How can I build a cat tree that is very cheap or free?

donny_tillx · 09-08-08, 01:04

I don't want to ship off for some book or something. I also don't want to buy a cat tree. I just want to make one that is very inexpensive or free. I know it is possible because people have done it before. I just want a very small, easy to build cat tree suitable for two cats. One of the cats is very lazy and just sleeps all day. He doesn't hunt.. He might but he never brings anything home. So I'm guessing he doesn't. He does in fact go outside though and get on the roof. My second cat is active and is hard to find sleeping. He hunts all the time and brings lizards and mice and birds home.. He is likely to be found running around the house. Since my two cats have totally different personalities (they are brothers as well).. I decided maybe about 4 platforms.. Maybe just 3 platforms. Then I will put a cat bed at the top.. I do not want to put carpet or rope. I will put toys probably.. They can just scratch the wood it is made from. I might put cardboard for them to scratch..
I definitely do not want to put carpet. I will just put old towels or maybe some of my clothes that I have worn at least twice.. Probably some old towels because I would need to wash those clothes or wear them again at some point. I have a shirt that smells like fish because we did fish printing on shirts. Maybe that would attract them.. Lol. I do not have any catnip either.. Maybe I can try treats.. Like rubbing the treats everywhere then putting them on the platforms. I'm not sure.. I've never built one before..
I have bunches of wood lying around. They already have toys. They have a bed already.. I already have tons and tons of nails.. It's all going to pretty much be free.. I already have a hammer. I have a drill and screws if needed.. I have everything needed. Except carpet and rope but I'm not putting that.

Cattitude · 09-08-08, 01:16

Where are you going to get the wood for free? And nails? And cat toys? for free?

OK, cool, you have the materials! I found this site on the web:
http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html
You could adapt that design, or just take a look at the cat tree sales sites and kind of eye-ball it the one that you like. just make sure you use a nice BIG & HEAVY peice of plywood for the base. Thats REALLY important. At least 2 x 3 feet and double the thickness. I wish my cat tree had come with a bigger base, mines only 18x18 inches. You can make it taller with a bigger base. Don't have any of your perches extend beyond the footprint of the base. Mine does & it destabilizes the tree. For your lazy cat, make sure the lowest perch is only about 1 or 2 feet from the floor or he might ignore the whole thing. I paid for my tree and now that I have it I see things that should be different. The sleeping places are the most popular part of the tree with my cats, so if you have 2 cats try to incorporate 2 beds. I'm sorry I don't have actual plans for you. I did a search on google and didnt come up with much. Hope this helps.

Here's another one:
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/7035/tree.html

renegade · 09-08-08, 01:28

I built one for my Ebony, with no plans and just scrap lumber I had here. It's not hard, but to try to describe how I did it is. First, I measured two 2x4's to the same length (approximately two feet long). Nailed them together. Took a piece of 1/2" plywood around 3'x3' and centered the constructed "4x4" and nailed it. Then I took another smaller piece of 1/2'" plywood (approximately 1'x2') and nailed that to the top of the "4x4". I wrapped sections of carpet and twine to the vertical pole and "upholstered' the horizontal platforms. I also added "braces" to hold the verttical platforms.Since it was all done with scraps and miscellaneous remnants around the house I couldn't tell you what the actual cost was. It was just laying around here being unused, so I would say the cost was free, exempting my time.

BTW...Ebony loves it.

09-08-08, 01:04	#1
donny_tillx Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6	How can I build a cat tree that is very cheap or free? I don't want to ship off for some book or something. I also don't want to buy a cat tree. I just want to make one that is very inexpensive or free. I know it is possible because people have done it before. I just want a very small, easy to build cat tree suitable for two cats. One of the cats is very lazy and just sleeps all day. He doesn't hunt.. He might but he never brings anything home. So I'm guessing he doesn't. He does in fact go outside though and get on the roof. My second cat is active and is hard to find sleeping. He hunts all the time and brings lizards and mice and birds home.. He is likely to be found running around the house. Since my two cats have totally different personalities (they are brothers as well).. I decided maybe about 4 platforms.. Maybe just 3 platforms. Then I will put a cat bed at the top.. I do not want to put carpet or rope. I will put toys probably.. They can just scratch the wood it is made from. I might put cardboard for them to scratch.. I definitely do not want to put carpet. I will just put old towels or maybe some of my clothes that I have worn at least twice.. Probably some old towels because I would need to wash those clothes or wear them again at some point. I have a shirt that smells like fish because we did fish printing on shirts. Maybe that would attract them.. Lol. I do not have any catnip either.. Maybe I can try treats.. Like rubbing the treats everywhere then putting them on the platforms. I'm not sure.. I've never built one before.. I have bunches of wood lying around. They already have toys. They have a bed already.. I already have tons and tons of nails.. It's all going to pretty much be free.. I already have a hammer. I have a drill and screws if needed.. I have everything needed. Except carpet and rope but I'm not putting that.

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09-08-08, 01:16	#2
Cattitude Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 59	Where are you going to get the wood for free? And nails? And cat toys? for free? OK, cool, you have the materials! I found this site on the web: http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html You could adapt that design, or just take a look at the cat tree sales sites and kind of eye-ball it the one that you like. just make sure you use a nice BIG & HEAVY peice of plywood for the base. Thats REALLY important. At least 2 x 3 feet and double the thickness. I wish my cat tree had come with a bigger base, mines only 18x18 inches. You can make it taller with a bigger base. Don't have any of your perches extend beyond the footprint of the base. Mine does & it destabilizes the tree. For your lazy cat, make sure the lowest perch is only about 1 or 2 feet from the floor or he might ignore the whole thing. I paid for my tree and now that I have it I see things that should be different. The sleeping places are the most popular part of the tree with my cats, so if you have 2 cats try to incorporate 2 beds. I'm sorry I don't have actual plans for you. I did a search on google and didnt come up with much. Hope this helps. Here's another one: http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/7035/tree.html

09-08-08, 01:28	#3
renegade Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 5	I built one for my Ebony, with no plans and just scrap lumber I had here. It's not hard, but to try to describe how I did it is. First, I measured two 2x4's to the same length (approximately two feet long). Nailed them together. Took a piece of 1/2" plywood around 3'x3' and centered the constructed "4x4" and nailed it. Then I took another smaller piece of 1/2'" plywood (approximately 1'x2') and nailed that to the top of the "4x4". I wrapped sections of carpet and twine to the vertical pole and "upholstered' the horizontal platforms. I also added "braces" to hold the verttical platforms.Since it was all done with scraps and miscellaneous remnants around the house I couldn't tell you what the actual cost was. It was just laying around here being unused, so I would say the cost was free, exempting my time. BTW...Ebony loves it.