How to Build a Cat Tree With a Real Tree

Cats love to climb, and if you have an indoor cat, the last thing you want is for your frisky feline to be climbing up your bookshelves, on top of your furniture or crawling up your floor lamps and curio cabinet. When it's time to make your cat's own humble abode, consider a cat tree. To help the environment, make a cat tree from an actual tree branch or trunk.

Things You'll Need

  • Tree saw
  • Wood for base
  • Pencil
  • 4 3-inch long wood screws
  • Power drill
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a nice, sturdy branch from an outdoor tree, or consider a longer portion of a tree trunk with extending branches.

    • 2

      Remove all leaves from the tree branch.

    • 3

      Cut the bottom of the trunk with a tree saw so that it is flat and can be secured properly onto a flat piece of wood. Make sure that the tree branch is flat so that it is stable and can hold the weight of your cat properly.

    • 4

      Obtain some wood that is relatively thick and is wide to ensure it is a stable base for your cat tree. The taller your tree branch, the wider you will want your wooden baseboard to be.

    • 5

      Draw the outline of the tree trunk with a pencil when placed and centered on the wooden base.

    • 6

      Under the wooden base, mark an "X" in four places for your screw placements. Make sure that they are spaced far enough apart to provide security, but close enough that they don't screw through the edge of the tree bark and show through.

    • 7

      Holding the tree stump in place on the baseboard in line with the traced edges, use a power drill to drill in the wood screws.