The Catwalks
Over Labor Day weekend 2001 I decided to put up some catwalks for my
kitties. Although they have access to an
outdoor catrun and a cat enclosure,
I felt they needed more interesting things to play on while inside
my house. I used carpeted 1x10 boards and secured them above my doorways using
6 inch "L" brackets. I used "L" brackets instead of typical shelving angle
brackets because from below you don't see much of the "L" brackets. I had
originally tried using 1x8 uncarpeted boards but after a few 7 foot high falls
(the cats landed fine) I decided to use wider boards and to carpet the top
of the boards for added traction.
Above is dad looking through the hole we cut above my bedroom door which allows
the cats to walk onto the catwalk in my hallway. I put a nice looking yellow
cat-face as a border for the hole.
The cats can get up to the catwalks via these carpeted steps in my
bedroom. "Linda" often likes to perch on the top step to get a good view of
things. The catwalk next to Linda was a temporary 1x8 board which I later
replaced with my standard 1x10 carpeted board.
The cats can also get up to the catwalks in my bedroom via this cool carpeted ramp
I built for them. They prefer to use the steps though. When they do use
the ramp they make it look harder to get up than I really think it is for
them. They crouch very low and claw the carpet very loudly as they creep up
the ramp.
The catwalk runs above my bed and has a large area at the far end where
the cats can nap.
There's a hole above my bedroom door which allows access to the catwalk in
the hallway.
Once in the hallway, it's just a quick trot down to the next hole that allows
access into the den.
"Tiger" just trotted through the access hole located several feet behind him.
The cats get down from the catwalk in my den by using the carpeted steps in
the right of the picture.
Right now I have catwalks just in my bedroom, the hallway and the den.
If they use them a lot, I might begin Phase II of this little project.
Other Related Links On My Site:
My Cats' Home Page
The Catrun
The Large Cat Enclosure
Return to my cat page