-- How to build a scratching post for your kitties =============================================== Text: Michael Doherty Illustration: Veronica Karlsson I built a good, durable post for my cats for $12. All you need is a square piece of plywood for the bottom. Buy 2 feet (or taller if you want it) of 4 x 4 posts used for fencing. Buy a bolt to attach 4 x 4 to plywood through the bottom. You now have a post. Buy 100 feet of 1/4 inch twine. This next part is hard to explain so I'll illustrate with some pictures. This is what you want to build: _______ / /| /______/ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ________| | |____________________ / | | | /| / | | | / / / | | | / / / | | | / / / | | / / / / |______|/ / / / / / VK / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ "X-ray view" that shows the bolt: ______ /| /| /_____/ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ________| | | |____________________ /| _ _ _ | _ | | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ /| / / | | | | | / / / | | | | | / / / / | | |_|_| / / / | '|_| | / / / VK / / |'_____|/ / / / ||_|| / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ Drill a hole in the direction of the arrow all the way through the post. Thread the sting through it and tie a knot at the end. This gives you one end that is attached. _______ / /| /______/ | | |O| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | .-----. | | | ( (_) ) | | | `-----' | | | `===' | | | `===' | | | __.--'`===' ________| | |______________.-'___ .`==='. / | | | _.-' /|( `===' ) / | | | _.-' / / `-----' / | | | .-' / / / `-@---| |(--' / / / | | / / / VK / |______|/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ Spread wood glue over entire post (Thin layer). _______ / /| /______/ | | |O| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | _ | | | (_) | | | \\\| | | \\\ |%| =\\)= |%| \ \ |%| \____\ |%| \\\\\\ |%| .-----. |||||| |%| ( (_) ) |%%%%% |%| `-----' |%%%%% |%| `===' |%%%%% |%| `===' |%%%%% |%| __.--'`===' ________|%%%%%%|%|______________.-'___ .`==='. / |%%%%%%|%| _.-' /|( `===' ) / |%%%%%%|%| _.-' / / `-----' / |%%%%%%|%| .-' / / ______ / `-@---|%%%%%%|(--' / / .' O. / |%%%%%%| / / / |O-.__.-'| / |______|/ / / | \ | VK / / / | `-.__.' / / / | | / / / | | / / / | GLUE | /_____________________________________/ / `-.____.-' |______________________________________|/ Then start tightly wrapping twine around post. Wear gloves because this part is a little tough. _______ / /| /______/ | | |O| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| / / |%%%%%%|%| / / |%%%%%%|%| .-' ( |%%%%%%|%| / _ _ _ ) |%%%%%%|%/ / /_)_)_) / `----------------(_/ / / /_)-. `------'// (_/_/_/_/ `. `------'// \ .-----. `------'// \ ( (_) ) `------'// \ `-----' `------'// \ `===' `------'// `-===' `------'// `===' ________`------'//____________________ .`==='. / `------'// /| ( `===' ) / `------'// / / `-----' / `------'// / / / `------'(/ / / / |%%%%%%| / / / / |______|/ / / VK / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ When you are near the top, again thread string through a predrilled hole and tie a knot as close to the wood as possible. Then what I did is extend the string out another 8 inches...tie a knot....leave another inch. This gives them a toy. _______ / /| /______/ | | |(@-. |%%%%%%|// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// @ `------'// ) `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// ________`------'//____________________ / `------'// /| / `------'// / / / `------'// / / / `------'(/ / / / |%%%%%%| / / / VK / |______|/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ I forgot....go to the carpet store and purchase one of their 2x2 samples for $2.00. Cut a hole in the middle and place of post and push down to base. This prevents injuries from landing on plywood. _______ / /| /______/ | | |(@-. | |// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// @ `------'// ) `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// ________`------'//____________________ /@@@@@@@@`------'//@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/| /@@@@@@@@@`------'//@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@`------'//@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@`------'(/@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@| | /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@|______|/@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / VK /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / |______________________________________|/ Hope this helped. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A comment from Susie B Nice instructions. Could I suggest that you make it three feet high? Two feet is kind of short to let a full grown cat stretch as much as it would like to. And for the base, a really wide square of plywood would be good for stability. I found my cats were constantly knocking over their original scratching post when they played chase and ricocheted off it to change direction. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A second comment from Susie B Make that 3 feet tall, so the cat can stretch. Sometimes cats won't use a scratching post because it's too short. Also, make sure that the base is extra wide, if the scratching post is unstable the cat won't want to use it. Also, fasten two layers of plywood together so you can countersink the bolts. This will contribute to its stability. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A comment from DJ Here is the secret to the best scratchpost...make it big and heavy. I have built a few scratchposts (the cats wear those things out..which is good). I have found that the reason cats lose interest in those little store bought posts and head for the couch is because those little posts move around and the couch doesn't. My posts are about 1 foot square and 3 feet tall. They are covered with carpet and the inside is filled with rocks. The post ways about 60 pounds (25kg) when the rocks are in it so it won't move when my cats come up and attack it..So remember, make it heavy enough to stay still and make it tall enough so the can stand up and scratch up the post (just as if they were scratching up a tree).