Cat Wheel - question for Nial

We are planning on building our own cat wheel for Charlie to use to build up muscles. DH has a few websites with pictures on how to build them. My question to you Nial.... did you introduce the wheel to kittens or did the adults just take to it?

How did you get the adults to first use it. Charlie's breeder thinks its better to start as kittens, but she's really interested in how it works out for us before she invests in one.

I also was watching some video of other cats on the wheels on UTube and how they were getting the cats on there. One used a laser lite, another used a mouse/feather on the side to get the kittens on there. Would this work? Only thing I was worried about is that if the light is not there, would the cat still get on.

I'd like some hints on how you introduced your cats to the wheel.

Hey GK, would DH be interested in making two.....?????

Depends - this will be his first and he'll figure out costs. But the shipping might be more then you'd want. Will let you know.

Ok he says estimate right now would be about $200 plus shipping. He would predrill everything and give instructions on how to assemble if you can put it together. Lets wait and see how things go with the first one.

Does anyone have any pics of the cat wheel? Is it in another thread that I missed? Would love to see this.

Here's a new one that I haven't watched yet, I think...

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...exercise+wheel

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...exercise+wheel
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...exercise+wheel

Not sure, but I think the wheel is better suited for certain breeds when building muscle. You don't want the slendar breeds to look too "bulky" I know I would not use it for rexes as they are supposed to be muscular but slendar - Oci's and Bengals are 10-14/15 lb cats and it would work well for them.

I have schematics and a write-up of the one my dad made. If you are interested I can e-mail it to you.

I like to dangle feathers for the cats to go in. However, when they are frisky they go in of their own accord. Autumn won't go near it but Hope and Akeem love it.

Please do - DH will appreciate it

Originally Posted by SolarityBengals

I have schematics and a write-up of the one my dad made. If you are interested I can e-mail it to you.

I like to dangle feathers for the cats to go in. However, when they are frisky they go in of their own accord. Autumn won't go near it but Hope and Akeem love it.

Click to expand...

And I am going to guess that Clover prefers to watch The Animal Planet...
you have some gorgeous kitties on your siggy!

i have no desire to make one, but i'll save up and buy one - where can i get it?

At over $1,000 plus hundreds of dollars in shipping costs to BUY one, I'll see what I can do to get one made!!!

I got to touch the one Nial has - it's got a rubberized walkway (runway?) on it and it is AWESOME.

I am SO jealous. And Penny wants to know why I didn't bring it to my house along with her.

Ginger, DH is making me one; another member is interested in him making another one (she's in Virginia); lets see how things go and how reasonable he can make it.

I will tell you the DH is NOT sloppy when it comes to work in what he does Might not be totally professional looking, but nice enough to put in your living room. If things work out, perhaps we can work on some for others in here. Right now he's estimating about $200 plus shipping for a 3 feet diameter.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Ginger, DH is making me one; another member is interested in him making another one (she's in Virginia); lets see how things go and how reasonable he can make it.

I will tell you the DH is NOT sloppy when it comes to work in what he does

Might not be totally professional looking, but nice enough to put in your living room. If things work out, perhaps we can work on some for others in here. Right now he's estimating about $200 plus shipping for a 3 feet diameter.

Click to expand...

Nial's is 4 feet in diameter, I believe. If I had adopted Titan, I'd definitely need all 4 feet, but as Penny really is a teensy girl (compared to my furmonsters) I think 3 feet would work ok for her!

Definitely keep me in mind, please!

I'll admit I was neverous about spending all that money on an expensive wheel, just to have the cats ignore it, or treat it like another piece of furniture.

I could barely get the thing together before they were all over it. Bengal are NOSEY!

Anyway, I had to do no coaxing with the adults, they had it figured out in no time at all. They get on it when they feel like running or walking or even when I suggest to them to get on it.

The kittens need to be trained and coaxed with a toy. It takes them a few days to get the hang of it and what happens when they aburptly stop running and the wheel keeps going. Not a steep learning curve though, cats are smart.

I'm sure Charlie will be a quick learner too.

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Nial's is 4 feet in diameter, I believe. If I had adopted Titan, I'd definitely need all 4 feet, but as Penny really is a teensy girl (compared to my furmonsters) I think 3 feet would work ok for her!

Definitely keep me in mind, please!

Click to expand...

It's 5 feet. I got the biggest diameter I could find. It also has a 12 inch tread surface. Perfect for my bengals when they run side by side.

You really think Penny is tiny? hmmmm, she's one of the biggest bengal girls we've had. Bengal females are typically on the small side. I should have shown you Jewel, you'd have though Penny was a huge cat compared to her...

The problem with small diameter wheels is that the cats spine curves inward too much, and they may not use the wheel much because it's not comfortable to run on.

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

The problem with small diameter wheels is that the cats spine curves inward too much, and they may not use the wheel much because it's not comfortable to run on.

Click to expand...

Our main problem is that it turns too easily. I think the extra size will make it a bit more formidable to turn. When our cats get going they almost always have to bail because it goes a too fast! It was actually the perfect size for kittens .

We will see (and let everyone know) how the 3 feet diameter one is. Then go from there.

The ones I've found online... I think the site that Nial linked to from another thread... when I asked for pricing on those ones if I remember correctly, they were about $1200 a piece. I think that was before shipping. As much as I love those ones (cause, gosh, they are awfully pretty)... I can't swing it.

I agree, not at that price. But the one DH will build won't be as costly - remember he'll do his smaller and in wood vs the metal wheel/frame.

i would love to have the room and money for one. had wouldn't like it but i want more kittys anyway so it wouldn't be a problem.