If you have a cat, you probably already know that they can be quite finicky. Ron thought it would be a fun challenge to design a cat tree that cats would love. He planned on having a few furry friends stop by from the humane society later to check out his work and give it the ultimate test.
Click Here For a list of what
you will need in order to complete this project.
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1. Design:
- Many people feel that most cat trees purchased from stores don't have stable bases, so Ron designed his with a very large and heavy base. He started with two pieces of ¾ inch plywood.
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- Ron connected the two pieces of plywood together by first gluing them and then screwing them together. He began by applying the glue. Since he had such a large surface, he rolled it on with a paint roller.
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- He took the second piece of plywood and placed it right on top.
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- He drilled countersink shank holes and then drove in a few screws.
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- Ron attached a lip all the way around the outside completing his sturdy and substantial base.
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2. Cut wood:
- With the base complete, it was time to start on what Ron referred to as the "apartment complex." Cats love cozy spaces that they can crawl into and out of, so Ron designed a 2-story jungle gym with plenty of entrances and exits. For small to medium size cats, the holes should be about 6 inches in diameter so Ron set his compass to 3 inches, or half of the circle size.
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- Ron put the sharp part of the compass on the cross line and then drew a 6-inch diameter circle.
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- Ron used a jig saw to cut the circles, but first he drilled a starter hole just inside each circle that he had drawn.
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- Ron dropped the blade into each starter hole and cut each circle out.
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3. Assembly:
- With all of the doorways cut, Ron was ready to begin constructing the box. He did this by taking the sides, top and bottom and putting them together with glue and nails.
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- He began by putting some glue on the sides of the wood.
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- He then attached the edges with a nail gun.
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- When the tower was assembled it would sit right inside the base, but first he needed to add carpet.
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- By covering all of the structure in carpet the cats would have a surface that they could scratch and climb on. Ron cut a piece of carpet that dropped right inside of the base. The carpet was held firmly in place with staples.
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- Next, he attached carpet to the sides and top of the soon-to-be kitty high-rise.
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