How to Make a Cat Ramp

We have this fancy cat litter box that is supposed to keep the dogs away from the box. EEEWWWWWW gross I know. The problem is that no matter what we do to get the cat into this thing so she will use her litter box she won't do it. Believe me we tried with treats, love, cat nip, and force (which was a mistake we admit). We think that making a ramp up to the entrance will get help her to use it and still keep the dogs away.

Supplies

Hardware:

1. 1.5in/1.5in wood plank 100in

2. 5in X 3/4in plank 8 feet long. Use recycled wood when possible.

3. 6 2in screws.

4. 2in nails x 20

5. Dark stain small container.

6. Inexpensive car carpet x1

Tools:

1. Hammer

2. Foam brushes x2

3. Tape measure

4. Hand saw.

5. Table saw

6. Drill

7. Staple Gun

8. Metal file or sand paper

9. Utility knife

10. Work gloves and safety glasses

Step 1: Supplies

Step 2: Marks for the First Cuts

Mark the 1.5in X 1.5in wood as such:

20in x 4

6in x2

2in x 2

Now saw

Step 3: Saw the Planks and Sand the Edges

We don't have pics of my dad sawing the planks to lengths 3ft for the ramp and 8in for the platform.

Use the metal file to take off the rough edges so you don't get a splinter.

Step 4: Fixing the Frame to the Platform

Place the 8in platform an on the workbench.

Take the 2in and 6in pieces of 1.5 wood and make sure that they fit along with the legs.

Hammer in nails to fix the frame pieces to the platform.

Take a drill bit that is a little smaller than the screws and drill pilot holes (so the wood doesn't split).

Put the drill bit in the drill and make sure it is tight, you don't want it to fall out.

Drill the holes.

Screw in the 20in legs so that they are fixed to the frame.

Step 5: Platform With Legs

Here's the platform with the legs and frame (Shout out to the Star Wars geeks like us, this looks like an AT-AT with no head).

The problem we had was that it was wobbly by itself so we had to improvise with some scrap wood that we had in the garage witch was a success!
You can see from the next picture that we left a lip so the ramp could sit on it later*

Step 6: Stabilize the (AT-AT) Platform

We used about 18in of the plank for the rear and 12 in for the front.

Drill in the pilot holes and add the screws to each leg.

This makes the platform stable.

Step 7: Add the Ramp to the Platform

Look at out little kitty.

Lay the plank on the lip and use a cinder block (or something heavy) to keep it in place.

Drill the pilot holes at an angle into the frame and then use the 2 inch screws x4 (sorry no pics).

Step 8: Cut the Carpet So That It Fits on the The Platform and Ramp

Measure out 5.5in pieces. Using your utility knife, cut the carpet in pieces to completely cover the top of the ramp and platform.

Step 9: Staple the Carpet to the Ramp

Carefully align the cut carpet to the ramp.

Using your staple gun, staple in several places so that the carpet doesn't come up.

Step 10: Apply the Stain Onto the Ramp

Lay down a tarp.

Pro tip* Wear clothes that can get stain on them.

Open the stain and be careful not to spill!

Use the foam brushes and use even strokes on the wood until entirely coated.

Apply more coats if needed and let sit over night.

Step 11: Kitty Loves It!

So we setup the ramp and she didn't just run up is so we sprinkled the cat nip and added a few treats and she likes it!.