BYO...Cat Tree

[AtomSmasher]

Ok, so it's not the most impressive thing to build, but my cat's were tearing up the furniture, so I decided to get them a cat tree.  After a little bit of checking around I found out cat trees are surprisingly expensive, so I decided to build one instead.

It's kind of hard to tell from the picture due to the angle, but the whole thing is about 4' tall, with a large section underneath (with portholes) for the cats to run through/play in.  I actually finished the bottom section on a previous weekend, and the cats have been loving that, and so far the top part has been finished for an hour and my cat hasn't left it since.  Considering the whole thing was built with leftover wood and screws, and some cheap carpet I bought, I'd consider the whole thing a success.

[SavannahLion]

I bought mine from WinCo for about $50. After looking into it further. I think I can potentially support my entire arcade hobby by building and selling the cat houses.

Tip: if you know someone at HD Lowes or some carpet place. Ask them when they plan on tossing their old samples. I used to give my cats the samples and they would tear into them. sample sizes are usually squares of about 2 or 3 feet. about the same size as a smallish entryway rug.

[crashwg]

I built a cat tree a couple years ago.  Here's what it looks like today.  It's a bit frayed and some of the carpeting is coming off...  I'll have to get the staple gun out.

[Dartful Dodger]

You know how I know you're gay...





Just kidding, I plan on getting a cat next spring.

I bought a 6x9 rug last week and it came rolled up around a thick cardboard tube, I'm holding onto the tube so I can use it to build a giant cat tree.

[Vanguard]

The only good cat tree comes with one of these:

[Bechor75]

Ok, so it's not the most impressive thing to build, but my cat's were tearing up the furniture, so I decided to get them a cat tree.  After a little bit of checking around I found out cat trees are surprisingly expensive, so I decided to build one instead.
...

Cat trees are really expensive. You can create one for your cat but you have to make it durable as your cat loves to climb. It is really annoying when our pets scratch and destroy our furniture.

[DaOld Man]

Outside trees make good cat trees.

[Ed_McCarron]

Declawing cats is even more effective.

Hey, if we cut off Jim's fingers at the first knuckle, maybe he'll type less!

[ChadTower]

Hey, if we cut off Jim's fingers at the first knuckle, maybe he'll type less!

Someone prevented him from reproducing...

Pet specialty items are way expensive.  Most of the people I know who have noncanine pets as their primary hobby spend stupid amounts of money on items that are easy to make or even just find on the ground.  I had a discussion recently with another person that keeps turtles.  She was telling me how much she spends on fake rocks at the pet store.  Fake rocks..  She was appalled when I told her I grab rocks off the ground for my tank.  The woman spends $15 each on what is probably the easiest thing a person could possibly find for free because someone in a pet store once told her rocks carry parasites.

[DillonFoulds]

Boil the rocks for half an hour then?

About declawing cats... a lot of vets are now refusing to do declawings in my area, due to animal rights activists lobbying vets. The closet one that does, is about 45 minutes or so away. Not saying it can't be done, but it's getting increasingly difficult.

Albertans must get bored, because there's always people with time to donate to whatever cause they feel like...

[ChadTower]

My point is that there's no reason for a rock to have a parasite.  It's a freakin rock.  Wash it off and throw it in the tank.  The woman simply refused to actually think through what the pet store person told her to buy.  A lot of pet hobbyists are like that.

[Mikezilla]

Boil the rocks for half an hour then?

About declawing cats... a lot of vets are now refusing to do declawings in my area, due to animal rights activists lobbying vets. The closet one that does, is about 45 minutes or so away. Not saying it can't be done, but it's getting increasingly difficult.

Albertans must get bored, because there's always people with time to donate to whatever cause they feel like...

Jesus god are you seroius? One of my ex'es freaked out at the thought of getting her cat declawed. Its an indoor freaking cat, what the hell does it need its claws for? My sister had a cat my mom declawed when we were growing up, great idea. We never got scratched, the furniture never got tore up, and the cat knew it didnt have em, so it stayed inside and never tried to "escape". If youre going to have a cat anyway. I hate em. Im a dog person.

My point is that there's no reason for a rock to have a parasite.  It's a freakin rock.  Wash it off and throw it in the tank.  The woman simply refused to actually think through what the pet store person told her to buy.  A lot of pet hobbyists are like that.

Yeah psychos are weird like that.  You do know the turtle lived outside before you bought it right? Besides, how nasty of a parasite could be living on a rock anyway? Hell, I didnt even wash em off when I took em outta my backyard when I had turtles 

[ChadTower]

Besides, how nasty of a parasite could be living on a rock anyway?

Exactly.  You want parasites?  Take my wallet.

[Ed_McCarron]

I'm not a cat person (despite owning 3), but after researching, it does seem to be unnecessary to declaw a cat.  Ours really only scratch the dog, and she deserves it most of the time.

They don't actually just take the cat's claws off -- they'd only grow back -- so to prevent this they literally remove the tip of each 'finger' on the cat's paws.  Picture chopping all your fingertips off just below the nail.

Sure, they adjust, but it seems a bit drastic to me.  Plus, it ain't cheap.

[Mikezilla]

I know, they take out the whole sheath. I would still be able to survive, and if I didnt need em, hell, I wouldnt miss em. They use anesthesia(sp) so its not THAT bad. Its kinda funny when the cat tries to use the claws after they have been taken out. I mean it sucks, of course, to actually HAVE retractable claws then having them taken away, but hey. If the cat had to survive in the wild, it would NEED them. A house cat doesnt.

Trying to cut them is even worse cause the cat freaks out then you get scratched. I got so cut up one time cause I tried washing a cat, it was a freakin nightmare. Its only the front claws too, they keep the back ones.

Its 50 bucks at the vet down the street from where I live.

[ChadTower]

I would still be able to survive, and if I didnt need em, hell, I wouldnt miss em.

Don't tell your wife that or you might end up with no balls.

[Vigo]

I'm not a cat person, mostly because other people's cats have ruined it for me. I have had roommates with cats, and I can say the cats I enjoyed the most were the declawed ones. Funny, I just seemed to like a cat better when he wasn't shredding up my leather chair or taking a swatch of flesh from my ankle. 

And then there is my friend that tried to toilet train his cat. The cat couldn't aim and the area around the toilet was riddled with cat crap and piss. If I want a toilet caked in ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, I can just walk on down to the gas station. 

[Mikezilla]

I would still be able to survive, and if I didnt need em, hell, I wouldnt miss em.

Don't tell your wife that or you might end up with no balls.

Yeah, she would keep em all to herself. She is so selfish!

GF that is. Wife, meh. Not yet. Still waiting on Gina Carano to call me. Anyone that knows who that is gets bonus points.  

[Mikezilla]

I'm not a cat person, mostly because other people's cats have ruined it for me. I have had roommates with cats, and I can say the cats I enjoyed the most were the declawed ones. Funny, I just seemed to like a cat better when he wasn't shredding up my leather chair or taking a swatch of flesh from my ankle. 

+10

[ChadTower]

What is wrong with the people who are getting scratched by cats all the time?  I had a cat for 14 years and she didn't scratch me once. 

Cats that get to go outside and act like cats don't walk around attacking the people that live in their home.

[Mikezilla]

What is wrong with the people who are getting scratched by cats all the time?  I had a cat for 14 years and she didn't scratch me once. 

Cats that get to go outside and act like cats don't walk around attacking the people that live in their home.

My sisters cat is a dick. Cats that get to go outside and act like cats get eaten by coyotes where I live. Or get their ass kicked by raccoons.

[ChadTower]

My sisters cat is a dick. Cats that get to go outside and act like cats get eaten by coyotes where I live. Or get their ass kicked by raccoons.

Seems to me that if an animal can't safely live in an area with larger predators then it shouldn't be there.  Do people keep deer in the house because they don't play well with cars?

[Mikezilla]

My sisters cat is a dick. Cats that get to go outside and act like cats get eaten by coyotes where I live. Or get their ass kicked by raccoons.

Seems to me that if an animal can't safely live in an area with larger predators then it shouldn't be there.  Do people keep deer in the house because they don't play well with cars?

I was unaware that we domesticated deer and kept them as pets. No wonder I never see "DEER CHOW" when I go to petco and get my dog food. 

[ChadTower]

I was unaware that we domesticated deer and kept them as pets. No wonder I never see "DEER CHOW" when I go to petco and get my dog food. 

That's my point.  We don't lock them in the garage and prevent them from regrowing antlers to make it more convenient.  That's an unreasonable way for a deer to live.  Just like it's unreasonable to keep a hunting animal indoors 24/7 and amputate body parts that it uses to express its instincts.  Cats are hunters and become ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- when people force them to sit around bored all day.

[Vigo]

I was unaware that we domesticated deer and kept them as pets. No wonder I never see "DEER CHOW" when I go to petco and get my dog food. 

That's my point.  We don't lock them in the garage and prevent them from regrowing antlers to make it more convenient.  That's an unreasonable way for a deer to live.  Just like it's unreasonable to keep a hunting animal indoors 24/7 and amputate body parts that it uses to express its instincts.  Cats are hunters and become ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- when people force them to sit around bored all day.

I'm pretty sure we don't keep deer as house pets simply because they would be pretty crappy pets.

I have seen rescued bald eagles with their wings clipped, they don't turn into ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- sitting around all day, but if they were left back into the wild, they wouldn't have a chance. Thats the same reason why you can't always let a cat outdoors. And some cats are ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- because cats have attitude. Dogs are hunting animals, and most indoor dogs are completely happy-go-lucky in attitude. They don't just start biting people because they are bored.

[ChadTower]

Dogs are hunting animals, and most indoor dogs are completely happy-go-lucky in attitude. They don't just start biting people because they are bored.

A pack hunter is different from a lone hunter.  Small cats are lone hunters and they don't do well when not allowed to express instincts.  Pack hunters often don't mind because they are happy to be submissive to the master of the house.

I look at it this way.  If we took one of us and locked us in an apartment 24/7 with no chance of getting out, little to no entertainment, no sex, the same stupid boring meal every day, cut off our thumbs, and no prospect of ever improving the situation... that person would be a total dick and hate the people who held the keys.  Shouldn't be surprising that indoor cats are unfriendly more often than not.

[Ed_McCarron]

Cats are hunters and become ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- when people force them to sit around bored all day.

Dunno, mine seem to like the life of luxury.  They spend 23 hours a day sleeping, a half hour eating, and a half hour pooping.

They do keep the mice on their toes.  That may be why they're happy.  They still get to hunt.

[ChadTower]

Dunno, mine seem to like the life of luxury.  They spend 23 hours a day sleeping, a half hour eating, and a half hour pooping.

They do keep the mice on their toes.  That may be why they're happy.  They still get to hunt.

There is, of course, varying levels of laziness among them.  They aren't all clones of the same cat.   

[Ed_McCarron]

I look at it this way.  If we took one of us and locked us in an apartment 24/7 with no chance of getting out, little to no entertainment, no sex, the same stupid boring meal every day, cut off our thumbs, and no prospect of ever improving the situation... that person would be a total dick and hate the people who held the keys.  Shouldn't be surprising that indoor cats are unfriendly more often than not.

Ooh, experiment.  I volunteer Drew.

[Mikezilla]

Rock on Vigo. Seriously, my sisters cat sleeps 15 hours a day, eats, shits, and messes around at night. She saw a mice once and was scared of it. She is a lame cat that doesnt like affection, but is a little ---smurfette--- most of the time.

[ChadTower]

Rock on Vigo. Seriously, my sisters cat sleeps 15 hours a day, eats, shits, and messes around at night. She saw a mice once and was scared of it. She is a lame cat that doesnt like affection, but is a little ---smurfette--- most of the time.

So are you saying that's a well adjusted and happy animal?   Sounds more like a broken one to me.

[Vigo]

Rock on Vigo. Seriously, my sisters cat sleeps 15 hours a day, eats, shits, and messes around at night. She saw a mice once and was scared of it. She is a lame cat that doesnt like affection, but is a little ---smurfette--- most of the time.

So are you saying that's a well adjusted and happy animal?   Sounds more like a broken one to me.

Sounds like a normal cat to me. Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, therefore have not needed to hunt to survive for hundreds and hundreds of generations. Granted, yes, any animal can go feral, but that doesn't mean they are unhappy being domesticated.

If you want to compare back to humans, then we should all be running around the forest hunting boar and foraging for nuts and berries, just to be well adjusted and happy. You don't see too many people saying "Sorry if I'm a dick, it's just that I haven't feasted on the carcasses of my prey since last November."

My point is that most mammals can adapt pretty easily to many different environments and living needs, and doesn't need to live in the wild to be balanced and happy. You cat goes outside and plays the hunter, other cats play with a piece of string or tinfoil. Both cats are happy.

[Mikezilla]

Rock on Vigo. Seriously, my sisters cat sleeps 15 hours a day, eats, shits, and messes around at night. She saw a mice once and was scared of it. She is a lame cat that doesnt like affection, but is a little ---smurfette--- most of the time.

So are you saying that's a well adjusted and happy animal?   Sounds more like a broken one to me.

Sounds like a normal cat to me. Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, therefore have not needed to hunt to survive for hundreds and hundreds of generations. Granted, yes, any animal can go feral, but that doesn't mean they are unhappy being domesticated.

If you want to compare back to humans, then we should all be running around the forest hunting boar and foraging for nuts and berries, just to be well adjusted and happy. You don't see too many people saying "Sorry if I'm a dick, it's just that I haven't feasted on the carcasses of my prey since last November."

My point is that most mammals can adapt pretty easily to many different environments and living needs, and doesn't need to live in the wild to be balanced and happy. You cat goes outside and plays the hunter, other cats play with a piece of string or tinfoil. Both cats are happy.

I couldnt have said it better myself. Thanks Vigo! 

[SavannahLion]

I actually got harassed by my vet for NOT declawing my FAT cat. Apparently its considered cruelty if a cat has claws and you don't let them out. 

[Mikezilla]

Haha what a fatty. 

[lcddream]

I'm in the process of building this one

http://www.puffandpooh.com/cat_tips/cat_tree/

[ChadTower]

If you want to compare back to humans, then we should all be running around the forest hunting boar and foraging for nuts and berries, just to be well adjusted and happy.

Do you have the option to hunt boars and forage for nuts and berries if you feel compelled to do so?

Does the cat?

That makes all the difference.

[leapinlew]

Sorry that your Cat tree thread got ruined BobA. For what it's worth, it's one of the first things I've ever built too. The most difficult part (in my naive building years) was getting the carpet to cover the bottom and remain steady.