DIY toy guide
Leaning Ladder Cat Perch
An old step-ladder reborn as a leaning climb-and-lookout frame
A wooden step-ladder or leaning shelf-ladder already offers ready-made rungs at climbing height — pad the steps, wrap a leg in sisal and you have vertical territory a cat can ascend to survey the room.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- £0–£25
🧺 You will need
- A sturdy wooden step-ladder or decorative leaning ladder
- Offcuts of carpet, fleece or thin cushions cut to sit on the wider steps
- Natural sisal rope to wrap one upright as a scratching leg
- Strong non-toxic glue and a staple gun
- Wall strap, hook or bracket to anchor the top safely
🔧 How to make it
- Check the ladder is solid, then sand off any splinters and wipe it clean.
- Pad the broader steps with carpet or thin cushions, gluing and stapling them down so they cannot slip.
- Wind and glue sisal rope tightly around one of the uprights or a lower rung to create a scratching surface.
- Stand the ladder open, or lean the shelf-ladder against a wall at a gentle, stable angle.
- Anchor the top to the wall with a strap or bracket so it absolutely cannot slide or tip.
- Encourage exploration by placing a treat or familiar blanket on the top step and a little catnip on the sisal.
💡 Tips
Cats feel safest when they can climb and look down on their surroundings, so position the perch where the top step has a good view — ideally near a window. Wider steps make more inviting resting spots than narrow rungs.
Safety: Stability is everything with anything a cat climbs: fix the ladder to the wall so it cannot topple, make sure it cannot fold shut with a cat on it, and place it over carpet or a rug rather than a hard floor. Keep it away from spots where a cat could leap onto something dangerous.
📝 Notes
Vertical space effectively enlarges a small home for a cat, easing tension in multi-cat households by giving each cat somewhere to climb and retreat. An old ladder headed for the tip makes a characterful, near-free cat tree.
