January 19, 2018
My cats get bored easily and will resort to blankly staring at me for hours. After reading How to Tell If Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You, I sat down and designed this for the sake of self-preservation.
Invention idea #01068.1 pulled from my notebooks to share.
In Development: Prototype 1
Reproduction plans (CC BY-SA) and limited release prototypes will be available after final.
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Enter the [cat] matrix.
Idea was to make a 3D maze-like structure that allowed cats to climb up and through. It should be easy to build and scale as needed.
Design notes on each version. Select a tab to learn more.
Last updated: October, 2022
TO DO LIST:
- Focus on fast assembly and stability.
- Stick with cardboard boxes for this iteration.
- Design no-glue end supports and interlinkages.
- Try to find alternative to MDF base/top (too large/heavy to ship).
I worked together with my Twitch viewers to refine the original idea. We went from a structure that required glue to one that requires no glue to assemble and is more portable and modular.
Jenga blocks served as a nice pre-visual model for the concept.
DESIGN NOTES:
- Used stock 8x8x40 boxes since they are widely available in bulk, safe for cats, light, and can be shipped without exceeding over-sized limits.
- Box ends are sealed with hot glue and then glued together in the 2x3 stack configuration. Takes a long time. We have to design glue out of the system.
- Initial concept gets unstable with real cats. I built a POC for a friend that had two young cats. To make it safe, I had to add additional vertical supports (A, B), an MDF base so it would not shift with aggressive play, and MDF plates (C) on top to stabilize the last level.
This is after 1 year of use. Needs work, but she said they loved it and spent hours playing in it.
