diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/building.py b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
index cffd59a6a..7bbc85312 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/building.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class ObjManipCommand(COMMAND_DEFAULT_CLASS):
                     attrs = _attrs
                 # store data
                 obj_defs[iside].append({"name": objdef, "option": option, "aliases": aliases})
-                obj_attrs[iside].append({"name": objdef, "attrs": attrs})
+                obj_attrs[iside].append({"name": objdef, "attrs": attrs, "category": option})
 
         # store for future access
         self.lhs_objs = obj_defs[0]
@@ -445,10 +445,10 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
     copy attributes between objects
 
     Usage:
-      cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr> = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
-      cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr> = <obj1> [,<obj2>,<obj3>,...]
-      cpattr[/switch] <attr> = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
-      cpattr[/switch] <attr> = <obj1>[,<obj2>,<obj3>,...]
+      cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr>[:category] = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
+      cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr>[:category] = <obj1> [,<obj2>,<obj3>,...]
+      cpattr[/switch] <attr>[:category] = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
+      cpattr[/switch] <attr>[:category] = <obj1>[,<obj2>,<obj3>,...]
 
     Switches:
       move - delete the attribute from the source object after copying.
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
     locks = "cmd:perm(cpattr) or perm(Builder)"
     help_category = "Building"
 
-    def check_from_attr(self, obj, attr, clear=False):
+    def check_from_attr(self, obj, attr, category=None, clear=False):
         """
         Hook for overriding on subclassed commands. Checks to make sure a
         caller can copy the attr from the object in question. If not, return a
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
         """
         return True
 
-    def check_to_attr(self, obj, attr):
+    def check_to_attr(self, obj, attr, category=None):
         """
         Hook for overriding on subclassed commands. Checks to make sure a
         caller can write to the specified attribute on the specified object.
@@ -488,22 +488,24 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
         """
         return True
 
-    def check_has_attr(self, obj, attr):
+    def check_has_attr(self, obj, attr, category=None):
         """
         Hook for overriding on subclassed commands. Do any preprocessing
         required and verify an object has an attribute.
         """
-        if not obj.attributes.has(attr):
-            self.msg(f"{obj.name} doesn't have an attribute {attr}.")
+        if not obj.attributes.has(attr, category=category):
+            self.msg(
+                f"{obj.name} doesn't have an attribute {attr}{f'[{category}]' if category else ''}."
+            )
             return False
         return True
 
-    def get_attr(self, obj, attr):
+    def get_attr(self, obj, attr, category=None):
         """
         Hook for overriding on subclassed commands. Do any preprocessing
         required and get the attribute from the object.
         """
-        return obj.attributes.get(attr)
+        return obj.attributes.get(attr, category=category)
 
     def func(self):
         """
@@ -513,7 +515,7 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
 
         if not self.rhs:
             string = """Usage:
-            cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr> = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
+            cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr>[:category] = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
             cpattr[/switch] <obj>/<attr> = <obj1> [,<obj2>,<obj3>,...]
             cpattr[/switch] <attr> = <obj1>/<attr1> [,<obj2>/<attr2>,<obj3>/<attr3>,...]
             cpattr[/switch] <attr> = <obj1>[,<obj2>,<obj3>,...]"""
@@ -524,6 +526,7 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
         to_objs = self.rhs_objattr
         from_obj_name = lhs_objattr[0]["name"]
         from_obj_attrs = lhs_objattr[0]["attrs"]
+        from_obj_category = lhs_objattr[0]["category"]  # None if unset
 
         if not from_obj_attrs:
             # this means the from_obj_name is actually an attribute
@@ -540,11 +543,13 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
             clear = True
         else:
             clear = False
-        if not self.check_from_attr(from_obj, from_obj_attrs[0], clear=clear):
+        if not self.check_from_attr(
+            from_obj, from_obj_attrs[0], clear=clear, category=from_obj_category
+        ):
             return
 
         for attr in from_obj_attrs:
-            if not self.check_has_attr(from_obj, attr):
+            if not self.check_has_attr(from_obj, attr, category=from_obj_category):
                 return
 
         if (len(from_obj_attrs) != len(set(from_obj_attrs))) and clear:
@@ -552,10 +557,10 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
             return
 
         result = []
-
         for to_obj in to_objs:
             to_obj_name = to_obj["name"]
             to_obj_attrs = to_obj["attrs"]
+            to_obj_category = to_obj.get("category")
             to_obj = caller.search(to_obj_name)
             if not to_obj:
                 result.append(f"\nCould not find object '{to_obj_name}'")
@@ -567,12 +572,12 @@ class CmdCpAttr(ObjManipCommand):
                     # if there are too few attributes given
                     # on the to_obj, we copy the original name instead.
                     to_attr = from_attr
-                if not self.check_to_attr(to_obj, to_attr):
+                if not self.check_to_attr(to_obj, to_attr, to_obj_category):
                     continue
-                value = self.get_attr(from_obj, from_attr)
-                to_obj.attributes.add(to_attr, value)
+                value = self.get_attr(from_obj, from_attr, from_obj_category)
+                to_obj.attributes.add(to_attr, value, category=to_obj_category)
                 if clear and not (from_obj == to_obj and from_attr == to_attr):
-                    from_obj.attributes.remove(from_attr)
+                    from_obj.attributes.remove(from_attr, category=from_obj_category)
                     result.append(
                         f"\nMoved {from_obj.name}.{from_attr} -> {to_obj_name}.{to_attr}. (value:"
                         f" {repr(value)})"