Skip to main content

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

When we just adopted our cat, he was a whopping 10.5kg, and as a result, big and clumsy. We could not find any cat trees on the market which could hold a cat of his weight. Since he is clumsy (for a cat), cat trees which required the agility and flexibility of a normal cat were out e.g. narrow platforms. We wanted to encourage him to exercise more and to feel comfortable at home, so we decided to build something for him. We are not very adept with tools and this DIY cat climber hack requires absolutely no special tools – just the usual Allen key included in the flat pack.

IKEA items used:
  • HEJNE shelf and posts
  • OBSERVATÖR cross brace
  • SIGNE rugs
Other materials and tools:
  • Sisal rope (optional)
  • cushions & other accessories

DIY Cat Climber Instructions

First, build the HEJNE shelf in accordance with the usual shelf instructions.

Add shelves to another set of 2 posts, but making sure that the shelves are on different heights so different holes on either side of the same post can be used.

Join the 2 parts together.

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

Install the OBSERVATÖR braces for stability.

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

Wrap sisal rope around the posts (optional).

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

Place SIGNE rugs onto the shelves so paws don’t fall through the gaps.

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

Since I happened to have spare cushions and cloth lying around, I used that to make 2 beds to place on the shelves.

DIY cat climber – time and costs:

This took us about 2 hours and cost (in Singapore dollars), $88.50.

  • $5 (2 HEJNE posts) x 3 = S$15
  • $15 (4 wide HEJNE shelves) x 2 = S$30
  • $10 (4 narrow HEJNE shelves) x 2 = S$20
  • $3.90 (5 SIGNE rugs) x 5 = S$19.50
  • $2 (2 rolls of sisal) x 2 = S$4

It is a simple design, no drilling or messiness, no special tools required. And being somewhat of a germaphobe, the rugs are easy to remove for washing.

We put cat food on the bottom most shelf as a means for storage, but also for added stability. While the blocky design of the cat climber makes it fairly stable, it still shakes a little when he jumps onto the highest level.

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

Since the post and shelves are made of untreated wood, and there were some splinters where the holes are, we sanded these parts to make sure our cat would not get hurt while rubbing against the posts.

Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat

Other things you can do would be to add a coat of varnish over the wood so it will be more durable and water resistant.

~ by Crystal

The post Cheap and Easy Cat Climber for fat and clumsy cat appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WOW! Internet Plans

bbernard/Shutterstock About WOW!  WOW! (also known as Wide Open West) offers cable, fiber and DSL internet, phone and television services for customers in nine states providing services to over 7 million people . You can find WOW! internet in metropolitan areas like Montgomery, AL, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, and 16+ other markets. There are WOW! Internet package choices with speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) to fit your streaming, gaming and browsing needs. WOW! Internet: what you need to know Check out this quick-reference guide for the most important things you’ll want to know about WOW! internet prices, speeds and availability.  WOW! products Cable, fiber and DSL internet, TV and phone WOW! internet speeds Up to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) WOW! internet prices Plans starting at $59.99/mo. WOW! availability 19+ markets in 9 states Contract required? Contracts are required for promotional pricing *As of 03/12/2020  WOW! intern...
Post a Comment
Read more

SKÅDIS: 5 ways to make the IKEA pegboard even better

IKEA introduced its own pegboard system, SKÅDIS, two years ago and I’d say it’s one of the best systems IKEA launched in recent years. I love how super customisable it is, with a growing range of accessories that help keep things organized. It works everywhere, in your wardrobe to bathroom . Probably anywhere you have a flat surface to hang it up. Photo: IKEA.com SKÅDIS pegboard system See it on IKEA.com But no matter how perfect a system, you can trust IKEA hackers to improve on the SKÅDIS. And they’ve settle these 5 issues you may have faced with the handy IKEA pegboard. Read on for their fixes. 5 IKEA SKÅDIS issues and fixes #1 Expensive hooks? You’ll need quite a number of hooks and accessories to fill up the SKÅDIS pegboard, and Kenyer was shocked at how quickly they all added up. So he figured he could make his own hooks to save cost. Photo: Kenyer Over at Instructables , he shows us how to twist copper wires into the SKÅDIS hook shape. It works s...
Post a Comment
Read more

KALLAX desk ideas: Three ways to set up a workstation

Three great ideas for a KALLAX desk . #1 Compact, minimalist desk for laptop I put together a KALLAX desk for my laptop for just under 25 euros. Just a KALLAX 2×2 is needed. No other materials required. IKEA item used: KALLAX 2 x 2 (77 x 77 cm) KALLAX 2×2 | IKEA.com All you need to do is assemble 3 of the pieces in a U shape. That is all.  If you want to strengthen the structure you would need to drill a couple of holes in order to use the long middle shelf of the KALLAX unit as a back reinforcer. Easy and it works. ~ by Fabio Tudela #2 KALLAX standing desk I choose to stand at work because it makes me feel infinitely more productive. Our department recently moved into a new building and we had the opportunity to design our own spaces. Items Used: VIKA AMON / TORNLIDEN table top x 2 (discontinued, replaced by LINNMON ) KALLAX 4 cube x 2 KALLAX drawer unit x 2 8 – 3″ locking casters / wheels 1 – 6′ zinc brace I had a few VIKA AMON tables ...
Post a Comment
Read more