Since creating the original Moderncat Studio Scratch Tower, we’ve had lots of requests for a taller version. Some cats like to stretch out while they scratch and they need something tall. So, with the help of the team at Juggernaut Design, we developed a new wall-mounted version of our popular Scratch Tower.

Now you can choose the perfect height for your kitty to stretch and scratch, plus our wall-mounted scratcher doesn’t take up any valuable floor space. It’s great for small spaces, like hallways.

The wall-mounted version of the Scratch Tower comes in two sizes, a small scratcher measuring 12″  and a large version with a full 24″ of scratching surface. Both scratchers extend from the wall approximately 6″ and securely attach with white powder coated steel brackets. You can choose either the Trio or the Triangle shape for the cardboard and red or black ball knobs.

The wall-mounted scratcher is made with the same high-quality cardboard as our original freestanding Scratch Tower. The cardboard pieces are held together with compression, so there are no adhesives or glues.

The new wall-mounted Scratch Tower is available in the Moderncat Studio Etsy shop. The small version sells for $45 and the large for $65, plus shipping.

The original Scratch Tower made an appearance on last night’s episode of Jackson Galaxy’s My Cat From Hell! Stephanie on the show said “I’ve never seen scratching posts like this!” when Jackson brought out the Scratch Tower, and everyone agreed it’s more like art than a scratching post.

French designer Sinan Sigic of Atelier Hapax creates one-of-a-kind objects using recycled materials. This unique cat tree is made from an old lamp base wrapped with 444 meters of sisal rope. The base and shelf were added to give the cats a place to perch. Brilliant! I’m hitting the thrift stores this weekend to see what I can find for making something similar.

I’d love to see other creative ideas you might have for re-purposing objects to make beautiful cat-friendly pieces.

Thanks to Jaime from Design-Milk for passing this one along.

Here’s a completely new combination of multi-function in designer cat products. Introducing Cat Convertibles, a new line of home furnishings that function for both you and your cat. The Cat Convertible Cabinet is the first piece in this line. When closed, it looks like a regular cabinet, however, the side panels open to reveal a sisal scratching wall and the top slides down out of view uncovering a luxurious cat bed. Combine these features with functional storage shelves and a sleek glass front and you’ve got yourself a very unique piece of cat-friendly furniture.

The Cat Convertible Cabinet is available in black walnut or brown cherry finish. It’s regularly $329 US, but it’s currently on sale for $259. The faux fur bed is an extra $23. Available from catconvertibles.com.

You know I love multi-function, especially when it’s in a good looking product. I just came across this sleek kitty creation called Cattino. It’s a combo cat scratcher/bed/perch designed by Nathan Workman from Cincinnati, OH. Armed with a design degree, Nathan wanted to create a beautiful and functional piece of furniture for his cat Miss Trudy. After quite a bit of development, he came up with this sleek design made from Baltic birch plywood with two fabric kitty hammocks and a built-in, replaceable cardboard scratcher. Not only is it good looking, but it’s 100% Made in the USA.

Cattino is available from Amazon for $149 plus shipping.

Thanks to Amy for the find.

I love cat scratchers that have an architectural quality and The Sky Scratcher is a perfect example. This brand new concept for a cardboard cat scratching tower was developed by Mike Estes from Portland, Oregon. The Sky Climber measures a full 37″ tall and is a serious piece of sculpture that kitty can sink her claws into. 125 layers of corrugated cardboard stack on a bamboo plywood base and center pole creating a structure that is reminiscent of the architecture of the iconic Chicago skyline.

The cardboard pads are held together without any glues or adhesives, making it easy to replace the pads as needed. Renewable, replaceable, and recyclable – what more could you ask for?

The Sky Scratcher is launching with a Kickstarter campaign. If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter, it is a way to launch a new project by creating a campaign and gathering supporters to help fund the initial development. By contributing to a Kickstarted project, you are helping small companies start up or grow, plus contributors always get special perks. In the case of the Sky Scratcher, contributors can get hand screen printed postcards ($5 contribution), t-shirts ($20), or even one of the first Sky Scratchers as soon as they are available ($150). If you’re a retailer looking to sell the Sky Scratcher in your store, there’s even an option for you. Visit the Sky Scratcher Kickstarter page for all the details and to make a contribution today. There’s only one week left to show your support for this awesome new cat product!

Fat Tabby Tubes are fun little hideaways where kitty can scratch, hide, and play. Made with material samples from an interior design firm, each one is unique and made to order. Commercial grade carpet tiles are attached to a heavy duty cardboard tube that’s very lightweight. Measures 9″ x 10″ x 18″, the perfect size for kitty comfort. $29 plus shipping in the Fat Tabby Designs Etsy shop.

Here’s another great new product from Catswall Design. It’s a pine scratching board for kitties who like to scratch horizontally. Pine is a great material for scratching since it’s firm enough for claws to grip but soft enough not to be harmful. If you have cats that are already scratching the wood in your home, this could be a lifesaver. Just $40 for a 2-pack, available in the Catswall Design Etsy shop.

Kitty is going to love this special December monthly giveaway! One lucky moderncat is going to get his or her own canine cat scratcher from The Company of Pets! The winner will get to scratch their way into the New Year with this fabulous, handcrafted sisal scratcher in the shape of a bull terrier. I know every kitty out there is waiting to get their claws into this baby!

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 December 31, 2011 and contacted via email. Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is only open to US addresses.

Introducing a gorgeous new line of modern cat furniture from Czech Republic-based design studio Cocici, meaning cat. The collection is designed by Pavla Šarounová and includes several beautiful beds and hideaway/scratcher combos.

Exquisite details and top-quality materials are used to create cat furniture that will stand the test of time with features that cats will love. Sisal wrapped scratchers are available in laminate, paint, and wood veneer finishes, paired with expertly upholstered cushions in a palette of modern colors.

The collection includes several mod shaped beds that look more like fabric sculptures than cat furniture. There are also several designs of kitty hideaways with sisal scratching surfaces outside and soft cushions inside.

The Cocici line is currently available through their website with all prices listed in Czech Crowns. Items ship from the Cocici studio in Prague.

Here’s a terrific space-saving idea from the folks at Cat Above! It’s the ScratchPal Table, a unique handcrafted side table with a ScratchPal cardboard scratcher built right in to the bottom. Brilliant! The table is perfect for use as a side table or night stand and is made of solid high-quality pine. Available unfinished or with a golden oak or dark walnut stain.

This is perfect for small spaces since it incorporates two functions into one piece of furniture. Plus, the high sides around the scratcher keep the cardboard flakes contained. No mess, just like with the original ScratchPal. The cardboard is easy to replace once it’s worn out.

This is a great idea! I love to see regular furniture that incorporates features for cats. The ScratchPal Table is $169 unfinished or $199 finished. Available directly from Cat Above.

Kitty will be scratching and grooving with this hilarious DJ Cat Scratch Turntable. Measuring 15.25 inches long x 13.75 inches wide x 5.75 inches tall, the turntable is made entirely of cardboard that is partially or fully recycled. $34.99 from Perpetual Kid.

Here’s something kitty can really sink her claws into. It’s a neo-pop cat scratcher in the form of a bull terrier from The Company of Pets. So much more interesting than a plain cardboard square on the floor, don’t you think? Each scratcher is handmade using sisal and manila rope and non-toxic glues. Available directly from The Company of Pets for $395.

This month PDL Cat is offering one of their gorgeous Washboard Scratchers for the monthly giveaway! This new line of eco-friendly cat furniture is handcrafted in Phoenix, Arizona using bamboo plywood. The Washboard Scratcher is perfect for kitties who prefer to scratch horizontally. This scratcher is hand finished with natural oil and it has non-skid feet to keep it in place on hard floors.

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 November 30, 2011 and contacted via email. This giveaway includes free shipping to addresses in the US. Readers outside the US are welcome to enter if they are willing to pay the extra shipping charges.

The nice folks at Catpods sent us an Original Catpod to test and, boy, was everyone excited to check it out! It’s really sturdy and weighs enough that it doesn’t move around, at least on the carpet. The cardboard is very dense and so far has stood-up to some serious scratching. And I love that all the Catpod products are made in the USA!

The peepholes on the sides are a real attention getter. Arms and noses are constantly being poked into the holes. “What’s in there?” says Theo.

Ando of course dominated while I had the camera out, but everyone has been taking turns in (and on) their new Catpod. They absolutely love it!

ENTER TO WIN! WINNER’S CHOICE!

Here’s your chance to win your very own Catpod! To enter, please visit the Catpods online store to see all the different styles of Catpods they offer, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling us which is your favorite and why you think your cats would love it. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on October 3, 2011. One entry per person. Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is limited to addresses in the continental US.

Here’s a great example of a new cat scratcher that may have been influenced by another design (the Moderncat Studio Wave Lounge), however the designer took the concept and really made it their own. This new modern cat scratcher is from Etsy seller CutSouth Design. It’s very cool and looks durable as well as stylish. Made with salvaged cardboard and birch plywood, this scratcher is similar to the Wave Lounge in construction, but I really like what they’ve done with it. The incline will be a big hit with the kitties, plus the scratcher is reversible to get extra life out of it. Clean lines and simple, natural materials give it a great modern look. Now this is the kind of creativity I like to see!

$40 in the CutSouth Design Etsy shop.

There’s a new player in the modern cat furniture world and so far I love what I see. PDL Cat designs handcrafted modern cat furnishings, and they just launched with a collection of gorgeous eco-friendly scratchers. These beauties are made with sustainable bamboo plywood and hand finished with natural oil. The scratching surface is all natural sisal rope and each scratcher design has rubber feet to grip hard floors. The scratchers ship flat and fit together quickly and easily with high-quality European connecting hardware. These are truly quality pieces that are designed to last and look beautiful in your home.

There are currently four designs: the Washboard, for kitties who like a horizontal scratching surface; the Feline Incline for angled scratching; the Pylon measuring 31 inches tall; and at 36 inches tall, the ultimate sctatcher, the Obelisk.

We were lucky enough to test the Pylon and it is a new favorite in the Moderncat household. As you can see, Ando not only loves to scratch on the sisal rope, but he enjoys sitting on the large and sturdy base, like a little stage. I love the bamboo plywood and the details of these pieces are very architectural.

The new PDL Cat scratchers are available from the PDL Cat Etsy shop. Prices range from $90 to $320. All of the PDL Cat products are handcrafted in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m really looking forward to seeing what other designs they create in the future.

The folks at CatAbove are offering a ScratchPal to one lucky winner. To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on September 13, 2011. One entry per person, please. This giveaway is limited to addresses in the US.

So, I’ve been testing out the Boots & Barkley knock-off of the Moderncat Studio Scratch Tower and, as expected, their cheap cardboard is just that — cheap. Check out this comparison of the original Scratch Tower — one that has been in regular use for approximately 1 year — versus the B&B knock-off after just 2 weeks of regular use. I had the two side by side in the living room, and the cats used both equally. I won’t pretend that they like the original tower better, they don’t care, but I do, because with equal scratching, the Scratch Tower produces a fraction of the cardboard shreds compared to what the B&B scratcher leaves all over the floor.

I figured I’d see if the Scratch Tower refills fit the B&B scratcher and guess what? They do! So, feel free to purchase the original Scratch Tower refills from the Moderncat Studio Etsy shop to use with your Boots & Barkley knock-off. I’m cool with that.

Here’s a brand new find from a US-based manufacturer who’s committed to the health and safety of your cat, as well as the environment. Introducing Catpods, a collection of sturdy cardboard cat furniture that’s made right here in the USA. Catpods are created by Green Cat Industries using industrial strength corrugated cardboard and non-toxic water soluble adhesives. Each piece is designed to last for years, not months.

The line includes The Original Catpod, a tunnel of cardboard with a curved top and little peep holes in the sides. Kitties love to curl-up inside or jump on top for a good scratch. The Kitten Pods are perfect for kittens and petite cats. Puzzle Loungers are designed for curious kitties who will poke their paws through the holes to get at toys underneath, or they can plop down on top for a nap. And finally the Kitty Speed Bumps can be scattered around the house to give kitty a place to file her nails.

With prices ranging from $19.95 to $69.95, the Catpods are affordable options for keeping you, kitty, and the planet happy. Visit Catpods.com to order.

Thanks to Moderncat reader Lauren for the find.

This month’s giveaway is from none other than Moderncat Studio, and one lucky kitty is going to be in heaven on his or her new Ultimate Wave Lounge! This huge cardboard scratcher has a wavy texture that kitties love to nap on, plus the extra durable, dense cardboard can withstand endless scratching. Plus, the winner will get to choose which mod fabric pattern best matches their decor.

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 visit the Moderncat Studio Etsy shop to see the Wave Lounge fabric options, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling us which fabric you’d choose, or if there’s a different color and/or pattern you’d like to see, please let us know! Complete details on the monthly giveaway here. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on August 31, 2011 and contacted via email. This giveaway includes free shipping to US addresses only. Readers outside the US are welcome to enter if they are willing to pay the extra shipping charges.

knock-off  \ˈnäk-ˌȯf\ noun
a copy that sells for less than the original; broadly : a copy or imitation of someone or something popular

Merriam-Webster

. . .

Well, we’ve been knocked off. Boots & Barkley, the store brand of pet products at Target, just released their new corrugated cardboard scratching post. Look familiar? It’s a direct copy of the original Scratch Tower created by my company, Moderncat Studio. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I’m not feeling the love.

Target did a nice job, I have to say. They copied our original concept, created by the design team at Juggernaut Design and sold exclusively through Moderncat Studio, which uses compressed pieces of die-cut cardboard to make a vertical, freestanding scratching tower. They use essentially the same structure with a base, inner rod, and knob on top to hold the pieces in place. The Target knock-off is a bit taller and it disassembles to fit in a nice little box. And it’s just $19.99 with $9.99 refills, a far cry from the Scratch Tower at $95 and refills at $20.

Still, I’m not crying my eyes out. The reason I created Moderncat Studio was to experiment with new designs for cat products that would encourage the mass product manufacturers to step it up in the design department, knowing that they will always be cheaper. That said, there’s a big difference between inspiring the mass market and being knocked off by one of its major players! Come on people!

For those of you unfamiliar with product manufacturing, I’d like to point out a few things. At Moderncat Studio, everything is handcrafted in small batches — we only make a few at a time and we CARE about each item that goes out the door. Yes, I could sell the Scratch Tower for $19.99, if I had it made in China, used a low-quality cardboard, paid less attention to details — had it made in China. Did I mention CHINA?

Something else I noticed. As you can see above, some of the cardboard pieces on the knock-off are smashed. While I’m constructing every Scratch Tower if I come across a smashed piece of cardboard, it goes in the project bin to become something else. I suppose the Target team figures “Who cares? Your cat is just going to claw it up!” Well, I care!

To be quite honest, if I couldn’t afford the original Scratch Tower, I’d go right out to Target and buy this one. And why not? It’s important for the kitties to have something they like — and if it’s a cool design, too, well even better. HOWEVER, if you can afford the real thing, and/or if ethical manufacturing is important to you, then that’s a different story.

As always, we here at Moderncat thank you for your support.

Cat Power Tower just released three new models that are all variations on their popular original design. This cat tower has the most entertainment features you’ve ever seen, and now you can choose just the right combination for your cat.

The original Cat Power Tower includes a Hunting Hole platform, a Power Platform with revolving feather toy atop a sisal scratching post, and a large Lounging Platform. The original model is $399.95.

The Scratch ‘n Hunt Tower is a new 3-tier variation on the original design which eliminates the Power Platform, if that’s not your cat’s thing, and instead has two Lounging Platforms and one Hunting Hole platform. This version sells for $329.95.

The new Little Cat Power Tower is a two-tier version of the Cat Power Tower. This version features the Power Platform and the Hunting Hole platform and sells for $289.95.

And finally the new Hunt ‘n Lounge Tower is another two-tier version with a Hunting Hole platform and one Lounging Platform for $219.95.

All models are made from eco-friendly plantation rubberwood, sustainably harvested sisal, and 100% post-consumer Mohawk EverStrand carpet, which is made from recycled plastic bottles.

10% Off For a Limited Time!

All models are currently 10% off when you order at www.catpowertower.com.

Get ready to blast off into space when you see this! It’s a new modern cat hideaway from London-based cat furniture design studio Cats&Pods. This is the first piece in their line of modern cat furniture. Made of birch plywood and lined with soft felt, The Crash Pad looks like a futuristic kitty dream house. Incredible craftsmanship and attention to details make this a beautiful piece of furniture for both you and kitty to enjoy.

The Crash Pad measures about 19.5 inches wide by about 14 inches tall. The opening is just under 8 inches wide. They say it is “suitable for a healthy cat of modest proportions.” The Crash Pad is available for sale at Lik+Neon in London or you can purchase it directly from the Cats&Pods Etsy shop for $200 USD. (There’s only one listed right now, so you may have to convo them for more.)

Thanks to Jenna for the find!

A couple of weeks ago I introduced this snazzy cardboard lounge from Petstages. It’s the Easy Life Snuggle Scratch and Rest, a unique cardboard cat scratcher/lounger with a raised bowl shape that appears to be a cat magnet. Today we’re giving away two of these awesome loungers to a couple of lucky readers! To enter to win, please visit the Petstages website to see some of the other products they make, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling us what else caught your eye and what other giveaways you might like to see from them in the future. The winners will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on July 5, 2011. One entry per person. This giveaway is open to addresses in the US and Canada.

Brawny Cat is offering an exclusive discount just for Moderncat readers! This is your chance to get select models of the Big Baby Scratch’n Slumber® Ultimate Cat Scratch Lounge at reduced prices!

• The B’Tweener, measuring 26″ wide and 16″ deep, regularly $167, is just $139
• The Big Baby Jr., measuring 22″ wide and 23″ deep, regularly $177, is just $149

Plus, both include FREE SHIPPING to addresses in the continental US. What a deal! Follow this special link to take advantage of the discount. Don’t wait, quantities are limited!

> click here to get the discount

Brawny Cat has some great new designs on the way, so they need to clear out this inventory to make room. If you already have a Big Baby Series Comfort Lounge, don’t worry, the new designs will use the same Comfort Padlet so you’ll always be able to get a replacement.

The Brawny Cat Lounge is in use almost constantly at my house. This is definitely a Moderncat favorite, due to the size of the cardboard lounging/scratching surface and the contoured shape, which the cats love. I also really like the hidden storage compartment under the padlet where you can stash extra toys.