Cat trees - what you do & don't like

I can build or make many of the things I need/want. I've been looking at cat trees and condos and I'm just extremely reluctant to spend 3-400 bucks on something that to me is made out of scraps (with the exception of the carpet) I've got laying around my shop. While I'm trying to design one for my upcoming kitties, I thought I would solicit some input from the members of TCS while I try to design "The Ultimate Cat Tree!"

What do you like/don't like about your present cat tree?

What would you change?

What would your "dream" cat tree consist of?

Any advice re: same? Bear in mind that this will be for what will eventually be a couple of fully grown Maine Coon males, so a major concern will be stability, but I can always lag screw the thing to the ceiling joists and the floor if need be!

I promise to take "in progress" photos of the work as it progresses, and maybe even write up a "Do It Yourself" cat tree type page if everything comes together .

I have found that sturdy & simple works best my kitties.

Our dream tree would have a large base with large posts covered with sisal & carpet, all open perches, with fleece covers, that can be removed for washing. I would want nothing enclosed on their tree. Matted cat fur can become a problem in enclosed areas.

I don't know how to describe the perches on my current tree so I will add a small picture to show you. The perches are in a kind of cradle shape...like a wide U. My kitties love the security of their curved perches...larger perches would be useful.

Progress reports would be nice...with photos if you can. I like your idea of a "do it yourself" cat tree page.

I will look forward to seeing pictures of your Main Coon's enjoying their custom made tree.
They are lucky boys.

Wow $300 - $400 bucks... that's a lot. I have two very sturdy cat trees and mine weren't nearly that much. One of them is fairly large/tall too! But maybe you're thinking of making a much larger one then my cats have!

My cats love the round tunnel the best. And they like to climb through the holes up and down to the next level. I also have toys hanging on theirs. I added those myself using a staple gun and putting them at the opening of the two highest holes. They love playing with those! Jake gets pretty rough on it too. He's a wild man!

I think someone already mentioned it but having the base larger in diameter then the rest of the tree (and thicker wood helps too) really helps to make it more stable.

I'm going to have to see if I can either find some sonotubes (concrete forms) that are stouter than what you find at the big box stores, or come up with an alternative for tunnels and resting places. I'm not impressed with the heftiness of those. Right now I'm think of a footprint in the neighborhood of 2x6', with the highest platform at 7' off the floor and descending levels from there. I've come up with an idea for weighting the base that might work to keep any tippability at a minimum, but if I'm at all doubtful I'm going to fasten the thing to the ceiling and/or wall. Part of it will be in front of the living room window and I thought I'd put an additional bird-feeder out there for them. I was toying with the idea of the carpet sculpted trees, but I think it might overpower the room too much. I want to cater to the cats, but I also want it to look good in what will probably be its permanent setting.

I'd just say my cats like to be able to go high up, run across the room and leap up to highest perch--which means that a 7 feet high tree is better than 4 ft. The tree doesn't have to be wide and a ceiling anchor may be the thing to do. My tree, a kit I bought, is high and pretty wobbly (not affixed to ceiling)--but the cats don't mind the wobble.

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

What do you like/don't like about your present cat tree?

What would you change?

What would your "dream" cat tree consist of?

Any advice re: same?

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Here's what stops me from buying a cat tree:

They don't seem very sturdy. Nano weighs 14 lbs and she likes to jump into things (as if launching herself like a missile), so I can imagine her knocking half of the cat trees on the market right over.

Some look very weird, almost as if on purpose. I try to find a simple beige, but I see trees with green carpet or purple or something. C'mon, I'm no fashion plate but it has to look reasonable in my living room.

Nano doesn't like the type of texture the carpets on most cat trees tend to have. Maybe she is eccentric, but she prefers the feel of car floor mats -- she rolls and stretches and rubs around on them. I put the two surfaces side by side and Nano basically ignores the coarse carpet remnant in favor of a car floor mat.

And if you are building a "dream" cat tree, it'd be good to have no bare wooden surfaces and fill any gaps up with the sisol (sp?) ropes that cats enjoy scratching.

Originally Posted by Nano

[cut]...And if you are building a "dream" cat tree, it'd be good to have no bare wooden surfaces and fill any gaps up with the sisol (sp?) ropes that cats enjoy scratching.

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One would think , but I found with Melichus (RB) that it can depend on the cat. Being unable to find anything like a big enough scratching post for the fellow, I made one and had it covered like you suggest, with carpet and sisal rope. He pretty much ignored it, until I stripped the thing down to its "bones," a 4' cedar 4x4. He always preferred scratching on bare wood. He didn't want anything to do with a natural bark covered log I brought in either. What clued me in was how he always wanted to stretch up along door jambs and sink his claws in. I was never able to completely stop it, but once I "found" the scratching post of his preference, I managed to reduce it by 95% anyway.

Just goes to show you!

Nano avoids solid wood -- I definitely offered her some! -- but she loves scratching up an old sofa (I encourage her, spraying it with catnip mist, because it is a piece of junk) that has a fabric texture just like the sisal rope when I was in the store.

Hey, cats are different!

Thanks for starting this thread! It was perfect timing for me! I've been looking at plans for different trees/condos so that I could make one of my own (with a lot of help from my dad! ) I found a plan for a do-it-yourself one online which we are going to be attempting to make this weekend. My cats seem to enjoy hiding and ambushing each other so i was thinking that some hidey holes might need to be added. (i was thinking a Sono tube with some holes cut in it)

I guess you guys have answered my questions about what to put on the perches - whatever that cats like. Has anyone carpeted/covered something like a Sono tube for their cats before? If so any tips or hints for doing it?

tks

Good question, Renny. I've never found any tips on covering sonotubes with carpet, the cardboard seems too thin to hold a staple very well. My guess would be glue of some type. If I use sonotubes, unless I find some information on covering them, I'll have to experiment.

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

Good question, Renny. I've never found any tips on covering sonotubes with carpet, the cardboard seems too thin to hold a staple very well. My guess would be glue of some type. If I use sonotubes, unless I find some information on covering them, I'll have to experiment.

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I would like to suggest using a silicone sealer to glue the carpet to the tubes. It is strong and should hold forever! It is also not very expencive although it does have a strong smell at first and needs at least 24 hours to "cure"

There are patterns out there for making these things. Maybe it could help with basic ideas and then you can alter it to fit your needs. In fact I think someone posted some plans here once upon a time. I don't know what my cat tree's tunnel is made of but I'm sure it isn't concrete cuz it would weigh a ton and tip over! It is very sturdy though. I think it is glued and stapled. What about taking part of a large tree trunk and having someone hollow it out? I bet cats would love that! Well, except for Nano! You'd have to probably take the bark off, using the natural wood outside maybe (to avoid having bark chip off and make a mess in your house!) I don't know... it sounds crazy but I bet it could work!

Originally Posted by DragonLady

I would like to suggest using a silicone sealer to glue the carpet to the tubes. It is strong and should hold forever! It is also not very expencive although it does have a strong smell at first and needs at least 24 hours to "cure"

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That's an idea! Might try that, it'd certainly be easier than contact cement which is what most "carpet" cements are.

A sonotube by the way is a brand name for what is basically just a large cardboard tube. They come in various sizes, usually the 8" and 12" is all you can find at the DIY stores (and those are usually Quikcrete brand, also.) They're amazingly strong for what they are, concrete is poured into them and then the form removed once the concrete is cured so that you have a nice, neat, pillar or footing. You can usually see the the spirals from the form on concrete footings for parking lot lights and such.

Thanks everyone...i appreciate all the advice and suggestions! Fingers crossed for this weekend, i can't wait to get started!!!

Hey guys...back with another question. I went to Home Depot yesterday to price the supplies to make this house http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html. It says to cover all the 2x4's with sisal rope. Well the 500' of sisal rope that they are asking for is going to be pricier then the rest of the house. Any suggestions on alternatives (preferably more affordable)?

Thanks all

500' is a LOT of rope. I don't think you're going to be able to find that much anywhere for much less than about $40-50 USD, although I didn't do a whole lot of digging. You might try eBay and also do a Froogle search for "sisal rope," of course going Internet means you'll have to wait a few days on it.

I really like the layout of the cat tree you linked to. My kitties love curved perches. Now I know how they are made. I think that I would want the base of their tree a little larger. My cats lunge at their tree. Because it sits in front of a large window... I need one that won't tip. This tree has purrfect placement of the perches for my kitties. Maybe I will have someone make one for my furkids. As you modify your tree please keep me updated. You might come up with ideas that I can use.
Thanks for posting the link Renny.
This thread was a great idea RoseHawke.

Originally Posted by Renny

Hey guys...back with another question. I went to Home Depot yesterday to price the supplies to make this house http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html. It says to cover all the 2x4's with sisal rope. Well the 500' of sisal rope that they are asking for is going to be pricier then the rest of the house. Any suggestions on alternatives (preferably more affordable)?

Thanks all

Click to expand...

I would also like to know where to get cheap sisal rope as I would like to recover the poles of cat tree I got this weekend. Its carpeted and so if anyone also knows if I can just glue the sisal directly on the carpet and how I would do this, I would love to know..

Tx!

I am planning to make a bit of a modification. My cats love to hide in boxes etc, so i think i'm going to make the bottom perch out of a full piece of sonotube so that they have a hidey hole. Add a couple holes so that can ambush each other and I think it will be great.

I was looking at the carpeting the posts idea, but i think my cats would much prefer the sisal. i may have to limit it to a few of the posts. Would an arts and crafts store be a better place to look for sisal then a home depot?

standby for some gratuituous kitten shots (just figured out photobucket! lol) Hope no one minds!