Cat Christmas gift

[marko]

Here's what we got Nuda and Twiggy this year - The gift of height

[hazelrunpack]

Oh, wow--that's awesome! Have the girls tried it out, yet?

[Reg]

Happy New Year Marko & Carmie and fur babies.

Curiosity has the best of me on your kitty Christmas gift. Did you have them made up or buy them already made? They look quite substantial.

I was wondering how wide and how thick the platform is. Would you happen to have a photo of the 2 girls making use of them?

By the way, your Christmas outfits were really neat. We're still talking about them.

[Longblades]

Oooh, very nice. Is there carpeting or something to make them less slippery?

[marko]

Thanks everyone!
These are all ikea products.

We JUST put up the top two long shelves...and we coaxed Nuda onto it using a feather toy... it'll take a few days until they both use it..... The 2 shelves are quite heavy and were attached with toggle (butterfly) bolts to the sheetrock. (We would have loved to have hit the wood studs...but it didn't happen....but the bolts are SOLID.) Top shelves are about 48 inches long each and 11 inches wide....maybe a 3/4 inch thick.

...the stairlike shelves were put up about a month ago and the cats LOVE them. It's just 2 shelves with the rungs deliberately staggered so the cats can climb.

Slipperiness factor...we were worried about that too...but the melamine seems to have a bit of 'tooth' to it - so it's less slippery than it looks. Still, we may add something anti-slip in the near future. Maybe some sticky privacy film (like they put on bathroom windows) will do the trick.

As for pics... they're comin'

thx everyone!

[Longblades]

An idea for "anti-slip" additions. A piece of velcro glued or nailed, or both, to the shelving and the other piece on some thin fabric cushioning. I have to admit, I have yet to do this myself with a thin cushioned cover I made for a wide window sill. The cats like it, it's a bit warmer than the bare wood. I made it reversible to formfit over both sides of the sill but once in a while a cat will jump up, catch the cover, and the whole thing falls off. It's not high. I made it that way to be washable but it could stick on better.

[marko]

Good tip - thx LB!

[marko]

Cats are starting to use the new runways

Gonna post a pic of Twiggy next!!

[hazelrunpack]

She looks right at home up there. So elegant!

[Longblades]

Love it. Now waiting for video of them climbing up.

[Reg]

I'm kinda inclined to go along with Longblades........a video would be nice.
Maybe make it a full length feature of them climbing up and using the cat walk.

Another thought......maybe you might find a stud finder of value when you're attaching things like this to the wall, or hanging heavy pictures. It helps to make things a little more secure putting the nail or screw into the stud. I've used one for years.............not often, but nice to have when needed.

[marko]

thx for the tip on the stud finder, (I have one) but esthetics was at play here...it would have looked ridiculous.
Into the stud is always best, but when it's not doable, (Like in this case where the brackets were not movable and the placing did not line up) the toggle bolts ROCK. Each shelf is a good 10-15 lbs - still feels solid!!
will try to post a video at some point!

[growler~GateKeeper]

Fantastic Kitty SuperHighway!!

I would love to do that for my girls but unfortunately just rent & not allowed anything bigger than picture hooks in the wall lol.

[marko]

I would love to do that for my girls but unfortunately just rent & not allowed anything bigger than picture hooks in the wall lol.

The key - Play loosely with the word 'hook'

Put in 2 hooks with a 4 inch base. Basically anything 90 degrees that you screw into the wall. I might call it a bracket, but if I'm confused, voila - It's a hook. Lie anything reasonably stable - between the 2 'hooks'.
Duct tape is your friend. You could Macguyver this with the hooks and multiple sheets of cardboard..or cheap wood for maybe 5-8 dollars.

[growler~GateKeeper]

LOL