Many Insider Reviews team members have pets who love cardboard cat houses from Chewy and Target.
The houses have internal scratch pads and are great places for cats to hide or nap.
You'll find a surprising number of houses, from holiday-themed cabins to spaceships to storefronts.
The cats of the Insider Reviews team have explored many cardboard cat houses from Chewy and Target. They're universally loved and quickly become a favorite spot to get away from the stresses of daily life. While the decor may not matter much to the cats, we humans appreciate the fun themes, from holiday options to castles to campers and tents.
The elaborate boxes offer cats a feeling of security and often have plenty of entrances. Equipped with scratch pads, they give your feline friends a way to stretch and work their claws. Two-story houses are great for multi-cat households, too. My two cats are far from best friends, but I've caught them both hanging out in the same house (albeit on two different levels). Although cardboard is not the most durable option, we've found the houses last for many months.
Here are a few of the cat houses our pets adore. Some of these houses are no longer available, but we've found similar ones that will delight any cardboard-box-loving cat.
A festive stack of presents, because your cat knows they're a gift
Lauren Savoie/Insider
Deputy editor Lauren Savoie's cat was the lucky recipient of not one, not two, but three gifts.
"All Chowder wants for Christmas is a two-story cat scratcher and unlimited treats," she says.
A television for 4 a.m. "food bowl is empty" broadcasts
Lauren Savoie/Insider
"Breaking news: cats across the country are reporting a dire lack of treats despite incessant meowing," says news anchor Chowder.
A Christmas tree you won't be mad if they climb inside of
Sally Kaplan/Insider
Executive editor Sally Kaplan's cat Papaya loves her Christmas tree because she won't get in trouble if she climbs all over it.
An ice cream truck for when you need a cold treat right meow
Lauren Savoie/Insider
"Chowder took a summer job at the ice cream truck but was eventually fired for sleeping on the job and destroying company property," confesses Savoie.
A 2-level shop for their mystical paw-reading business
Lauren Savoie/Insider
"Chowder uses her crystal shop to host nine-life regressions and catstrology readings," says Savoie.
A house that didn't cost a million dollars in this economy
Sally Kaplan/Insider
Kaplan says that Papaya has not one but two houses — a big one she shares with her humans and a small one she can decorate however she likes. "She loves to tuck her toys inside this little Tudor home to keep them safe from her dog friends when they come to visit," she says.
A rocket ship for cats that love heights
Jenny McGrath/Insider
My cats enjoy traversing the galaxy in their spaceship, though one of them sometimes has to act as mission control: "Ground control to Major Tomcat. Initiating countdown to launch you beyond the stratosfur. Remember you're lactose intolerant, so please avoid the Milky Way."
