Homemade Cat Tree

Indoor cats need exercise and toys to satisfy their natural curiosity. One of the best items to give to a cat is a cat tree--a contraption that contains holes, posts and platforms that the cat can use as a perch or hiding place. Instead of spending a lot of money purchasing a cat tree from a pet store, you can build one to meet your exact needs, simply and cheaply.

  1. Materials

    • Most cat trees are made of some sort of carpet; the carpet is soft and allows the cat to knead its claws safely (and on a surface other than your furniture). The carpet is tacked onto a sturdy surface like plywood. An entire cat tree could be constructed out of a single sheet of plywood and a carpet remnant for less than $30, compared with $60 or more for a comparable model purchased from a pet store.

    Design

    • The tree should be multi-functional. Cats like hiding places, so include an enclosed space with an opening for the cat to nap in. Include elevated, open platforms so the cat can look around the room. If there are multiple cats, stagger the platforms so they can play across the entire cat tree. Include dangling objects for the cat to paw at, (e.g., a stuffed toy with a bell suspended from the underside of an overhang by a heavy cord.)

    Safety

    • Make sure that the cat tree has enough structural stability that hyper cats jumping around won't send the unit crashing over. Make sure the holes in any enclosed areas are large enough so a cat will not get stuck. Avoid including objects or toys that the cat might eat or get caught up in, like looped cords that might turn into a noose.