How do I Build a Cat Tree?

A cat tree is both an attractive piece of furniture and a source of endless fun for your feline friends. However, many people refrain from buying them for their kitties because of the high cost. Fortunately, it is quite simple to build a cat tree of your own and offer your cats the same enjoyment they would derive from a store-bought tree, for only a fraction of the price.

To build a cat tree, you will need a sheet of particle board or plywood, a few carpet tubes, old or leftover carpet, jute rope, staples, nails and wood glue. Some useful tools include a circular saw, a hole saw, and a staple gun. Think of what you want your cat tree to look like. Will it have a box that the kitties can climb into or will it be made of a few perches? Set up a large piece of wood as the stand upon which you will build a cat tree. To ensure stability, make sure the stand is larger than the perches or boxes that you plan to assemble onto the tree. Cover it with carpet, which should be fixed into place using glue and a few staples on the bottom side. Nail a segment of carpet tube that you have cut using the circular saw onto the middle of the stand. Make sure there are no protruding nails anywhere when you build a cat tree.

Then, cover whatever you plan to have the cats nestle in or sit on with carpet, both inside and out. Try to do this using wood glue and only use staples if you must, and even then, only on hard to reach surfaces. Cats do not look where they scratch and may injure their claws if they become hooked on a staple. If you are preparing a perch, cut a hole through the middle that is the same width as the carpet tube. This way, the carpet tube can fit through and you can fix it in place when you wrap the central tube using jute rope. If you are preparing a box, make sure that it is solidly fixed onto the top of the carpet tube segment using nails. Again, make sure there are no nails that may hurt your kitties.

Once you’ve fixed the structure of your cat tree, begin wrapping the carpet tube with jute rope. This will be your kitties’ scratching post. Use glue on the carpet tubing as you wrap with jute rope. Hold the rope to fix it in place. This may take a little longer than if you fixed it into place with staples, but safety should always come first when you build a cat tree. You can staple the ends of the jute rope at the very base and the top of the carpet tube. Once the glue is set, test the cat tree gently to ensure stability. If everything seems to be solidly in place, then you can sprinkle some catnip onto the tree base and perches and watch your cats explore their very own cat tree with amazement!