I’ve always wanted to build some sort of cat tree or tower that can be put on my balcony. I have searched for outdoor cat trees but the selection is very limited. One day I found this organizing structure on the side of the street. I immediately realized that the cats would love to climb and sleep in it. The structure itself is made of lightweight metal dowels and plastic connectors that can be re-arranged to different sizes and shapes. I made two cube structures and tied them together for stability. I arranged the shelves which are just pieces of super thin cloth so it was easy for them to jump up to the top. It lasted less than a week before the cloth shelves started to rip apart.
I purchased coconut rope to weave through to make the shelves. The coconut rope was thick and easy to use as well as very cheap. It is very scratchy which most cats love the texture of and is fun to scratch. I just took the rope and did a very basic weave. I tied the two units together which made it much more stable. I wrapped around the towels in one direction, cut it and then weaved it through the other direction.
I’m very happy with how it turned out and the cats love the new views from up high. They have been using it for several weeks now and it looks great. They love sleeping and scratching the coconut cord. I think the cord will be long-lasting and easily replaceable. I am just worried about the plastic connectors breaking in the cold temperatures of winter, time will tell. But given that I found this structure for free and spent around $15 for the cord, this is a very inexpensive cat tower and well worth the minimal effort it took to make this. I think there are many different kinds of shelving units you could find second-hand or something you may already have. Obviously the better quality structure you have the longer lasting it would be. If I put this inside I wouldn’t be worried about it at all. It is just the cold winters that I’m worried about. Here is an example of the type of structure I have.
Cornelius enjoying balcony life. :-)
And for those wondering yes the balcony is secure with a netting so the cats can not fall nor jump. They are safe.
This worked out great! I”m sure over time you’ll have to update and make more improvements, but you’ve got the thing down basically. I’d suggest getting zip ties (which you can get in black) to use to secure the connections, they are so easy to use and very reliable.
I’m guessing one issue you might have is that it is lightweight, and likely to tip over. How will you deal with this over time?
Author
I have it on my balcony so it is mostly exposed to the elements. The back is up against the wall which helps with wind and it is about 30% covered from rain. Because it is two separate structures that I have weaved together it has made it very sturdy. It has already gone through one heavy rain and wind storm and stayed put. The cats can jump up and down and it doesn’t move at all. Zip ties are great, it is how a I secure the balcony netting. But if the plastic corner connectors break from the cold, zip ties won’t help it.
Well this is clever, I will have to try something like this for my balcony!
That meant to say “one man’s rubbish”!!! ;)
That’s a great idea. Just goes to show, another man’s rubbish is another cat’s paradise! LOL
Author
Exactly! I love re-purposing old items no longer in use. Some of my most treasured finds are items I found on street.