Cat owners know that their pets need to keep their claws sharp. They usually sharpen their claws on tree trunks. But you don't have a garden or you don't want your trees to be damaged? Then you can make a cat scratching post yourself.
Here you will find some ideas on how to make a homemade scratching post for your cat. It's simple and exciting.
Make your own cat scratching post out of branches
You can easily make this cat tree yourself from natural materials.
Materials required:
- Branches and supporting parts:
- A large branch and a small branch
- A paint spatula
- stain
- Small hand saw
- Sisal for scratching the post parts
- Art struts
- dowel
- wood screws
- A piece of plywood cut to size
- 2 pieces of pine wood for the base strip
- Wood stain
- Decorative rocks (optional)
- Stepping stones
- Pine wood scraps in various sizes for the platforms
- Brown faux fur fabric
- sandpaper
- Hand-held stapler
- High performance construction adhesive
- Nails and screws in different sizes
DIY instructions:
- The first step to making your DIY cat tree with a real tree is preparing the branches! Once the branches are dry, remove the bark and sand the branches with sandpaper.
- Then seal them with stain.
- Now attach the branches to the base by drilling holes in the branches. Attach them with screws through the bottom of the plywood.
- You can attach the platforms using screws and a nail gun to secure each platform.
- Place a few stepping stones and large rocks in the base to keep the tree bottom heavy.
Make your own cat tree with birch branches
This is afun craft ideathat your cat will love while living in the lap of luxury.
Materials required:
- Wooden boards, cut to size
- Plywood, cut to size
- Rope (3 packages)
- dowel
- 3 birch branches
- Interior wood screws
- Greening
- Carpet remnants
- screws
- carpenter's knife (or other sharp blade)
- 4 wooden boxes or trays in different sizes.
- Wood scraps (to secure the levels)
- Drill that is smaller than the screws for pre-drilling
- Hole saw drill bit the size of the birch wood
- Staple gun with staples
- Hot glue gun with glue sticks
Step-by-step instructions:
- Cut off all parts of the tree and set them aside.
- Start building your base. Form a box with the boards. Screw the longer screws into the ends connecting the sides. Use at least three screws on each side to ensure the structure is stable.
- Take the plywood sheet and place it on the base. Use the longer screws to screw the panel from top to bottom.
- Then take the dowels and attach the rope to them. Drill a hole through the dowel toward the outside of the center (not exactly in the middle) of the top and bottom of the dowel. Use a drill bit that is slightly larger than your rope. Thread the rope through the hole and remove the tape. Tie a knot at the end of the rope and pull the other side into place. The knot should fit into the hole you made. Wrap the entire dowel with the rope. Thread the other side through the dowel and secure with a knot.
- Take the one long piece of birch and place it in the middle of the base. Mark it all the way around and drill through the center of the marks.
- Then make the base. Turn the base on its side. Have someone hold the birch while you screw in the lag screws from the bottom of the base through the center of the pre-drilled hole. The birch should fit tightly.
- Repeat this process with the dowel.
- Screw in the top end of the dowel downward from the top of the box. This should secure the box in place.
- Cut a piece of wood to use at the bottom of the box where the birch will go. Secure it with the smaller screws.
- Cut a piece of carpet to fit the box. Place the carpet on each box and trim if necessary. Attach the rug with hot glue and use staples all around to make sure the rug stays in place.
- Repeat this process for each level of your scratching post.
- Get out some treats and catnip and introduce your new scratching post to the kitties!
Easy DIY cat scratching post
A simple idea, which you can create with just a few materials and delight your cat.
Materials required:
- 2 plywood sheets
- 2 bolts
- 15 m long spools of sisal rope
- 2 pieces of carpet (with jute backing)
- Decking screws
- Carpet nails
- ordinary nails
- Holzleim
- Adhesive, quick-drying superglue
- Tape measure
- saw
- screwdriver
- drill
- Utility knives and blades
- Pencil
Step-by-step instructions:
- Cut and prepare the top and bottom platforms. Mark 4 locations for drilling. Drill holes at the marks. These holes will later be used to attach the post to the platforms.
- To cut the round panel, draw a circle on a piece of plywood to mark the cutting line. Attach a string to a nail at one end and a pencil at the other end - no more than 15cm apart. Drive the tip of the nail into the center of the plate and mark a circle around the plate. Cut out the circle with a jigsaw or coping saw.
- Cut 4 post pieces of equal length from the bolts that correspond to the desired height of your post. Once the ends are flush, attach the face of one piece to the edge of the other using wood glue and screws. Repeat the process for the remaining pieces to create a square post.
- Center the post between the marks on the bottom platform and screw the post to the base through the holes created at the beginning.
- To cover the bottom platform with carpet, you will need a piece of carpet that is twice the size of the platform. Slide the carpet over the post and staple it to the lower platform. Repeat the process on the remaining three sides so that the carpet does not overlap and form bulges.
- Seal one end of the sisal rope with a quick-drying superglue. After the rope dries, nail the sealed end to the bottom of the post where it meets the base plate. Wrap the rope tightly around the post. Then nail the end of the rope to the post.
- Center and screw the top platform to the post using the pre-drilled holes.
- Center the carpet on the upper platform. Fold a tab around the edge to the bottom, pull tight, and cut the tip where it meets the post.
