How to build a scratching post for your kitties =============================================== Text: Michael Doherty Illustration: Veronica Karlsson I built a good, durable post for my cats for $12. All you need is a square piece of plywood for the bottom. Buy 2 feet (or taller if you want it) of 4 x 4 posts used for fencing. Buy a bolt to attach 4 x 4 to plywood through the bottom. You now have a post. Buy 100 feet of 1/4 inch twine. This next part is hard to explain so I'll illustrate with some pictures. This is what you want to build: _______ / /| /______/ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ________| | |____________________ / | | | /| / | | | / / / | | | / / / | | | / / / | | / / / / |______|/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ "X-ray view" that shows the bolt: ______ /| /| /_____/ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ________| | | |____________________ /| _ _ _ | _ | | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ /| / / | | | | | / / / | | | | | / / / / | | |_|_| / / / | '|_| | / / / / / |'_____|/ / / / ||_|| / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ Drill a hole in the direction of the arrow all the way through the post. Thread the sting through it and tie a knot at the end. This gives you one end that is attached. _______ / /| /______/ | | |O| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | .-----. | | | ( (_) ) | | | `-----' | | | `===' | | | `===' | | | __.--'`===' ________| | |______________.-'___ .`==='. / | | | _.-' /|( `===' ) / | | | _.-' / / `-----' / | | | .-' / / / `-@---| |(--' / / / | | / / / / |______|/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ Spread wood glue over entire post (Thin layer). _______ / /| /______/ | | |O| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | _ | | | (_) | | | \\\| | | \\\ |%| =\\)= |%| \ \ |%| \____\ |%| \\\\\\ |%| .-----. |||||| |%| ( (_) ) |%%%%% |%| `-----' |%%%%% |%| `===' |%%%%% |%| `===' |%%%%% |%| __.--'`===' ________|%%%%%%|%|______________.-'___ .`==='. / |%%%%%%|%| _.-' /|( `===' ) / |%%%%%%|%| _.-' / / `-----' / |%%%%%%|%| .-' / / ______ / `-@---|%%%%%%|(--' / / .' O. / |%%%%%%| / / / |O-.__.-'| / |______|/ / / | \ | / / / | `-.__.' / / / | | / / / | | / / / | GLUE | /_____________________________________/ / `-.____.-' |______________________________________|/ Then start tightly wrapping twine around post. Wear gloves because this part is a little tough. _______ / /| /______/ | | |O| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| |%%%%%%|%| / / |%%%%%%|%| / / |%%%%%%|%| .-' ( |%%%%%%|%| / _ _ _ ) |%%%%%%|%/ / /_)_)_) / `----------------(_/ / / /_)-. `------'// (_/_/_/_/ `. `------'// \ .-----. `------'// \ ( (_) ) `------'// \ `-----' `------'// \ `===' `------'// `-===' `------'// `===' ________`------'//____________________ .`==='. / `------'// /| ( `===' ) / `------'// / / `-----' / `------'// / / / `------'(/ / / / |%%%%%%| / / / / |______|/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ When you are near the top, again thread string through a predrilled hole and tie a knot as close to the wood as possible. Then what I did is extend the string out another 8 inches...tie a knot....leave another inch. This gives them a toy. _______ / /| /______/ | | |(@-. |%%%%%%|// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// @ `------'// ` `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// ________`------'//____________________ / `------'// /| / `------'// / / / `------'// / / / `------'(/ / / / |%%%%%%| / / / / |______|/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /_____________________________________/ / |______________________________________|/ I forgot....go to the carpet store and purchase one of their 2x2 samples for $2.00. Cut a hole in the middle and place of post and push down to base. This prevents injuries from landing on plywood. _______ / /| /______/ | | |(@-. | |// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// \ `------'// @ `------'// ) `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// `------'// ________`------'//____________________ /@@@@@@@@`------'//@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/| /@@@@@@@@@`------'//@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@`------'//@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@`------'(/@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@| | /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@|______|/@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / /@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/ / |______________________________________|/