SAVANNAHGANS® Magazine DIY: How to Make Your Own Amazing Ladder-Shaped Cat Tree (or Plant Stand)

October 30, 2020 Laura Dodge Root

When our original cat tree finally had enough, I began looking for another cat tree. The specific requirements included multiple levels for three cats to access and tall enough to give them an "overview" of the room from a high (and sturdy enough to withstand 30 pounds of F2 bouncing up and down).

The last requirement I insisted upon was it be an attractive piece of furniture while fulfilling all the other needs listed above. I'd seen a "plant stand" online, but it was far too short and flimsy, but I liked the basic idea, so I started drawing a plan. The nice thing about what I'm going to show you is that it's scalable – you can make it any height/width/depth that fits your needs. I wanted something at least 6' tall and utilized any scrap wood I'd accumulated from other projects to save money.

Because I wanted to build two – one for the Catio outside, and another for indoors, I purchased (6) 2 x 4s and cut them lengthwise to get the number of supports I needed. If you're only building one, you can buy (3) 2 x 4s.

Materials List:

(3) 2 x 4s, at least 8' long. Please make sure they're straight, without major knots or bows
(1) ½" or ¾" thick sheet of plywood (I used Baltic Birch because I had large enough scraps)
Wood Glue
Screws
¾" Hemp rope – 35' (for scratching post)
Hot glue gun
Sticky-backed carpet tiles 24" squares (home improvement store or Amazon) and carpet tape (or pet beds 24" 18" from Chewy or Amazon)

Equipment List:

Table or Circular saw
Miter saw
Jig-saw
Sandpaper or orbital sander
Level
Measuring tape
Screwdriver
**If you don't have these tools, ask a family member, friend, or neighbor if they might help you with the project.

Cut List:

(3) 6' lengths of 2 x 4, sawn lengthwise to yield six lengths for the legs. For a 6' tree, cut these later to the proper height. The cut pieces will become cross-supports for the shelves.
(2) scraps of wood about 48" long x 3-4" wide
(1) 33" x 24" piece of plywood for the bottom shelf (adjust sizing based on where you want it installed)
(2) 29" x 20" pieces of plywood for the middle two shelves (adjust sizing based on where you want it installed)
118" x 26" piece of plywood for the top shelf (adjust sizing based on where you want it installed)
(2) pieces of plywood 12" x 4."
(2) pieces 8" x 2" for supports on the top shelf

To ensure a strong base, I determined the tree's width should be about 42" and the depth needed to be about 24".

I started by laying three of the legs on the floor and arranging them so they were the correct distance for the width you want at the base. To make sure the legs will sit level on the floor, use one of the 48" x 4" scraps as a guide, along with a level, to mark the cut. Then cut two of the 6' long legs at a proper angle so that the cut edge will sit level on the floor when it is upright. These will be the outside supports. The middle supports should have a straight 90 degree cut on the bottom edges. Cut the opposite ends of the legs off, leaving about 24" long remnants, which we'll use for cross-supports for the shelves. I used an orbital sander to smooth ALL edges of the cut 2 x 4s and the shelves' raw edges to keep things smooth for the little cat's feet.

Now, position the angled ends flush with the 46" x3" scrap and run a screw through the scrap into the legs to ensure they're secure (the scrap gets removed later; it's temporary). Take one of the 12 x 4 pieces and place it at the top, adjusting the legs to 2" from the 12 x 4 support's upper edge. Place two screws through the support into each of the legs to secure positioning. Repeat the above steps with the remaining three legs and 12 x 4 support pieces. I glued my smaller 8 x 2 pieces to the 12 x 4 supports' insides to flush the upper edges. This gives a larger area for the top shelf to be attached later with screws from the top (and glue).

Next, take your 24" long pieces you cut from the legs. These will be glued and screwed to the legs at the heights where you want to place the shelves. I found it helpful to cut an angle on one of the long edges so the shelves fit flush on top of these supports when secured to the legs. You don't have to angle any lengths for the supports you install on the middle legs. Mark where you want the bottom shelf to be, and using a level and yardstick, draw a level line across all of the legs (for each side). Glue and screw these cross-supports to the inside edges of the legs. These will allow the cat tree to be worked on while it is upright from this point on.

I placed my bottom shelf at about 18" from the floor so the cats could use the space below for lounging and play (Our F2 is a large, so if not graced with a 30-pound, extra-long Savannah, you can probably put your bottom shelf lower. Adjust the sizing accordingly)!

Take your bottom shelf and mark the places where the legs will go. We're going to use the Jig-saw to cut these out so the bottom fits around the legs, enhancing support. Put some glue on the tops of the cross-supports, and put the bottom shelf in place. Fit the legs into the cutouts and add at least three screws through the bottom shelf's top into the cross-supports.

Depending on how much staggering you want your next two shelves to have, you can attach the cross-supports at the levels you want on all legs. My lower middle shelf didn't extend far enough to bother with a cross-support on one end, but I used three cross-supports for the upper-middle shelf. The middle shelves fit between the legs, so we don't need to cut the corners out. Again, glue application and at least three screws through the shelf into the cross-supports provide very sturdy legs.

The very top shelf I chose to install cross-wise, so the sides of the shelf overhang the legs while providing a large enough platform for the Beast to stretch out if he wants and lets the cats jump up to the top level a lower shelf. The arrangement of the shelves is undoubtedly customizable to your cat's needs.

I wanted to have a nicely finished cat tree, so I stained the indoor tree with a water-based stain but didn't put a top coat on it to keep it from being slippery. I used a Minwax stain on the catio tree because I knew it'd receive some weather in its location, which sealed up the wood nicely.

Once I had all of the pieces cut, fit, glued, and screwed, I stained all of the wood, and when that was dry, I installed the carpet on the shelves (carpet tape is essential for this step because I found the "sticky-back" for the carpet squares wasn't as sticky as I wanted. If you want cushier places for the cats to lounge, some 18" x24" pet beds work quite well (they are about 3" thick) and can be positioned with carpet tape as well.

The last thing I did was wrap some ¾" thick hemp rope (Amazon) down one of the legs for a scratching post (I dislike how terrible Sisal rope looks after too short a time, and the hemp rope is straightforward to work with). I anchored it in every turn around the leg with a bit of hot glue.

Now, all you have to do is put the cat tree in place and watch them have fun!

Do you have a DIY project to share with your fellow readers? Let's hear it!

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