Sensible cat shelving/walkways layout?
 

Anyone here have any personal experience with putting up cat shelves and walkways? I'm not referring to the elaborate ones you see online (some of them are just crazy), but a more sensible layout I can envision putting up in my own space.

Properly executed, it seems like a good idea in principle to take advantage of unused vertical space: more areas for cats to play, leaving precious floor space free for humans to use :)

One concern I have is if I ever decide to move and sell my home, will potential buyers think it's weird, possibly driving down the value of my house.

Here is a site with some cool ideas...I would just google it and see what you find! lots of neat ideas out there!

[url]http://pinterest.com/imacdragonfly/cat-climbs-via-stairs-shelves-cubes-circles/[/url]

[QUOTE=Winston;1058028]Here is a site with some cool ideas...I would just google it and see what you find! lots of neat ideas out there!

[url]http://pinterest.com/imacdragonfly/cat-climbs-via-stairs-shelves-cubes-circles/[/url][/QUOTE]

I like the Cat Library , what a neat idea . And it's safe looking for cats too. My daughter's cat hurt his hind legs and it could had happen by falling or jumping off his climbing tree .

Thanks for the link! I'll probably end up doing an 'IKEA hack' similar to the one pictured [URL="http://pinterest.com/pin/66005950760795911/"]here[/URL]. My tentative plan is to create a continuous catwalk that wraps around two or three sides of a room. The challenge I have with my room(s) is limited wall space to put the climbing platforms leading up to the walkway.

The nice thing is, IKEA shelving is relatively inexpensive (SO glad there's one not too far from me). Need to start thinking about how I can make it work. :)

Gosh, those are some really attractive ideas. We have built cat sized snoozing shelves at a couple of window ledges, as well as real cat trees. From real trees, which garner some nice comments. I should say the OH did.

In two cases in our house I've taken steps to prevent climbing on certain shelves. One is above my computer monitor. When it was the big old square box type monitor Ginger used it to launch herself up to a shelf above and landed on it on her way down. She set off some pretty alarming rocking and rolling. Another place we've thwarted them is the shelf on which rest two lovely and expensive duck decoys.

Access to the top of three linked tall book shelves and from there to the top of a TV tower storage thing we've left to them, only modifying for the safety of some pottery we used to have up there. They love to sleep on top of that tower and look down on us.

I went ahead and did it! I picked up shelving from IKEA and went through with my 'catwalk' project this weekend :)

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/150571700.jpg[/IMG]

Newton, being the adventurous kitten that he is, immediately started exploring the new territory - although I had to help him out a little bit to figure out the sequence of which platforms to jump to (I'm sure he would've been fine on his own, but I was a bit impatient). His mom Newt hasn't tried it out yet - it sometimes takes her awhile to try new things.

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/auriga_m38/image/150571687.jpg[/IMG]

Here he is lounging in his new spot, and playing hide and seek with his favourite toy mouse.

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/auriga_m38/image/150571915.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/auriga_m38/image/150571691.jpg[/IMG]

I put non-slip tape on the shelving, making sure to put lots on the climbing platforms leading to the top shelves.

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/auriga_m38/image/150571685.jpg[/IMG]

That's awesome, tezster!! And way to go, Newton! :highfive:

Hi tezster:

That shelf system has made a great catwalk. Newton and Newt should get a lot of enjoyment out of it. I like the location of the new cat condo in front of the window. That spruce tree outside the window should be a great haven for birds, and be great entertainment for the cats doing birdwatching. I don't think the shelf system will have any effect on the value of the house on re-sale. All that would be needed would be to fill the screw nail holes and a coat of paint, and no one would be any the wiser.

Looks Awesome :thumbs up
Love the cut out box/cat bed on the top shelf - great idea :pawprint:

FAB IDEAS :highfive:

[QUOTE=growler~GateKeeper;1058465]Looks Awesome :thumbs up
Love the cut out box/cat bed on the top shelf - great idea :pawprint:[/QUOTE]

Thanks :)

Speaking of the box, Newton started using it as of a couple of days ago. He not only plays and lounges up there, he also naps as well!

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/auriga_m38/image/150709068/original.jpg[/IMG]

He looks adorable up there, too! :lovestruck:

Jackson Galaxy would give you 2 thumbs up for those! That's so neat. Noella would love something like that.