Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community  

Go Back   Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community > The Academy > Tilted Life


 
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 09-06-2007, 11:47 AM   #1 (permalink)
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
 
telekinetic's Avatar
 
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
How to hack together a modular Cat Ladder from Ikea bits

My cats are bored. If you're honest with yourself, yours probably are, too--let's face it, the average urban dwelling doesn't offer much in the way of excitement for felines genetically predispositioned to hunting in the jungle. So, in order to give them some exploration options (and because I thought it would be adorable), I decided to give them access to the top of my entertainment center from the back of one of my couches via a series of shelves spaced on the wall at with cat-navigatable spacing, aka a Cat Ladder.


(couch on the left, entertainment center on the right)

My requirements for this cat ladder were:

1. Sturdy and safe
2. Nonslip, kitty-friendly surface to protect overexcited kitties from sliding death
3. Attractive enough to blend in with the living room decor
4. Easy to fabricate in a single evening with minimal tools
5. Cost effective. I set myself a budget of a halfway decent retail cat playground-$80.


Some internetting turned up some interesting homebrew results using Ikea components, so I decided to go to Ikea and see what I could see that matched up with my requirements. Due to some compromises on size, and some sales, I was actually able to keep it down to $60. You might have to spend more if you don't think your kitties are nimble enough to use 7" deep shelves (they're also available in 11" or 15"), or if you want more shelves, or longer shelves, but the idea is generally the same. On to the hack...

Ikea Materials list:

ROSKILDE Rug x 1 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80100487 (I think, it was similar to this and on sale for $1.99)
BJÄRNUM 7 1/2" x 4 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10032411
JÄRPEN x 2 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00110466
FIXA wall anchors and screws

Other supplies, in order of appearance:
Wood Saw
Scissors
Sewing Machine (or needle and thread + more freetime/patience than I had)
Hammer
Flexible Metal Puddy knife
Hot Glue Gun and Glue

Optional mounting supplies:
Stud Finder/Level/Drill with screw attachement

Directions:

1. Using your wood saw, cut your JÄRPEN to the desired lengths. I made the logical (and cost-efficient) decision to just make four shelves of equal size, so I just cut each of my 31" boards in half.
2. Cut a rectangle of your ROSKILDE rug the same shape and size as the top of each of your shelves.

3. Hem this on all four edges by the method of your choice.

4. Sandwich one end of the cover and the JÄRPEN into your BJÄRNUM bracket. Don't worry if you aren't perfect.

5. Use the hammer to force the wood all the way into the metal bracket, and use your putty knife and hammer to straighten the fabric.

5. Install the other side of the BJÄRNUM. Don't worry about getting the fabric sandwiched at this phase, it is way too frustrating and unneccessary.

7. Using your puddy knife, drive the rug fabric into the crack between the JÄRPEN and the BJÄRNUM. This should take most of the slop out of the rug.


8. Once the fabric is fully installed, lift the edges one at a time and apply hot glue to keep it from sliding sideways.

9. And, you're done!



Install in the location of your choice by whatever method you want. I recommend picking a stud for at least one side, and using the very-capable FIXA drywall anchors for the other side. It took my cats a couple says to realize that they had a new toy (I didn't want to force them onto it, the curious exploration was half the fun!) but now they use it quite frequently. They like being able to get to the highest point in the house, and I like being able to watch my cats be cute and the TV at the same time.

I will shoot some pictures this evening, if I think of it. Enjoy!
__________________
twisted no more

Last edited by telekinetic; 09-06-2007 at 11:53 AM..
telekinetic is offline  
Old 09-06-2007, 11:56 AM   #2 (permalink)
Tilted Cat Head
 
Cynthetiq's Avatar
 
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
cool I look forward to seeing it.

ikea hacker has other cat creations from Ikea furniture.

stairway to cat heaven
compact kitty box
cat bed
stolmen cat gym
the cat pod
no pooper cat litter
__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.
Cynthetiq is offline  
Old 09-06-2007, 12:01 PM   #3 (permalink)
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
 
telekinetic's Avatar
 
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
Yep, I originally went out in search of Lack shelves to make Stairway to Cat Heaven, but I'm actually really pleased with how these turned out. Way more design-y. After I made it, I actually found another site that had used BJARNUM shelves for cats, but they didn't top them with nonslip rugs, so I'd be afraid of, as I said, sliding kitty death.

Edit: Here's another site that inspired me, http://katwallks.com/ They sell their version for between $30 and $50 a shelf, and they don't look nearly as nice (IMHO)...not something I'd want in my living room.

Last edited by telekinetic; 09-06-2007 at 12:06 PM..
telekinetic is offline  
Old 09-06-2007, 12:54 PM   #4 (permalink)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 
*Nikki*'s Avatar
 
Location: Charleston, SC
Ohhh I can't wait to see the finished product, you are quite clever!
*Nikki* is offline  
Old 09-06-2007, 01:17 PM   #5 (permalink)
I Confess a Shiver
 
Plan9's Avatar
 
What a great idea! My feline sniper will love it.
__________________
Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."
Plan9 is offline  
Old 09-06-2007, 05:51 PM   #6 (permalink)
Squid hat!
 
meanSpleen's Avatar
 
Location: A Few Miles Away From Halx
that looks awesome! exen better, it definitely can pass as a 'retail' item since it looks very clean. looking forward to the complete setup and some adventure-kitty pics.
meanSpleen is offline  
Old 09-06-2007, 11:01 PM   #7 (permalink)
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
 
telekinetic's Avatar
 
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
Sorry for the crappy image quality, I couldn't find the DSLR, so here's some point-and-shoots.






If you are paying attention, you'll note my plan called for four shelves (which I indeed constructed) and yet I have only installed 3. I underestimated the jumping abilities of my furry friends. I have one more premade, and am probably going to buy supplies to make two more, plus the stuff to make a nice padded corner balcony, and branch a second path off from the second step up leading up into the other corner of the room.

Edit: Also, no making fun of my dead sticks in jars. They rule.

Edit #2: A Few more closeups







Kitty thinks these three make him look fat, therefore the grumpy face. He also wishes daddy could have found the digital rebel, since it doesn't make his eyes look like satan.

Last edited by telekinetic; 09-06-2007 at 11:22 PM.. Reason: added more pics
telekinetic is offline  
Old 09-07-2007, 03:34 AM   #8 (permalink)
Psycho
 
ryfo's Avatar
 
Location: melbourne australia
our cats got a pole covered in the material used in office dividers that runs from floor to ceiling and is next to the bookcase so they lay on top of the bookcase and lord over us poor pleps on the ground! I very much like your idea of making another branch for them to play on. Do they lay on them and stop the other kitty using them as steps? I know my cats would.
ryfo is offline  
Old 09-07-2007, 07:45 AM   #9 (permalink)
Muffled
 
Kadath's Avatar
 
Location: Camazotz
That's pretty awesome. I wouldn't want to do it in my apartment, but I can definitely see doing it once I buy a house. Of course, with my fatass cats I'll need to make the steps large enough to attach to two studs or they'll rip out of the wall.
__________________
it's quiet in here
Kadath is offline  
Old 09-07-2007, 09:49 PM   #10 (permalink)
don't ignore this-->
 
bermuDa's Avatar
 
Location: CA
This is quite awesome! If I were a cat I would totally appreciate it if my human went through all this trouble. Or maybe not, cause I'd be a cat.

Very impressive though
__________________
I am the very model of a moderator gentleman.
bermuDa is offline  
Old 02-06-2008, 07:35 PM   #11 (permalink)
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
 
telekinetic's Avatar
 
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
Well, we got rid of our entertainment center, and our cats have grown. Our bigger orange cat can barely sleep on one of the 7.5 x 15" shelves anymore, and will scamper up the three steps and look longingly at where the armoire used to be. So, I decided to expand.

Current room:


New room plan:


I have one 7.5x 15 shelf I never installed, so I'm putting that up, and I've already bought all the supplies I need to make two more delux shelves...this time I'm going with 11" shelves. I'm making one 11x18 bed, and one 11x18 bed with an auxillery scratching matt made from sissal rope wrapped around the shelf. My wife found a pet bed sewing pattern to make the beds, and I bought a fleece blanket and some scratch and dent pillows (don't ask me, I have no idea) to use for stuffing.

Big shelf detail, showing the bed and sissal rope portion (I didn't model the rope individually wrapped around, but rather as a chunk, since I'm not a glutton for punishment, but you can see where I'm going to clearance the shelf, and the holes I'm going to poke the rope through and tie a knot)


I'll document it as it happens
__________________
twisted no more

Last edited by telekinetic; 02-06-2008 at 07:38 PM..
telekinetic is offline  
Old 02-06-2008, 08:48 PM   #12 (permalink)
Mine is an evil laugh
 
spindles's Avatar
 
Location: Sydney, Australia
I actually have 3 BJÄRNUM shelves in my office (above the desk). I think they are 12" wide (30cm or so) - the cats have been known to get up there (even though the shelves have heaps of other stuff on them - we also have a LACK shelf in our lounge room :

http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60103632

This uses dry wall wall mounts (bought at the local hardware) rather than going into the studs - the cats climb on this all the time (knocking stuff everywhere) - the weight is certainly not al issue - our boy cat is pretty sizeable too!

Yes, they can jump a long way and you'd be surprised how well they can stop - I'm not sure you'd need the non-stick 'flooring', especially given how close together the steps are...
__________________
who hid my keyboard's PANIC button?
spindles is offline  
Old 02-06-2008, 08:53 PM   #13 (permalink)
peekaboo
 
ngdawg's Avatar
 
Location: on the back, bitch
I'm impressed you can use a sewing machine
ngdawg is offline  
Old 02-07-2008, 06:35 AM   #14 (permalink)
Husband of Seamaiden
 
Lucifer's Avatar
 
Location: Nova Scotia
That was my exact thought!
__________________
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
- Job 30:29

1123, 6536, 5321
Lucifer is offline  
 

Tags
bits, cat, hack, ikea, ladder, modular


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 03:37 AM.

Tilted Forum Project

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
© 2002-2012 Tilted Forum Project

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360