Catification On A Budget: Wall Mounted Cat Shelves (DIY + Product Critique)

I am going to go thru my home setup for cat shelves, I will also critique some of the ones the sell online. You can decide for yourself if you want to DIY or get a ready-made product, but that said not all are created equal:
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These are the ones I approve of and you can find them on Amazon, it should be identical to the ones I mentioned with a couple exceptions as the sellers changed and the models had a slight mod (but still very similiar):
Corner Setup:
amzn.to/3YK7cCu
amzn.to/415LZoj
Stairs:
amzn.to/3EkyZBq
Stairs and platform:
amzn.to/3KmxPJC
Stairs and platform + dish
amzn.to/3XJefKg
amzn.to/415LL0r (modification needed)
Platform:
amzn.to/3SiC7Ug
amzn.to/3IamJo5
* I didn't include the ones I don't recommend, so just use their design as a reference for what not to get~
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Feel free to skip around!
0:00 Introduction + My Home Setup
05:40 Shelves online: QUESTIONABLE ones
12:40 Shelves online: GOOD ones
16:12 Shelves online: OKAY ones
18:23 Ending

[@MeloCat]

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[@NobdyInfinite]

Pro tip, Add washers to your screws to use less and have a more secure mount.

[@norainnoflowers1551]

your vid was perfect!!! I’m horrified at how badly designed and expensive a lot of the cat shelves i found online. I love how you thought to repurpose some simple solid wood shelves from IKEA to make multiple pieces, and you took into consideration your cat’s comfort by including textured surfaces for them to claw at! I’m dying to go to the hardware store now to pickup some L-brackets and get to work.❤

[@MeloCat]

Glad it helped, most importantly pay attention to what they can fall on.. corners, shatter able glass or whatnot, and also what happens if there's emergency, how to get out and get them out quickly, and leave no dead ends if you have multiple cats so they can escape if someone feels like attacking them in their sleep Good luck and enjoy!

[@AncoraImparoPiper]

I'm a new cat owner and have been researching making my own cat superhighway around my home. What was missing in all the examples I've seen so far is a review of some of the pre-built products out there. I recently bought a 6ft cat tree and examining it close up, I too was wondering one way up but very hard to get back down. The distances between perches were too large for comfort ( maybe ok to jump up but down could be scary and a lack of turning room). I also worry about my cat taking a wrong step and tumbling down from a great height onto potentially lethal objects. Plus, the on-way boxes, the extreme heights making cat retrieval in an emergency difficult not to mention the difficulty of access to check on safety and keeping things clean. Your review covers so many of these important considerations, so thank you! I'll be planning my catification with the safety and comfort of my cat in mind.

[@MeloCat]

I'm glad it helped! Yes do plan for having to reach for your cat during emergencies, multiple exit points, and what they can fall onto. The texture of the surface for them to claw onto is important too! Thanks for watching!

[@AudreyLMcFarland]

Thank you! Some of the things you mentioned/talked about - I thought "How Cute".... then you explained why they are not ok! Saved me a few pretty pennies, and looking at different ideas for cat walks and perches! Thank you!

[@BlessedBaubles]

I love how many safety issues you think of. Great job!!

[@miducki]

great, helpful video!! especially the part with questionable shelves introduction! I had never thought of those shelf designs from your perspective and just thought those were cool designs. Now I have learned and I am so grateful for your helpful video!

[@drletedelete2928]

Thank, you very much for your objectiv critics about all the cat furniture Well done Must see video for cat owners❤

[@freewaybaby]

Thank you for your honest input on all of these products! I wanted to buy or build one of the cat bridges for a long time, but have the same thoughts that you’ve expressed here… Mainly, way too much space for them to get caught between the slats. And that cute star…. well that’s just a tragedy waiting to happen! Thanks again for this great and informative perspective on ALL the products!❤

[@Cuddlingcats]

Hi Melocat! I love your new additions! The corner shelves are really cool and the drawings on the wall are perfect! Send purrs from Mewla and the cats : D

[@tanyy2679]

Learnt a lot from this video alone! Thank you! 🤩

[@tylermurch]

good insights! I am going to be building some cat shelves, so this was super helpful!!

[@DjRex28]

I love the Chi wall stickers and plush you have!

[@evelinaz1548]

great video!! i myself love the moon design but always wonder too about how wasteful it is because even in the photos you can see half of it isn't even being used! and the bridges are so unstable i doubt many cats love using it. about the one at 10:40 though it doesnt seem like a trap/one entry as they can just leave out the side it seems though!

[@mrmeowmeow710]

outstanding info 2 very big thumbs up

[@MeilinLi1]

Thanks you for the safety tips!!

[@LauraRamirez-gd7ec]

Great video because i need to know what to get for my babies.

[@jessicagaffney4030]

I really like the creative reusing purpose to your work

[@MeloCat]

Thank you so much!!!

[@andreawilliams7802]

I love your apartment! I'm trying to catify my walls, just having a hard time convincing the hubby :)

[@MeloCat]

You can do it! Start with the drill free floor to ceiling pillars~ wink

[@andreawill154]

@@MeloCat just pointed out to the hubby where the pillars would go😂, yes- at least two for them to get away from each other if they need to (I have 3 cats)

[@MeloCat]

Just make sure you pay attention to what they can fall onto (accident do happen), shape corner or things that can shatter, also better with carpet or padding~ check out some of the ones that I recommended those are pretty good, ask away if you have questions! Also suction cup hammocks are okay but pls bear in mind this especially w more than one cat! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYm8koOLfb2shMk

[@Charon-gj2sn]

I found that the cat bowl of this product can be placed on either side. I'm very satisfied! Thank you for your recommendation

[@MeloCat]

Excellent!!! Enjoy!

[@geraldchaffee5506]

@@MeloCat I have 4 elderly. Cats. Is that OK with you? They get their nails trimmed weekly.

[@natachasheldon7763]

Love your iseas

[@terryconnor8323]

Awesome thanks

[@leilal8053]

No doubt you love your kitties! 😊

[@lingenberry]

Great video! Been thinking about getting a cat and definitely wanna catify

[@playfulpanthress]

Welcome fellow cat person!! 😻 Get two cats when you do! They can play together and keep each other company while you are at school or work! ❤️

[@christines.4711]

Amazing 😮

[@dougstofelonline3710]

Hi, Really good video =^..^=. I really like the wall mounted curved “beds” in the last part of your video…about the 13:20 mark. Can you tell me what brand those were? Thanks:)

[@MeloCat]

You can find those in the description~ the curved ones are pretty good!

[@nicholenguyen5047]

lot of the ones I was looking at, you had mentioned a lot of good points that made them unsafe/ Thank you for your video.

[@MeloCat]

Yeah I thought it's important to look beyond the fancy design sometimes, and please note that it's not just these but ones that are guilty of the same design flaws as well~

[@danidiet9411]

maybe a little bit late, but you can easily put some sisal rope around the steps of the brige and some have pvc pippes between each step, so even if the cat should slide between the steps it can't get stuck and hurt

[@TanyaGarner]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO! You were so right when you said "This is the video you want to see" IT IS! I don't have a lot of money but I have a cat that depressed because her brother from another mother dominates the entire house! Can I ask what size are your "L brackets"? Do they need to be a certain weight load?

[@MeloCat]

The L brackets need to extend to take up most of the width of the shelf, you can ask Home Depot to give you advice in terms of the make but of mention the possibility of multiple cats jumping off of it which can add to the stress, especially when it's repeatedly over time

[@jonathanlarsson1406]

U know any more modern stairs and a bed in white? Jay from sweden

[@cassidyfit1]

I’m glad I just saw this because I was actually thinking about getting that My Zoo spaceship Gamma😳😳😳 I only have one cat so he wouldn’t be trapped if another cat was chasing him….But the other issues you mentioned are definitely valid…. so now I probably won’t be getting that !!

[@drinny26]

Where did you get the tall carpeted pole?

[@laurendrayton4659]

I'm having 4 adult cats soon occupy my tiny house so catification is definitely needed! They can be a bit sketchy and sometimes one particular one can bully the others because she's insecure and suffers from anxiety. Is there any particular catification I can do to accommodate for this cat? She really likes her space! unfortunately the boys can wind her up a bit and they wonder why they get a swipe! Also, how wide usually should I make the platforms? All 4 cats are a usual size for short hairs, they aren't over weight :) Manty thanks x

[@shirleyadkins4254]

Good Info

[@robira1313]

That is a beautiful view from the window! What city is that?

[@_EightySix]

So the spike pit on the floor around the cat shelves is not a good idea?

[@geraldchaffee5506]

Hi. I have 4 Elderly cats that have their nails trimmed once a week so they can prevent any damage they might cause but I will repair or replace damaged furniture IF they incurred any. Thank you, Jerry

[@Goezde000008]

hey i might be a bit late, but i wanted to ask how the perpendicular scratching posts are mounted on the walls? also i love your ideas and thanks for sharing youe knowledge with us (:

[@MeloCat]

It's drilled into the wall using multiple deep screws feel into a cement wall. More importantly is the area underneath in case they fall.. no corners nothing that can shatter or have their limbs stuck or hard surfaces :)) hope that helps

[@Goezde000008]

@@MeloCat thanks for replying! yh i was thinking about placing them over my 4m long couch :D but i couldnt find any stable way to mount something thats round. and i'm also wondering what coverage you got over the installment?

[@MeloCat]

It actually comes w the pillar, there's a base that allows you to screw on it~ all good, love from hk!

[@penguins0392]

Does carpet usually fall off these shelves if you don't screw it like you did? Thank you! Amazing vid

[@MeloCat]

Usually yes. Reason being is I don't use staples or glue as I don't want those to affect my cats in case they fall out or gets inhaled...

[@mangof.6054]

I think the moon is good if you don't want your cat jumping from one edge to a high traffic area like a doorway, so it has its use cases but I don't think most people are getting it with that in mind

[@MeloCat]

Good point, but do you think the curve is enough to prevent them to moving in that direction if they want to dash out the door?

[@mangof.6054]

@@MeloCat in my case, yes actually. I live in a smaller space where the only doorway is one she is not supposed to be going through, so combined with me always trying to block her as I come in (I have a lovely girl who greets me when I come home) it would actually do the job pretty well. I do admit its a pretty specific use case tho

[@MeloCat]

Interesting, good to note. Thanks so much for sharing that that's very useful insight

[@dlight9849]

My shelves are carpeted on top but exposed wood underneath, so I painted the shelves and spray painted the brackets the same color as the wall, so they blend in really nicely.

[@MeloCat]

If anything try to stay away from painting or coating those as sometimes they chew it, also they really pickup on that smell. So if anything keep it as unprocessed as possible - their noses are 14x ~

[@dlight9849]

@@MeloCat The shelves are carpeted on top, and the carpet folds over the edges and is stapled and glued on the underside. The painted area is 8 inches x 12 inches, and I leave them out on my balcony for a few days for the smell to dissipate. I'm autistic and sensitive to smells, just as much as the cats 🤣 Wish you could see the set up - looks professional, and my rescue kitties go through the parkour course like its Nascar 🤣

[@MeloCat]

Good job! Show us on discord!!!!

[@dlight9849]

@@MeloCat Don't know what discord is. I don't pay attention to the new technology you kids use. Can't teach an old dog new tricks, lol.

[@jessicagaffney4030]

How can toy be sure it’s attached to the wall very good?

[@MeloCat]

Our walls are concrete so as long as it's secured w the plastic tubes in the holes of the right size and length it's good. Check with a pro first tho coz it's a heavy thing you're attaching

[@jessicagaffney4030]

How do you be careful not to drill in to wires?

[@MeloCat]

There's scanners for that

[@jcepri]

I love that gray pole that runs from floor to ceiling. Where did you get that?

[@MeloCat]

Link in description ^^

[@thewallpaperhouseon6]

I clicked all the links and can't find the pole

[@lupitadesinaloa]

Im pita and I really hope u answer my question . I want to make a cat High way and I have the perfect house for it . They are part of our family so I want to make them That this is their home . What is the long pole called . Is that a cat scratcher ??? Because I want to put cat shelving but I don’t know what will I use for them to go up

[@MeloCat]

It's these ones: amzn.to/43hDKG2 More importantly, if you watched all the video: - need rough surface ( sisal/ carpet) on top of the shelves secured w screws for cat to grip - be attentive to what they can fall on if they fall from the shelves (sharp objects or corners or things that can shatter) - height of shelves as cats don't do so well falling from under a certain height sometimes as there's not enough time for righting reflex - consider the age of your cats as older cats won't want to jump high like that - the highway can't lead to dead ends, and always think multi-exits - at highest point, consider how to get cat in case of emergency if they resort to the hard to reach place Hope that helps~ You can DIY the shelves too just make sure you stay away from poisonous coatings, resins, staples that can fall and get swallowed over time, and always check over time for wear and tear and loose screws or threads or overall integrity as these things are heavy and when it falls it can do major damage to them and you. Hope that helps!

[@mei_and_mimi]

the down side is most of these installations require wooden studs to install and my apartment only has metal slabs in the drywall :( so unfortunately we ended up returning the 2 that I bought. my cat has 3 cat towers though, she'll manage without it XD

[@MeloCat]

Did you checkout the non drill ones?

[@mei_and_mimi]

@@MeloCat yep Just ordered one...from Japan (the suction cup for the window) and I'm crying over the $70 shipping :')))) I hope my cat likes it or I just spent $100 down the toilet but what else is new right!?

[@jessicaleslie-byrn8008]

I almost bought a bridge it went straight like a human bridge but thanks for bringing to my attention the gaps

[@MeloCat]

Yeah if their legs fall thru and the cat dangles .. so gotta be careful of that

[@erikm9768]

Cool video! Where are you living? looks like south east asia

[@erikm9768]

Oh nm i can tell its HK

[@nancystaack1957]

Didn't watch the entire video, but great kitty house! You sure need to be prepared to fill in a lot of holes when you move in order to get your security deposit back.

[@playfulpanthress]

Worth it. I'm totally jealous of the cat's highway.

[@novashard2939]

Why no bird feeder s cat TV

[@sontisontheim3138]

i am very suspicious if that suction cap shelv. never have i seen one that really holds

[@kyleung888]

9:49 Lol dogs made these.

[@momofro1819]

this lady was a cat in her past life

[@MeloCat]

Or current one too :p

[@nameless5413]

Wouldn't the window mounted suction cup rests have much more limited weight (also don't they loose adhesion overtime? especialy facing outside like that). Overall that is quite impressive way of playing catris (tetris but using cat amnenties instead of tetrinos) - being inept i am always shocked how much can people compact into places. Strange questions (no worries i have no pets what so ever): is it beter or worse to have steps that alow more cats traversing at same time, do cats not sometimes just use steps as shelves - i mean you try telling cat its no stopping or parking zone, it'll hiss at you and impudently lie down in the very zone.

[@ravenfeathesDVM]

Nice for the cat but hideous look for the home. There are some elegant ones out there although very pricy. Nice DIY job though.

[@s.zander6211]

Schön für die Katzen, aber wohl fühlen könnte ich mich so nicht. Und das kann nicht die Lösung sein.

[@kylepalmer5785]

It's like I'm watching an OSHA representative ("they'll poke their eye out!!" ) that's so in love with cats but doesn't actually know cats. "one exit" "suffocating" etc. These are the same animals that voluntarily crawl into paper bags....