Let’s start out by saying I LOVE MY CATS!!! Whether I’m classified as a crazy cat lady, or just someone who loves all animals, I’m happy to take either title because they are both true. I love animals, and I love helping in the rescue process for people to find a furry friend of their own. I love all 5 of my animals, and have a very special place in my heart for my 3 kitties. Let me introduce them to you …
There is Mercury, who is an 18 year old, female Siamese mix (I adopted her in 1998 when she was a kitten.) She runs the household and holds domain over her two 80-pound doggie sisters! It’s hilarious to watch!
Then there is Eros, who is a Male and is a 6 year old Highland Lynx (I name all my animals after Greek and Roman gods however Eros was already named when we adopted him on Valentine’s Day. Eros is the Greek god of love, whose Roman counterpart’s name is Cupid…so fitting for a Valentine’s Day present for Jason and me! And randomly, in mythology, Eros is the son of Mercury – wild! It was meant to be!)
Then there is my baby, Simba, who is a 5 ½ year old, male, Highland Lynx (Simba was supposed to be named “Hercules”, keeping with the Greek and Roman gods theme, but he looked so much like the baby Simba in the Lion King that it was hard to call him anything else! He was a rescue and was the runt of the litter, weighing in at only 9 pounds when his older brother is 20 pounds!) Samba or “Sim” as we call him at home follows me everywhere around the house like a dog.
You can actually follow my kitties adventures on Instagram @adventures_of_simba_and_eros
Now my kitties are my babies and I like to make sure my babies are well taken care of, and that includes a place for them to hang out, scratch their nails and climb….which is why I had purchased several “Kitty Trees” in the past. They weren’t the best looking, but I knew that it was a necessity with cats. Cats absolutely need a place to scratch their nails and climb, like they would out in the wild. Observing the restless energy and constant playfulness of the cat, it’s evident that introducing a cat wheel would be a beneficial way to satisfy its need for physical activity and mental stimulation. Since “out in the wild” near my house here in LA includes red-tailed hawks, owls and coyotes, my kitties are exclusively indoor cats. Just because they stay indoors, doesn’t mean their kitty animal instincts don’t kick in. If you don’t provide your cat with a place to scratch and climb…they will find another piece of furniture (or you) to do their biological bidding.
From www.catbehaviorassociates.com:
“We live in a horizontal world but cats aren’t limited to the horizontal side of life. Cats make use of horizontal and vertical aspects of the environment. In fact, they rely on vertical areas for safety, comfort and certainly for fun. Providing your cat with vertical options in his territory isn’t just a luxury, it’s a crucial part of feline life. In a multicat home, vertical territory can make the difference between a happy household and a feline battleground. One of the easiest ways to increase vertical territory is with a cat tree.”
Why cat trees benefit cats:
- Place for them to scratch their nails (NEVER DECLAW A CAT!!!!)
- A place for them to climb – cats enjoy a “vertical environment” for safety, comfort and fun.
- Helps in a multi-cat home set boundaries and avoid fights.
Since I have a multi-cat home, the cat trees were a huge help.
Because my home was in a “disaster area” due to a recent gas leak, my home had to be mitigated by a restoration company. While restoration companies clean everything in your home, including carpet, I was told that getting into the small parts of a cat tree are difficult and therefore they could not guarantee that the cat tree would be clean (and therefore safe). This is especially true if you’ve recently had a fire or water damage in a home, so … when in doubt…throw it out! The health of you and your feline companion depends on it!
Ok…on to the next! How do we make a good-lookin’ cat tree?
Kitty City’s and Cat Tree’s are ridiculously priced, and are typically quite the eye sore in a home, but we love our kitties, and we will put up with ugly if it helps them…but how about having the best of both worlds? Well then, I have a DIY for you!
- 2″x6″ wood plank cut to 2 at 32″ and 2 at 21″
- 1/2″ plywood cut to 24″ x 32″
- Rope (3 packages about 1/4″ thick)
- Dowel-2″ round solid wood dowel 4’ high/long cut to 33”, 24”, and 17 1⁄2”
- Birch branches (3 at 60”). Keep one 60”, cut the others into the following lengths: 24”, 38”, 42”
- 2 1/2 interior wood screws
- 1 1/4 interior wood screws
- Greenery (trees – your preference but I used 2)
- Carpet remnants (enough to fit the base and each level depending on the size you choose)
- 27/8”Lagscrews(canbe2”upto27/8”)
- Carpenter’s knife (or any sharp blade)
- 4 wooden boxes or trays of varying sizes. I used one box tray at 17 1⁄2” x 12 1⁄2”, two box trays at 14” x 11”, and one box tray at 11 1⁄2” x 8 1⁄2”.
- 1 1”x4” scrap wood (to help secure levels) I used about 4’ of one.
- Drill
- Drill bit smaller than your screws for pre-drilling (I used 1/8”)
- Hole saw drill bit about the size of your birch (I used 2”)
- Staple gun with staples
- Hot glue gun with glue sticks
- Blue painter’s tape
How To:
1. Take your fake trees out of their containers and set them aside. Cut off any part of
the tree that may still be covered in styrafoam or glue and discard.
2. Make all of your cuts (or have the hardware store do it for you), and set them aside.
3. Start to build your base. Set the 2”x6” boards on their sides so that the 6” side comes up taller from the floor. Set the 32” pieces on either side, and fit the 21” pieces in between so that it makes a box.
4. Using the longer screws, screw into the ends connecting the sides. I did not pre- drill these, but you can definitely pre-drill to make this process easier. Use at least three screws on each side so that the structure is solid.
5. Take the plywood top and set it into place on top of the 2”x6” base. Use the longer screws to screw it into place from the top down. Be generous with your screws here! Stronger is better, and it will be covered anyway so it doesn’t have to look perfect.
6. Take your dowels and add the rope to them. Use this method INSTEAD of glue so that your cat doesn’t get any unnecessary toxins. Drill a hole through the dowel towards the outside of the center (not right in the center) of the top and bottom of your dowel. Use a drill bit that is slightly larger than your rope. Take a larger bit (or paddle bit) to make a little section for your rope’s knot. Tape off the end of your rope with blue painter’s tape. Thread the rope through the hole and remove the tape. Tie a knot at the end of the rope and pull the other side taught. The knot should fit into hole you made. Wrap the entire dowel with rope. Thread the other side through the dowel and secure with a knot.
7. Take your one long birch piece and set it near the middle of your base. Mark it all the way around.
8. Take your smaller drill bit and drill through the center of your markings.
9. Take your 24” wood dowel and mark it on the base in the same manner as the birch.
10. Take your smaller drill bit and drill through the center of your markings.
11. Turn the base over on its side. This is where you might want to grab a friend to help you!
12. Pre-drill the center of the bottom of the birch.
13. Have someone hold the birch into place while you screw in the lag screws through the center of the pre-drilled hole from the underside of the base. Birch should hold tightly.
14. Repeat this process with the dowel.
15. Turn the base right-side up.
16. Using a hole saw, drill out a hole in the first (largest) box big enough to fit over the birch.
17. Bring the box over the birch all the way down to 24” from the base.
18. Screw in the top of the dowel downwards from the top of the box. This should
secure the box into place
19. Cut scrap piece of wood to use around the bottom side of the box where the birch goes in. Secure with the smaller screws.
20. Cut a piece of carpet so that it fits on top of your box. Mark and cut out any holes for branches or dowels.
21. Lay the carpet on top of each box and trim where necessary. Use hot glue to secure into place, and use staples all the way around to make sure your carpet stays. (This will get the most action from your kitties, so make sure it’s secure!)
22. Repeat this process for every level of your cat tree. You can create your own design, or use my exact dimensions in the attached diagram.
23. Add pieces of the fake tree around the entire structure to make it look like a real tree in the wild. Continue until you are happy with your greenery.
24. Get out your kitty treats and catnip and introduce your new cat tree to the kitties!
What do you think of our Kitty Tree? Would you make one at home? What would you do differently? We wanna know so share your comments below! We want to see your DIY’s so follow us on Instagram and Twitter @paigehemmis & hashtag #DIYplay
If you missed the episode check it out by heading over to Home & Family!
XOXO,
Paige