The Whiskerwall: Elevate Your Cat’s Playtime
Back in December, as the days got shorter and the weather turned for the worse, I found myself with an abundance of cedar. When I started thinking about how to use it, my mind wandered to the basics: cutting boards, cookbook holders, bread boxes. Quick Christmas gifts for sure, but a little boring. I don’t often have time for my own projects, but this year I wanted to do something outside the box.
The answer came during a family dinner where the conversation, as usual, drifted to the cats. We had been looking at indoor climbing walls but didn’t like the idea of putting dozens of screw holes into the walls or dealing with the mess if pieces were removed or adjusted. “There has to be a better way,” I muttered, a phrase that has led me into many rabbit holes before.
A few days and a dozen napkin scribbles later, I had the beginnings of something I now call the Whiskerwall. It is a natural cedar slat wall, screwed directly into studs with only four screws, with fully adjustable platforms so you can design it however you like. As with any odd job, the first few prototypes take the longest. This slat didn’t fit, this screw didn’t sit right, and some pieces could be made differently. At one point I rebuilt the same platform three times because I was second-guessing my measurements. After building four of them for friends and family, I have most of the kinks worked out, but there is always room for improvement.
Once it was mounted, the real test began: would the cats even care? It turns out they cared a little too much. Within minutes they were climbing, scratching, lounging, and acting like I had built them a luxury condo. They chased each other up the slats, claimed the highest perch, and immediately started using the edges as scratching posts.
I stood there, half proud and half terrified they were going to break something. The longer I watched, the more it sank in that all the tweaking and re-cutting had actually paid off. They explored the platforms, tested every corner, and settled in as if it had always been part of the house. That was the moment I knew the idea wasn’t just good on paper. It worked in real life, and the cats were the ones proving it!
It’s funny how a stack of leftover lumber turned into a project I didn’t know I needed. The Whiskerwall will continue to evolve over time, but for now, it feels good to have made something that brings a bit of joy to the house and gives the cats a reason to stop climbing the furniture. Not bad for an extra pile of cedar.
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing a Whiskerwall for your feline family members. Call us at 250-797-1004 or email mark@sunrisewoodwork.ca for more info.
