Thursday, April 05, 2012

What I've been UP to, Cat Shelves

What I've been UP to, Cat Shelves

I have been watching My Cat From Hell on television.  I wish I could say that it was just a curiosity, but the truth is that my four boy cats might qualify for this show!  They are aggressive with each other, and my guests.  I usually lock them up in the bathroom when I have company.  But, after watching the show, I have hopes.  Each segment gives me new ideas, and I implement them ALL! 
This week, instead of quilting, I have been adding cat shelves to my walls.  It is intended to give the cats a high perch so that they feel safe, and a place to just hang out!  I started with a beam from the top of a book shelf to a stack of milk cartons.  It was a good idea, but too wobbly.  This brought the investment up a notch.  The beam was easy enough to cover in carpet with staples, but actually bolting these things down when the cats just around is a different story.  Here is a photo of the beginning of the project, and a plan for more shelves (for easy entry and exit).  I used painters tape to mark the placement of the shelves, which I moved around a lot until I liked the arrangement.  I must say that it is harder than I expected to plan something for the cats abilities and their bodies.  I also used a stud finder so that the shelves would be anchored in studs, and that put some artistic limits on the project. 

When I decided to add the white shadow boxes from the container store, I knew I was on to something.  I just love the white squares against my aqua walls.  I plan to put some art inside these, but for now, I like the simplicity of the white squares.  FYI:  This also added significantly to the cost of the project.  Rats!

Last you can see the flying cat boys exploring their new territory.  The last one is happy cat.  It just makes me wonder, seeing him licking his lips, if he is planning to make a meal out of me, from high atop his perch?

5 comments:

Cindy said...

I LOVE this idea! I had been looking for something similar for my cats but still trying to decide on the location of it. All the cats love being high & giving them something to keep them busy makes them bug me less. Absolutely love what you have done & love the idea of the white boxes. You have done a great job! Please post more pics if you do more to it.

Lynn Douglass said...

I just watched that episode, and I am working on a plan to do the same thing! I only have Shamus, but he's a pistol! Your idea of adding those boxes for future art work is fabulous!

Kathy York said...

Thanks! Ironically, the cats are ignoring the shelves right now and sitting down low, looking out the window....

Nancy said...

Lucky boys! Our cat seems to like high places, too. My next purchase for her is Soft Paws... nail caps that glue on. We just got a new sofa and I don't want her to claw it. The things we do for our pets.

Kathy York said...

Nancy, good luck with your kitty pedicure! I have done that for all four of my boys. I was very happy with the results. As for now, I have increased the number of scratching posts and especially horizontal scratching pads. All seems to be working well, and I won't hesitate to use the soft paws again if needed.