How To Build a Floor to Ceiling Non-Permanent Cat Scratching Tower/Post
Cats like to climb stuff, so we're going to build a floor-to-ceiling cat scratching post. It's non-permanent, so you can still have cool things for your cats even if you rent. We'll use simple tools, supplies, and instructions that anybody can follow!
Cat Tower Version 2 - NEW and UPDATED - • Cat Tower 2 Upgraded &...
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
0:52 - Tools Needed
1:42 - Supplies Needed
3:09 - Step 1 -- Measure and Cut Shelves
4:19 - Step 2 -- Upholster Shelves
6:23 - Step 3 -- Top and Bottom End Caps
8:01 - Step 4 -- Measure and Cut Pole
8:33 - Step 5 -- Install Caps, Shelves & Wrap Sisal Rope on Pole
12:02 - Bonus Step -- Cat Rope Toy
12:54 - Final Result and Conclusion
Supplies Needed:
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Cardboard Tube
Find this at your location home supply or carpet store. Need to ask for one they are throwing away.
3/8-Inch by 100-Feet Twisted Sisal Rope
amzn.to/3lVTNsS
Hyever Heavy Duty Leveling Screw Leg 4" Adjustable Feet Leveler Foot
Pack of 2
amzn.to/3UeVLl7
Gorilla Wood Glue, 4-ounce Bottle (2pack)
amzn.to/3KnfGL1
Plywood OSB Board 1/2" -- 3/4"
Enough for 2-3 shelves
6 x 8 Assorted Hobnail Indoor/Outdoor Solid Area Rug
www.lowes.com/pd/EcoRug-Selec...
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Official Merch Store: bit.ly/2EyqO8U
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Watch Cat Tower 2.0 new and improved and now with more cats! Watch it here: kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html
Builds for the cat are a great way to get comfortable with your tools… Mister Kitty doesn’t care about perfect angles, he just wants something to play on….
Lol, you are totally right! When I started building projects like this one I had to borrow a jigsaw and now over a year later I have tools to do more advanced non-kitty projects. I still have more cat projects in the plans. Next one is a larger desk because all the cat traffic running to the new catio ( kzhead.info/sun/lqyantCpenOoZ2g/bejne.html ) is chaos! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@DIYXplorer great video. Can you tell me what type of carpet you used? And, I bought a heavy duty stapler. I plan on building this for my Maine Coon. Thanks
@@LordStanley94 I recommend, from experience, to attach the shelf to the wall with an angle, otherwise it will wobble over time and the whole thing will collapse. Experience has taught me. Especially with the Main coon. And when they get midnight five-minute races you'll see that it's useful :D
Miss Kitty agrees
"Of some type." I'm already a fan. Made me laugh. Keep up the great work.
lol, thanks. My girlfriend was behind the camera giggling the whole time, I was on a roll and just kept going. Glad you liked! More fun how-to videos coming! 😀
😅
A drill bit, "of some type" preferably for drilling 😅 Good work, good execution you had me intrigued and very entertained
Beautiful work!
Will be making this the coming weekend. Thank you 😊
Wow, excellent presentation of easy to follow steps along with the needed materials or some type.
love how quick and easy a tutorial this is!! i usually watch longer form content for builds like these but this breaks it down into very easy step-by-step for anyone who is a newbie or unsure on building/blueprinting their own design :) great video!
You do very nice work. Your videos are thought out very precisely and are very instructive.🥰
This has to be one of the most well ut together tutorials I've seen in a while, keep it up!
Thank you! I tried to break it down and keep the video moving. I hope the video inspired you to create your own cat tower! Thank you for watching and the complement!
This was incredibly helpful! I love the format and the editing style - I feel like there were exactly the right amounts of detail and tips. Thank you!
Thanks Kathy! My goal is a walk through step by step and try to show it's not daunting task to make these projects. I'm having fun and learning along the way. If you liked the cat pole project have you seen the Catio video? It's one of my favorites! kzhead.info/sun/lqyantCpenOoZ2g/bejne.html
Nice build! I love the editing and format! I'm sure my cats would love this!
Thank you! I try to show what you just need. My videos are kind of a response to others showing the project in real time. 10 min of what you need to see and the video is 30 min long. 😂 Editing is a pain but I hope worth it. Thanks for watching!
Thanks you so much for this video! I had planned most out by myself but was stuck fugurinfout how to-do end caps and attach pole.
Awesome! Thoughtful and thought through! Going out for materials to make this week for my two fur-balls! They will live climbing this!! Great 👍 Job !!! I’m truly impressed! Thanks 🙏
It's a great afternoon project and fun one as well. Our kitties including 19lbs Rosco uses it every single day. I'm currently working on Cat Tower 2.0 improving on the original design. That video should be out next month. Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
Wow! This is so amazing! Thank you so much for the detailed instructions! I’m so glad I found your channel....Just subscribed.
Thank you for such a nice complement! I hope the video makes it easy for you and others to build their very own kitty cat tower! I've got plenty of projects coming. It's hard to decide which to do first either a catio between two windows outside or turn an old Colman cooler into a backyard serving cart. Thanks for watching and subscribing!
You did a really nice job on explaining and showing the process. The final results are great. Good job! Thanks so much.
Thank you so much! I had fun building it. Check out Cat Tower 2.0 here: kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.htmlsi=y3KNXW0gDpY-Y0d- New and improved! 😺 Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Thanks a lot❣
Love this, thanks! You are so thoughtful with your design and thorough with your explanations. You would be a great teacher!
Such a kind comment thank you! I had fun making it and sharing the project with everybody! I've got more videos coming. My next one is a 12ft long catio on the side of our house!
@@DIYXplorer My cats would love one! I will certainly watch for that video. 😀
The catio build is posted. Here is the link: kzhead.info/sun/lqyantCpenOoZ2g/bejne.html Hope you enjoy it!
This is great. I'd like to try it. Thanks
This is GREAT! Super informative & I love that you give all the supplies needed for anyone that doesn’t know what the correct name of some of these things are called!! Thank you!!
My videos were kind of a direct response to others who just hold the camera and show things in real time. I got no time for that! 😂 I try to make it so anybody could make what I did. I'm about to post cat tower version 2 video in the next few days. Going forward, I'm going to post 2 videos, the first being just a build and the second will the how-to videos. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Nice job!! Really appreciate your well thought out and detailed instructions. Very helpful! Thanks!
Thanks for the compliment! I try not to waste peoples time with extra footage and give as clear instructions as possible. Thanks for leaving a comment and watching!
The best tutorial on the subject!
Thank you! It was a fun project and love to hear that the video is being well received!
@@DIYXplorer it is! Thank you! 🤩
Thanks, this was really informative and no nonsense!
That's my aim when making the videos is to show you just what you need. It was kind of why I started the channel, too many videos that just rolled the camera in real-time. I don't have time for that! 😂 Thanks again for watching and commenting!
Nice job! Looking to build something for my daughter’s cats. Thank you’
You’re welcome. I had fun building it. Let me know how it turns out. Post a pic (link), I’d love to see it.
The best cat video I have seen. You are meticulous with your easy to follow instructions. I’m going to try this out. Never done a diy project before. Don’t know if I even have the tools but I will make this!!!
Hi Noreen! I was just getting started building things when I did this project and didn't have tools either. I was borrowing my friend's jigsaw until a bought my own. Plan your build and take your time I'm sure you'll do great! Over the past weekend, I started cat tower version 2 which I'm pretty excited about. Thanks for the kind words, my goal is to walk a person through the build as easily as possible. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Great job
I enjoyed it so much. Really inspiring. Thank You!!!
Thank you! I enjoyed building it and the cats love it!
A perfect job 👌🏼👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼
More like a pruuuurfect job? Maybe? 😹 Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
Thanks for this! My kitty has been jumping onto everything he can find. With spring here I think this will be my next diy 😸😸
That was the case for Rosco, the kitty you see in the video thumbnail, and that's why we built the pole. Now he's a 20 lbs monster that still climbs the cat tower. I'm working on the cat tower 2.0 video that will improve on the original. Coming soon! Thanks for watching and commenting!
You make it look so easy. It's a beautiful build good job.
It's a fairly good starter project if you are looking to get started build things. With some basic tools it is pretty easy. Just have to try. 😀 Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for watching and commenting! Over a year later are kitties still love the pole and use it everyday! I'll post an image in the community area of the channel. I just need to pick one of the 1000 cat pictures to share. lol
Great idea. This is just what I was looking for!!! Thanks
Glad you like it, I had fun making it. I'll tell you my cats love their tower! Share a link if you make it I'd love to see your version!
A very good idea. I get free cardboard tubing from work in different sizes this itself gives me ideas to go forward. Well done!
The paper tubes make it easy for the sisal rope to stay affixed. I have some more tubes and ideas for some more projects. Stay tuned, aka subscribe if you haven't, lol. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! 😃
genius! thank you
If you have made the cat tower please post a link to a photo I'd love to see it!
Very cool and nice work - thanks for sharing!
Hey Brian, thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I makes me happy to know people enjoy my project videos. Also thanks for leaving a comment!
Made it! Cats approve! Thanks for the great tutorial!
That is awesome! Glad your cats approve! 😻 😻 I would love to share your build in the future video if you don't mind. Feel free to email me a picture or video; my email is in the about section of the channel. Thanks for watching, commenting, AND building the project!
@@DIYXplorer sent you some pics
Incredible! Lucky cats!
Incredibly spoiled cats! 😂 I love my kitties.
You’re so cool haha I like your energy
Wow! 👏
Thanks Keira! Version 2 is even better! Check it out here! - kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html
Love it
Thats really nice!
Thank you! It's the second one I've created and I can tell you the cat's love it! It's super easy to build with some basic tools. 😊
I am floored! This is so amazing!!
Thanks so much, I had fun building it! The kitties love it! I'm working on a 2.0 design and accompanying video. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Learnt many other DIY tips as well !
Thanks so much! I just try to show people the steps on how to much fun stuff like this. If you learned more than how to build a cat tower even better! Thanks watching and leaving a comment!
Double like, what a man. My boy will love his. ❤️
Thank you! It was a fun project and fairly simple to do. If you build it post a link I'd love to see what you have done! 😃
Do more cat furniture.... Of some type
lol, I have two projects in the works. The first one is a 12 ft long screened-in catio (filmed already I just need to edit it) and the second is a wall-mounted feeder that keeps the dog out of the food. 😃
Amazing!!!
Thanks, Luli! It was fun to build! Make sure you check out cat tower 2.0. It's even better! kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! 😺
Congrats bro! Very smart. Thank you!
I had fun doing it. I'm still in the process of cat tower 2.0 video editing. Lot's of improvements and fun. Thanks
Good job 👍🤜🤛🌹❤️
Realmente estupendo, ocupa poco espacio y seguramente muy entretenido para los gatos!
¡Gracias! A los gatos les encanta y lo mejor es que puedo llevármelo cuando me mudo. ¡Asegúrate de revisar la versión 2, que es aún mejor! - kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html ¡Gracias por mirar y dejar un comentario! Thank you! The cats love it, and the best part is I can take it with me when I move. Make sure to check out version 2, which is even better! - kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
What a terrific cat tower. Hope mine comes out as great.
The cats love it and use it every day! Take your time and I'm sure it will turn out great! Make sure it's secure and tight. Big kitties will give it a workout! When you get it done come on back and post a link to a photo I'd love to see it! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! 😺
Awesome!!
Thanks for watching! I had fun building and the cats love it even over a year later!
Great video
Thanks Dolly! I'm glad you liked the video and took the time to leave a comment!
You are hilarious of “SOME TYPE” 🤣🤪🤪🤣
Really great ideas! I use cardboard tubes from work that are only 3 feet long so the carpet tubes is bloody brilliant! Thanks buddy.
Hi Scott! And it's environmental as well! I just found they sell premade segments with sisal rope where all you have to do is build the shelves. amzn.to/46k21wU I'm going to investigate that for the next one or something different. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
@@DIYXplorer Woah there bud! Now THATS a tip! Thanks man. I'll look for it. We have 4 cats and I'm a bit of a builder. Looks like a fun easy project. Good stuff bud! Thank you.
I actually acquired some of those cardboard tubes, for this very purpose, and just have not got round to making it. Thanks for the great idea, to make it non permanent. This is ideal for me.
Hi Jack! When I started making these projects I had to borrow a jigsaw from a friend and make it up as I go. Just take your time, practice on scrap wood making your cuts and measurements. It all takes practice. You'll get there. I finished cat tower 2.0 with new improvements and trying get the video edited and up. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Great. Thanks. I've subbed
Awesome, thank you!
Awesome
Thanks for watching and the comment! I'm glad you liked the project!
Nice
very good video and good design.
Thanks for the compliment! I try to make videos that don't waste your time. I have fun doing it! I'm working on cat tower 2.0, new and improved. Here is a sneak peek: kzhead.info/sun/g7eSZLB8rmprqYk/bejne.html Thanks again for watching and leaving a comment.
beautiful
The kitties love it! Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
Love it. 👍👍👍
Thanks Jenn! Make sure to check out version 2.0 new and improved! I'm really proud of this one. kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html
Great video. Love the cat facts
Thanks! I thought of adding the facts during video parts that are a little boring but I didn't want to cut out. Thanks for watching! :-)
100% D.I.Y unlike some other channels. Anyone that does a little D.I.Y will have these tools. Brilliant, wait until you see what I build my new buddy ! Going to be good fun making it too. Thank you and sending love from England to all 🥰🤗
When I started the only tools I had were borrowed. A jigsaw, drill were my roommates at the time. I will say as you progress with projects you will acquire more tools. My latest and most complex project I bought a planer. That's not common every day person DIY but I needed a new desk. I'm building a butcher block L-shaped desk from scrap wood. (3 months work) Editing that now. I will though continue to share projects that everybody can do with what they have. Nice to meet you and I'm looking forward to your future projects! Greeting from Music City USA aka Nashville, TN! 👋😺
@@DIYXplorer When I was a lad, my father would let me borrow his tools. One rule only ! PUT THEM BACK WHERE YOU GOT THEM FROM. I miss him and I wish he could see what I have do with my new home (being me a fat old man now). He would be proud. He would love your channel too 🥰
My dad and brothers were/are carpenters and they said the exact same thing to me! No matter where you live it seems to be the same response. 😂 Thanks for such a kind comment that makes me very happy. My father is gone but I'm sure he'd be happy with me following in his footsteps. My brother has seen my latest project and is very impressed. You can see pictures in the community section of the channel. kzhead.infocommunity
Well done. 😊🐈⬛🐱 Cats don't mind if its perfect or not. They love it anyway. ❤
Exactly! The more perfect you try to make it the less they would use it anyway because cats. 😹 Thanks for watching and commenting!
More work than I thought.... But with your tutorial I feel like I can make a decent attempt! I have no carpentry experience (but my fiance has the tools 👀) but wanted another cat tower for my boys 🥰 Thank you for making this so easy to follow!
It's always more work or time than we all think, but that's okay. When it's done, it's a labor of love that every time your kitties use it, you'll think, "I made that!" Check out Cat Tower 2.0; it's even more fabulous! kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.htmlsi=gtjvsNS2YP9HEUvU Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Keep on building!
Just wanted to say hey there. I just found your channel and I love your videos. I just got a 19lb cat 🐈a few months ago and. I wanna try and make one of these I think I can. I have all the supplies you said I would need. Wish me luck 🙏😅. 🙏thanks again for the videos. God bless take care 🙂🙏
Hi Susan! Thanks for watching; it's been so hot here in TN lately, and my only working space is outside, so I haven't completed many projects worth sharing. I have cat tower 2.0 coming out with an updated design based on comments and heavier cats. Lol. Two tips for you, first I switched to a broader base and top, which is about 10-12" in diameter making it more stable. It's kind of hard to explain in text how I did it. For the second tip, I also inserted a cut-down 2x6 board down the middle of the cardboard tube and screwed it to the wood. While the original design worked great and never broke, I wanted to improve on it and strengthen it. I'll post a preview of cat tower 2.0 in the community section of the channel here. kzhead.infocommunity Thanks again for watching! Hope my comment helps!
I fell in love with this idea and now have a whole pile of carpet tubes ready! Do you have a life hack/protip for getting the plastic pieces out of the ends of those tubes? They are an absolute bear 🥲 Thank you for this amazing DIY and for your advice!
Hmmm, I got my carpet tubes from my local home improvement store where they were hanging on metal bars so no plastic end caps. Depending on how tall they need to be you could just cut them down cutting off the caps. The key thing is to make sure you're not cutting the ends at an angle. I'd measure from the end down marking all the way around so it's level. I hope that helps! Post some links to photos I'd love to see what you have created! 😻
Use a saw and cut them off. But do you really need to remove them? The ends are already plugged up for you. Just cover them up.
Duh... cut the ends off! Right up next to the cap if you need to. The screw adjusters you add to both ends will compensate for any loss of tube height.
I love this… I’ll consider making one. What I’d really like is to make a cat tree from real tree branches. I’ve collected a few but I just can’t figure out the angle to cut the branches where and how to secure them to the base. I suppose that would be just trial and error till I get it right 😀. Thanks for the great video !
Thank you! I've seen other cat towers using natural wood branches and think it's pretty cool. You're right about the trial and error. If you build it post a link to a photo I'd love to see how your project turned out!
Check out "Juns Kitchen". "I MADE A TREE FOR MY CATS OUT OF DRIFTWOOD"
@@catslove3884 can u put a link?
If the branches are on angles, and won’t be straight up and down, make sure that the centre of gravity is… well… centred lol Make sure that there’s even weight distribution on all sides. Now to attach branches to the base? You’ll want sturdy bolts for the underside of the base and you’ll want some threaded wood anchors for the branch side. Maybe even some washers? You’ll want to hollow out the branch enough so that the anchor will sit flush with the flat part of the branch, and you’ll also want it to be deep enough for the bolt to fit properly. You’ll also want to make sure the board you use for your base in thick enough that you can hollow out just enough for the head of the bolt to sit flush with the underside of the wood base. If you want to see what I’m referring to, look up either commercial cat trees and how they connect together, or checkout how a 2 piece pool cue screws together. Same concept in both.
Glue gun minor, the box cutter alway get me. LOL my friend said the Same they like to bite you.
This is amazing.....you've done it so perfectly...How about we use a pvc pipe and pvc caps for the pole and end? pipe wud be stronger and we wouldnt have to cut out the lids at both ends....
Hi Nidhi, there are other videos that use PVC pipes and they seem to work just as well. My goal of this was to use something that was going to be throw away like a carpet roll tube. From my experience the tube can handle even the most heavy cat. The kitten you see in the thumbnail is now 20 lbs and bounds up and down the pole and it holds. I'm actually working on Cat Tower 2.0 and will have a video in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the watching and commenting!
Plz! Make for Cat stuffs! Like Catio,Furnitures, catifying stuffs! Those are really helpful!
I love making cat stuff. I have a few more ideas but I am always open to suggestions! Thanks for watching! 😃
🏆 Award for best music on a DIY video.
Thanks! I really try to fit the music to the video. I spend way too much time searching for music. lol
I built something very similar but I used PVC pipe in place of cardboard. Its MUCH sturdier that way.
I considered PVC and saw a bunch of videos on KZhead doing that very thing. It is sturdy for sure but also heavy and an additional cost. I used a carpet tube that came from my local home supply store and is about a half-inch thick. When I wrapped the sisal rope it added strength, it does have some flex when my kitties spring off it but still secure. It was a fun project. I just finished a 12ft outdoor catio. Video coming as soon as I can edit it. Thanks for watching! 😀
This is gr8! I was looking for a floor to ceiling tension pole today because I thought that I would need one to make a floor to ceiling climbing pole for my 2 cats for my apartment. I am going to make this instead. But I have a question. It looks like you are hot gluing the rope onto the cardboard tube. When I have used hot glue I found that it wasn't very adhesive and things didn't stay stuck together for very long. How does hot gluing the rope stand up to vigorous and athletic young kitties? Does it pull off? Did you use a special kind of hot glue? What diameter is it? Also, How many sticks did you need? Would wood glue work instead? I do not know what liquid nails is. Would you please explain why you are using that instead of wood glue? How did you attach the furniture feet? Did you drill a hole in the end caps? What were you doing with the hammer (and is using a standard non rubber hammer okay?)? Thanks for this fantastic video. I pushed the "Like" button and plan on watching more of your videos!
Hi Kim! So from my experience, the sisal rope holds very tight with hot glue. I use regular type and sized hot glue sticks. You'll need a bunch so get a bag of them. I've recently updated to a cordless glue gun and use that all the time. ( bit.ly/harborfrieght-glue-gun ) I don't know how wood glue would work; what I really like about hot glue is it drys and holds quickly. How long does the rope last? I have never had the rope come off, and we have a total of six cats which three are 8-month-old kittens. Liquid Nails is a brand of general construction adhesive that will hold almost anything together. The furniture feet slide in the drilled holes. You can see how at this point in video 6m23s: kzhead.info/sun/oK-kadimf3qeq5E/bejne.html You don't have to use a mallet; a standard hammer will work but just be careful and don't damage the tube. The combination of rope and tube gives its strength. I hope this all helps; take a look at my cat tower 2.0 video ( kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html ). It has improvements over this version. Thank you for watching, the like, and commenting! 😺😺
Brilliant! You make it look sooo 'do-able'...
Thanks, Christopher! That is my goal. Step-by-step so everybody who whats to make it can. Make sure to check out the version 2.0 cat tower video. It's even more fantastic! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Good luck with the build!
I wish I’d found this a while back - could have saved myself some sanding rather than spending all that time trying to fill, sand, and paint OSB smooth(ish)
Hi Liz! The carpeting works great as a cover and on the shelves. In my remake of the tower ( kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html ), I added 1/2 foam. Sorry, you wasted time doing all that. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 😺
Супер
Hi, great tutorial. I have a question, I'm very green when it comes to stuff like this, everything turned out great, however I made the platforms too big and my cat after climbing just gets blocked by the first one. Unfortunately I realized this only after having everything put together, do you know if I could somehow feasibly remove the platforms without having to remake the whole post? I used a PVC pipe if that makes a difference.
Hi Lares, sorry for the delayed response. Life gets in the way of YouTubing sometimes. So I just finished building cat tower 2.0 and started re-working the original. So I just wanted to replace the shelves like you which I used a hand saw to cut and slide out. Unfortunately, this ruins the shelves where I had to make new ones. I ended up remaking the shelves and stripping the sisal rope and starting basically over. What you could do is make new shelves as if you were sliding on the bare pole like in the video. Before you add carpet, cut the shelves on each side of the hole. Then carpet each piece, slide them on with glue or add supports below. I hope that makes sense. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Actually they don't always throw out the cardboard tubes from carpets. They use them when they sell sheet vinyl in less than full rolls so the vinyl doesn't kink and crease, damaging it.
watching this again. am finding it hard to find heavy duty cardboard tubes. But i have lots of solid square wood blocks...which are pretty heavy, so think i could make a similar one to yours with shorter steps in the middle as cat is 15 years old. i wonder if she will like one!
My new cat tower video 2.0 ( kzhead.info/sun/p7WymqeBn5Z-rX0/bejne.html ) has a section on how to find cardboard tubes for your build. The latest version has some features I learned from this one that you can do to make it easier for an older or heavier kitty like our Rosco to enjoy it. 😺
I’m excited to try and build this! I’m going to have to ask my boyfriend to help with the power tools lol
I've had a few people build it and love how it worked out. It's a fun project to do with someone! I'm working on version 2.0 where I'm going to fix some of the issues that I found and were pointed out by some viewers.
Can you use pvc tubing? I just saw your other video. Very professional!!! Do you sell them?
Hi Marian! First thank you! I have had other people ask about PVC. I have see videos that use it but the biggest issue I have encountered was hot glue doesn't stick to PVC very well. The cardboard tube was from a local big box store like Lowes, Home Depot or Menards. Anywhere that sells carpet off the roll. If you go in after a busy weekend they have empties, just ask they will 9 out of 10 times give it to you for free. I don't sell cat poles but I have seen some on Amazon since my video has come out. I haven't purchased or used any so I don't have a specific one to recommend. You can find them here: amzn.to/3PR8B7e
I feel like it would be a lot safer and sturdier if, instead of relying on the sisal rope and some glue to keep the platforms in place, you segmented the pole into multiple lengths and gave male and female hardware to the end caps. (Accounting for, and removing, platform thickness from the total length of the tubes.) and then just had a bolt sized hole in the platforms(whatever size would match the male end cap diameter) This seems to be the same method most commercial cat trees use, too. It means there’s a lot more surface area for the platforms to sit on and it’s not reliant on glue and sisal rope to stay in place. Because if the cats ever scratched the rope away, it could cause one side to slip down and then put extra stress on the cat tree supports. I hope this makes sense. That aside, I really like everything else! This is such a cool idea and a great way to be resourceful, save money, and reduce a little waste!!
Hi Huntress Danni! I had considered that but separating the tubes created another issue with strength and keeping it straight. You are right the shelves have loosened up after a few months. It doesn't help little Rosco the cat in the video is now a 20 lbs monster who runs up and down the pole. So I have taken some plywood boards and cut circle support and screwed them into the shelves and pole. That did the trick. If you would like it I can post a picture if you would like to see how I did that. I'm always interested in improving the design. Thank you for the suggestions! And thank you for watching and leaving a comment! I read and try to reply to every one.
I was actually thinking the same thing. Seems like it might be a better idea to do that with pvc pipe though
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David, I went to a local hardware store looking for a pair of casters. Everything I was shown had wheels. Is there another name for parts on top and bottom that secure the pole in a vertical position?
After I made the video the I realized that casters are the wrong wording. They are called adjustable feet levelers for furniture. The ones that I used were purchased on amazon here: Hyever Heavy Duty Leveling Screw Leg 4" Adjustable Feet Leveler Foot Pack of 2 - amzn.to/3oE3qIw When you install the tower make sure it's fairly tight to the ceiling and floor. If you have big or wild cats you can secure the tower to the wall with L brackets and drywall anchors where one of the shelves meets the wall. Of the two towers, I have made I haven't had to do that but have thought of making it extra secure. Hope this helps! Post a link to a photo in the comments I'd love to see it when you're done! Thanks for watching!
how did you attach the support dowel to the main post? i've got a fat cat too
Sorry for the delay, thanks for the question! So I used a 3/8 inch dowel cut it about 12 inches or longer in length. Then drilled a 45 degree angle into the pole all the way through and shelf using a drill bit about the same size. Don't go all the way through the shelf so the dowel will have something to support behind it. You need to prop up the shelf to where you want and then glue it with some sort of strong glue. I had liquid nails and used that. Make sure to apply the glue around the ends of the dowel before you insert it. Let sit until the glue sets. Might be hard with cats though lol. You can glue any sisal rope that gets cut by the drill with hot glue. I actually made two poles and the second one needs the support for my friends fat cat. I'll make a KZhead short to show how to do it. Give me about a week to shoot and post it. :-) If you have made the tower post a link to the photo I'd love to see it!
instead of cardboard tube can I use plumbing tube? I have one 9 feet long 3"wide round?? Cat can also see certain colors of greens & blues.
Sorry for the delay I was moving over the weekend. You absolutely can you use a plumbing tube it will be heavier so you will need to adapt the design a bit. I suggest round board as a base on the bottom with rubber pads to hold it in place. The top can be the same design. I'd also recommend if you can to secure it to the wall with L-brackets because of the extra weight. Hope this helps! If you build it post a link to the photo I'd love to see it!
Great results! But if this is the easy stuff I'll either have to hire you to make one for me or just buy a pre-made one. This looked very complicated to me! You're good!
Thanks for the complement! It really wasn't too difficult. My goal of making videos is to walk people through the process with the tools you have around the house and hopefully demystify it a bit. Did you feel how I presented the tower build that you think you could make one yourself? Any suggestions on how I could do better?
@@DIYXplorer I could show someone with tools and experience how to make a cat tower based on this video. But as a novice I need to work up to this skill level. As for presentation I'd prefer lower, slower music as a background to your narration. Reading captions is distracting for an old cat lady like myself! 🐱🐈🐈⬛ I love that your first projects are cat towers! Do you "catify" other people's homes?
Those are some good suggestions. I agree people learn in different ways, some visual with text and others with narration. I'm still relatively new at making KZhead videos and struggle with voice overs. Everybody hates their voice when they hear it recorded. Ha! I've made notes for the improvements and will try to incorporate them in future videos. Thank you for the help and stick with me I've got more videos coming. Some more cat stuff and non-cat stuff. It's going to be fun!
I'm sorry I missed your question about catify other peoples homes. I have thought of offering items for sale but this project would be quite difficult to ship unless you live in my city of Nashville.
Could I use carpet instead of rope on the rolls of cardboard? Or would it be too heavy?
Of course, you could wrap it with carpet. It probably weighs the same; as for attaching, I try to avoid using staples, but you could glue it. You could also use these scratching pads, with which I'm about to build another project. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Carpet Cat Scratching Mat Sisal, 2 Packs Sisal Fabric Large 23.6" x 15.7" - amzn.to/3T9a77t
“Tell them it’s for your kids project, for home school”…. 😂 lost me
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Nice work! Thinking about making something like this but the problem I'm facing is how is the pipe called and how to get it?
It's a cardboard tube that big rolls of carpet come wrapped around. I got the tube got from my local big box home improvement store. They usually trash or recycle them. I just went in and asked for one. They usually will be happy to give it away. Just choose one that has a good diameter, thicker and no kinks. Hope this helps thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
@@DIYXplorer ok I will try to ask around about it and no thank you for uploading this kind of videos my cats will be very happy when I'm done with it lol thnx
Where did you get the adjustable post extenders ???
Hi Al, I purchased top and bottom extenders from Amazon. Here is a link: amzn.to/41EN6Lj My Cat Tower 2.0 I upgraded with making my own extenders that are much better. You can watch the video here: kzhead.info/sun/eM6Yhd2NhXSVenk/bejne.html
How do we "use mallet to tighten rope"?
How I did it was wrap the rope tight around, after you get a few rows take the mallet and tap the rope towards the existing rows. I tacked it down with a little hot glue. (safe for the kitties) It's kind of hard to explain. Best to try without glue until you get the hang of it. I'll share a little secret, most of my projects I make two of them. First one is practice figuring out how to build it and second is for the camera. The tower you see in the video was the second one I built for my friend. Fun fact, the painter Bob Ross actually painted the same painting 3 times. One for practice, one for the camera and a third where he took his time and get it to where is was completely satisfied. Wild isn't it? Good luck, thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I hope my response helped!
Any chance you’ve made this design or the instructions on paper to share w folks?
Hi Julie! Unfortunately, I did not make any plans. It was one of my first projects and kind of designed it in my head. I am working on version 2 of the cat tower which I will have downloadable plans with the video. Until then feel free to ask any questions I'm happy to help where I can. 🙂 Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Looks very thin carpet? I did upholstery years ago so no problem 👍🏻
It's indoor/outdoor carpet made from recycled plastic bottles. You could get something a little more plush. The cat pole is almost a year old the carpet shows very little signs of wear. Our cats don't seem to mind, they pretty much sleep on any surface hard or soft. lol Thanks for the comment and watching!
How much metters of cabuya???? // Cuantos metros de soga????
I used about 4 bundles of 100 ft (120 meters) for the size of the 4 inches diameter (102 mm) pole. It really depends on the diameter and you have to estimate. Sorry for the delay I've been working on my current project. Hope this helps! / Usé alrededor de 4 paquetes de 100 pies (120 metros) para el tamaño del poste de 4 pulgadas de diámetro (102 mm). Realmente depende del diámetro y hay que estimar. Perdón por la demora, he estado trabajando en mi proyecto actual. ¡Espero que esto ayude! (Traductor de google)
@@DIYXplorer Muchas gracias!!
My ceiling is sloped. Do you know of any swivel levelers that would be suitable for this? Everything I'm finding are tiny little chair levelers, but I'm not sure if this leveler will work on a sloped ceiling!
That's a difficult question. The pole uses pressure to hold it in place so an angle would push it out and be unstable. The only idea I have is put a shelf near the top and anchor it to the wall using L brackets. Doing that would defeat the purpose of being non-permanent though. Even at that depending how active your act is that might not enough to hold it. My cat actually pushes off when he jumps down. Sorry, I'm not much help, if I come across a solution I'll post another comment.
@@DIYXplorer That's ok. I'll probably either stabilize it on a nearby beam (not ideal position for the tree, but it is flat) or figure out some kind of ceiling mount and make it permanent which might be best anyway because it's going in front of a glass door and we wouldn't want to risk it falling.... More work for me when I move but worth it for peace in the household with two cats who don't get along (they both need a space up high with a window at the same time and the only other window in the area that's good for kitty is the glass door and the window above it~ if they both have a window there's no conflicts when they both want a window at the same time). Thanks for your input!
I agree safety of the kitties is the most important part. I have two cats soon to be three and totally understand the need for separate spaces near the window. Glad you figured it out, my cats love the tower, especially the top shelf. Speaking of windows, if you have a free window check out my easy-to-fill semi-transparent window bird feeder build. I call it kitty cat tv. My cats spend many many many hours watching the birds. Check it out here: kzhead.info/sun/hpuyfderrHVrh2w/bejne.html I'm also working on an outside catio build that will be up in a few weeks! Thanks again for commenting and watching!
@@DIYXplorer Looking forward to the catio video! My mom wants my dad to put one up. We actually have a bird feeder out where the cat can see from the window and we don't clean up the spider webs from outside the windows so the sparrows come around every spring collecting spiders and spider webs that that's a lot of fun for the cats to watch - the sparrows come right to the windows and so do hummingbirds collecting webs for their nests. I'm definitely interested in more catification DIY projects. Especially since I can make it fit my aesthetic without breaking the bank~ For aesthetic changes to this cat pole I was thinking of dying the sisal rope a dark brown and putting fluffy dark green bath rugs on the platforms for some fake foliage and turn it into like... a tree. It'll be a LOT of rope to dye but I think it'll be fun and make a beautiful tree cat tree. I just gotta do some research to make sure the dye I use isn't going to be harmful to kitties. But I imagine since fabrics with any color have been dyed and aren't harmful to kitties there's something I can use that will be safe. I'm planning on documenting my process on video, and I was also wondering if it would be ok if I posted it when the project is done linking back to your video for people to refer to if they want to give it a go too.
The catio is a big project compared to the ones I've done in the past. Much more planning that I had originally thought. It's almost done though. I love the idea of coloring the sisal rope! Quite a clever idea! When your video comes out you can absolutely post a link to it on this video. I can't wait to see what you have done!
How much did all the materials cost to make this?
For just supplies probably around $100. You can get the tube free from a store that sells carpets. The wood for the shelves is the most expensive with plywood prices these days. If you see new construction around your home, ask the builder if you could dumpster dive. That's how I get a lot of the wood for smaller projects. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching and asking a question.
How much carpet do I need for this project?
It really depends on how many and how large your shelves are. I had 3 shelves and used maybe a third of the carpet I purchased. I had purchased a 6' x 8' outdoor throw rug ($19-$23 average cost) from my local home improvement store. It was the easiest way without having to purchase it by-the-foot. If you calculate what you exactly need then by-the-foot is the most cost-effective way to go. I hope this helps! If you make the tower link a photo I'd love to see what you made. Here is a link to two places you can purchase them. (I got mine at Lowes) Lowes: EcoRug SelectElements 6 x 8 Assorted Hobnail Indoor/Outdoor Solid Area Rug low.es/38vCWU4 Home Depot: Unbound Smoke Gray Ribbed 6 ft. x 8 ft. Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug thd.co/38xl3nL
This video grabbed my attention and I subscribed based on this content alone, I liked this video it is great, I gave it a thumbs up, and I will definitely be watching more of your videos on how to make things for your cat, I have six cats that I adore, and I'm looking to make some cat furniture and cat climbing shelves and poles ideally I would love to create a whole cat wall of various shelves and tunnel tubes and resting bed shelves and cat hammocks as I have two and a half massively long and wide walls at home from floor to ceiling, and it would be perfect to use for turning it in to cat climbing and resting recreation walls area that's just for them as it's just an unused vertical space, I need some ideas and I want it to look good and I want to create variety in to it, I am not experienced in DIY I do know how to use a drill I have put up shelves before, but I dont have a clue on how to use a jigsaw, if you have any of those types of videos showing how to create this sort of cat wall play ground features it would be so cool, and I could get some more ideas, I need simple things I can follow like this step by step video you did, thank you for sharing I like your channel, it gives me hope that maybe I can do it, and I greatly enjoy watching all cat related topics, new subscriber Laura in UK
Thank you for such a nice compliment! I actually started building projects only using a jigsaw. As I started building more projects I acquired more tools. Don't be afraid to just try something you might make a mistake but that's how we learn. A little insider info, I actually try to build two of every project. (catio is too expensive to make two though, lol) One for practice learning how to do it and the second for the KZhead video. Then I edit it down to keep the video very focused. I'm glad you find the set-by-step easy to follow that's my goal. My channel isn't completely cat projects but there will be more projects like the catio coming. You can check out my list of projects in the community section of the page and of course feel free to leave a suggestion: kzhead.infodiscussion While I don't think I'm the person to make a basics video about how to use tools I highly recommend the channel Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals. This is video is of the best for beginner info about jigsaws: kzhead.info/sun/nbunlaiyqHOYe3A/bejne.html Hope that helps! If you build any of my projects post a link to a photo I'd love to see what you have made! Keep trying and you'll be surprised what you can do!
@@DIYXplorer thank you for your reply! making two of everything is a good tip to gather more experience in making the project your doing, I will remember that one, and thank you for taking the time to send me some Information about links and videos for beginners to learn more about how to use tools correctly for the right job, I appreciate it, thanks, in the past I hired guys to build things for me like a large wooden back gate, it was quite expensive for me, and I always thought to my self, you should learn to do these things your self, that's how I learned to use the drill from watching the handy men I hired to do the jobs for me and I used to ask them questions while they worked, and they were always good enough to tell me, so one day I scavenged some really decent short wooden planks from local skips I cleaned and painted them white then I bought L shaped brackets, marked out where I wanted to put them, on the wall and marked out the wood shelves and fixed them to the wall I was quite pleased with my self, since then I have put up other smaller shelf type things but I felt really confident it was awesome to know I could do it, women often feel I intimidated by DIY because of lack of knowledge of the tools and how to use them, so for years I never tried or attempted any DIY projects, even though I am capable, I wanted to be a person who can and is who is knowledgeable it's really empowering and freeing to be able to just get things done, without any worries or without thinking can I afford to pay that person to do the job for me, and some times the answer is no I carnt, I'm still chuffed that I can use a drill confidently and I understand how to use it well, I can unblock a sink, easily, but so far that's all the DIY I have learned, I want to learn how to do carpentry and joinery, as these are two awesome skills, to have, I would do a course but it's not available during covid lock down, any way I will definately follow up on that information you sent me for beginners, and I will keep following your DIY projects no matter what they are all information is useful, I watch a video channel called THE HONEST CARPENTER, good for beginners like me, there was a great video called 21 hand tool tips, showing clever tips you didnt know, on hand tool uses, he also explains how to use all kinds of tools and how to be safe when using them. Thank you Laura in England new subscriber
That's awesome! Just keep learning and pushing forward! It feels intimating at first but little steps. My next video that is coming out is fixing a hole in a hole in a concrete floor and replacing the flooring. I had a contractor friend help me out. Each project builds upon the last one. 😀 Thanks for subscribing I really appreciate it!
cool but I don’t see your cat playing on your tower in your video.