How to Build a Kitty Condo

Tired of BEING your cat's climbing toy? Why pay that outrageous price for a Cat Condo that falls apart too quickly? Build your own and make the furry critters happy for years and years! Here is one you can build by yourself. Simple math, jigsaw, carpet, some screws...nails...and whatnot. Simply cheaper than commercial!

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• Pencil
• Staple gun
• Drill (and 1" bit for countersinking)
• Wood clamps
• Measuring tape
• Saw (if you do not use pre-cut)
• 200-500 ft. Sisal Rope
• Wood glue
• Carpet remnants (smell it and try to get lightly or non-treated carpet)
• 1/4" x 3-1/2" lag bolts
• Flat washers to fit the bolts
• 1-1/2" wood screws
• Heavy wire brad staples
• Staples for staple gun
• 1 2x4
• Plywood (size to be determined later)
• 4x4 posts (length to be determined later)

1. Assembly:
   
   Decide how big you want it; you could make it 2 ft tall or 6 ft tall. This is how you will determine how many supplies you need. A lot of it will seem like guesswork but works out rather easy. I will describe this in a 4 ft size and you can reduce, add, attach side by side...the possibilities are endless.

2. You will need two pieces of plywood; 3x3’ is a good size to work with. Glue these together with wood glue. Clamp them together and let them dry. Once it is dry, centered and about 4-5 inches in, drill 2 holes, almost side by side. Do this again on the opposite end. Countersink these holes with the 1 inch bit so you can recess the bolts and not scratch your floor. Cover this with a carpet remnant to wrap around the edges and attach with staples on the bottom.

3. Now take two pieces of your 4x4 or trunk, one at 4’ and one at 2’. Attach these to the base using 2 bolts, washer first to each piece. By this time I can guarantee you if they can get in the room, your cat(s) with you and very curious

4. Ok, time for the fun part! Shelves and a ramp! You will need 1 – 1’ and 1 – 1 ¼’ sq. pieces of plywood for shelves. Cover these pieces with carpet like you did the base. Take the larger of the two and attach it to the lower post butting it up against the higher one. Attach it with woodscrews, not too tight on either attachment until it settles into its place. Using the woodscrews at a slight angle, screw it into the top post from the top of the plywood, do the same on the short post side. Tighten them and countersink the screws once it has settled into its place. Attach the smaller piece, centered, on the top post from the screwing through the top as well. Don’t be afraid to use a few screws!
   
   Now you can take the 2x4 and just eye out how long you want it, lean it anywhere on the higher post to the base, pick your preference…ask your cat if you wish! Attach it with woodscrews, countersunk as well. You can wrap this piece in carpet if you want but it would work a lot better to wrap it in rope (if you are not using a naturally barked limb). It does work fine to wrap the 2x4 in rope before you attach it. If you use carpet make sure to use the staples ONLY on the underside and make sure they are sunk in properly.

5. How much rope? You will use way more rope than you think! With this size you are going to need about 3-400 yards. You can use Hemp rope if you wish, but at the cost Sisal is better on the budget. How much rope you use depends on how tight you coil it. The tighter you coil the better, remember…your cat(s) will tear this up! Start at the base and tack the rope with a heavy duty brad. If you want to, do that on the side that will face a wall so you don’t see it. Start winding it, tight as you can (gloves will help) and every 8 – 10 wraps tamp it downwards with a hammer. Keep going until you get to the top and tack it at the top with a brad as well. Do this to the other piece as well. You can wrap the 2x4 before you attach it as mentioned above.

6. Modify this is any direction, if you go taller just widen the base, add more posts at different levels. As long as you make sure to attach the shelves to the taller posts as well as the shorter it works in all directions. Play with extra ramps. Maybe from one shelve to another depending on how many posts you have to work with. Go ahead and be those crazy cat people and do several of these and attach them to each other with rope wrapped or carpeted lengths of 2x4’s. I have done this in many ways, and the trick seems to be the double thick base, lag bolts to attach the posts, and the way I attach the shelves.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want you can use natural tree trunk, this will be heavier but it eliminates a need for the rope, looks great and kitty would love it. Just make sure it is clean, about 4-5” in diameter, not falling apart and doesn’t have anybody living in it already!
• Do NOT use treated lumber.

[michaelinasmom]

on 6/22/2009 That's a cool idea. My sister's cat won't use the kitty condo they bought, I wonder if it would use this. 5*

[staysik]

on 12/13/2008 This is so cool, thanks for the tips! I have a small one-story condo that my cat loves, I was thinking of renovating her condo and adding a second floor ;)