Cheap Cat Tree?

Louis, given his leopard-cat genes, is a climber. He's always on top
of the fridge, the buffet, the piano.. and when I take him for walks
he spots a tree and CHARGES it. He'll actually get on a branch, then
swoop around to hang from it with just his front legs. Maybe he's part
gibbon..

Anyway, when I've shopped for serious cat-trees (5, 6 footers) they're
ridiculously expensive.

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb and peer
down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or mailorder are all
fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a tree-trunk, but my wife
wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I think.

Thanks

BLink

Anyway, when I've shopped for serious cat-trees (5, 6 footers)
they're
ridiculously expensive.

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb and
peer
down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or mailorder are all
fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a tree-trunk, but my wife
wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I think.

Thanks

BLink


Hi Brian.
Are you handy? Cat trees are pretty easy to make. I've got some plans
around here somewhere, but the same ones are on the internet, free. You
really don't need plans, anyway, just use your imagination. We build
the huge kind you're talking about for around $40 in materials. I agree
they're ridiculously expensive. If your wife doesn't mind home decor
that's a little bizarre, there's no limit to what you can do.

Sherry

SNIP

Anyway, when I've shopped for serious cat-trees (5, 6 footers) they're
ridiculously expensive.

Thanks

BLink

Don't know what you consider 'ridiculously' expensive... But, if your a
little handy, I'm sure you could build something for less than half the
price they sell for.... I was'nt that ambitious so I bought one.
www.armarkat.com was where I got mine. If nothing else, the advertising
pictures may give you some good design ideas. Another product I looked at
which would be DESPERATELY easy to DIY, was called 'catwalk'... Google them
for a website... Basically just carpet covered boards that you wall mount,
one next to the other & give your hoolikitten some exclusive walking routes
around the house.... Good Luck!

Let us know what you come up with.
--
Mathew
Butler to 2 kittens: Chablis & Muscat
En Vino Veritas

On Tue 19 Apr 2005 08:51:15p, Brian Link wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
):

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb
and peer down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or
mailorder are all fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a
tree-trunk, but my wife wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I
think.

Cover some cheap unfinished shelves from a craft store with carpet
and hang them on the walls. My cats love them. They look kinda
funky but I put them downstairs in the family room and they create
sort of a ladder up to a high window that they love to look out.

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 19:51:15 -0500, Brian Link wrote:

Anyway, when I've shopped for serious cat-trees (5, 6 footers) they're
ridiculously expensive.

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb and peer
down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or mailorder are all
fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a tree-trunk, but my wife
wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I think.

I have a $29.99 Walmart floor-to-ceiling cat tree which I've had for 3
years now. It's still in good shape and my 15# Skipjack races up and
down at full speed and scratches the living daylights out of it. I
anticipated having to replace it by now, but have no need to. I've
also thought about a more expensive one, but I don't see how he could
enjoy one more than he enjoys this bargain one, so I'm sticking with
it!


--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

"Janet B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 19:51:15 -0500, Brian Link wrote:

Anyway, when I've shopped for serious cat-trees (5, 6 footers) they're
ridiculously expensive.

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb and peer
down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or mailorder are all
fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a tree-trunk, but my wife
wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I think.

I have a $29.99 Walmart floor-to-ceiling cat tree which I've had for 3
years now. It's still in good shape and my 15# Skipjack races up and
down at full speed and scratches the living daylights out of it. I
anticipated having to replace it by now, but have no need to. I've
also thought about a more expensive one, but I don't see how he could
enjoy one more than he enjoys this bargain one, so I'm sticking with
it!


I have never seen one of these at Walmart. What a great price, too.
Is there a photo of it or one that looks like it somewhere?

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:42:16 -0400, Janet B
wrote:



I have a $29.99 Walmart floor-to-ceiling cat tree which I've had for 3
years now. It's still in good shape and my 15# Skipjack races up and
down at full speed and scratches the living daylights out of it. I
anticipated having to replace it by now, but have no need to. I've
also thought about a more expensive one, but I don't see how he could
enjoy one more than he enjoys this bargain one, so I'm sticking with
it!

Our main cat tree is over 25 years old. I remember having it when I
was very young. It has a hideous orange/red 70's carpet which I would
love to replace. But it is basically a floor to ceiling stick tree
with 3 simple removeable shelves. The rug is completely gone from the
lower portion of the tree, and one section had to be replaced. It is a
series of 2x4s, so my dad cut out the bad section and replaced it.

We also have some smaller more play-type cat trees. I bought one for
my nephew a couple years ago to encourage his cat to hang out in his
room. It was $170, and has two really nice shelves and both sisal and
carpet covered posts.

And Just 2 months ago, I was at a cat show and entered a drawing
(and won!) for a used cat tree that has a large "apartment" in the
bottom between two posts that have shelves on them. I loved the post
because the shelves are arranged at heights that my eldely cat can get
to. I have it at the foot of the bed, so he can go onto the top of the
apartment and step onto the bed and then step up the bed. He can also
get to the top level on his own. And the other cats all like it very
much too. I have no idea how much it was used. The bottom has a price
of $99 in marker, and the cat show raffled it off with a deck of cards
($2 per card). I have never wanted a raffle prize so badly, so I
bought 3 cards and waited very impatiently for 2 days. I was so
thrilled that I won it. And the cats just love it.

It's funny, I went to a cat show as a vendor, and I came home with a
cat tree and another cat


--
Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

I got one on ebay. It took a lot of patience to get a good price.

They also have kits, too.

I've also seen on some website a system of carpeted shelves on the wall
that cats can use like steps, and climb from one to another.

Rhonda

Brian Link wrote:

Louis, given his leopard-cat genes, is a climber. He's always on top
of the fridge, the buffet, the piano.. and when I take him for walks
he spots a tree and CHARGES it. He'll actually get on a branch, then
swoop around to hang from it with just his front legs. Maybe he's part
gibbon..

Anyway, when I've shopped for serious cat-trees (5, 6 footers) they're
ridiculously expensive.

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb and peer
down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or mailorder are all
fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a tree-trunk, but my wife
wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I think.

Thanks

BLink

Any thoughts on a nice solution that would allow him to climb
and peer down at us from a superior height? DIY, kits or
mailorder are all fine. I'd thought of just hauling in a
tree-trunk, but my wife wouldn't be too thrilled about that, I
think.

Cover some cheap unfinished shelves from a craft store with carpet
and hang them on the walls. My cats love them. They look kinda
funky but I put them downstairs in the family room and they create
sort of a ladder up to a high window that they love to look out.

--
Cheryl

I'd vote for Cheryl's idea instead of the tree trunk thing. It sounds
cool. Besides, I actually did haul in a tree trunk once, and it turned
out to be full of live termites.

Sherry

in article , Meghan Noecker at
wrote on 4/22/05 6:18AM:

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:42:16 -0400, Janet B
wrote:



I have a $29.99 Walmart floor-to-ceiling cat tree which I've had for 3
years now. It's still in good shape and my 15# Skipjack races up and
down at full speed and scratches the living daylights out of it. I
anticipated having to replace it by now, but have no need to. I've
also thought about a more expensive one, but I don't see how he could
enjoy one more than he enjoys this bargain one, so I'm sticking with
it!

Our main cat tree is over 25 years old. I remember having it when I
was very young. It has a hideous orange/red 70's carpet which I would
love to replace. But it is basically a floor to ceiling stick tree
with 3 simple removeable shelves. The rug is completely gone from the
lower portion of the tree, and one section had to be replaced. It is a
series of 2x4s, so my dad cut out the bad section and replaced it.

We also have some smaller more play-type cat trees. I bought one for
my nephew a couple years ago to encourage his cat to hang out in his
room. It was $170, and has two really nice shelves and both sisal and
carpet covered posts.

And Just 2 months ago, I was at a cat show and entered a drawing
(and won!) for a used cat tree that has a large "apartment" in the
bottom between two posts that have shelves on them. I loved the post
because the shelves are arranged at heights that my eldely cat can get
to. I have it at the foot of the bed, so he can go onto the top of the
apartment and step onto the bed and then step up the bed. He can also
get to the top level on his own. And the other cats all like it very
much too. I have no idea how much it was used. The bottom has a price
of $99 in marker, and the cat show raffled it off with a deck of cards
($2 per card). I have never wanted a raffle prize so badly, so I
bought 3 cards and waited very impatiently for 2 days. I was so
thrilled that I won it. And the cats just love it.

It's funny, I went to a cat show as a vendor, and I came home with a
cat tree and another cat


--
Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

That sounds interesting and different. Do you have a picture of it?