If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to help your older or arthritic kitty reach the bed or the sofa, check out these cardboard pet steps from Imperial Cat. Very affordable and easy to assemble, the Step ‘N Play Pet Steps also have a cutout in the side so kitty can go inside to hide or nap. Designed to support pets up to 25 lbs.

For just $14.50 at Amazon, that’s a great deal, plus the cardboard can be recycled when you don’t need them anymore.

Lots of great climbing and perching furniture in my latest round-up over on Paw Nation. Check out the whole gallery here.

Hollywood Franklin just released the first accessory for their mod climbing tower: the Cabana. This accessory allows you to add on a little curtain between two of the large platforms to create a secluded hideaway for kitty. Franklin likes his Cabana at the top of the tower where he can keep an eye on things (I’m completely in love with Franklin!)

The Cabanas are hand sewn in Los Angeles using MOOD designer fabrics. The Cabana kit comes with mounting hardware and installation instructions. Choose from black or white fabric. Cabana kits sell for $49.50. More details here.

Tree-hugging moderncats rejoice! This month we’ve got a great giveaway just for you! The wonderful folks over at Mountain Cat Trees are offering one of their beautiful, eco-friendly, handcrafted cat trees for the monthly giveaway. I first wrote about Mountain Cat Trees last year, and showed you all of their wonderful scratchers and cat trees made of natural materials that kitties love. They use real trees with the bark removed and natural sisal. Everything is handmade in Massachusetts using trees that are locally harvested from downed trees or timber cutting and forest management. Now that’s really green!

Mountain Cat Trees is offering a 36-inch two-level cat tree (retail value $155) to one lucky winner. To enter the monthly giveaway, make sure you’re signed-up to receive Moderncat updates via email. If you’re already getting the updates but you’d like an EXTRA chance to win this month, please leave a comment on this post. Complete details on the monthly giveaway here. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on August 31. Due to shipping costs, this giveaway includes free shipping to addresses in the US only.

When Charlene and her husband moved into a 5th floor apartment in Singapore, they were worried that their three cats Tyger, Neem Neem, and Xiaomao would have trouble adjusting to a smaller space, so they incorporated all sorts of cat-friendly features into the renovation. Inspired by The Cats’ House, and also by the cat-friendly Japanese house design, they added climbing shelves, walkways, and openings in the walls leading from one room to the next. As you can see, their cats made themselves right at home.

The walkways allow the cats to easily access the tops of several cabinets where Charlene has placed rungs and mats for them to nap on.

The color scheme in the apartment — green, blue, and cream — was inspired by the cats’ eye color.

Instead of using carpeting on the shelves and walkways, Charlene and her husband chose an anti-slip tape by 3M, which looks like an excellent option for keeping kitties safe and for easy cleaning. Charlene says it’s a cinch to clean the tape with a vacuum or a damp cloth. Great idea!

Here’s a fun new product that lets you create a customized climbing structure for your cats. It’s the Catty Stacks, designer cat house system. These super strong corrugated cardboard boxes can be connected in three dimensions to create all sorts of configurations for climbing, perching, playing, napping, and hiding. The nice folks at Catty Stacks sent us a set to test out and they were an instant hit. Here are Simba and Dee checking out the new play station:

The boxes ship flat and are really easy to set-up, just unfold and insert some tabs into slots and you’re ready to go. The special corner design allows you to clip the boxes together (clips are included) to create a nice sturdy structure. Once the boxes are clipped together, you can lift the whole stack to move it (just make sure there aren’t any cats inside!)

Holes on the side of the boxes allow kitties to enter and exit and connect from one box to the next. When two boxes are clipped together, you can remove a larger portion of the side panel to create a more spacious inner lounge area. When boxes are stacked on top of each other, the vertical access holes are staggered, making it easy for kitty to get her footing as she climbs up through the boxes. The thing I’m most impressed with is the strength of the double thickness cardboard. This is some of the strongest cardboard I’ve seen, so the Catty Stacks should last a long time.

There are a number of accessories you can purchase as add-ons for your Catty Stacks, including a crawl tube that connects between two boxes, special felt pillows for extra comfort, and an animation wand that connects easily to one of the accessory points and has a clip on the end to attach kitty’s favorite toy. Here’s Theo getting ready to attack the dangling toy:

The boxes come in light pink, chocolate brown, sky blue, pistachio green, and white, all printed with 100% soy-based inks. The cardboard used is also 100% recycled and recyclable. You can choose any combination of colors when ordering the boxes in kits ranging from one box for $17.99 US, to ten boxes for $129.99 US.

BONUS GIVEAWAY! ENTER TO WIN!

Catty Stacks is giving away a six box set in the winner’s choice of colors! I guarantee your kitties will love Catty Stacks! To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on July 12. One entry per person. This giveaway includes free shipping to addresses in the US and Canada.

IKEA just released a white version of their Stolmen modular shelving system and Hollywood Franklin is offering 15% off their customized cat tree system that goes with the Stolmen system. This is a very stylish way for kitty to be climbing high!

I have coveted the Little Lotus cat tree from The Refined Feline for a while now and we finally had a chance to test one out in the Moderncat household. I can tell you, it immediately became one of the most treasured items in the house.

As you can see, Ando, my lead tester, absolutely loves it. In fact, he almost hasn’t left it since I put it together. He allows his brothers and sisters to visit him on his new throne occasionally, but the top spot is his.

I’ve found Simba curled up in the bottom hideaway several times. It’s the perfect size for a cozy nap.

The Little Lotus is very sturdy and quite easy to put together. I love the white finish, especially in a more modern interior.

If you’ve been eyeing this beautiful piece of modern cat furniture, and if you prefer the white, this is your chance to grab one because the Little Lotus in white is now on sale for $199 at TheRefinedFeline.com. The mahogany, espresso, and honey finishes will be available again in July, but I believe the price will go back up to $249, so take advantage now!

Introducing a brand new company that should be a big hit with all the mid-century modern loving cat owners out there. Coming to us from Seattle, Washington Modernist  Cat offers a new line of handcrafted cat furniture that combines form and function with a mid-century modern aesthetic. From end tables, to bookshelves, to chairs, this line of furniture is truly multifunctional, combining places for kitty to nap and play with functional surfaces for you to use, too. The products are made from Russian Baltic plywood with furniture grade finishes. Removable/replaceable foam pads with washable covers, brushed felt linings, faux mohair scratching surfaces, and chrome plated steel legs all give the Modernist Cat products a sleek look.

The line includes the following:

• Case Study Condo – This sleek and functional condo gives kitty a place to sleep, perch, or play while doubling as a side table or night stand.
• Dot Den – Offers a cozy nest for your cat and a stylish end table for you.
• Mod Mover – Multifunctional cat station and side table on rolling casters with a scratching surface on the side.
• Atomic Stool – A cool stool for you and a hideaway for kitty.
• Edgy Ledge – Kitty climbing shelves that double as bookshelves.
• Litter Hideaway – A stylish way to conceal the litter box and create a side table or night stand.

All of the Modernist Cat products are custom built, allowing you to choose from a wide variety of finishes, fabrics, and other options. Check out the “Design Your Own” feature at ModernistCat.com.

If you’ve got very active cats who need to take their energy out on something other than your curtains, then this may be the product for you. It’s The Cat’s Trapeze from The Netherlands and I’ve never seen anything like it. They sent us one to test out and as you can see, Ando thinks it’s pretty comfy, although he’s a little too lazy to use it as it is really intended, but I can certainly imagine how this could provide a good distraction for some active kittens.

The Cat’s Trapeze was designed specifically to provide a place for cats to climb, which they do naturally. And wouldn’t you rather have them climb this instead of your curtains? The Cat’s Trapeze is made from durable, natural cotton/linen and comes in three sizes: single pillow, double pillow, and triple pillow, plus there’s a little hammock that can be attached to the bottom for an extra lounge spot. You can suspend The Cat’s Trapeze from the ceiling, or if your cats prefer a little more stability, place it against a wall or in a corner. Check out this video of some cats giving the trapeze a good workout.

There are more videos here.

You can use a variety of different hooks to suspend The Cat’s Trapeze from the wall, ceiling, or even from a door.

One of my first thoughts is that this may encourage cats to climb curtains, but if you already have curtain climbers, then this might be just the thing to deter them. Giving kitty her own special place to climb and play should take care of those natural instincts.

BONUS GIVEAWAY!

If you have one of those super-active kitties, then you won’t want to miss this giveaway! One lucky winner is going to receive a three-pillow Cat’s Trapeze. To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be selected in a random drawing on June 11. One entry per person. This giveaway includes shipping anywhere, so international readers are welcome to enter!

Here are some more pix of my lazy Ando.

To celebrate Memorial Day weekend we’ve got a great giveaway from AllModernPet.com! Two readers are each going to receive a $50 gift card to go shopping at this fabulous one-stop, online modern pet shopping headquarters! AllModernPet.com offers a huge variety of the coolest modern pet supplies from the top brands, including WetNoz, Holden Designs, Kittypod, Teafco, Designer Catbox, The Refined Feline, Square Cat Habitat, Kitty A Go-Go, Urban Pet Haus, Marmalade Pet Care, West Paw Design, Sleepypod, Cat Livin’ and lots more. These are all Moderncat favorites!

Not only does AllModernPet.com carry all the best moderncat gear — from beds, scratchers, and perches to feeding dishes, carriers, and designer litter boxes — but they frequently offer amazing deals like deep discounts and free shipping.

ENTER TO WIN! TWO WINNERS!

Two lucky winners are each going to receive a $50 gift card to AllModernPet.com! To enter, please visit AllModernPet.com and take a look around, then come back here and leave a comment on this post giving us an idea of what you’d spend your $50 gift card on. There are so many things to choose from! The winners will be chosen in a random drawing on June 4. One entry per person. The gift cards may be used toward the purchase price and shipping charges for any product at AllModernPet.com. Please note that AllModernPet.com only delivers to addresses in the US and Canada.

Earlier this month I showed you some beautiful climbing furniture from Korean company Trillo. Here is another company from Korea, Nabinamu, offering a whimsical line of cat furniture including climbing towers, litter box hiders, raised feeders, and shelf perches. Very fun and colorful and it looks like everything is made of solid natural wood.

This month we have another great giveaway from our new eco-conscious friends at Purr Post! For the May monthly giveaway, one lucky reader will receive a Purr Post deluxe Perch. At 24″ inches tall, the Purr Post Perch gives kitty plenty of room to stretch and scratch on the supporting column and a nice high perch, perfect for lounging and playing. The stainless aluminum platform and base are both covered with natural wool carpeting, much better than the formaldehyde-filled carpeting on low-quality perches, plus the round shape distributes weight more evenly than square or odd-shaped platforms, making the Purr Post Perch more stable. The bottom has non-skid natural cork padding to protect floors and the central column is made from sturdy, 100% post-consumer paperboard tube covered in natural sisal. And of course, the adhesives used are zero to less than 1% VOC.

EXTRA CHANCE TO WIN!

To enter the monthly giveaway, make sure you’re signed-up to receive Moderncat updates via email. If you’re already getting the updates but you’d like an EXTRA chance to win this month, please leave a comment on this post. Complete details on the monthly giveaway here. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on May 31. This giveaway is open to addresses in the US only.

Just found these gorgeous modern cat towers from Korea. It’s hard to get a lot of information from the website, which is all in Korean, but Trillo appears to be a line of beautifully constructed designer cat furniture made using natural materials. I hope to find out more about these products.

Thanks to Heeyoung for the find.

I had to post this in anticipation of Earth Day! This serious piece of cat climbing furniture comes from the eco-friendly folks at The Sustainability Workshop in Ithaca, NY. “Part sculpture, part cat gym, part contribution to a green and sustainable future,” this unique cat tower is made from re-purposed cardboard (originally used to ship solar panels), diverting a huge amount of cardboard from the landfill.

You can purchase a kit that you construct using your own central pole cut to the right height. The kit includes the components and cardboard sections, which can be rotated around the pole in any configuration.

The kit sells for $375 US on the Sustainability Workshop’s Etsy shop. They say that the cardboard is the highest quality and will last for years. This tower would be quite the conversation piece in an eco-conscious moderncat home, and I’m sure the cats would love it!

Thanks to Jenny for the find.

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.