Cat
walks, steps, climbers—whatever you call them—cats love them. It’s in their
genes to get up high. These are offset from the wall for two-sided gripping and
better wall clearance for turning. Unfinished or stained
wood provides good traction, or you can carpet the ledges for grip with comfort. Remember that any path prefers
a destination. Our plan calls for a regal corner perch high above the room.
Toggle bolts are used to connect the step brackets to the wall, which provide plenty of strength. Unless you
have very heavy cats, or your children will do some climbing, stud attachment is not required.
wood provides good traction, or you can carpet the ledges for grip with comfort. Remember that any path prefers
a destination. Our plan calls for a regal corner perch high above the room.
Toggle bolts are used to connect the step brackets to the wall, which provide plenty of strength. Unless you
have very heavy cats, or your children will do some climbing, stud attachment is not required.
MAP LEDGE AND PERCH LOCATIONS
Start with the corner perch. Use two pieces of 36"
painter’s tape to represent the wall space occupied by
the corner perch near the ceiling.
to and from the corner perch. Consider your cat’s
leaping ability when spacing the ledges, both vertically
and horizontally.
Start with the corner perch. Use two pieces of 36"
painter’s tape to represent the wall space occupied by
the corner perch near the ceiling.
to and from the corner perch. Consider your cat’s
leaping ability when spacing the ledges, both vertically
and horizontally.
Tool Tip
You may make your beveled and square rip cuts with
a circular saw. Use a clamped straightedged board to
run your saw against. For the bevels, provide an extra
board under the body of your saw as a runner, since
the saw will ride to the outside of the cut.
Adjust the lengths of the ledges if needed by
cutting or adding to your tape and altering the ledge
cut list. Mock up the shelves with cardboard and tape
to see if they’ll get in your way. The real shelves will
project 7" into the room (photo A).
CUT LEDGES AND BRACKETS
With a table saw set to 45 degrees, rip cut 3/16" off
each long edge corner of the 2 × 6 and 2 × 4 stock.
Cut the ledges and perch to length. Cut 45°
ends on the perch so it will fit in a corner. (If your
house is older, check the corner to see if it is square.
If not, adjust the perch miters to fit the walls.) Rip
cut the brackets to size. Measure 3/8" out from the
flat sides of the brackets. Cut 45° ends at the marks.
Cut, sand or rasp bevels on the end cuts of ledges and
brackets (photo B). Note that brackets have bevels on
the room side, not on the wall side.
ASSEMBLE THE LEDGES
Mark the ledges 3" in from each end. Clamp a ledge
in a padded vise. Measure 4" down from one end of
each bracket and mark with a try square. Align this
bracket mark against the ledge at the mark.
Drill a 31/2"-deep pilot hole with a 1/4" bit
through the back of the bracket and into the ledge.
Counterbore a 1/2" hole to the depth of the lag
bolt head and drill a 3/8" clearance hole through
the bracket. Fasten the bracket to the shelf with a
3/8 × 31/2" lag bolt (photo C). Repeat to attach the
brackets to the shelves. On the corner perch, the
brackets are attached midway on the mitered ends of
the perch so that each bracket faces a different wall.
Sand and finish the cat climber as desired.
Mark the ledges 3" in from each end. Clamp a ledge
in a padded vise. Measure 4" down from one end of
each bracket and mark with a try square. Align this
bracket mark against the ledge at the mark.
Drill a 31/2"-deep pilot hole with a 1/4" bit
through the back of the bracket and into the ledge.
Counterbore a 1/2" hole to the depth of the lag
bolt head and drill a 3/8" clearance hole through
the bracket. Fasten the bracket to the shelf with a
3/8 × 31/2" lag bolt (photo C). Repeat to attach the
brackets to the shelves. On the corner perch, the
brackets are attached midway on the mitered ends of
the perch so that each bracket faces a different wall.
Sand and finish the cat climber as desired.
INSTALL THE CAT CLIMBER
It is easiest to do this step with an assistant
Mark mounting bolt positions 3" in from the
a ledge in position on your wall layout tape. Make
sure the ledge is level and drill 3/16" holes through the
brackets into the wall. Drill counterbores for the bolt
heads (photo D).
Remove the shelf and extend 3/16" holes through
the plaster and lath or sheetrock. If you encounter a
wood stud, stop drilling. If you encounter hollow wall,
change bits and expand the holes to 9/16”.
If you’ve encountered a stud, secure the bracket to
put toggle bolts and toggles on both brackets.
Push the toggles into wall so they open within
the wall and tighten. Level the shelf again before final
tightening, since toggle bolts allow play. Glue dowels
in the screw holes and cut the tops flush to the bracket
surface with a fine-tooth saw. Apply wood fini
a ledge in position on your wall layout tape. Make
sure the ledge is level and drill 3/16" holes through the
brackets into the wall. Drill counterbores for the bolt
heads (photo D).
Remove the shelf and extend 3/16" holes through
the plaster and lath or sheetrock. If you encounter a
wood stud, stop drilling. If you encounter hollow wall,
change bits and expand the holes to 9/16”.
If you’ve encountered a stud, secure the bracket to
put toggle bolts and toggles on both brackets.
Push the toggles into wall so they open within
the wall and tighten. Level the shelf again before final
tightening, since toggle bolts allow play. Glue dowels
in the screw holes and cut the tops flush to the bracket
surface with a fine-tooth saw. Apply wood fini
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