Things You'll Need
- 4-foot folding stepladder
- 2- by 4-foot wood stud, cut to length
- Hammer and nails
- 12-inch diameter cardboard concrete form, cut to length
- Sisal rope
- Heavy-duty staples and staple gun
- Cat toys (furry mice, balls, feathers, etc.)
Instructions
Stand the stepladder up as if you were going to climb it.
Measure the length from the front legs of the ladder to the back legs (where they meet the floor) and make a note of this measurement. Cut two pieces of your 2- by 4-foot wood stud to this measurement.
Attach the right-hand bottom leg and the right-hand front leg of the ladder to a stud using a hammer and nails. Repeat on the left hand side with the other stud. (It should look like the ladder is skiing.) The studs make braces to keep the ladder open permanently.
Use the cardboard concrete form to make a tunnel for your cat to play in. Decide how long you want the tunnel to be and have the form cut to that length. Place the tunnel on the wood studs and nail it into place from inside the tunnel.
Wrap the ladder tightly with sisal rope to give your cats a good scratching and climbing surface. Cover the sides, steps, rails, platforms and the tunnel. Tack the end of the rope into place using a nail or a heavy-duty staple. Wind the rope tightly around the ladder; it is better to wrap tightly and have to buy more rope than to wrap too loosely and have to redo your work when the cats tear it loose.
Attach the furry mouse and other cat toys to the end of a short length of sisal rope using a heavy-duty staple. Attach the other end of the rope to the ladder's steps, side rails, even inside the tunnel, again using a nail or a heavy-duty staple. Place the toys anywhere on the ladder that you desire.
Test the structure for safety. Make sure the nails and staples are all the way in the wood so that they won't scratch or harm your cat. Be sure the braces are secure. Ensure that the rope is tightly wound around the surfaces. See that the toys are firmly attached to the structure. Once the cat tree meets your safety standards, it's ready for your cat to play with and enjoy.