ᐅ My pet likes to climb on the Kallax shelving unit, but the inserts don’t stay in place – any tips?

Hello everyone,

I have a rather unusual problem: my pet, a very curious cat, loves to climb on the Kallax shelf and use the individual compartments as "levels." Unfortunately, the removable inserts don’t hold up well to the weight and stress from climbing and jumping—they bend, fall out, or break. I have already tried different materials and versions, but so far haven’t found a satisfactory solution.

Do you have any tips on how to make the inserts more stable or secure so that my Kallax shelf can better withstand my cat’s climbing activities? I would like to know if the shelf can be reinforced with simple measures or if there are special inserts or accessories better suited for this purpose.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello jastefan,

First of all, this is a very precise description of your problem, which makes it easier to provide help! Kallax inserts are indeed not designed for higher loads such as climbing, as they are usually made of lightweight wood or cardboard.

I would recommend switching to more robust alternatives like solid wood inserts, which are often available as accessories from the furniture manufacturer or can be custom made. Securing the inserts to the shelving unit with small brackets or fasteners can also help prevent slipping or falling out.

Is your cat rather heavy or energetic when jumping? In that case, reinforcement with metal braces screwed underneath the inserts could be an option.

Feel free to let me know what material the inserts are made of and whether you have DIY skills. 🙂

Interesting that you mention the inserts break because your cat likes to climb. But what exactly do you mean by break?

In my experience, damage to Kallax inserts usually happens because the shelving unit wasn’t originally designed to handle vertical or dynamic loads. Have you checked if the entire unit is stable? The problem might also be with the shelving unit itself, not just the inserts.

Also, I would question whether it might be more practical to provide your pet with a climbing and play furniture specifically designed for animals, rather than reinforcing improvised solutions.

Just a thought.

BLAKEO schrieb:
what exactly do you mean by broken?

Thanks for asking, that’s important! The inserts are basically the standard Kallax boxes made of MDF or similar material that you can pull out. They usually warp on the sides because the cat climbs up using its claws hooked on the edges, putting a lot of pressure there. Also, the cat uses the inserts as a launching point to jump to other shelves. The combination of weight and scratching results in cracks or eventually the legs of the inserts break off.

The shelf itself is stable, no wobbling or loose boards. So it’s really the stress on the inserts that causes the problem.

That sounds really tricky, but also super exciting! 🙂

I did something similar at home: we covered the inserts with a thin carpet and wrapped the edges with strong tape. This protects against scratches and even provides a bit more grip for climbing!

Additionally, I reinforced some of the inserts on the sides with wooden strips that can be attached with small screws. That makes them quite sturdy. Maybe you could try that?

Can you imagine making something like this yourself? It’s really satisfying when you turn the shelf into a climbing paradise for your cat and it still remains stable!

Fredlo schrieb:
I did something similar at home: we covered the inserts with a thin carpet and wrapped the edges with strong adhesive tape.

That’s a pretty cool idea! What did you use to attach the tape, and what kind of material exactly did you use? I’m asking because I wouldn’t want to permanently alter the shelf in case I want to use it differently later.

The wooden strips also sound interesting – how thick were they in your case? Were they visible, or did you attach them somehow inside the insert?

It would be helpful if you could describe that a bit.