DIY: Cardboard Catnip Castle For Your Wall

I think this happens every Fall.  The days start getting shorter and somehow my I’ve-Got-To-Make-Something! button gets pushed.  Here’s the first DIY post in a long time—how to make a cardboard cat “tower” that hangs on your wall.

This is a great idea, since it doesn’t take up floor space, doubles as a cat scratcher, doesn’t cost much to make, can be customized, and can double as art.  How cool is that?!  You can use cardboard you have or you you can buy sheets of it.  I would treat the “face” of the cardboard (the part that faces the room) so that it’s more aesthetically pleasing by painting it or by applying wallpaper, decorative paper, or fabric.  This tutorial shows how to make your cat a happy camper!

You’ll need:

  1. jigsaw
  2. glue gun
  3. Corrugated cardboard pads measuring 36″×48″ (The tutorial notes these are available in bundles of 50 from http://www.uline.com/.) Or you can use what you have on hand as long as you have enough to make your piece 35 sheets thick. You may have to adjust the shapes you make depending on what you have.
  4. hand saw or reciprocating saw
  5. 3/8″ and 9/32″ wood drill bits, 6″ or longer
  6. power drill
  7. (4)–3/8″ washers, 2″ diameter
  8. ratchet with 1/2″ socket
  9. (4)–8″×3/8″ lag bolts
  10. pencil
  11. carpenter’s glue
  12. paint brush
  13. wallpaper brush
  14. trim guide
  15. sharp utility/camping knife
  16. level
  17. 48″ ruler
  18. heavy objects to weigh down glued boards

Door Mounted Cat Tree

Too cool! The Climber, a door mounted cat tree from Cat Livin, is a terrific idea for people (and cats) with limited floor space.

The sisal covered shelves are staggered and look like they’re well placed for cats to climb up. (I’ve seen plenty of cat trees where the shelf placement makes it really hard for cats to actually use the tree.) The shelves aren’t terribly deep, in order to give the cat tree a slim profile, but they are 14 inches long, so there is a fair bit of room for your kitties to hang out. I don’t know how well it will work for a scratching post given the orientation of the shelves.

The Climber is spring mounted, so you won’t damage your door putting it up. There’s an extension kit for longer doors. And, your door stays full functional. Clever, clever! (via apartmenttherapy)