My So Cal Life: Unemployment Project II: Cat Tree: Level Three

I'd seen some sort of U-shaped platforms on cat trees in the store, and I thought those seemed like a good idea. I also wanted a little tunnel type thing, so I decided to combine the two. Before I attached the tube (and after I had cut out the carpet circle on the top of the platform) I cut a hole within that circle, much like I did for the level inside the platform. This way kitty could jump up through the bottom of the tube.

Now I took the other half of the Sonotube and cut it in half lengthwise, to make a "U."

I glued and stapled a strut on either side of this, because I wanted to hang it (hence the extra support). Then I carpeted the inside.

Next I glued carpet to the oustide.

Kitty seemed to approve of the idea.

Next I shoved the whole thing up under the platform and cut out the carpet along the sides. I don't mind telling you, this sucked. Bigtime. When that was done I did the drilling/screwing thing til it was secure.

I carpeted the hole, and now he could climb from the tunnel up through the tube all the way to the top.

If you thought the tube looked a little crooked in some of the pics, that's because it was. Turns out I hadn't screwed all the screws in completely, so it was sitting up on them on one side and leaning over. Being OCD like I am, I HAD to fix it. I tried to convince myself not to, but I couldn't do it. So I had to unattach the tunnel part, which involved finding all the screws. I ended up stripping most of them, and had to cut one to get it out. I finally got the tube screwed down and replaced the tunnel, and that wasted an entire afternoon.

Now I wanted to go higher with it, so I attached a 2 x 4 and slid a plastic pvc tube over it. I glued the tube at the bottom and then bolted it through the 2 x 4 and into a hole I had cut in the tube top. He he. Tube top.