Have you ever built your own cat tree or cat condo what materials would I need?

7 Comments

1. Miss Dallas says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   We have homemade cat trees at our house. The bases are plywood layers. The main posts are 4×4, the shelves are rigid cardboard pipes (because we didn’t have a way to cut PVC pipe which is what you really want) cut in half for the circular levels and dinner trays from Wal-Mart for the flat surfaces. The carpeting is various types but not looped so no claw is ever caught in the carpeting. The structure is held together with a combination of screws and nails. Then we attached the carpeting by a combination of nail gun and hot glue.

   It’s a headache, but you can get a much better quality cat tree for a fraction of the price by building it yourself. So far, our cat tress have lasted 4 years and counting. They cost us just under $100 each to make 7ft tall trees (carpeting was the biggest expense).

   Suggested Materials:
   large plywood square for base
   wood post 3×3 or 4×4 for center mast(s)
   smaller plywood (or other material) for landings
   PVC cut in middle for scoop feature and/or intact if you want a tube feature
   sisal rope
   non-looped carpet
2. Amanda says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   My dad always made our cat trees. He just bought wood from home depot and some carpet. He’d cut out the little shelves and he’d nail the shelves into a base and then he’d use a staple gun and staple the carpet on when its all put together.
3. zig says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR CAT LIKES` WOOD OR RUG THEN JUST GO TO A SITE AND PICK THE ONE YOU WILL BUILD AND JUST COPY IT THE BEAT WAY YOU CAN JUST REMEMBER NO NAILS OF ANY KIND STICKING OUT I USED BOTH RUG AND WOOD I HAVE A FEW CATS AND I MADE IT OUT OF 4 by 4s ONE SIDE RUG OTHER SIDE WOOD YOU MIGHT FIND SOME AT petplace.com THAY HAVE ALL KINDS OF HELP THERE FOR PETS OK LATER
4. Windi Lea says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   My boyfriend scavanged some plywood, 6" diameter pvc pipe and some 2×4s out of the dumpster at a construction site. He used screws to attach the 2×4 to the plywood, slipped the pvc pipe over that, and wrapped the pipe with sisal rope. The cats love climbing on this.

   I’ve made kitty condos out of cardboard moving boxes, gluing them together, and cutting holes between them, covering them in burlap to scratch on.

   Here is an article about someone who used parts from an old dresser:http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/pets/reader-tip-turn-salvaged-drawers-into-a-cat-tree-051174

   Try the search string "diy cat tree how-to" for a number of different sites with detailed instructions and plans.
5. Trader says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   All you need is wood carpet and staples
6. Ocimom says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   You might check online for instructions. My husband will be building one this year for our cats - about 7 feet tall and more boxes/ramps then the one we have.

   I do know you can probably use scrap woods and get some carpet pieces. Also check into just using sisle rope for the posts and just carpet the flat pieces.
7. tmksms says:

   November 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

   Yep.

   Scrap wood (something like some plywood and a fence post?)
   Screws & drill
   Carpet remnant
   Tool to cut the carpet
   Staple gun and staples (to attach the carpet)
   Some rope might be nice for adornment (can wrap around the post for good scratching or dangle some from a platform).

   Beware - mine turned out really heavy because I used real wood. I think the ones at the pet stores are made of some sort of fake wood that weight less.