How to Make Your Own Cat Sctrach Tower

If you keep cats in your home, there's a good chance you have experienced the frustration of having that cat tear up your furniture, carpets or draperies with its claws. Cats scratch items in your home as a way to keep their claws in shape and stretch their muscles. The quick fix to save your home from this problem is to provide your cat with a piece of furniture of its own on which to scratch and stretch. You can even build your own cat scratch tower to keep your cat's habit directed toward an appropriate object.

Things You'll Need

  • 4-foot folding step ladder
  • Tape measure
  • 2-by-4-inch wood stud, cut to length
  • Hammer and nails
  • 12-inch diameter cardboard concrete form, cut to length
  • Sisal rope
  • Glue
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Instructions

    • 1

      Unfold the step ladder and set it up as if you were about to climb it.

    • 2

      Measure the distance between the right-hand front leg of the ladder and the right-hand back leg of the ladder. Make a note of this distance. Repeat this procedure with the left-hand legs of the ladder.

    • 3

      Have the 2-by-4 wood stud cut into two pieces that equal the measurements you took.

    • 4

      Attach one piece of the wood stud to the right-hand front and back legs of the ladder. Place the stud alongside the legs and nail through the outside of the stud into the leg of the ladder. Repeat this procedure with a stud on the left-hand side of the ladder.

    • 5

      Lay the concrete form flat on the studs, between the legs of the ladder. This will create your play tunnel. Decide how long you want your tunnel to be. Remove the concrete form from the ladder and have it cut to the length you prefer.

    • 6

      Wrap the newly cut concrete from with sisal rope. Begin by gluing an end of the rope to one end of the form. Snugly wrap the rope around the form until the entire form is covered with sisal rope. Glue the other end to the form when you have finished wrapping.

    • 7

      Attach the tunnel to the ladder by nailing it to the wood studs. Lay the tunnel flat on the studs and nail it on from inside the tunnel.

    • 8

      Wrap the ladder with sisal rope to give your cat a good scratching surface. Wrap the legs, steps, paint tray, and wood studs with rope. Remember to glue down the end before your start and when you finish wrapping.

    • 9

      Test the structure for safety. Ensure all nails are completely nailed into the wood and no sharp or jagged edges can injure your cat. Check the studs to ensure they are secure and will not let the ladder close. Check that the tunnel is securely attached to the studs and that the rope is snugly wrapped. If the tower passes the safety check, your cat may begin to play.