DIY: Cat Wall

Remember that nifty modular Catswall from last week?  I was thinking it reminded me of something I’d seen before—Ikea’s Mandal headboard.  It comes with 6 shelves you can move around as you like.  Or you could get 2 headboards for even more options.  Someone over on IkeaHackers used part of a bedframe they found and some Lack shelves to make their own version.  You could make your own piece like the headboard, but for $150, I’d just get the Ikea version.

I’recommend modifying the shelves by attaching sisal, sea grass, or carpet so your kitties have traction.  I’m thinking hot glue would be the best way to do this since it might be hard to get staples or tacks through the melamine on the shelves without cracking it.  I love this idea and just might put one up in our guest room.  Too cool!

We Like! Catswall Design

Though their products are still only available in Taiwan, I am seriously lemming for almost everything from Catswall Design.  Hurry up and come to more markets!! The people behind Catswall started the company after they adopted their first stray cat and then 12 more.  (via Margaret & Modern Cat)  Be sure to check out the post on how to make your own DIY version!

          

I LOVE the idea of the Modular Cat Climbing Wall where you can rearrange things and add or subtract elements.  I mentioned in the podcast on environment enrichment for cats how kitties seem fascinated when something familiar gets moved or rearranged.  Being able to change up this cat wall would keep it forever interesting.  Awesome!

   

The Cat Scratching Board is brilliant!  Cats can prefer different surfaces for scratching—fabric, cardboard, sisal, carpet, and wood.  The can also prefer different orientations—angled, upright, or horizontal.  The best way to keep them from scratching inappropriate things is to provide options they like.  Wood cat scratchers are much harder to find, so this is great.  It also looks wide & long enough to really make a cat happy and you can have it at an angle, flat, or upright.

           

The Catwheel looks like so much fun for the right cat.  You may have seen the video of the cat wheel someone made for their bengal kitties?  This one from Catswall is pretty nice looking!  I know a certain rotund cat of ours who could definitely benefit from a catwheel, if we could keep him from just lying down on it.