If you own a cat, then you know cats tend to live vertically.
I have two cats and they enjoy climbing on things they probably shouldn't, just to get to the highest point in the room. Cat trees are a great way to allow my cat to climb and play without sacrificing my furniture to their claws!
The only downside to cat trees is their price. If you go into any larger pet store, you'll find actual cat mansions. However, the price typically matches the grandeur of the kitty castles, and that often turns people away from purchasing them.
Luckily, there are many DIY projects out there that show you how you can make the perfect cat tree for your pet.
After learning about the high cost of cat trees, this crafty Imgur couple decided to gift their cat, Oliver, with a project of their own.
Scroll through below for a look at this amazing cat tree! Do your cats like to adventure up high in your home? Let us know in the comments.
After looking online for inspiration, these DIY-ers decided to create a cat tree of their own.
They began by putting together some rough drawings.
Since this was their first time attempting a project like this, trial-and-error was all a part of the process.
For the base, they used 1/2-inch plywood. This ended up being the heaviest piece of the whole project.
There was a fallen tree in the woods behind their apartment, so they collected some sturdier pieces.
They made sure the pieces of wood they chose didn't have bark left on them and were completely dried out.
And plenty of thought was put into maximizing the plywood they had.
Lots of drawing and redrawing was done to ensure they were using up as much wood as possible for the landings on the tree.
One of the most difficult parts of the process was getting an even, level cut on the tree limbs.
By using a bench clamp and a few pieces of spare wood, the clever DIY-ers were able to cut all the way through the limbs with a handsaw.
After the hard work of cutting each piece was done, it was time to sand them using a fine grit sandpaper.
The process took quite a while, but the wood had a nice finish to it in the end.
After the surfaces were nice and smooth, they added a few layers of stain to the branches.
The pretty gray color still allowed the natural grains of the wood to show through.
Then came the fun part: putting it all together like a puzzle!
Using stainless steel lab bolts, the couple attached the limbs to the sturdy platform, and the cat tree quickly took shape.
The next step was carpeting, using a staple gun to attach it to the platforms.
According to the DIY-ers, this was the most expensive part of their project, but it was ultimately still less costly than purchasing a cat tree in a store!
The completed project is not only cat approved, but budget approved as well!
Oliver is clearly a big fan of his new cat tree.
Have you ever created a project of this size for your pet?
Let us know in the comments and don't forget to SHARE with the crazy cat people in your life!
