Aligning elements inside stacked DIVs - html

Question

Description of Problem:
I'm attempting to arrange the kittens in a star-like pattern with 3 DIV "rows." I would like for the first top row's kitten to be centered on the page (easy enough); the second (or '#middle') row to have their cats left-aligned and right-aligned, respectively; and the third ('#bottom') row to have its cats aligned similar to the second row, but slightly indented on both sides. Again, like a star.
I know the float property essentially makes the element(s) absolutely positioned, which collapses the bottom two rows' height, so that's probably not the right answer. But I've also tried text-align and futzing with margins. My brain is fried. What am I doing wrong?
Fiddle:
http://jsfiddle.net/k97CG/1/
HTML Structure:
<div id="top">
<div id="container1" class="containers">
<div id="cat1">
<img src="http://placekitten.com/g/125/125" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="middle">
<div id="container2" class="containers">
<div id="cat2">
<img src="http://placekitten.com/g/125/125" />
</div>
</div>
<div id="container3" class="containers">
<div id="cat3">
<img src="http://placekitten.com/g/125/125" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="bottom">
<div id="container4" class="containers">
<div id="cat4">
<img src="http://placekitten.com/g/125/125" />
</div>
</div>
<div id="container5" class="containers">
<div id="cat5">
<img src="http://placekitten.com/g/125/125" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
CSS Structure:
.containers {
position: relative;
width: 125px;
height: 125px;
}
#top, #middle, #bottom {
position: relative;
width: 100%;
border: 1px solid red;
}
#container1 {
margin: 0 auto;
}
#container2 {
float: left;
}
#container3 {
float: right;
}
#container4 {
float: left;
}
#container5 {
float: right;
}

Answer 1

Is there a reason you can't just place them all in one div, then position them with CSS?
<div>
<img id="img01" src="img1">
<img id="img02" src="img1">
<img id="img03" src="img1">
<img id="img04" src="img1">
<img id="img05" src="img1">
</div>
then
div {
position:relative;
width:100%;
height:100%;
}
div img {
position:absolute;
}
#img01 {
top:x;
left:y;
} etc
As a rule, you shouldn't rely on HTML for visually styling content unless you have no other option. That's what CSS is for.

Answer 2

Is this the one you are looking for:
#top, #middle, #bottom {
position: relative;
width: 100%;
border: 1px solid red;
clear:both;
}
DEMO