Альтернативный шаблон блога категории - Joomla 2.5: Шаблоны, разметка и макеты вывода

		// Check for layout override only if this is not the active menu item
		// If it is the active menu item, then the view and category id will match
		$active	= $app->getMenu()->getActive();
		if ((!$active) || ((strpos($active->link, 'view=category') === false) || (strpos($active->link, '&id=' . (string) $category->id) === false))) {
			// Get the layout from the merged category params
			if ($layout = $category->params->get('category_layout')) {
				$this->setLayout($layout);
			}
		}

		// Check for layout override only if this is not the active menu item
		// If it is the active menu item, then the view and category id will match
		$active	= $app->getMenu()->getActive();
		// if ((!$active) || ((strpos($active->link, 'view=category') === false) || (strpos($active->link, '&id=' . (string) $category->id) === false))) {
			// Get the layout from the merged category params
			if ($layout = $category->params->get('category_layout')) {
				$this->setLayout($layout);
			}
		// }

if ($this->category->getParams()->get('category_layout')) {  
//ну и здесь подключаем макет)
}