Outdoor Cat Furniture/Play structures: Help Please!

[mani]

My new cat enclosure arrives in a couple of days... This is my first one, as I've always just had inside cats.

It's only small: 3.6 long x 1.8 deep x 1.8 high metres (about 12 x 6 x 6 foot) and is a freestanding aluminium frame with very sturdy net. I won't be able to attach anything to the frame (although there is a hammock which goes with it, suspended using ropes). 

I'm asking for suggestions for playthings, ways of adding height, cubby holes etc that are completely weather-proof and not too ugly!  Not products so much as DIY ideas, although if you live in Australia and have any ready made suggestions, that would be good as well.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

The best thing for elevatioun is a cat tree. Some have strings or ropes attached. Some have sisal sections for scratching. They come in lots of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some have cubbyholes. Some have nests. Some have hammocks. Some have stairs or ramps. Whatever you like, you can get. You will be amazed what you can find on a cat tree. They come in a wide range of prices, but a good price to play is about $100. Most are completely covered with carpet. A few have real tree bark. Go to Amazon.com to see thousands of cat trees. You can also get steps but nothing beats a cat tree.

 

[mani]

Yes, cat trees are excellent... That's what mine have indoors. Trouble is there aren't any pre-made completely outdoor ones on the market and making them is not something I think I could tackle, especially out of weatherproof material.
 

 

[emilymaywilcha]

These cat trees are made of real branches: https://pettreehouses.com/  

 

[mani]

They're something to think about to make up myself... I can't use the sisal, carpet, etc for outside.

They are beautifully made!

 

[Willowy]

You could just put a bunch of shelves on a 4x4 and ta da! A weatherproof cat tree! :tongue2: Not much to look at though.

 

[ldg]

Another quick and easy are those large sterlite storage boxes stacked in a pyramid with holes cut in the ends so they can go through, and in the tops, so they can go up, yet still have plenty of space to hang out inside if they want and on the sides, so they can look out. Quick and easy to wash down too.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

Another quick and easy are those large sterlite storage boxes stacked in a pyramid with holes cut in the ends so they can go through, and in the tops, so they can go up, yet still have plenty of space to hang out inside if they want and on the sides, so they can look out.

Quick and easy to wash down too.

Do you have a picture of one?

 

[emilymaywilcha]

Here is a cat tree with no carpet or sisal: http://www.cagesbydesign.com/p-533-...-tarzan-cat-tree-outdoor-cedar-cat-condo.aspx

 

[mani]

You could just put a bunch of shelves on a 4x4 and ta da! A weatherproof cat tree!

Not much to look at though.

I'd need to have a really firm base, as there are no solid walls to attach things to... but I did think of something like that... I'd I'm starting to not really care about aesthetics..I just want it to be a great, stimulating place for them.

 

[mani]

Another quick and easy are those large sterlite storage boxes stacked in a pyramid with holes cut in the ends so they can go through, and in the tops, so they can go up, yet still have plenty of space to hang out inside if they want and on the sides, so they can look out.

Quick and easy to wash down too.

This is a great idea... I'm going to work on that one.  How do you cut holes in sterlite?  And how do you secure them?  ..  Actually (thinking as I write) I could make a really stable structure by putting rivets through them to hold them into a big pyramid.

One website suggested just getting in a pile of firewood.. uncut stumpy bits...and making something out of them.. just a woodpile, I guess, would do it, but it would just be for climbing up ... no little nooks.

 

[ldg]

Do you have a picture of one?

Of a sterilite storage box? http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=anHqT7isMumR6gHP9aTwBQ

You can start with 5 in a row on the bottom, then 3 in the next row, and one on top.

Or make them just step-ups: four along the bottom, three on top of those, two on top of those, and one on top. I'd probably use the 30, 33, or 45 gallon storage totes

If someone is worried about "sturdy," then duct tape would be handy. :lol3: (And it comes in all kinds of "designer" colors and prints now!)

All kinds of configurations are possible.

I'm really not sure what you're asking? :scratch: It's like building a more weather-worthy box fort.

 

[ldg]

Here are pictures of hissy's enclosure - might be some ideas here for you. I realize your stuff has to be free-standing, but...

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/197355/for-whitecatlover-caution-photo-heavy


OH!!!! What about Momofmany's (Auntie Em's) stacked cat beds? The "Cat Condo" - http://auntieemcreations.com/index.html

 

[ldg]

Oh! You're in Australia. :anon:

 

[mani]

Here are pictures of hissy's enclosure - might be some ideas here for you.

I realize your stuff has to be free-standing, but...
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/197355/for-whitecatlover-caution-photo-heavy
OH!!!! What about Momofmany's (Auntie Em's) stacked cat beds? The "Cat Condo" - http://auntieemcreations.com/index.html

Apparantly I have 'insufficient permissions' to see your photo

(don't you just love computer-speak)...

 

[mani]

Of a sterilite storage box? http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=anHqT7isMumR6gHP9aTwBQ
You can start with 5 in a row on the bottom, then 3 in the next row, and one on top.
Or make them just step-ups: four along the bottom, three on top of those, two on top of those, and one on top. I'd probably use the 30, 33, or 45 gallon storage totes
If someone is worried about "sturdy," then duct tape would be handy.

(And it comes in all kinds of "designer" colors and prints now!)
All kinds of configurations are possible.
I'm really not sure what you're asking?

It's like building a more weather-worthy box fort.

Whatever I was asking, that was the answer!  I can see it in my head now.  And you can buy that kind of thing so that they slot together.

It's the perfect answer.. thank you!

Mind you, if anyone else has any ideas, I'd like to make this a very playable place for the two of them.

 

[ldg]

Right? Quick & easy!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about hissy's thread - I didn't realize it was in the private lounge. :anon:

 

[ldg]

I don't know where in Australia you are, but Ikea (or the like) may have some options for you too. Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/50185483/ can be steadied with ramps you make/add on either side up to the top levels. :dk: But open-sided book shelves with modifications can make GREAT run-leap-around play centers. Maybe steadied with tables on either side? And if wood tables, you could saw the legs off evenly of one of them, so they're slightly different heights on either side. Tack carpeting down on the tables, so they're not so slippery?

All I know is that we live in an RV. We took out the dining area stuff, and put in free-standing cat trees next to a bookshelf that has a "top" at window height. The trees are pushed together, and have different levels, and the cats absolutely love leaping around from level to level, and they use it FAR more than they ever did an individual tree.

 

[mani]

That is quite serendipitous... I am heading down to Ikea today to buy a floor lamp.. I'll have a look.  They have that 'bargain' bit that I can have a browse through. It's a matter of the stuff being weather-proof. 

I've taken on board what you're saying about levels etc.- all excellent advice.

My enclosure arrived today, but I'm tied up till late next week, but I can start gathering the bits!

My next issue will be tunnels, as the enclosure won't butt up against an entrance from the house.  In another thread I've mentioned a portable cat flap that will go in windows and I'll get that made to measure, then have to work out how to get from point A to point B!  The beauty of this enclosure is that it's lightweight and portable:

http://www.catnets.com.au/cat-enclosures.html

I've bought the 3.6metre one, which includes a hammock that suspends by ropes.  I could have bought more of those, but they impinge on the space a bit.

 

[ldg]

Oh MEGA cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!