What to do with scrap wood (for cats - PIC)

[MichiganWoods]

Had just a few bits and pieces of lumber that didn't fit in with any of my other plans. My cats were bored (and getting into trouble because of it). I realized they didn't have any play structures of their own in the house. Menards had some runner rugs on sale for $6 each, so I used two and chopped them up, then stapled them into place. I might get 2 more to finish it all off nicely. I admit I didn't make the gray thing that's in there with the holes, but it was a gift from DH's folks a long time ago. We didn't let the cats use it since the biggest of our cats was constantly pulling it over on himself (ironically he's not in the pic... he's off lazing somewhere else currently). So now it's secured into this "playhouse", and they love the whole thing. Took me about 3 hours to do. All of the legs are bolted through the bottom of the big, heavy piece of plywood too. Nothing's going anywhere.

 

[Terry]

Wow that is awesome! WTG!

 

[dangerouschicken]

Did you train them to use the thermostat, too?

 

[MichiganWoods]

Thanks!

And nah, they can't use the thermostat. Lord knows WHAT they would set it to if they could!

Just got them all up on there. Here we go.

The white one is a purebred Maine Coon girl named Charlotte.

The gray and white one is a purebred Maine Coon girl named Prairie.

The little black cat standing on the bottom platform is Gigi. We adopted him from the same location just 2 weeks after we got Dar.

The big black cat laying down on the middle ledge is Dar. He was the first of our cats, and we adopted him from the local Humane Society. He's the only cat I've ever seen that plays hide and go seek. If I look at him and give him that "I'm gonna get you!" look, then take off running and hide around a corner in another room... I'll hear, "Prrrt??" and he'll come barreling down the hallway after me. When he finds me, I jump out at him and he raises up on his hind feet and tips his head down so that my hand meets the back of his head for a pat.

 

[riderbecky]

What great kitties!

Must be fun to watch them compete for lap time.

I think the thing I love best about cats is that when your doing paperwork they'll come over and laydown on it as if to say..."time for a pet-the-kitty break"

 

[amamaofmany]

Oh how cute!

What a great idea. I think our little pud needs something like that!

 

[TheDuckCrew]

aww! how cute!! my cats would love that...but the scrap wood is being used for the ducks for the moment! they'll get it next time.

 

[MichiganWoods]

Oh yes, they do compete for the lap, but really only at night. You know, when I am laying down and there is more space for them to crowd onto.

If the big guy (Dar) decides to join us, he usually flops down on my head. Yes, on it. Makes it somewhat difficult to breathe, since I think he is around 15lbs. But I love 'em all to pieces.

I've always been a kitty person.


Hey if anyone decides to make something like this, they're super easy to do. Really. I had no instructions or anything, just a thought of similar-type structures I'd seen at the pet shops for hundreds of dollars. This was much more fun, and a lot cheaper.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Beautiful cats, and do you know what that would have cost at PetsMart?? Great use of scraps!!!

 

[MichiganWoods]

Quote:
Exactly. Why pay all of that $$ when it's so cheap and easy to do it yourself? I think I could build it again for under $40 if I went out to buy all of the pieces again.