homemade cat tower

[Kat0121]

This happened to Amber too but it was round her leg. Thank heavens I was at home when it happened!

It happened to Sophie, too. The cord got wrapped around her paw. I was home also. Lilith was in the tree with her and she became very agitated. Sophie was trying to free her foot and Lilith started growling and her back was arched. I looked over there and thought she was starting a fight. I went over there and saw Sophie's paw was caught up in the elastic cord so I cut it and got her free. She was visibly upset and ran to her favorite hiding spot with Lilith right behind her. I think Lilith was getting ready to go after her sister's "attacker". 

About 15 minutes later they were both back in the tree- looking for the toy I had to cut down. They weren't happy that it was no longer there. 

 

[Norachan]

The cat condos and cat towers you buy from pet stores often seem a bit unsafe to me. I've heard of lot of cats getting the dangly toys wrapped around a paw or a tail. One cat condo I have broke and there were these huge sharp staples protruding from the base where the scratching post had been attached.

Really pet toys should be made to the same restrictions children's toys are.

I prefer to make my own stuff now. Luckily we live in the middle of a forest so there are plenty of real trees for them to climb.

 

[gmm80]

Well, I got  another unexpected foster, a very pregnant girl. So I had to put her in my main cat room where the green cat tower is currently. Moved my four boys upstairs to a spare room. I felt a little bad because they loved sleeping on the tower, but I just did not want to move the cat tower again, so I built a second one today. This is smaller, only 4 drawers, but I did put some sisal on it. Wasn't quite sure about the placement of the sisal, but they've already been using it, so I guess it works. Have not done anything with the tiger striped carpet just yet.

This is tower I built tonight. There's a custom cabinet manufacturer in the area that has a store for their surplus parts, they have nice drawers for $5 each, so that's where i got the drawers this time.

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• gmm80
• Feb 11, 2015

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• gmm80
• Feb 11, 2015

 

[gmm80]

Okay, I went ahead and added the tiger-striped climbing/scratching post and threw on the sisal rope I  had left from tower #2. Not sure if I love it, but it's easy enough to remove. I think the concept was better than my execution of it.  I'm toying with the idea of putting a hammock type thing at the top of the posts on the left side. If I sewed, it would be easy, but I don't.

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• gmm80
• Feb 17, 2015

 

[Kat0121]

I think you're selling yourself short. I think it looks fantastic. Any cat would be thrilled to have that. You're making me want to go look for a used dresser and make one myself. Then again, would DD notice if she didn't have a dresser anymore when she comes home from spring break??

 

 

[Norachan]

That's awesome! 

 I love that tiger print scratching post. You could sell those, I'm sure lots of cats would be happy to have one.

 

[gmm80]

 
I think you're selling yourself short. I think it looks fantastic. Any cat would be thrilled to have that. You're making me want to go look for a used dresser and make one myself. Then again, would DD notice if she didn't have a dresser anymore when she comes home from spring break??

 

I got the last drawers from the overstock store of a local custom cabinet manufacturer, which was nice, because they were brand new and clean. But I've found them on Craigslist and at thrift stores. I think the most important thing is to find drawers that are solid wood and not particle board, because the thing ends up being pretty heavy when it's all put together. Honestly, once you have the pieces and figure out where they need to go, it's a pretty easy project.

 

[gmm80]

 
That's awesome! 

 I love that tiger print scratching post. You could sell those, I'm sure lots of cats would be happy to have one.

Laura - did you see the pics of the kittens from my pregnant foster stray? They were born yesterday. Posted in the kittens gallery.

http://www.thecatsite.com/g/a/214128/rosie-and-babies-born-2-16-15/

 

[Norachan]

Just checking them out now. Clever Mommy Cat!

 

[mservant]

@gmm80   I can immediately imagine a cat climbing up on that carpet roll just like a big tree, it is wonderful.  I wish Mouse had something like this but afraid I don't have the space or energy right now to figure out how to put it together but I just know he would love clambering up that tiger trunk.  Your cats are incredibly lucky living with you.  

 

[keyes]

Seriously, I want one of those so baaad!  We should have built a bigger house.  Then again, I never thought I would have 6 cats in a house.

 

[kntrygrl256]

I build one out of cardboard boxes I got from work. My cats like it but I'm really considering building one like this, I think they would love it a lot better.

I love the tiger pole.  It's awesome!!!!!!

 

[jamiek53]

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• jamiek53
• Feb 18, 2015

Made this out of an old bed side drawer. My cats love the rope! The hammocks dont get used at all, so i plan to change them out. But overall it was easy and great. My one even likes to eat breakfast and dinner on the top level!

 

[gmm80]

Made this out of an old bed side drawer. My cats love the rope! The hammocks dont get used at all, so i plan to change them out. But overall it was easy and great. My one even likes to eat breakfast and dinner on the top level!

That's great! I'm finding that the lower drawers of my towers don't really get used much except to climb up to the higher ones. They love to be as high as they can. I might end up removing the lowest two drawers on tower #1 and add a board covered with sisal or carpet as a ramp sometime later.

 

[kntrygrl256]

 
That's great! I'm finding that the lower drawers of my towers don't really get used much except to climb up to the higher ones. They love to be as high as they can. I might end up removing the lowest two drawers on tower #1 and add a board covered with sisal or carpet as a ramp sometime later.

That is the problem with my lower boxes. They don't want them, they all pile in the top two boxes and cubbies. I guess I'll have to find a different way to build it.

 

[mservant]

Fit, young cats might not choose to use the lower levels and drawers but if you see your towers lasting a few years it might be worth leaving them there because as cats age some can't jump and climb as much as they did in their youth.

 

[keyes]

 
Fit, young cats might not choose to use the lower levels and drawers but if you see your towers lasting a few years it might be worth leaving them there because as cats age some can't jump and climb as much as they did in their youth.

Excellent point.  I've got one of those.  He even has problems jumping up on the chair.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

 
Fit, young cats might not choose to use the lower levels and drawers but if you see your towers lasting a few years it might be worth leaving them there because as cats age some can't jump and climb as much as they did in their youth.

  You could always use it for toy storage for now too.  Our girls never used the hammock part of the cat tree; so we would pile all their little toys in there.  It worked nicely!