# Homemade Cat Trees



## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

Not sure if this is the right section...

We recently got Cherry and the shelter she was at had tons of cat trees so she was used to playing on one. Casie on the other hand was one of those cats where whatever you bought her, except treats and food, she ignored. So I bugged my dad about buying one and he kept telling me they were too expensive. Then I decided to look up how to make one myself. My dad agreed and now we are working on one. 

So far it has 3 tiers(including the base) and two scratching posts. It also will have 1 upside down tube for Cherry to sleep in. 

So do any of you guys make your own or have any tips for me(I have only made half of one of the scratching posts and my dad put together the base and the second tier, no carpeting yet)?


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

It sounds like you have everything Cherry could want. Muffs has a tree with a tube and she loves to sleep in it. Make sure the base is wide enough to make the tree sturdy...I can't think of anything else. You must post pictures when you've finished!


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## Pawsitively Nicole (Feb 12, 2011)

We made our own cat tree. I can put pictures up if you want, although it sounds like you've already got a design. I personally recommend getting the cheap carpet from a place likes Lowes. Sometimes they have nice pieces of carpet on clearance as well. When we put the carpet on the tree we used industrial staples. If I could do it again though I would use small nails. My kitties have been happily destroying their tree for a year now and the staples are starting to come out, so next time we will use something a little stronger. Don't forget you can also put sisal rope on a part of your tree. Kitties love it. Our tree is 6ft tall and 3ft wide. It cost $70 for all the materials and we made it from scratch.

I think it is exciting that you are making your tree! My cats loved the tree we made more then anything we ever purchased, it was like they knew it was made with love for them. Have fun!


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

I'll definitely have some pictures up when it's finished.

We used manila rope for half of one scratching post(dad thought 50ft would be enough for both, it wasn't even enough for one). Do you think it would be better to get manila rope when we got shopping today?

And we used some pieces of wood we had lying around in the shed and used those for two of the posts. And Cherry really loves to scratch the plain wood. I'm not sure if I should keep one unwrapped or not.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

If Cherry likes to scratch the plain wood, and the wood is not the type to splinter, then it would make sense to leave one unwrapped. If you do decide to wrap it, I'd use something other than manila...not that there's anything wrong with manila...but by using something else, you'll add a bit of variety.


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

The wood seemed like it would splinter, I actually think I got a few while wrapping the posts.

We went out and got some manila to finish the first post and then some sisal for the second. Cherry likes the sisal a lot better, so I think I'll use sisal and make more scratching posts on it(we have another 100ft roll left >.<).


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

Hey, in my experience, you can never have enough scratching posts. 

I've never made my own cat trees, but I've been toying around with the idea for a while now. Maybe someday! Good luck with creating yours! I'm sure Cherry will love it! And of course you'll have to post pictures.


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

It been fun so far. Cherry seems to enjoy it so far. She spent the night sleeping on it(probably because I had her favorite blanket on it). She also had quite I bit of fun chasing the roll of rope around while I tried to wind it around the post. 

And I like how with this cat tree I can customize it and if parts break, I'll know how to fix them since I made it.


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## Pawsitively Nicole (Feb 12, 2011)

I'm so happy that both you and Cherry are having so much fun building the tree together!


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## CoolCatCollars (Nov 7, 2009)

Reminds me of a great article in moderncat a few years back. I've dug it out so you can all see, the "Catsle" looks amazing and the cats are really cute playing in it!! lol

Custom Kitty Catsle|moderncat :: cat products, cat toys, cat furniture, and more…all with modern style


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

Well I made two more scratching posts, added a toy and carpeted the bottom. We still have to add the rest of the tiers and stuff but I keep thinking of more things to add. So far I've thought up a ramp hat can double as a horizontal scratching post. I want to incorporate tunnels some how since Cherry loves them. Any ideas of other things I can add?


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## katlover13 (Apr 15, 2008)

Sounds like a great project. My husband and I keep looking at cat trees in the stores and thinking that it wouldn't be that hard to make them so I hope one day we will try it. I hope you do post pictures when yours is done. With Cherry on it of coarse!


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

Despite how hard it looks to make them, it's actually pretty easy. Well if you don't have a cat who wants to play with the rug, rope and your hands. XD

I'll definitely post pictures. I have some so far but I need my laptop back to upload them. And Cherry's a camera hog so she is almost guaranteed to be in the picture.


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

Alright I finally have some pictures of it:

What's finished so far:
http://i52.tinypic.com/2yxeq0g.jpg

Cherry being a pain while I was carpeting it:
http://i51.tinypic.com/308um9x.jpg


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Looking good so far...and Cherry seems to be very helpful!


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## Coyote (Jan 16, 2011)

That's awesome! I keep thinking about trying something like that, but suspect the boys would drive me crazy while I was making it and then ignore the finished product. They're like that


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