How to Repair or Restore a Cat Tree, Furniture, Scratcher, or Scratching Post

-by flerper

Steps:

1. Identify & Measure components you'd like to restore
2. Disassemble & Strip your item of all worn materials
3. Apply new materials
4. Reassemble the piece
5. Get your cat.

As a maker of cat furniture for over 20 years ( Feline Design Cat Furniture near Philadelphia, PA USA ), I've often been asked to restore someone's beloved cat tree to a useable condition. Some have even asked me to modify & retrofit it with some of my own components, but they still won't part with the original piece. Believe me, I get it. I clip coupons before I go grocery shopping. I serve leftovers before breaking out a fresh roasting chicken. And in my case, I really DO restore my OWN cat furniture on a regular basis.

As I have done in previous articles, I'll offer some general guidelines without going into excrutiating detail about any one process. In this way, I hope to touch on a greater variety of different aspects of this topic. Maybe you'll find something here that has stumped you, & maybe you 've thought to yourself, "There must be a better way to handle this!  If only I knew a guy who makes this stuff for a living!." Most links in this article will take you to my "about me" page, which I hope will provide additional necessary resources for you to access. Before you read on, take a moment and print this guide so you can refer to it when you begin your restoration.

1) Identify & Measure

OK, now, let's get down to business... What is it you want to restore? Is it a piece with sisal rope columns? Is it something with curved perches? Maybe it is an all wood scratching post covered with carpet. Perhaps it's something like a condo with faux fleece (thin, furry fabric).

Stop now to sketch and/or photograph your cat tree from several angles. Make notations on the sketch or photo print, with measurements of all pieces you wish to restore. You can also make notations throughout this project, describing any other aspects of the components, like surprises you received when you were disassembling the unit.

Lots of cat furniture sold on the net these days is made in China. The Chinese are not really that big on replacement components, so be careful just how far down that road you go. If you are willing to replace your components with something a bit more heavy duty, here's your chance to upgrade this favorite cat tree. Some US vendors like me sell "sisal rope columns" & other components You may need to do a little drilling, but usually HOLES (for bolts) are not too tough to make, adapt, or to enlarge. Anyway, consider replacing some of those carpeted parts with sisal  (a.k.a. sissle or sissel or sizel - but properly known as sisal, and pronounced SYS-ul or SIZE-ul). You can use sisal rope or sisal weave (i.e. a woven sisal fabric). I happen to lean toward 3/8" diameter Brazilian sisal rope. It is a larger diameter than what most cat furniture makers put on theirs, which normally measures 1/4" in diameter. The obvious advantage is the longevity of the finished product. I often have a "buy in now" sale posted here on eBay for 120 feet of 3/8 Brazilian sisal rope. If you Google "3/8" Brazilian sisal rope," you'll be able to zero in on a supplier there, as well.

Some trees have several levels which feature 2 or more columns of the same height. Measuring the heights of certain levels on your tree, you might find that you can heighten it by ordering American made components. For example, you might have a lower level held up by 18" posts, and the US component could be 19",  and even a wider post using a larger diameter rope (3/8" Brazilian sisal vs. 1/4" Chinese). A larger diameter rope will keep you from having to do this again so soon because your cats will have a harder time destroying it. The typical Chinese pole has an overall diameter of 3.5" . For example, my own American poles dwarf the imports with their seriously larger girth . Typically another 20%, at least. I can't speak for all American makers, but since I don't make our stuff to ship overseas, it is generally heavier & does not come in a box the size of a toaster.

2) Disassemble and Strip**

(**please don't do this job without clothing. On very oppressively hot days, I have tried this, and I concluded that it's just too easy to slip and cut off something that you may be needing in the future. "Strip" the components only, OK!)

At this point, I want to suggest that you place the cat furniture in a freezing environment for a day or so before working on it. Just to make sure you have killed any fleas on it. Oh, I know YOU don't have any fleas. The little suckers are ALWAYS a surprise, though. Short of that, just clean off all components before reassembling it, and recut any holes to accept whatever new components you are introducing. You want a nice, flush fit between the post & the base (with no carpet fibers in between), the post & the platforms, condos, etc...

Let's talk about carpeted posts for a moment. If you can just unscrew them, then there's really no reason why you cannot restore them. After removing your post, just get a sharp carpet blade or even a box cutter or exacto knife and slit it top to bottom. Then you can get hold of pieces to rip them from the pole with a pliers. When you've removed the covering (carpet, fabric, or otherwise), pull out all loose staples from the pole, and hammer flat those which have no sharp ends exposed.

Maybe you find yourself with cat furniture that was completely assembled when you got it. If you take your time, you can find the screws or nails that hold it together. Best way in my estimation is to separate the fibers of the covering where you suspect the fasteners are. You'll notice a "pucker" or a disturbance in the uniformity of the surface of the carpet. Philips head screws are easy to back out with a screw gun or drill with a proper bit. Nails may need to be dug out. Have a little patience. They'll budge, believe me. They're only nails.

I'll give you a moment to do that, and I'll go and have a couple of beers. Back in a moment....

Blub...blub...."urp" blub...blub...blub..."braaaaaaack." (aren't men slovenly?) OK, I'm back.

If you have components that are covered with this thin fleecy stuff, and it's been trashed by little claws, consider using some tough American made carpet. You see, this heavy, dense carpet can't be applied to the Chinese stuff at the factory, because it is too heavy to SHIP (among other reasons). But now that you have it, why not make it really plush? Right? Where's it going now? Nowhere. Apparently it has a home.

3) Apply

Now, I assume that you've cleaned off the post so that what is left for you is probably something resembling a cardboard tube. Maybe it's wood. Same difference from here on in. You're goona need a staple gun or a hammer and a boatload of wire nails. Choose your weapon. The more automatic, the shorter the job. Just remember that. Staples or nails should be at least 1/2"  long if you're applying carpet. Measure the circumference or girth of your post (the length to go completely around it), and cut the width of your carpet to be just a frog's hair bigger than that. Better to overestimate in this case. Now, consider if you need any overlap on the ends of the post. if you are fittng it into a flat platform, probably not. In this case, just cut it a little short of the post's end. Now, just apply the carpet nice and straight to the post, and make sure that you've driven your nails or staples in all the way (to avoid any injury to your pussycat).

Let's take a moment to examine the post you're working on. If you got this unbelieveably low price on this huge monster of a cat tree, it's most likely Chinese. I happen to really love China & its people, by the way, but the columns that came with your Chinese-made tree aren't so loveable. The major problem I have with this piece is its plastic ends. Just remember that you're dealing with plastic, and plastic breaks. I've tested out one of these trees myself & found that if you aren't careful how you assemble them, and especially how you move them around the room, you stand a good chance of cracking one of these plastic parts. Also, it's possible that you have a component that has a male connection. This means that there is a bolt sticking out of the end of the post. Just take that into consideration when you design or order your new component (if you are doing that). In this case, you might opt for keeping the original column & just upgrading the covering.

Wrapping rope on a post is just a matter of making sure that it's wrapped real TIGHT. That means that you need to wrap so that each row is banged (with a hammer) against the previous one. This is not an easy task, but it is essential to the appearance and function of the end product. If you get tired or sore from all of this banging (welcome to my world!), just drive a staple or a nail in where you want to stop & rest. You can pull it out again when you resume your wrapping. On the top and bottom, drive your staples or nails about every 2" of rope for the first row and 1/2.

If you are dealing with square or rectangular beds or condos, or with perches that are kind of half moon shaped, much the same applies. First, remove all unwanted material using a sharp blade & pliers (please use extreme care in this part of your project!). Then you can apply the new material. Just measure each surface to cover, and if there are any seams to make with your carpet, it's best that they are underneath (meaning the UNDERSIDE of the component). The fewer places your kitty can contact any staples or nails on this piece, the better. At this point, I'll just have to advise you to measure everything at least twice, and think out where the LEAST number of visible seams will be. If you are dealing with an underlying structure less than 1/4" in thickness, then consider what length your staples or nails should be so as not to present a hazard to your critter, OK?

4) Reassemble

Many cat furniture makers use stock components which they might be willing to sell you for your restoration job. Look over their models, taking them apart ("undressing" them) with your eyes. You'll find that once you have stripped them down to their skivvies, maybe you will have found some new twist for your old tree.

You should have sketched your completely assembled tree, or have photographed it. In this case, refer to your images to reassemble it. If you are adding items that weren't on the original tree, replacing these components will be much the same as if you had simple screw-on components. Except here, you'll be driving drywall nails through your re-covered component and into whatever holds it into place (that means straight through the top of the carpet). Or you'll just drive some nice, beefy 2" nails into the two pieces. Just keep in mind that drywall screws will completely trash a plastic end plug, & will not result in a firm connection.

If you find that bolts coming up through the base are no longer getting a good grip on the posts they once secured, first check that you don't have cracked wood that needs to be replaced. Assuming that this is not the case, here are a couple of options: 1) if they are lag screws, take the offending piece of hardware to the store and find the next daimeter larger. 2) If they are bolts, then whatever they were supposed to thread into has gotten out of position or just lost. The best route to take here is once again, take the bolt to the hardware store and get a lag screw (these have points, and will generally thread their way to a secure position into wood). In either case, you can drive a couple of drywall screws through the base and into the post on either side of the main hole, just to secure the post, then use a ratchet to drive the lag screws. Also, it wouldn't hurt to go about 1/2" to 1" longer, too. That way, you will probably find more wood to grab onto. Be sure to drill pilot holes for the lag screws first. They should be just a bit smaller than the main shaft of the screws. I hope the steps outlined in this paragraph aren't necessary, but I added that just in case.

But at this point, I think you're well on your way to having a newly restored, possibly "better than new" piece of cat gear!

There are more of my tips in my guides and reviews  published here. I have posted them to help you, the crafty and handy person that you are. I sell a variety of complete cat furniture items at my web site for the many people who finally conclude that they aren't going to want to put in the time and effort. It's all a matter of personal preference, and a matter of how confident you are in your ability to finish the job. I'm not a carpenter, either, by the way. And I found that you sure can't make a decent cat tree right out of the box with a marketing degree. I had to get an advanced degree in "trial & error."

Good luck. I'll be here if you want to go ahead and get a big, rugged, meaty American pole like mine. I've been here all along, waiting for you to ask for something more substantial than you've been settling for. But maybe you'll just DIY. More power to ya. I just hope your cat appreciates all the consideration and effort that went into your restoration job. You'll know when the little critter is sleeping soundly on that top level, I guess! Please send me pics of your restored piece, since I'm always curious about how well my tips are applied. But before you do that...go and Get Your Cat! After all you did all this for him...he can at least pose for the photo!!