How to Fix a Cat Scratcher or Climber

Ever since I began making cat trees, people have been wanting me to renew their favorite old cat trees . They're simply not ready to part with it in favor of a new one. Since we don't get into that in my shop & don't consult with people about this individually, I thought I'd at least give you some basic steps to help you accomplish this task. You can do this yourself, and I respect and admire anyone who's decided that they have the skills, patience and time to do it.

For the sake of simplicity, I'll call this thing you're working on a "tree", although it may be a cat condo, cat climber, cat furniture, or even a humble scratching post (rendered humble through merciless slashing with little daggers).

Here you'll find some good advice from a professional on what to look for, and how to proceed.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• digital camera
• pliers
• screwdriver
• utility blade & extra blades
• hammer
• wire nails
• adjustable wrench or ratchet set
• staple gun & staples (optional)
• glue gun & glue (also optional)
• patience

1. 1) What's on this thing?
   
   Now, let's set some objectives for this job. Are you wanting to simply replace the carpet? Is the rope all scratched up? Do you want to improve it by beefing up the components or adding something? Whatever you have in mind to do, you'd better get a good picture of what you're starting with before you begin taking it apart.
   
   The best way to do this is with a digital camera. If you can get a few goods shot of the whole tree from various angles, print them out right now. You'll be able to have a better idea of how to reassemble this tree & you can make notations on areas you'd like to improve.
   
   The biggest selling brands of cat furniture are made in China. Most of those brands use breakabale plastic parts on the ends of their columns. They also make these columns from very narrow diameter tubes. Some US vendors like me ( Feline Design ) sell much heavier-duty "sisal rope columns" with wooden ends which can be drilled into and screwed into.
   
   If you are replacing a carpeted post, you may consider replacing that column with one wrapped in sisal (a.k.a. sissle or sissel or sizel - but properly known as sisal, and pronounced SYS-ul or SIZE-ul). My cats prefer 3/8" diameter Brazilian sisal rope. It'll last longer than the 1/4" that most cat furniture makers put on theirs. Feline Design sells bulk 3/8 Brazilian sisal rope in several lengths. I’d suggest here that you should get a continuous length of at least 200 FT.
   
   Your tree may have several levels to it. You may have found youself wishing that some of these levels, or the posts supporting them, were taller. Here's your chance to note that on your photo, and make it a point to stretch out whatever that height is. Old or infirm cats may even appreciate a shorter height on one or more levels. . Get your printed out photo now & make any notations about these modifications. You did print out that photo, didn't you?

2. 2) Take it Apart
   
   OK, now that you're on board with that photo thing, go on & take some good shots of this tree. Get shots of each level, each connection, and any area where you might want to change. And take these shots from several different angles. Print out those photos. In fact, print 2 copies of each one.
   
   As you disassemble your tree, remember that some components, like condos, have pieces of covering that can be duplicated more easily if you remove them as much intact as possible. In this way, you can measure the old pieces & use those measurements to cut the new material to be applied.
   
   I also suggest that you take the time now to measure the diameter of your new or restored posts, and cut away any stray carpet or fabric on whatever it will be joined with. We want a flush fit between the components.
   
   When stripping posts with staples in them, use a good leather work glove on the hand which will maneuver the post. You can easily strip a carpeted post by slitting it lengthwise in an area you are reasonably sure is free of staples. So you'll be cutting the side opposite the seam.You'll be able to pull off the carpet with a pliers. Then be sure to remove any loose staples & hammer in any that are protruding but can best be left on the post. Get your post nice & clean, & be really careful about those staples. They are potential hazards.
   
   Posts or perches with carpet or rope glued onto them will take a little more work, but if you have patience, you can completely remove any covering. Some Chinese posts are made from very thin paper pulp tubes. I can’t guarantee that you’ll end up with a useable tube when you’re done, but it’s worth a shot. If you decide that it doesn’t look promising, or it may be worth it to add a beefier column, make that notation on your photo. If you think you want to order replacement columns, get ones that are made in America. The American product will be made tougher, and won't be designed just to be shipped cheaply (China's a long way off!)
   
   If you’re repairing a heavy-duty cat tree that was assembled when you got it, it’s more likely to have components that you can work with (i.e. less plastic & more wood). Looking for the screws in carpet is a little like digging for nightcrawlers. Look for puckers in the carpet or other cover. That's where their hole is. Once you see which type of fastener you’re up against, you can remove it more easily.

3. 3) Put the New Stuff On
   
   I’m assuming here that you’ve completely stripped your tree of all worn materials. And that you’ve also made your decisions - based on your notations on those printed out photos - about what you’d like to improve.
   
   Putting carpet on something is easy enough if you have a staple gun. Use staples that are long enough to go through the carpet and into what’s underneath without coming out the other side. Remember that the base or platform should be free of carpet or covering where the joint is to be made. I need to stress this point often, because there are many places where this rule of thumb applies.
   
   Wrapping your rope on columns is truly an art. It’s not easy, and you should take care to do it right the first time. Believe me, nothing is more aggravating than to have a finished product that has droopy rope. Or worse yet, a rope end that comes off, unraveling into a big mess. You want your rope secure on the ends, and tight in between. So wrap like this:
   
   Whether you’re using nails or staples to secure your rope, make sure they’ll go deep enough to go through the rope and take a good bite into the pole. Fasten the rope at the top of your post for a good 2 rows of rope, driving a fastener in about every 2 inches (but just for the first 2 rows!). Then, slowly roll your post as you compress each row of rope against the last row. Do this continuously. Don’t be lazy. If you get tired, drive a nail into the rope where you want to stop. Rest, and then remove the nail & resume wrapping.
   
   If you’re renovating condos or boxes, I hope that you took the old material off in fairly big pieces so you can get some measurements on the old covering. If so, you can cut the new covering & apply it without too much hassle. I suggest that you start on the inside. That way, you’ll know if any of your staples are coming out to the outside, and you can adjust your staple length (or leg) accordingly. If you aren’t using staples for this, then I suggest that you find a cheap glue gun at a craft store. Do your best to find a non-toxic adhesive when you buy the glue sticks.
   
   If you don't have the old covering material for your component, well, all I can say is measure carefully, and then cut your carpet or covering a little bigger. You can always cut it to fit.

4. 4) Put it Back Together
   
   Here’s where those photos will came in really handy. Just refer to these photos, and begin putting this thing back together, starting from the base, of course. There may be complete levels which could be assembled separately before attaching to the tree, too.
   
   Perhaps you’ve bought some of those pre-wrapped American posts with the wooden ends. If not, then I hope at least you are working with wood and not plastic. If you have plastic parts with bolts protruding from the ends, and nothing looks cracked or broken, then you should have an easy time reassembling your tree. Remember that the finished product is more sturdy when you have flush connections without any fabric or carpet between the parts to be connected. So if you need to re-cut your base holes (where a column will fit), do that now.
   
   You should not try to drill or screw anything into the plastic parts of your Chinese-made cat tree. It will result in a broken part.
   
   Also, particularly with the Chinese products with the plastic ends, make sure you have tightened the bolt all the way, but not too tight. Too tight risks breaking the plastic end on the post, or the particle board base. There is no way to repair these bases once the holes break through. Make sure that you've tightened all connections before attempting to move the tree. This will reduce the risk of breaking these plastic parts.
   
   Adding new components made from wood is probably going to be the easiest part of your job. I suggest that you pre-drill all holes. And using lag bolts with approprite washers will make a really tight connection. Drywall screws are fine for attaching perches to wood posts. Just make sure you drive them in all the way, but not completely through the item you are attaching.
   
   Well, my job is done, here. I know there are things I probably missed, but if you employ these tips gained through trial and error (mostly error!) over 23 years by this Catman, you’ll do fine. Good luck to you!

Tips & Warnings

• Take a "before" photo with a digital camera & print it out.
• Take photos at regular intervals, so you can reassemble easily.
• If you get frustrated, stop & take a break until you calm down.
• Use extreme caution when working with utility blades. It's best to keep changing to fresh, sharp ones. Always cut AWAY from yourself.
• make sure to remove all protruding staples to avoid injury to you or your cat
• thoroughly secure all bolts and connections before attempting to move your restored tree

Resources

• Pre-Wrapped Sisal Rope Columns