Ever Build Your Own Cat Furniture?

My boyfriend and I are planning on building our own cat furniture instead of paying $200+ to buy one. Anybody ever do this and have any tips or advice?

there are a few threads on this a quick search should help you out

Specifically, check out posts by Yosemite...her hubby built an AMAZING cat structure!!!

My DH has done construction. He's planning on building a 2nd treehouse with leftover lumber and connecting it to our existing treehouse I've heard the hardest part is getting the carpet on tight.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

My DH as done construction. He's planning on building a 2nd treehouse with leftover lumber and connecting it to our existing treehouse

I've heard the hardest part is getting the carpet on tight.

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Sounds fantastic!

Yeah, we've been planning on using an alternative material. A lot of websites recommend a short faux fur. It's soft, but because there are no loops, it doesn't grab fur nor does it get that tattered look. Heavy wool felt is another option but not as durable.

I made this one myself for about $50. I went to the local lumber store and asked if I could look through their scrap peices. They gave me a deal for cleaning out their scrap area. I used posts that were 3 foot to hold up the flat plywood peices they are laying on. The carpet I bought from mendards for $15 and then I used my SO's staple gun to keep the carpet on the posts. I made it all by myself and I have NEVER made anything by hand before.

That looks really nice! Did you cut the scrap lumber to the sizes you needed, and put them together with hammer and nails? I have a staple gun, but I don't have a saw/tools to cut lumber....I was thinking of making Pan a cat tree too....but I really don't know how to start! Thanks for the ideas!

My husband built ours last year.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/littleraven7726/Cat Tree Project/finishedtree1.jpg

Originally Posted by Jillie

A lot of websites recommend a short faux fur

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I have a couple of (purchased) faux fur trees, they won't scratch on the fur like they do carpet they only use the sissal posts. They like to sleep on the fur though.

My step dad made a 4.5ft tall pole for them which is sissal and has a carpet base, they scratch on both surfaces.

I've made several. Only one looks decent enough to be in the house, the rest are in the garage for the farm kitties.

I did use denim fabric on the one good one of mine, Lily loves to scratch denim. Saved the couch!

I haven't made a tree, but I did make a 3' tall sisal scratching post which is incredible... I'll find the link to the thread I had made about it last summer... I'd love to make a tree at some point, but I don't have room to put one haha

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I did use denim fabric on the one good one of mine, Lily loves to scratch denim. Saved the couch!

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I made some simple horizontal scratching boards covered in denim for Oliver and he loves them! Keeps him off my jeans when I'm wearing them lol

Oh and here's the link to my scratching post thread... there's a pic in there somewhere, I think the 2nd page
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=135073

I built the world's cheapest cat tree...out of a tree!

I cut a section of a tree about 8" in diameter at the base and 6" about 40 inches up. I went to home depot and got a 24 inch square scrap of 3/4 inch plywood and a 24 inch square scrap of 1/2 inch plywood. I drilled a few holes around the center of the 3/4 inch piece, drilled pilot holes into the base of the log, and screwed the plywood onto the base of the log as the base of the cat tree. Then I did the same on the other end with the 1/2 inch plywood. I cut an 8" hole in the upper piece next to the log, so the cats could get through from the bottom. Then I went to a carpet place and asked if I could have some of the carpet they'd taken up at some of their jobs. I got some ugly green stuff and stapled it onto the top. I didn't cover the bottom.

It's ugly, but it's rock steady and it's lasted for 11 years. One or the other of the cats sleeps on it every day. And I don't think I have $10 invested in it.

Here is my contribution. My thread on the cat tree I built goes into specific detail of how I built it and pictures are included!!

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...light=cat+tree

Originally Posted by Jillie

Yeah, we've been planning on using an alternative material. A lot of websites recommend a short faux fur. It's soft, but because there are no loops, it doesn't grab fur nor does it get that tattered look.

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Coco has made short work of the faux fur on this:





This furniture is only about 1 1/2 years old. The faux fur doesn't have have loops but the backing on it isn't nearly as durable as what is on carpet. Their claws tear it up easily. The carpet on my old cat tree has held up much better and it is 4 years old. I agree with not using carpet that has loops (berber) though. But I would use a short shag (no loops).

I've never built, but I've been around a few trees, and I have an opinion to share.
I would like to vote that you do indeed cover most of it in carpet BECAUSE the one I have has carpet on it, and while there are a few areas that look pretty torn up after 3 years and many cats being exposed to it, the cats like to throw themselves at my tree and climb it like a banana tree. I do have platforms they can use, but they mostly prefer to climb up the back. My parents tree has that short faux fur and the cats didn't use it as often when we were living there last summer because of lack of traction....I'd see them run and jump, hit the thing and slide off the side franticly grabbing for hold.

Also...the lady who built mine told me that they varnish the flat surface within the crows nest and cubby hole incase of accidents later on...then they cut a piece of carpet (but you could use some faux fur with supports there) and put it ontop. I've found it useful to be able to take those pieces out every once in awhile for vaccuming.
They also used a combination of L brackets and fitted wooden triangles underneath every platform because they have grandchildren who hang off of the trees and they tried to make them semi-kid proof.
The base of mine is about 2 1/2 X 2 1/2' and I'd say an inch thick....It's never tipped once.

hope some of that helps

My dad built one for our cats for my birthday last year. He carpet covered quikrete tubing (that you use to pour concrete into for pillars) for tunnels. You can get a 4' piece for about $10 at Home Depot.

Originally Posted by Eliot'sMom

That looks really nice! Did you cut the scrap lumber to the sizes you needed, and put them together with hammer and nails? I have a staple gun, but I don't have a saw/tools to cut lumber....I was thinking of making Pan a cat tree too....but I really don't know how to start! Thanks for the ideas!

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I just looked for pieces that were the same size. The two posts on the bottom were 2.5 ft long and the one that Enzo is sitting on top of was 1 ft long. As for the plywood pieces they are all a little different in size, but it all worked out!

This is the one my hubby built.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...light=cat+tree