. But there’s a catch that most "influencer" DIYers won't tell you: the Lack is made of paper honeycomb. If you just screw a bracket into the middle of a leg, it might pull right out when a 15-pound Maine Coon decides to launch itself off the top tier. You have to hit the solid wood blocks at the very top and bottom of each leg.
Then there’s the Kallax. Everyone has one. If you don't, your neighbor probably has one on their curb right now. The beauty of a Kallax-based IKEA hack cat tree is the storage-to-play ratio. You can keep your actual books in the bottom cubes to weigh the unit down—stability is everything—while cutting circular holes in the upper shelves. Use a jigsaw to create internal "elevators" so your cat can climb inside the furniture rather than on top of it.
The "Sinnerlig" and "Billy" Alternatives
If you want something that looks less like a shelf and more like a piece of architectural art, look at the Sinnerlig pendant lamp or the Billy bookcase. The Billy is surprisingly versatile for "cat-fication" because of its shallow depth. You can create a "cat wall" by staggering Billy shelves of different heights, or by removing the back panel and inserting felt-lined hiding spots.
Jackson Galaxy, the renowned cat behaviorist, often talks about "cat superhighways." The goal is to allow a cat to traverse a room without ever touching the floor. Using IKEA's Bergshult shelves with Sandshult brackets is the easiest way to achieve this. The brackets have a little lip that prevents the shelf from sliding, which is a small detail that prevents a literal cat-astrophe.
Safety First: The Parts IKEA Doesn't Mention
We need to talk about the "wobble factor." A cat tree that shakes is a cat tree that stays empty. Cats are survivalists; if a surface feels unstable, they won't trust it. When you’re building an IKEA hack cat tree, your best friend isn't a hammer—it's the L-bracket.
Anchor everything. Seriously.
If you are stacking Lack tables, don't just glue them. Use 2-inch mending plates to join the legs of the top table to the surface of the bottom one. If you’re building a wall-mounted system using the Eket series, find the studs. Drywall anchors are "fine" for a picture frame, but they aren't designed for the dynamic load of a cat jumping with five times its body weight in force.
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Toxicity and Materials
IKEA finishes are generally safe once cured, but you should be wary of the "new furniture smell" which is often off-gassing formaldehyde. Let your hacked pieces sit in a ventilated garage for a few days before letting your cat sniff them. Also, skip the hot glue. It’s tempting because it’s fast, but cats chew. If they ingest a bead of dried hot glue, you’re looking at a very expensive vet visit. Use low-VOC wood glue or mechanical fasteners whenever possible.
When it comes to the scratching surfaces, most people go for sisal. It’s the gold standard. But here’s a pro tip: buy the sisal in bulk from a hardware store, not a craft store. You’ll save 40%. Soak the rope in water for ten minutes before wrapping it around the IKEA table legs. As the rope dries, it shrinks, creating a much tighter, professional-looking wrap that won't sag after two weeks of scratching.
Designing for the "Tree Dweller" vs. "Bush Dweller"
Not all cats want to be high up. This is a common misconception that leads to people building massive, towering IKEA hack cat trees that their cats never use.
- Tree Dwellers: These cats love the top of the fridge. They want to look down on their kingdom. For them, use the Stolmen (if you can find it secondhand) or the Elvarli system. These are floor-to-ceiling tension poles. You can attach Skådis pegboards or customized wooden rounds to create a soaring climb.
- Bush Dwellers: These cats like to be under the coffee table or behind the sofa. For them, a hacked Kallax or a Hol storage crate is better. The Hol is a lattice-wood box that's practically screaming to be turned into a cat sanctuary. Throw a sheepskin rug inside, and you’ve created a ventilated, private "den" that fits perfectly with a Scandi-boho vibe.
Mixing Textures
The biggest mistake DIYers make is using the same material everywhere. IKEA furniture is smooth and slippery. A cat at a dead run needs traction. Instead of just bare white laminate, try adhesive carpet tiles (Flor makes great ones) or even cork mats. The Avelsås cork tiles from IKEA are cheap and provide excellent grip. They also look a lot more sophisticated than the "shag carpet" look of traditional pet store towers.
The Financial Reality of Hacking
Is it actually cheaper?
Honestly, sometimes no. If you buy a brand new Kallax, four inserts, two rolls of sisal, a jigsaw, and specialized brackets, you might spend $200. You can buy a basic cat tree on Amazon for $70.
But you're paying for longevity and aesthetics. A cheap cat tree lasts a year before the cardboard tubes collapse and the carpet looks like a shredded mess. An IKEA hack cat tree is made of (mostly) solid materials and can be repaired. When the sisal wears out, you just re-wrap it. When the color doesn't match your new rug, you paint it. You're building furniture, not a disposable toy.
Step-By-Step: The "LACK" Spiral Hack
If you’re ready to start, the Lack Spiral is the best entry-level project. You’ll need three Lack tables, a drill, twelve 2-inch wood screws, and about 100 feet of sisal rope.
- Prep the Legs: Wrap the legs of two tables entirely in sisal. Leave the third table's legs bare for the bottom "base."
- The Base: Set one table down. This is your foundation.
- The Offset: Place the second table on top of the first, but rotate it 45 degrees. This creates "steps" for the cat to climb.
- Secure: Screw through the top of the bottom table into the bottom of the legs of the top table. Use at least two screws per leg.
- Repeat: Add the third table, rotating it back to align with the first, or keep spiraling if you have the ceiling height.
- Wall Anchor: This is the most important part. Use a "furniture strap" or a heavy-duty L-bracket to attach the very top table to a wall stud. Without this, a vigorous jump will topple the whole thing.
Customizing the Aesthetic
To make it look truly "high-end," don't leave the IKEA finishes as-is. Lightly sand the laminate and use a high-quality primer like Zinsser BIN. This allows you to paint the tree to match your walls. A "hidden" cat tree that matches the wall color makes a small apartment feel significantly larger.
You can also swap out the standard IKEA legs for actual wooden 4x4 posts if you want a more rustic, "Catio" look. The tops of the Lack tables are 2 inches thick, so they can handle a bit of weight if the load is distributed.
Actionable Next Steps
Before you head to the blue-and-yellow warehouse, do these three things:
- Measure your cat: Sounds weird, but measure them while they are stretched out. If your "perch" is smaller than your cat’s laying-down length, they won't use it.
- Locate your studs: Buy a cheap stud finder. If you’re building a wall-mounted IKEA hack cat tree, you cannot guess where the wood is behind the drywall.
- Check the "As-Is" section: IKEA's scratch-and-dent section is a goldmine for cat hacks. You don't need a perfect table top if you're going to cover it in carpet or sisal anyway. You can often find Lack tables or Kallax units for 50% off because of a tiny ding that your cat would have made in the first week regardless.
Building your own feline furniture is a bit of a weekend commitment, but the payoff is a home that feels like a home, not a kennel. Your cat gets a custom gym, and you get your living room back. It’s a rare win-win in the world of home improvement.