How to Make a Cat Pole

An excellent tool for a happy and fit indoor cat is a cat scratching pole (post), also sometimes called a cat tree. There are a variety of options for sale at pet stores which range from a single basic pole with no frills to multi-level playgrounds with different shaped tunnels and landings for your cat to explore. These structures provide your cat with an outlet for its natural scratching and climbing needs. With a little ingenuity you can save money and make your own cat pole.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood
  • Round wooden post or tree limb
  • Table saw or chain saw
  • Carpet
  • Sisal rope or twine
  • Deck screws
  • Drill
  • Screwdriver
  • Carpet Stapler or staple gun
  • Utility knife
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut a large square of plywood, or have someone at your local hardware or home improvement store do it for you. The length of one side of the square should be about two-thirds the length of your planned pole. If you want, you can also cut a second square for the top of the post about half the size of first.

    • 2

      Cut a round wood post to the desired height. Again, you can have someone at your local hardware or home improvement store do this for you.

    • 3

      Attach the smaller plywood square to the top of the post with 4 deck screws. To avoid splitting the wood, predrill the holes using a bit slightly narrower than your deck screws.

    • 4

      Cover the top square and the unattached bottom square, with carpet. Overlap the edges of the squares by about 2 inches on each side. Pull the carpet taut and staple it along the underside edges with a staple gun.

    • 5

      Cut a circle the diameter of the post out of the carpet on the bottom square with a utility knife.

    • 6

      Screw the square to the bottom of the post. Predrill the holes to avoid splitting the wood.

    • 7

      Wrap the post in sisal rope or twine. (If you are using an old tree branch you can skip this step.) Fasten the end of the sisal to the bottom of the post with the carpet stapler. Wrap the sisal rope tightly around the poll and secure it at the top using staples.