Keeping the Cat happy

[Ken Garlock]

The following are a couple shots of the steps I built last week for our aging Abyssinian cat. The construction is of 1/2" plywood from HD, the leg is split 2/4 with luan 1/4" covering. The legs are attached to the riser and stringer under the stop step with 2 backer blocks to resist movement should the glue want to give. The treads are 8" deep, and the risers are 7" high, the width of the steps is 11". This was my first attempt to cover anything with carpet, and I must admit to a "just barely acceptable" job.

Picture police take note ;)

[John Miliunas]

Hey Ken, I'll bet that project was "PETA Approved"!!! :) Further, *any* animal lover would approve your helping out your four-legged friend. Nice idea and the carpet install looks just fine from here! You're right, though...Attaching carpet, especially with some of the rather stiff backs, can be a real "pita" in itself. (Dang it, just couldn't resist that one! :D ) Good job and I'll bet your kitty appreciates it, as well! :cool:

[everett lowell]

Ken DONT let my wife see these pics ill never here the end of it!ill be spending half my shop time building stuff for her cat.:mad:

[John Miliunas]

Yeah...So what? I'll bet that's WHY she thinks you HAVE the shop, in the first place! :D Well, OK....Projects for LOML is why MY wife thinks I have a shop! :eek: :D :cool:

[Ron Schweitzer]

Ken,
Show us a picture of your cat using it if you can.
TIA
Ron

[Dave Crabbs]

Hey Ken, I'll bet that project was "PITA Approved"!!! :)
John don't you mean PETA http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/tiercat/tiere024.gif j/k

Ken,
Good looking set of cat steps I'm sure the cat will enjoy using them.
Dave

[John Miliunas]

John don't you mean PETA http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/tiercat/tiere024.gif j/k

Ken,
Good looking set of cat steps I'm sure the cat will enjoy using them.
Dave

Egads! Breathing too much Cherry dust again! :eek: Of course, you're right! I'll go back up and correct it. Thanks! :) :cool:

[Jerry Olexa]

Ken good job and you've given LOML some good ideas for a future project for our aging cat. Another addition to the "honeydew" list!!

[Ken Garlock]

Ken,
Show us a picture of your cat using it if you can.
TIA
Ron

OK, Ron, here is a picture of Bob using his new stairs.

[Ron Schweitzer]

Thanks Ken,
I have a cat (Little Girl) that used to like jumping on the top on doors and now she sometimes has trouble 4 wheeling into my chair, she is +12 years old now.
Yes she thinks she is the alpha cat still.:)
Thanks for the picture,
Ron
Here is Little Girl several years ago.

[Ken Garlock]

Thanks Ken,
I have a cat (Little Girl) that used to like jumping on the top on doors and now she sometimes has trouble 4 wheeling into my chair, she is +12 years old now.
Yes she thinks she is the alpha cat still.:)
Thanks for the picture,
Ron
Here is Little Girl several years ago.

Little Gril has her "headlights" on in the picture I see. We never had a cat that liked the top edge of doors, but a lot of them do :)

Bob is going on 16 and walks with a little bit of a limp, but he can still jump up onto a chair. We have been giving him a med called Cosiquin for his joints, I don't know if it helps but it isn't doing any harm.

Scratch Little Girl's chin for me ;)

[larry merlau]

hey ken i thought you were making them steps so she could get cleaned up, i saw the washing machine door opened and ready for use :D i too have an old kitty, she is 17 and has days when she is spry as a kitten and others when she barly moves out of your way. and her atitude can turn real mean sometimes but she is still going so we tryto get along nice steps and i am sure he appreactes the gift

[Peter Liebert]

A few months ago my wife and I purchased a new bedroom set with a higher bedframe, and the matress we picked was one of those "pillow tops" which increased the bed height just enough that the aging 17+ cat couldn't make it anymore. A quick trip to the shop and I produced something very similar to yours... although I only carpeted the treads (no risers) in carpet left over from the recent carpet install, and stained the wood to match the new furniture. I'm pleased to say the cat uses it every day!

-Peter

[Ron Schweitzer]

Ken,

I hope Bob has you for many years to come; Kid (a cat) that had me for 19 years was my best friend when I needed one.

Spot, my avatar, sits on the bathroom door every day, he has even fallen asleep up there.

He likes the front door but it is seldom open and harder to jump to. (pic 1) We were waiting for the HFDC to be delivered. It ended up 5 houses down.

Spot also thinks the router table, that I don't use much, is the best viewing Spot in the downstairs shop. (pic 2)

He always follows me down stairs and he even helps when I hand sand, I think he likes the smell of sawdust. I think he is a Neanderthal; he really likes to watch me when I use planes, chisels or other hand tools.

If I use anything that makes a lot of noise he leaves, he doesn't like the sound of routers, the CMS or the vacuum at all. I don't let him into the garage shop because I have a TS, planer, air compressor and jointer in there; they have belts and he doesn't understand.

He looks at me and asks "Is it safe" or "Can I help", It makes me think.

Ron

I know this isn't a pet forum BWTH Spot likes being in the shop as much as I do.

PS I've had problems uploading images so this may not work the first try.

[Ted Shrader]

Ken -

Looks like Bob the cat is really liking his stairs.

Our cat is missing one front leg (born that way) but at 4 she still gets around OK. May have to keep those stairs in mind for later on.

Ted

[Ron Schweitzer]

I'll try posting pic 2 again on the trusty Mac.
Ron
I think it worked (it's a Mac, kind of like a MM I think), I used JPEG compression 6 instead of JPEG compression 8.

[Ron Schweitzer]

Larry,
I think my Little Girl is going blind and may not know what is coming near from her vision, I warn her with a "look out" and she moves and is nice most of the times, if I forget she may growl and she may take a blood test as I go by. Her nickname is "Monster"!
You may have the same thing going on with your cat, he may not be able to discern friend from foe with his sight or the sound of your footsteps now, and cats will be proactive, give him a verbal warning if you can, it saves blood for me. YMMV
Ken,
Yes she likes a chin scratch a short time or back or tail and then Growl.
Give Bob a scratch or hug for me, some cats don't like hugs, mine don't like it for more then a few seconds.
Ron

[Larry Crim]

Seems to be a lot of cat fans here, I like the stair idea I was trying to think of something to make that would allow my cats to lay in the sun and stay warm, for obvious reasons. maybe I will make something simular with a cat bed at the top so they could lay in front of the window. That should make them happy.
Larry

Harry and Fluffy

[Tom Hintz]

Ken
I have a little expereince with kitty things getting out of hand. See the link below for what a simple "kitty condo" turned into!

http://www.newwoodworker.com/kittycondo.html

[Ken Garlock]

Tom, that is a class A kitty tree/condo. I see that you put a lot of effort into making it nice for for your cat family. Great job :cool:

Larry, I am sure your Sphynx would enjoy a nice place in the sun. We bought a cat shelf at Petsmart that Velcros to the window sill, Bob uses it frequently.

Ron, that is a good picture of Little Girl. Fortunately, our cats(3 past tense) have kept their teeth where they belong, in their mouth. I believe Bob is getting cataracts, but they don't seem to have progressed to the point where he bumps into things.

[Ken Garlock]

This is a picture of Bob asleep on his back. I does this a couple times a week, but I have never made it a point to take a picture.