making or building cat trees or toys

[LauraT7]

my son and i are both very handy - though limited in funds -

We have all kinds of materials around the house we could use to make some 'kitty' toys like the trees and scratching posts seen eleswhere -

a large end roll of new 'office' carpeting ( the short. looped stuff), some sisal rope, Tree stumps, branches, boards and plywood, - I also sew (I am planning to make a few of those 'kitty condoms' for our Pixel and for my friend who helped us when Tristan was sick and when we first got our Kitty)

so has anyone 'made' some cool stuff for their kitty that we might 'borrow' your ideas and plans? Can you post photos of any of your 'cool' toys so we can get ideas? What do your kitties especially like and why?

I am especially interested in maybe making a 'ramp' for Pixel to get to some high resting places, 'perches' off the floor in some rooms (makes him feel safe from the dog - though the dog ignores him)

We've never been 'owned' by a cat before and we love pampering our pets. But we are just learning about cat behavior and language ( I can 'read' my dog easily, but the cat is not so easy!) Plus, Pixel is an Indoor/ outdoor kitty - he taught himself to use the doggy door - though since adopting us, he mostly only goes outside to potty and doesn't wander off far or for long. He's decided that , despite the big hairy dog, 'inside' is better than 'outside'! LOL!

laura

ps

photos of your kitties enjoying their favorite 'trees', toys and perches would be welcomed!

[sirrahbed]

I can't find my own pictures of this tree, but here is where I got the idea!! This tree is one that belongs to Jazzcat (Lori) and was built by her dad and then she put on the fabric or carpet. Jazzy and Ripley are the models:)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid75/p1ea009248630da9e2a6e0652fcfb3f4e/fb484c68.jpg
Hubby built one also and it was quite an easy project and not expensive. The directions are here. (http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html)

Here is another tree hubby made with no directions - just wood, carpet, etc. They love it!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/sirrahbed/more%20kitties%202005/tree.jpg

As far as toys - the only thing I have done is put catnip into little square fabric "pillows" and easiest if all is to put some in the toes of old stockings and tie a knot!:D

[christa]

My dad made our cat tree . . . This is Josie on the top limb . . . it's at about eye level.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/pf0ffcbd013613c253143e09163a7def4/f78fa9ab.jpg

And one with my hubby showing how tall it is.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/p9bfb31154e3c35097e54922959811ebb/f78fa9a8.jpg

Cats LOVE being up high . . . and they're not hard to please! My dad is not even really a cat person, but he gave in to my begging and built this one for us!

Good luck!

[catmandu]

The Found Cats.wish that thier Dad,was handy,with tools,but we wouldnt want,the Poor Old Fellow,to bang his thumbs,anddrop things,on his ffet.But we envy,all those Cats,whose dads,and moms,can whip,up something nice,for them,to sleep on.

[mina'smomma]

Lee Roy and I are trying to find a way to make one for Mina, but the only thing is that our apartment slants greatly, and we're terrified that it will fall over the moment Mina climbs up it. We've seen the one that are eight feet tall, but our ceiling is only seven feet tall. We figured this out because Lee Roy is 6'7" and he barely has over three inches between the top of his head and the ceiling. Anyone got some ideas that we can do for our little angel.

[christa]

Originally posted by mina'smomma
Lee Roy and I are trying to find a way to make one for Mina, but the only thing is that our apartment slants greatly, and we're terrified that it will fall over the moment Mina climbs up it. We've seen the one that are eight feet tall, but our ceiling is only seven feet tall. We figured this out because Lee Roy is 6'7" and he barely has over three inches between the top of his head and the ceiling. Anyone got some ideas that we can do for our little angel.

I've seen the trees that attach to the ceiling, somehow they're bolted to it.

Maybe if you could make one *exactly* the height of the ceiling . . . or even if you made one that could somehow be anchored to the wall.

Your apartment slants? Like the floor? That is strange . . . :confused:

[catcrazylady]

I have also seen those "cat walks" and thought they were really cool. They are basically nothing more than shelves attached to the wall in strategic places so the cats can jump from one to another.
If you do an internet search for cat walks you will find them easy. They wouldn't be hard to do at all plus they take up less room than a cat tree. I have thought about running something like that around the ceiling so they can hang out up high.
Of course there is nothing better than a cat tree in front of a window! Bird and squirrel watching are a favorite past time.:D

[jazzcat]

This is the newest one my Dad made and hubby carpeted.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/jazzcat99/va6.jpg

Too bad Laura is not around to show the ones that she and Mike have made.

This is a table hubby and I made last summer to put in front of the office window. Hubby put the extra step/seat down low for my short legged cat Scout and old arthritic Ripley. They all love it. It's plywood, 2x4s and I covered the plywood with batting and material and spray painted the legs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/jazzcat99/table.jpg

[mina'smomma]

Originally posted by christa
I've seen the trees that attach to the ceiling, somehow they're bolted to it.

Maybe if you could make one *exactly* the height of the ceiling . . . or even if you made one that could somehow be anchored to the wall.

Your apartment slants? Like the floor? That is strange . . . :confused:

Christa,

Our house has a bad foundation and the floor is slanted. It was built in I think in 1962.

[LauraT7]

Those Are all great!

I especially like the ones with the curved pieces - What ARE those curved pieces made of, anyway? big PVC pipe? or cardboard tubes? any idea where to find them? That one looks more 'stable', too - though I don't think I'd make ours three spots deep - I only have one cat and I don't have alot of floor space.

I do think I might do some ramps and shelves on the walls - esp in the computer room - Pixel likes to keep us company while we're online - and he loves his spots on top of the tall file cabinets - it just that he has to jump on the desks (and everything on them!)to get there!

-------------

If your floor slants, depending on how MUCH it slants, you could always get rubber-tipped screw-in feet for the base (like on a washing machine - they're called 'leveling feet'. But they would probably adjust only a few inches. If you use the leveling feet, you would be able to move the tree around the house if needed.
(for example, you could have the 'low' floor side at 1 1/2" and the 'high' floor side at 1/2" which would make the base level)

I would think you would need the base to be pretty wide - Depending on how tall the 'tree' is. the taller the tree, the wider the base. (think of a Christmas tree stand - the wider bases are more stable) however, the taller the 'feet' (under the base plate)the tippier the tree would be, too.

Looking at the base on Christa's tree - I'd guess that you should have about 2' square of base for every 4' of post? so a 6' tree should have a 3' (36") square or circular base?

if you're afraid of tipping, more supports would make it more stable, and then it wouldn't matter much if it were 'level' - esp if you used those curved things or a platform with sides - the cat probably doesn't care, as long as they don't fall off when they fall asleep! LOL!


thanks everyone!

Laura

[LauraT7]

hey, Lookee what i found - for your unlevel floors!

http://www.furballtech.com/furballproducts.html

these are the 'feet' i was telling you about.

I also found this - aren't they COOL?

http://www.katwallks.com/

Laura

[mina'smomma]

Originally posted by LauraT7
hey, Lookee what i found - for your unlevel floors!

http://www.furballtech.com/furballproducts.html

these are the 'feet' i was telling you about.

I also found this - aren't they COOL?

http://www.katwallks.com/

Laura

Thanks Laura

I'm going to the hardware today to price wood and see if they have carpet samples that they are getting ride of. Got a bunch of ideas in my head.