How to Make a High Dollar Cat Jungle Gym

The difference between a standard cat tree and a high dollar cat jungle gym is in the details. High-end cat play gyms usually have round pillars or natural tree limbs as supports. Since the cats usually only scratch on the pillars, the cat condos that sit on top of the stand should be covered in a nice soft fabric, like a thick fleece or synthetic fur.

Things You'll Need

  • Large wood staples
  • Fabric or carpeting
  • Drill
  • 4-inch long 5/8 screws
  • Hot glue gun
  • Cardboard tube, 20 inches in diameter
  • Jig saw
  • Staple gun
  • Sisal rope
  • Plywood for cat tree base
  • 4-inch thick straight tree branches (for use instead of 4-by-4-inch lumber and PVC)
  • 4-by-4-inch lumber (for use instead of tree branches)
  • 5-inch internal diameter PVC pipe (for use instead of tree branches)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw a design for the type of cat tree you would like to build, and determine the materials that you will need. The cardboard tubes that contractors use as cement pillar forms come in 48-inch lengths. One tube makes four 1-foot pieces. Cutting just one piece vertically into thirds for cat landings will still leave three tubes. For round support pillars on the cat tree, you will need just as many feet of 5-inch PVC pipe as you will 4-by-4-inch lumber.

    • 2

      Cut all wood, tubes and PVC pipe to length. Sand edges of PVC pipe to remove any burs.

    • 3

      Assemble the tree's base, cat tubes and, if necessary, insert all 4-by-4-inch lumber into matching PVC pipes. Attach cat tubes and base to the pillar pieces using at least 4-inch long 5/8 wood screws with flat, counter sink heads. Each connection point should get at least two screws to prevent any pieces from being able to spin and come loose over time.

    • 4

      Cover cat landings and tubes with desired fabric, fur or carpeting. Secure it with both hot glue and a staple gun.

    • 5

      If using natural wood branches for pillars, secure sisal rope by hammering large staples over the rope and directly into the wood every 8 to 10 inches.
      If using PVC pipe, secure the sisal rope to the base of the cat tree by hammering a staple around it. Get it as close as possible to the base of the PVC. Cover the PVC by wrapping the rope around the pipe as tightly as possible while also applying ample amounts of hot glue. When you get to the top of the PVC pipe, attach the end of the sisal rope to the bottom of the cat platform with another staple.
      This is the most time consuming part of the process.