How to Build a Cat Fort: 8 Fun & Easy Methods

Last Updated on: November 20, 2023 by Crystal Uys

Almost every child has built at least one fort during their childhood. Whether their fort is big or small, simple or complicated, it’s a fun activity that keeps children busy, allows their creativity to shine through, and gives them a fun place to sleep for a few nights.

If you’re feeling nostalgic and want to have a bit of fun with your cat, you can build them a fort of their own to rule over. It doesn’t have to be an expensive activity, as most forts can be made out of the things you have lying around your home. Blankets, cardboard, and pillows are a few fort essentials, depending on the type you’re going for.

There are many different ways to build a cat fort, so let’s dive into some plans below!

Top 8 Ways to Build a Cat Fort:

1. The Basic Fort

For our first fort, you don’t need any tools, only a pile of pillows, four chairs, and two blankets or sheets. For the base layer, we recommend using a thick blanket (or even two!) because it’ll provide a comfortable surface for your cat to cuddle on.

Set up your chairs facing out on the edge of the blanket. Add pillows around the edges to form a comfortable wall, and then drape a blanket or sheet on top to form the roof. Make sure your chairs are steady, as an unstable fort can come crashing down.

2. The One Door Fort 

Because we’re still warming up, we’ve added another easy-to-make fort. This option is made out of one cardboard box, and it requires one tool—scissors. Most cardboard boxes are brown, but to make it a little more exciting, try to find a box with pictures or colors on it.

To create your fort, turn the cardboard box upside down so that the opening of the box is on the floor. You’ll then need to cut an opening in the shape of a rectangle on the side of the box, making sure that it is large enough for your cat to walk through it. Although simple, this fort won’t come tumbling down!

3. The Fun Fort

If you’ve got a fun cat who makes you laugh often, you’ve got to build them a fort that matches their personality. Move away from the traditional image you have of forts and get creative. This fun fort is a creative option that is recyclable, colorful, and comfortable while easy to make.

You’ll need to get the biggest cardboard box you can find, as well as a pair of scissors. Then cut a fun entrance hole big enough for your cat to fit through. If you’d like, you can also use non-toxic paint or markers to decorate.

4. The Beehive Fort

Now that our minds are on creative forts, it’s time to add a bit of complexity. The beehive fort requires several layers of corrugated cardboard, which you’ll need to cut into circles with a hole in the middle of each one. You’ll use these discs to stack on top of each other, moving from the largest disc at the base to the smallest disc at the top. The end result will look similar to a beehive with an opening on the side for your cat to come and go.

What’s great about this fort is that it is built to last, and your cat can use it as a cat bed or a fun place to hang out.

5. The “Original” Fort

If you think back to your fort-building days, you probably think of the dinner table chairs and a big blanket or sheet. Well, why not recreate that fort for your cat? This fort design is big enough for you to crawl into and hang out with your cat, so you don’t have to miss out on all the fun!

Get started by placing four dining table chairs in an open space, with two on one side of the space and two on the other. You can space the chairs out as widely as you want your fort to be. You can use a blanket or a bedsheet to drape over the chairs, securing it down with a heavy book. Be sure to leave one side open for easy access. You can make the inside of your fort more comfortable by placing down a blanket and pillows.

6. The Teepee Fort

Forts are supposed to keep intruders out, but this fort looks so welcoming that it’ll encourage your cat to go inside without any persuasion. Unlike traditional forts that are dull and dark, this teepee fort is light and aesthetically pleasing.

To build this fort, you’ll need a sheet, a string, and some clothespins. You’ll need to tie one end of the string above the floor on some sort of fixture, which could be a doorway fixture, and tie the other end on a fixture across the room, such as a window fixture. You can then drape the sheet over the string and secure it with the clothespins. You can secure the sides of the sheet to the floor or surrounding tables or chairs with heavy books.

If you want to close the fort up a bit, you can add another sheet to the front and back of the fort and peg it to the draped sheet. You can use more clothespins to open or close the ends.

7. The Cave Fort

The cave fort is a quick and easy fort to build that looks minimalistic yet comfy. You don’t even need many items, only a sofa, a blanket, and some heavy books. How you want to decorate your fort for your cat is up to you!

To start building, take your blanket and place it over the back of your sofa. You can secure it there by placing the tip of the blanket under the seat of the sofa or by placing a book on top of it. You’ll then pull the blanket, creating a 90-degree angle with the blanket and the back of the sofa. Secure the blanket to the floor by placing a few books on the end of it.

8. The Sofa Fort

If you don’t want a long cleanup, you can stick to one item to build this next fort. All you need is your sofa and its seat pillows. You’ll use the pillows to add some height to your sofa and create an enclosure for your cat to enjoy. Just make sure the pillows are thick and sturdy, as you don’t want them collapsing onto your cat.

If you want to create an even bigger fort using only pillows, you can grab some extra pillows off your other sofa and add them on top of your existing sofa fort. The design pictured is a good guide, but you can get as creative as you want and come up with your own sofa design.

Conclusion

We hope you have been inspired by these different types of forts and are ready to start building one for your cat. There are extremely easy designs to choose from and a few slightly more challenging ones. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a good time with your cat; you just need a blanket, pillows, chairs, or a cardboard box.

Have fun with your fort building and adjust your design to your skills and what you have lying around your home.

Featured Image Credit: Koldunov Alexey, Shutterstock

About the author

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!