If you’ve been waiting to get one of the ultra cool Hollywood Franklin Tower Cat Trees, here’s a little extra incentive. Now through April 1, 2010, the tower is 15% off! This discount is for the brown stain with cayenne carpet only, which is the best selling color combo.

Download the price list here.

They’re here! The first shipment of Curve perches form Urban Pet Haus is now available! We have some Curve perches that UPH gave us to test out, and let me tell you, they are some of the most well-used cat furniture in the house. Here is Simba enjoying herself on the smaller perch.

And this is Ando helping with installation. The perches are very easy to install and incredibly sturdy (you have to mount them into the wall studs.) As soon as the perches were in place, both Ando and Mackenzie gave them a good testing.

Ando loves to rub on the thick felt pads on the tops of the perches. The pads are very easy to clean with a lint brush.

The large Curve perch is $145.99 US and the small Curve perch is $97.99 US, plus Urban Pet Haus is offering FREE SHIPPING now through January 31.

Available directly from Urban Pet Haus and also from Amazon

I definitely need to live in Japan. Perhaps you remember the unbelievable cat-friendly house from Japan that I posted last year. Well, here is another one that may be even more incredible. The Cats’ House designed by Japanese architecture firm Fauna +DeSIGN was built for the owners 16 cats (and 5 canines). It has every kind of climbing and perching structure a feline family could ever dream of, all integrated beautifully into a modern interior.

There appears to be great attention to detail throughout the house. Notice the rounded corners on the climbing shelves. Much safer for cats than sharp pointed corners.

There are even access areas for humans to make it easier to clean the upper perching areas.

Lots of natural light gives the space a wonderful open feel. This handsome silver tabby is certainly enjoying himself!

Catwalks and shelves galore along with secret tunnels and passageways just for cats.

This giant floor-to-ceiling sisal-wrapped scratching and climbing post has got to by my favorite feature.

This amazing house was recently filmed for an upcoming show on Animal Planet. There are many more photos at www.catshouse.jp as well as some videos of the cats enjoying their home.

Thank goodness that Goma’s mom Sachie understands Japanese, because she keeps finding these incredible things! Thanks, Sachie!

When California-based architect and woodworker Franz Goebel was commissioned by a client to design a cat tree that worked well with modern furniture, he obviously had some inspiration. That inspiration came from his own four Bengals. Goebel’s new ZcaT modern cat tree is the result and it’s a perfect fit for the Moderncat aesthetic. This sturdy structure is handmade from hardwood with a durable non-toxic finish. It includes two patches of artificial grass and a replaceable corrugated cardboard scratch-and-climb panel.

ZcaT is available in White Oak for $439 or American Walnut for $494. I can’t wait to see what else they have in the works!

Check out these products from Fressnapf, a German store chain that seems to be offering some great designer pet products. These images are from their latest catalog, which you can view here.

Thanks to Moderncat reader Andrea for helping international moderncats find some stylish options!

Check out this sleek new product line from Danish pet product design company Distance Design. The line includes these gorgeous brushed stainless steel cat trees, which you can customize by choosing your post style and size, then combining it with the sisal scratchers or pillow-topped perches. The posts have a large steel base for stability.

Also included in the line are these modern feeders with stainless steel dishes on a raised square base. And finally there is a minimalistic cat cave that is also available as a litter box hider.

Please note! These products are NOT YET READY FOR DISTRIBUTION. Please wait to contact Distance Design.

Thanks to Moderncat reader Lisbeth for finding this one.

Dave is an architect and a photographer and, boy, does it show in these gorgeous photos of the cat tower that he and his girlfriend Alison made for their two new arrivals Milo and Lyra (there are only two, although the photo above shows one Milo and six Lyras!) The best part is that this beautiful and functional cat climbing and scratching tower made excellent use of reclaimed and inexpensive materials, costing under $40.

Using the remains of an Ikea wardrobe, some old carpet tile samples, waste cardboard rolls, heavy string, and pine edging, Dave created this sturdy structure that can be expanded in all directions as the kitties grow and need more room to play. Dave even created a 3-D model of the tower before construction, just to make sure it would fit in the space.

Thanks to Dave and Alison for sharing this awesome DIY project. You can see more photos on Flickr.

I first introduced Whisker Studio back in May when they released their first product, the Sky Climber. Well, they just launched a complete line of high-quality wood cat furniture to match with fluid organic lines designed to fit beautifully into a contemporary or traditional home.

The new line includes the Catnapper, Cat Cave, Kitty Cot, Cat Cradle, and Ergonomic Scratcher, as well as the Sky Climber. All items are made of solid, furniture-grade birch and finished with non-toxic, water-based, VOC-free finishes. Choose from natural cherry stain, natural walnut stain or espresso paint finishes.

Prices range from $59 US for the Ergonomic Scratcher to $399 US for the Sky Climber.

BONUS GIVEAWAY!

To celebrate the launch of the new line, Whisker Studio is offering a Kitty Cot to one lucky winner! The winner will get to choose the finish, plus they will receive a custom print fabric hammock to go with the Kitty Cot (these aren’t even available on the Whisker Studio website yet!) Please leave a comment on this post to enter. One winner will be chosen in a random drawing on September 24. One entry per person. This giveaway is limited to US addresses only.

Congratulations to Blake from Austin, Texas, winner of the July giveaway. Blake’s moderncats will be climbing to heaven on a new CatVantage modular cat tree!

DISCOUNT COUPON CODE

For those of you who still want your own CatVantage, you can take 10% off you order on the CatVantage cat tree and all accessories now through September 1, 2009. Just enter coupon code OBIWAN at checkout. With the 10% discount you can get the CatVantage for just $189 before shipping.

Introducing a new line of stylish cat furniture from Shanghai-based CatS. The line includes a climbing tower, several different styles of litter hiders, shelves, scratchers and beds.

The products are currently only available in China, but the company is looking into shipping overseas. View all the CatS products at www.catsweet.com.

Moderncat reader Eva sent in these photos of the cat shelves and sisal scratcher that she made for her two beautiful Ragdolls, Ezra and Aurum. I love the cushions she used and how she added Velcro to hold them in place. Below, Eva describes how she made everything.

I always thought most scratching and climbing trees are not so attractive or, if they are nice to look at, very expensive. So I decided to make my own for my two Ragdoll cats Ezra and Aurum.

Things you need;
- wooden board of at least 2cm thick in whatever size you want
- sisal carpet
- strong and big enough brackets
- big wall screws and plugs
- little screws (for the brackets and shelves)
- cushions
- velcro
- sewing equipment
- water-based carpet glue
- water-based stain
- sanding paper
- tacking machine
- drill

After I sawed the wood into the sizes I wanted, I started by drilling holes in the 2×40x120cm wooden board (for the screws later), sticking sisal carpet on it with water-based carpet glue, and tacking the back for extra strength.

I sanded and stained the wood shelves (also water-based, of course) and tacked one side of the Velcro on the wood. Then I had to sew the other side of the Velcro on the cushion at the same place (hated that job, but it turned out great!)

I attached the brackets to the shelves and everything onto the wall with big, strong screws and plugs. Make sure to choose brackets that can hold the weight of your cats when they jump, since the weight is much more when jumping.

Now my two cats can jump, scratch and climb all they want! The thing they love most is to sleep on the cushions and climb up the sisal board and I just love looking at my two babies playing

This month’s giveaway is for a product that I’ve been a fan of for quite some time — the CatVantage modular cat climbing tree. I first wrote about CatVantage back in March 2008 after seeing it at the Global Pet Expo, where it won second place in the New Product Showcase for its category.

CatVantage is a streamlined climbing tree that uses minimal floorspace. The modular design and spring mechanism allow for easy installation with ceilings up to 10 feet. The center post is made from 100% recycled PVC and the steps are carpet covered birch.

To be eligible to win a CatVantage climbing tree, make sure you’re signed-up to receive Moderncat email updates. If you don’t receive the email updates, or if you do and you want an EXTRA chance to win this month, you can also leave a comment on this post to enter.

Simple, natural materials make the best cat trees, and that’s exactly what the folks at Mountain Cat Trees use to create their products. Made from real trees with the bark removed and natural sisal rope, these are some of the most eco-friendly cat trees and scratchers I’ve ever seen.

All products are handmade in the North Quabbin region of Central Massachusetts. The trees used for production are locally harvested from downed trees or timber cutting and forest management. Absolutely no carpet is used on any of the Mountain Cat Trees scratchers or cat trees.

If your aesthetic is more treehugger-modern, then make sure you check out these beautiful, earth-friendly and cat-friendly products.

When a German architect and industrial designer who lives and works in Los Angeles decides he needs a cat tree to accommodate his three cats and fit into his ultra modern home, the carpeted monstrosities are absolutely out of the question. So what does he do? Well, in this case Peter Sehorsch went to IKEA for inspiration and then took his project far beyond an average DIY undertaking.

The result: The Hollywood Franklin Cat Tower. Named after the designer’s cat Frank, the Hollywood Franklin Tower is a unique combination of off-the-shelf modular structure and custom design. The tower is based on the IKEA Stolmen system, using the post and mounting fixtures. Peter and his design team created two different size platforms that attach to the post. The platforms come in three finishes and four carpet tile options. You get the IKEA parts then custom order the platforms to create the perfect climbing tower for your needs.

One of the big advantages to using this system is that it is easily moveable, so you can change things up for kitty when she gets bored with her tower in its current location. You can also change the position of the platforms, combining the small steps with the large platforms in either a clockwise or counter clockwise pattern.

Take a look at the incredibly cool presentation and be sure to click the navigation in the upper left corner for product specifications and ordering info.

We’ve got a fabulous giveaway this month from DKcat! One lucky winner will receive a handmade, eco-friendly Platform C cat tower! The winner will get to choose either the Platform C or the new Platform C2 with a larger rectangular top perch in a choice of chocolate wood with tan carpet, blonde wood with grey carpet, or blonde wood with multi-colored carpet (all three options shown above.) All DKcat towers are made in San Francisco. Read more about the DKcat towers here.

Make sure you sign-up to receive Moderncat email updates so you’ll be entered to win the monthly giveaway. This giveaway is open to international readers who are willing to pay the extra shipping. Thanks DKcat!

Great news for Moderncat fans Down Under. Ree-Yong’s Copenhagen Collection will be available in Australia starting on June 4, 2009. Sydneysiders will finally be able to get their paws on this gorgeous contemporary cat condo, plus if you order before June 15, you will receive FREE DELIVERY in the Sydney area for a limited time.

The Ree-Yong Pet Lifestyle collection is currently being offered in Signapore and now in Australia exclusively through Glamorpuss.

Moderncat reader Alexis sent in photos of some terrific DIY projects, all inspired by things that she read right here. First, she and her husband did an outstanding job creating this beautiful litter box hider. Due to space limitations, they needed a litter cabinet with an opening in the front, rather than on the side. They decided to build a custom wooden box (sized perfectly to fit their automatic litter box) using these directions from eHow. Then they borrowed an idea from this project on Instructables to place a grate inside the cabinet that helps reduce litter tracking. Finally, they used sticky-backed shelf paper to cut out the tree and bird silhouettes for decoration. After a little testing, Alexis noticed that the kitties were bypassing the grate and jumping straight out of the box, so she fashioned a barrier out of wood to create a passageway to the door.

I think the manufacturers of litter box hiders could learn a thing or two from this excellent design!

Alexis also made a recycled cardboard kitty pad and installed some nice climbing shelves inspired by several posts on Moderncat, including Julie’s shelves and this popular IKEA hack.

Great job!

Jake and Karen have done it again! Remember their awesome DIY Modern Cat Platforms? Well, this time they designed and built an ingenious windowsill perch. Odie and Suzy really enjoyed looking out the office window, but the accommodations (see below) were less than optimal. So Jake and Karen set to work. Their challenge was to design a perch that fit in with their modern style, worked well for the cats, and did not cover the vent in the floor directly below the window.

The perch is constructed from solid pine using biscuit joints. Careful consideration was given to the design of the perch. It makes excellent use of space by providing a comfy spot on top plus a cozy nook inside. Peep holes provide opportunities for paw pokes and all the edges are rounded to soften the look and make it safer for the cats. A nice soft cushion (made with reused feathers from an old pillow) tops off the perch. What a lovely spot for keeping an eye on the neighborhood!

For more photos and all the details, please visit Jake and Karen’s website.

This just showed-up in my in-box (thanks, Elbereth!) and I haven’t seen it before. It’s the Sky Climber from Whisker Studio. It’s made of solid birch plywood finished with non-toxic water-based stain and clear lacquer. The shelves and the vertical scratchers (located above the first and second shelves) are covered with 100% natural woven sisal attached with non-toxic adhesive. The whole thing measures 72″ tall by 23″ wide by 18″ deep. It ships flat and you have to put it together, which they say will only take 30 minutes, but I guess that depends on how much IKEA assembly experience you have.

Available at Amazon or directly from Whisker Studio.

Again, the Moderncat readers have voiced their opinions and the folks at Urban Pet Haus are thrilled with the feedback. Out of a record-breaking 945 total votes, the Curve perch is definitely the most popular with CC coming in second place. UPH plans to manufacture all three designs, starting with Curve. More information will follow on pricing and availability.

BONUS: Two Giveaway Winners Selected

In the meantime, not one, but two lucky winners will receive a large Curve perch. Chosen in a random drawing the winners are:

Anne (comment #638)

Gloria (comment #706)

Thanks to everyone who voted. On the ballot later this month will be the Urban Pet Haus bed designs.

This beautiful modern cat tower from DKcat is handmade using eco-friendly materials and reclaimed wood, perfect for your eco-conscious moderncat. The bamboo plywood structure is formaldehyde-free and the platforms are covered with low-VOC, recycled content carpet. The posts are made from reclaimed wood elegantly wrapped in natural sisal rope for scratching. The Platform C tower comes with either a square or rectangular upper platform and is available in chocolate or blonde wood with tan, grey, or multi-color carpet.

Platform C is the first product from DKcat. Additional eco-friendly modern cat products are in the works.

Urban Pet Haus was so thrilled with the feedback from Moderncat readers on their pet stairs, that they are asking for your opinion again. This time you get to vote for your favorite perch design and one lucky winner will be selected to receive the winning design. There are three elegant options to choose from, so please leave a comment on this post with your vote. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on May 7. Here are the choices:

*This giveaway is now closed.*

Moderncat reader, and AT Unplggd contributor, Sonia sent me some photos of the cool kitty perch she made using a wine box and some Ikea shelf brackets. Sonia’s moderncats Dim Sum and Gizmo love hanging out next to their mom’s desk while she works. I love the photos below of Dim Sum peeking out of his perch!

You can see more photos here and check out the cool charity t-shirts for Sonia’s Brooklyn-based animal rescue Feral for Life.

These two new products from The Refined Feline are all about saving floor space, which is always welcome in a small home. The contemporary cat tower nestles into a corner and provides kitty with 72 inches of vertical climbing shelves with fabric cushioned platforms. Pair the tower with some of the cat shelves and you’ve got the perfect place for your moderncat to lounge without taking up an inch of floor space.

The Refined Feline is currently taking pre-orders for these two new products. The tower and the shelves are expected to ship at the end of July, but if you reserve yours now you can lock in the introductory pricing and get free shipping. More information here.

Keaton and Scoochie decided to take matters into their own hands (or paws) by designing and building customized cat shelves to suit their climbing needs. They chose to use IKEA shelves with the stainless side down, topped off with some very nice FLOR carpet tiles. The photo below shows the duo planning the project. What excellent craftsmanship, considering they have no opposable thumbs!

Their mom, Julie documented the process here.