Cat Loft
Overview
The space above typical closets is mostly wasted. However, framing and finishing that area creates an alcove that is far more useful for storage, especially in homes with higher ceilings.
Such an alcove also happens to be the perfect height and location for a quiet living space for cats, hence the name: cat loft.
By finishing the alcove with the proper materials, the space can be protected against potential damage from cats as well as the impact of repeatedly moving heavy objects in and out of the loft.
Benefits of a Cat Loft
For cats
Cats have an instinctual drive to seek out high perches from which they can observe their surroundings. Also, to feel safe, cats need a secure, reliable place to which they can retreat when they feel threatened. Cats experience anxiety when they lack either of these basic needs, which are especially difficult to provide in a small home, but a cat loft satisfies both.
Interestingly enough, research suggests that the overall size of an indoor living space does not matter much to cats, but having access to higher elevations within that space matters deeply. In short, cats experience significantly less anxiety in tiny rooms with accessible high platforms than in large rooms where they are stuck on the floor.
In fact, of the primary new concepts for cats developed through this project—litter closet, bowl basin, cat loft, and scratch station—the cat loft would make the biggest difference to many cats. Even without architecture designed especially for these purposes, cat owners can still provide their cats with an immaculately maintained litter box, plenty of scratch pads, and constantly fresh water in a comfortable location—the new features just make it much easier to do so. However, most homes lack such an ideal feline living space that a cat loft would provide.
For people with cats
By providing a secure retreat for your cat with a cat loft, you will enjoy the benefits of living with a cat with less anxiety.
If you want to spoil your cats rotten, you could turn the entire loft into a luxury feline apartment, which you can decorate and fill with toys and cat-sized furniture.
However, you don’t need to use the entire space for cats. You can provide a generous living area for multiple cats and still have plenty of room left over for storage, as described in the next section.
For people without cats
A cat loft is incredibly useful to people even if it is never used for cats.
This versatile alcove provides a durable, secure storage space that is much larger and easier to access than if the same space were enclosed in the closet below.
As you can see in the video above, a cat loft provides over double the secure storage space of a shelf within a closet, because obstructed shelves are functionally limited to half the depth of the closet, and most are shallower. In addition, the front wall of the closet makes this area difficult to access, especially with large items, reducing your ability to use what little space is available.
On the contrary, the open design of a cat loft makes it easy to get the most out of a much larger space, especially by using baskets or storage bins to take advantage of the full height and depth without sacrificing convenience.
A cat loft adds the storage capacity of several large cabinets or a small linen closet, all at a fraction of the price and without using any valuable square footage. A cat loft also exposes more ceiling, which makes your home feel more open and less cramped.
For rental property owners
As with other pet-friendly features, a cat loft can prevent property damage by helping to reduce the overall anxiety of any cats living there. In addition, a properly prepared cat loft can prevent damage from older, incontinent cats.
However, this feature is a great addition to your units even if you’re not building pet-friendly housing. Cat lofts are inexpensive to build and require virtually no maintenance; because of their location, they can take a lot of abuse and no damage will be visible.
The right trim will add architectural interest to your interior design, and the additional exposed ceiling will make your homes appear larger without the cost of additional square footage. Most importantly, a cat loft adds a large amount of functional storage that all tenants will appreciate, which is especially valuable in smaller units.
How to Build a Cat Loft
In short, cat lofts are constructed by framing the cat loft opening and adding a platform shelf above the headers of the closet doors, then finishing the open space with durable materials.
The following guidelines will help you optimize your cat loft and avoid pitfalls:
Picking the right height
To be usable as a cat living area, the loft needs to be a minimum of about 12” tall. However, it is highly advisable to build it at least 16”-18” tall to make the storage area more useful and to make it easier to access for cleaning.
For 9’ ceilings
Cat lofts work extremely well with the building sizes most commonly used in new construction today in the US: 9’ ceilings and standard 80” doors.
In this situation, a 16” cat loft leaves 12” of wall above the closet door before the cat loft begins, which looks very well-proportioned aesthetically and still leaves a good amount of space at the top of the closet. Most typical storage bins can be used in a 16” cat loft, but it will be a tight fit.
An 18” cat loft is a good compromise that will still look good but be far more usable, as the extra 2” will allow typical storage bins to be moved in and out much more easily.
Taller cat lofts are possible, of course, but be advised that at 20” and beyond, the aesthetics will suffer, and even though the actual structural integrity will be no different, the cat loft and closet areas may start to look flimsy and unstable.
For lower ceilings
With 8’ 6” ceilings, you will need to make a slightly smaller cat loft and have a little less space at the top of the closet, but it will still work.
Cat lofts are not advisable with 8’ or lower ceilings.
For higher ceilings
With ceilings higher than 9’, how well cat lofts look and function will depend on the door height. If the doors are 7’ or less, you’ll have no problems. However, many homes with 10’ or higher ceilings use 8’ doors. A cat loft up that high may look odd and will be difficult to reach. In homes with these proportions, storage space is rarely a concern and there are likely better options for making a dedicated living area for cats.
Framing the loft opening
New construction
Building a cat loft during original construction is simple:
To maximize the width of the cat loft opening, frame the closet as you would a loft, without the king studs on either side of the closet door opening typically used to form protruding jambs. Instead, use hangers to attach a header between posts, and jack studs below for any necessary jambs or walls. Hang 2x4 or larger joists across the top of the closet, leaving enough room to attach a floor assembly above that will be flush with the top of the header.
This leaves a clear cuboid niche above the closet that can be finished like a tiny room, with a floor below and gypsum board walls and ceiling.
Remodel
In many cases, it is also relatively simple to add a cat loft over an existing closet without reframing the doors, although the opening to the cat loft will likely be limited to the width of the closet doors below.
Typical closet doors have king studs on either side, with multiple cripple studs over the header. These cripple studs are supposed to be non-structural and should be able to be removed to provide the opening to the cat loft. However, the king studs cannot be removed and will protrude into the cat loft, which will slightly limit storage utility, but will have almost no effect on its use as a feline living space. Alternatively, you can create side walls flush with the king studs, which will create an even cuboid niche, but will reduce the size of the cat loft.
Framing the loft platform
The cat loft platform shelf does not need to be framed with full joist construction. Structurally, this surface is essentially a shelf or the top of a large cabinet and should be constructed similarly.
For example, a thick plywood platform supported by cleats around the perimeter of the closet and sufficient supports across the middle to prevent sagging will provide all the structural integrity required for a cat loft while maximizing the amount of loft and interior closet space available.
Finishing the floor
The bottom plane of the cat loft is a floor, not a wall, so do not cover it with drywall, which is thick, heavy, absorbent, and serves no purpose in this location.
Instead, finish it with thin and durable waterproof flooring material, such as vinyl planks or tiles. Avoid sheet vinyl or linoleum, as it will be too difficult to install in this location (and even more difficult to remove).
In most cases, this surface will not be visible from the living area, so it’s a good opportunity to use inexpensive or surplus flooring material.
Trimming the edge
People aren’t always going to get a ladder and move items carefully around in a cat loft. Rather, they’re going to slide heavy storage bins up and down right over the front edge—so a drywall corner there would get ruined. Instead, install a durable trim along that edge.
For aesthetics, the material should be one used nearby in the home. In most cases, a simple strip of wood painted the same color as the trim in the room will blend naturally. Using a trim that is the thickness of the plywood platform plus the flooring material will create a smooth surface for sliding objects.
In upscale homes, consider using more expensive materials, such as the same granite or quartz used in the countertops. You don’t need to cover the entire platform, since from below only a small strip of material is visible; however, be careful not to use so little material that it can become dislodged when heavy items are inevitably rolled over the edge.
Protecting the walls
The side and rear walls of the cat loft alcove should be coated with at least a water-resistant paint to protect against cat urine. Since those walls will take a beating from objects being moved in and out of storage, consider using something even tougher, like epoxy paint or decorative vinyl, to prevent marks and scratches.
Adding utility
An electrical outlet in the cat loft is a nice touch, which can provide power for such devices as heated cat beds, stereos, or remote-controlled light strips.