Take a look at the cat tree that we made!!

crittermom

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We only have right around $35.00 in it--for the lumber.I made the cushions with some old pillows that we had and some material that I had here---it's jean material.The carpet we got for free because BIL owns a carpet store.The cubby hole, we bought before and just attached it to the top perch by L brackets.
I think it is a great looking tree
.We looked at some yesterday and for something of this size,it was $90.00.
The bottom perch is 2 foot off the ground,then the next is 2 foot 6 inches and then the top is 3 foot tall.We added a dowl (sp) rod to it to attach some of their toys,so they have soemthing to play with.
Here it is before the kits got on it.


Here it is with the kits on it
 

anakat

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That is excellent, it looks as if they are loving it
 

gingersmom

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Oh, that pillow looks SO cozy to nap on! What a great job - I bet you enjoyed making it as much as they'll enjoy using it!
 
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crittermom

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Thanks for the compliments!!! I had fun helping DH make it too.I had some instructions for a cat tree,he said he had some of his own ideas.Neeless to say,this one is NOTHING like the one I thought we'd make.
Here's the instructions to the one I thought he'd make
http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html
And a pic of the one I thought we'd make.
 
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crittermom

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They love it even more now that I moved it in front of the window so they can look out at the birds!!!
 

gizmocat

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that's really sweet. It is well designed, looks Very nice and the cats obviously like it.

I had to get the kind with cups since Gizmo didn't like her original one that was flat on top. She can curl up (as you see here) and not worry about falling out, the way she sometimes does in the bed!
 

gardenandcats

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Nice job.
I find my cats like it when its up by the window so they can look out.
 

xerr

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I want one !!!
The babies would love it !!!
some tips on doing one and throw my small one away ( i hate it)
 

pushylady

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That looks great! Well done! And it passes the cat approval test, obviously.
 
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crittermom

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some tips on doing one and throw my small one away ( i hate it)
DH just got some(1 piece) 3/4 inch plywood--a 4 foot piece.He cut it in 2.Used one piece for the platform on the bottom and the triangle in the middle.A piece of 1/2 inch plywood for the perches/platforms(you can also use another 3/4 inch thick plywood-whatever you want to use)
He bought a 8 foot 4x4 and cut it into a 2 foot,2 1/2 foot, and then a 3 foot sections.He figured out where I wanted them and marked it on the bottom the best he could to know where to screw them to.He used the staple gun and stapled the carpet to the main platform.He screwed the 4x4s into the bottom of the platform with 4....... 3 inch screws.
He took the rest of the plywood and cut it into 3 sections of 14 inches by 14 inches.
He had me hold them on the 4x4 and he screwed them into them with 4 --3 inch screws.Then I took some old pillows that I had and placed them ontop of the platforms and covered them with the blue jean material and then used a staple gun and stapled all the way around the outter rim of the platforms.Then stretched the material under the platforms and stapled it to the underside of it.
On the 3 foot piece,he used a keyhole thing to cut out the dowl rod hole.Then placed it in the hole and I used hot glue gun to keep it in place.
Now the triangle piece he just kind of eyeballed it and figured where he should put that.He covered it with carpet also,stapling it on the plywood.Then using L-brackets attached it to the 4x4s on the underside of the plywood.
We attached carpet to the top platform and stapled it to that.The using a kittycondo that we had,he used L brackets to attach it to the top perch/platform.
I used the sisal rope on the 3 foot piece of 4x4 and used the staple gun to keep it in place.
It's very sturdy!!! And kind of heavy.
But, the kits LOVE it!!! They all get on it every single day.
I told him that he could make these for a living and he just said "one is enough for now".
 

white cat lover

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I am in the process of making a cat tree. I've going to make two(one for each "family group"
). I've got (2) 4' posts, (2) 3' posts, & (2) 2' posts. I LOVE the way your tree is set up, so I printed the pics & instructions you gave! Thanks for those... Hopefully, mine will turn out as good as yours!
 
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crittermom

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Anytime!! If you have any questions,PM me and I'll answer them.
I'm sure yours will turn out GREAT too!!!And, you'll have to post some pics of them when they are done.
 

white cat lover

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I am so afraid that after I get it done, the stupid thing will tip over on the kitties! I found some carpet here, so I have to go to the acerage & "borrow"
some plywood from dad's shed. He showed me where to find the saws, etc. last night in the shop, which I'm sure he'll regret soon as the house will be full of cat trees!


Just two more questions...Did you put carpet all the way around the plywood? Whaty sort of pillows did you use(like basic people bed pillows)?
 

friskie

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Originally Posted by Sammie's mom

very nice!
How do you make a "Signature" like that??? I really want to know!

Sorry to get off topic...you did such a great job with that tree! Here, those go for like $150!
 
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crittermom

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

Just two more questions...Did you put carpet all the way around the plywood? Whaty sort of pillows did you use(like basic people bed pillows)?
No,we didn't put it(carpet) all the way around it.DH put it about 2 inches under the base of it.He was affraid that if he put it all the way aorund it, it would be unstable and maybe tip over.On the top perch, we did the same.......just about 2 inches under it.The other 2 perches have NO carpet at all.
I used regular bed pillows.I bought the skin kids some new ones and used their old ones for the perches.They are a BIT bigger though than the perch.I bunched them up on the perch and DH held them there.I stretched the blue jean material so it was snug and used the staple gun to staple all the way around the outer rim of the perches and then stapled the underside of them.
Thanks for the compliments!!! The kits LOVE it!!!

ps.
you can also use screws to screw the pillows to the top of the plywood if you don't have anyone to help you.Or, you could even use the staple gun to keep them in place.
 

jpinard

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Dang that is cool! Nice job. I need to make our stand bigger and with more "stuff" cause both cats can't occupy the sweet spot at the top. If I take some pics will you offer advice?
 
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