Introduction: Interactive Box Cat Scratcher

By

I created the Interactive box cat scratcher to stop my cat (Alfie) from scratching unwanted areas and to have a space to rest and play. The interactive box design was based on Even and Katelyn's Cat Scratcher on Instructables https://www.instructables.com/Cat-Scratching-Postpad/. The goal for the redesign was to make it more sustainable using simple materials and tools to create an interactive and multiple use scratcher for cats to enjoy. You can either cut and drill the cardboard by hand or download the files and laser cut it.

Attachments

Supplies

MATERIALS

Cardboard- three options

Paper

  • 2 pages of A3 Paper for a cardboard template(if not laser cutting the cardboard) 
  • One A3 sheet of paper If you want to make the paper toy (I used A3 but any size will work)

Twine

Recycled carpet 

  • or any other fabric

Tools

  • Rulers
  • Scissors
  • Pencils/Pens  
  • Drill- drill bit (if not laser cutting)
  • Stanley knife(if not laser cutting)

Step 1: LASER CUTTING CARDBOARD (IF YOU WANT TO USE a LASER CUTTER)

Download the illustrator files and laser cut the 6 pieces on A2 cardboard and 6 A3 sheets of cardboard. Once this step is complete skip to step 5

Attachments

Step 2: MEASURING AND CUTTING CARDBOARD

I cut the flaps off my boxes with a Stanley knife and cut 12 side pieces 6 large and 6 small. In the drawing above you can see the dimensions. The measurements can be adjusted. You could use found cardboard but the B length of cardboard has to be smaller than the A length.

Step 3: MAKING TEMPLATE FOR SLOTS AND USING IT TO CUT THE LARGER PIECES

I used two pieces of A3 paper for the left and right side slot. I then measured 10 mm x 300 mm slots on each paper, if you used different measurements for the smaller cardboard rectangles these measurements will need to be altered. The measurements above show the measurements used. I then cut out the slots of the large 6 pieces of cardboard.

Step 4: DRILLING HOLES FOR TWINE, TOYS AND CARPET

The drilled holes that can be altered where you like but I placed the holes to hold and knot the twine, toys and carpet as shown in the drawing above

Step 5: PUTTING CARDBOARD PIECES TOGETHER

The next step is to fit the cardboard pieces together, with three layers of cardboard on each side.

Step 6: WRAPPING AND KNOTTING TWINE

I then wrapped the twine using the drilled holes to knot the twine on the inside to make it secure. When a roll of twine finished I knotted another one to the end and kept on wrapping. At the end I knotted it and cut off the excess twine.

Step 7: MAKING TOYS (OPTIONAL)

(You can use toys you already have to skip this step) 

Paper toy

  • Use one 3a sheet
  • Fold it long ways twice
  • Cut the shape
  • Cut the paper 
  • unthread the twine to make it thinner 
  • And thread through the hole and tie a knot 

Twine toy

  • Get some twine about 32cm long and separate the twine into nine pieces 
  • Knot the ends
  • And another piece of twine separate into three and use one of those pieces to tie the small pieces on to
  • Then wrap a small piece of twine around all the small ones

Attached the toys to the box by threading through the drilled hole and tying them together. You can also use existing toys and tie them with twine

Step 8: CUTTING RECYCLED CARPET/FABRIC FOR THE SCRATCHER

I used the underside of the carpet because my cat likes scratching it but you can use what you cat prefers. Above shows the dimensions of the carpet I cut with a Stanley knife and then drilled holes. Then I used a piece of twine about 50mm long to secure the carpet by threading the twine through the drilled holes and made two knots and cut off the excess with scissors. 

Step 9: CUTTING RECYCLED CARPET/FABRIC FOR THE BASE

For the final step I cut the recycled carpet to the measurements in the drawing above. I then placed the carpet underneath the cardboard to finish the interactive box cat scratcher.

Step 10: ENJOY

I placed the interactive box cat scratcher next to my couch and also tried to put it next to the wall near our table. He liked both of these locations, he liked the toys and scratching the carpet on the side the most. Hope your cat enjoys it.

Step 11: END OF USE

After the scratcher is well used by the cat the owner can disassemble the parts and reuse, recycle or repurpose the materials.


REFERENCES