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Cats love hanging out boxes, but few of us want to make a beat-up mailing container part of our permanent living room decor. Fortunately, we can meet our kitties halfway with these delightful cardboard cat cardboard houses, beds, and trees. Most of these double as scratchers, giving your cat exercise and helping them keep those claws healthy.
If you are not ready to commit to a 30-pound cat tree, think of these cardboard cat houses as kitty starter homes. Find out what your cat likes! And move the lightweight-domicile around the house to suit your own needs. When it’s worn out, you can recycle it with a clear conscience.
Cat Cardboard Houses Your Kitty Can Really Get Into
1. District 70 Sardine Cardboard Cat Scratcher Toy
Designed for cats of all sizes at 12 by 24 by 12 inches, this adorable cat house and scratcher made of sturdy cardboard wins raves from cats and their owners. Perfect for photo ops.
Shop on Chewy2. Cat Box Classics Furry Masterpieces
These delightful hangouts for your cat offer an attractive alternative to plain ol’ brown cardboard. With strategically placed playholes, your kitty can pop into “Starry Night,” the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, “American Gothic,” and (our favorite) Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” all in one cardboard cat house. Includes a scratch pad and a packet of catnip.
Shop on Cat Box Classics3. Petique Feline Chateau and Scratcher
Assemble this multi-level chateau for your cat (or cats) and let the fun begin. Corrugated surfaces at every level keep them busy scratching their house rather than yours. It has a 22-by-29-inch base and is 43 inches high.
Shop on Chewy4. Tiger Tough Tiger Tent
This small A-frame tent features scratching mats on both sides of the roof and some very nap-worthy dark corners inside. It’s 18.7 by 12 by 18.5 inches.
Shop on Chewy5. District 70 Mix Tape Cardboard Large Cat Scratcher
Revisit the 90s with your cat via this funky cardboard cat house. Now you can both enjoy your favorites—don’t blame us if you notice a little hiss on the tape. It’s a spacious 12 by 20 by 14 inches.
Shop on Chewy6. Tiger Tough Gingerbread House
A gingerbread house you can decorate with crayons, markers, and other pet-safe materials. And it comes with it’s own seasonal treat: a packet of catnip! It’s 15.35 by 14.96 by 14.57 inches.
Shop on Chewy Find on Amazon7. Cat Scratch Lounge Sofa Bed by PrimePets
This cheery two-piece set has several arranging options, so your cat can scratch or nap to their heart’s content inside, underneath, and on top of the structure. The main portion is 12.99 by 10.43 by 6.69 inches.
Find on Amazon8. Feline Fortress Cat House by Petique
What’s better than a box? Three boxes! Whether your cats like to hang out together or you have one kitty who owns the whole place, the Feline Fortress is the perfect spot for staking out some territory and defending it. The Fortress boasts scratchable flooring on all levels; it sits at 26.75 by 26.75 by 26.75 inches.
Find on Amazon9. Modern Cat Condo by Catty Stacks
This modular cardboard cat house comes in sets (two cubes and a connecting tunnel in each set) so you can stack or link them to create an environment that fits your living spaces and, most importantly, entertains your cats.
Find on Amazon10. Pawnie Winter Cardboard House
When a real estate agent calls it “cozy,” this is what they mean. Just enough space to climb in, snuggle up, and take a nap, at 19 by 18 by 9 inches. It comes with a bag of catnip.
Find on Amazon11. Midlee Castle Cat Scratcher House
This is a perfect retreat for the kitty who really rules the roost. It comes with a hanging mouse, plus you can hang more toys from the turrets. At a spacious 20 by 16 by 13 inches, it will fit around even your king-sized cat.
Find on Amazon12. Cat Scratch and Play by ASPCA
In a house complete with windows and a chimney, the cat once again shows the dog how it’s done. This cardboard cat house is 19 by 17 by 13 inches.
Find on Amazon13. Mermaid Fun Box with Scratching Board by DoyenCat
Your sweet little purr-maid can live her undersea fantasy while scratching at the ocean floor in search of treasure. It sits at 17.5 by 16 by 1.75 inches.
Find on Amazon14. Modern Cat Furniture by Troppipets
Tuck this kitty pod (with removable cushion) in amongst your house plants and Tiger will feel like they’re in the jungle. Note that this is just one of several charming cardboard containers for cats from Troppipets. This one measures 23 by 23 by 23 inches.
Find on Amazon15. Midlee Gingerbread Cardboard Cat Scratcher House
Your wicked kitty can spend the winter trying to lure Hansel and Gretel into this sweet pad with a scratcher base inside. The base measures 14 by 12 inches, and it’s 16 inches high.
Find on Amazon16. Seny Cardboard Cat House
This super-sturdy gabled cat house, complete with widow’s walk balcony, will make your cat feel like she’s back in New England. It measures 22 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 21 inches high.
Find on Amazon17. Upstreet Tunnel, Hideaway, Pyramid Shelter, Playhouse
These modern designs are boxes you and your cat can both enjoy. This comes as a two-pack; the hex tunnel is approximately 15 by 13 by 18 inches and the pyramid is approximately 14 by 14 by 17 inches.
Find on Amazon18. American Cat Club Retro Van Cat House and Scratcher
Don’t let your kitty miss the bus! This cute and compact cardboard house with a scratcher floor is sure to become a favorite hideout. It’s cozy, at 16 by 8 by 12 inches.
Find on Amazon19. Octacat Contemporary Cardboard Cat Hideaway
This cardboard cat hideaway is inspired by origami. Your cat can sit in it or on it—or stretch out on the cardboard “cat carpet” that comes with it. The easy-to-assemble hideout measures 17 by 17 by 17 inches.
Find on Hauspanther20. “Cat Castles: 20 Cardboard Habitats You Can Build Yourself” Book
This instruction book shows how to transform those cardboard boxes you have cluttering up your storage area into entertaining hangouts for your cat. Learn how to make cardboard trains, ships, food trucks, and more.
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