DIY toy guide
Cardboard Scratch Ramp
An angled corrugated scratcher propped against the wall
Stack and bind layers of corrugated cardboard into a sturdy wedge, then lean it against a wall to give your cat an inclined scratching surface that many prefer to a flat pad or upright post.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Under £3
🧺 You will need
- Several large corrugated cardboard boxes
- A craft knife or strong scissors
- A ruler and pen for marking
- Strong tape or non-toxic glue
- Optional: a sprinkle of dried catnip
🔧 How to make it
- Cut the cardboard into a stack of identical rectangles, roughly A4 sized, keeping the corrugations running the same way on each piece.
- Glue or tightly tape the rectangles together face to face to build a solid, thick block with the ridged edges exposed along the top.
- Trim one long edge at an angle so the block forms a shallow wedge or ramp shape.
- Wrap tape firmly around the body of the block to hold all the layers together and keep it rigid.
- Rub a little dried catnip along the scratchable edge to draw your cat in, if they enjoy it.
- Lean the ramp against a wall or the side of a sofa at a comfortable angle and encourage your cat to test it out.
💡 Tips
- Position it where your cat already likes to scratch, such as beside a doorway or a favourite sleeping spot, to tempt them away from the furniture there.
- Set the exposed corrugated ridges facing outward — that rough end-grain surface is what cats most love to shred.
- Flip or rotate the ramp when one section wears down to get the most life out of it.
Safety: Make sure the ramp is stable and will not slide out or topple when your cat leans into it, especially on smooth floors — brace it against a solid wall or heavy furniture. Keep the craft knife away from pets while building, and vacuum up loose cardboard shreds so they are not swallowed.
📝 Notes
Many cats prefer an angled or horizontal scratching surface to an upright post, and this ramp costs almost nothing to make from boxes you would otherwise recycle. When it is finally worn out, the whole thing goes straight into the recycling and you simply build another.