Materials: STOLMEN post + mounting fixtures, sisal rope, small shelf, HESSUM doormat
Description: Because cat furniture
is the ugliest around and my friend needed every inch of her small apartment, I came up with this minimalistic climbing post. The shelf was on the wall already. The parts I needed cost about 60 euros.
Steps:
1) I had to buy the 40 meters of rope
in four 10 meter pieces. If you can get the rope in one piece, it will help you much. If not, then join the pieces to get a one long stretch of rope. I used a technique called splicing (splicing links here) and got pretty good results. 2) Remove any cats from the room where you are about to install the post.
3) Cover the shelf with HESSUM doormat so the critters can get a good grip. Cut the mat to size and attach it with small screws. Install the shelf to the wall.
4) Install the STOLMEN post next to the shelf.
5) Attach the rope to the bottom of the post using the STOLMEN mounting fixtures. Start coiling the rope around the post. Use gloves, keep the rope tight and give it a few hits from a hammer on every 5 rounds or so to make it tight.
6) When you reach the top, use another STOLMEN mounting fixture to attach the rope. You can use cable ties to attach the rope temporarily.
This hack can be easily extended by installing more shelves to the wall.
Longer version of the instructions and more pictures here.
~ Ilka, Helsinki, Finland
Very nice!
ReplyDeleteLooks great! How does Kitty get down though - I ask because I want to do this myself and don't want my cat to get stuck.
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteAbout the cats getting down: maybe you could add a few more 'shelves' or landings for them: so, easy up, easy down! Nice!!!
Very clever!
This is awesome, also good since most cat toys don't let them climb so high
ReplyDeleteCats will climb a tree & post like a bear up and down, but more often than not, that I have seen with our 4 cats, they prefer to jump. In this case they'd jump to the top of that fridge and then to the ground from there.
ReplyDeleteWithout room for additional shelves fastened to the pole, in that space, I would secure something to the top of the fridge or install a shelf above it.
PS: Be prepared to replace the lowest part of the rope, once the cats start using it as a scratching post. After about 6 months our DIY cat post with sisal rope was pulled to shreds. Had to upgrade to thicker rope ;)
ReplyDeleteLove this! Those carpeted cat scratchers you buy at PetSmart etc are such eyesores. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteThat is BRILLIANT!! Love your Step 2... :D
ReplyDeleteLove the fridge! I want one.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the climbing ability of your cat! When cats go up, they will come down backwards. It's hot they do it and they do it well, OR they jump!
ReplyDeleteTotally making one of these for my cat.
ReplyDeleteI just did one for my cats and it's quite easy to build. It was very long to place the rope around the stolmen mount because i bought a 3.5mm sisal rope...
ReplyDeleteMy rope was tiny enough so i did not make any use of additional stolmen mounts, the small standard ones were sufficent.
Thank you for the great idea !!
It's a kitty stripper pole! I love this -- it's not hideous like a lot of cat toys, and the kitties seem to be enjoying it.
ReplyDelete