Savannah cat furniture size questions / build thread

[Rafiki]

One very lucky, hopefully F1 female, is going to love that room Your design looks great. Only thing I can think of to contribute is to make sure everything is reinforced very well to handle the size/weight of an early generation. I had purchased some adorable paw shaped steps on Etsy and unfortunately, Shango recently snapped one off the wall while jumping from it to his bridge . These spotted balls of energy really can put a lot of force in their jumps. Luckily Shango's bridge has held up great, but it was supposed to be rated to hold up to 160 lbs and I also had my dad add extra brackets when he installed it for me.

I was looking at those steps....was the issue the steps themselves or how well it was anchored to the wall?

And yes, it is not just the weight of the cats....it is how hard they hit! These things are mini furry linebackers!

 

[SavannahLuv]

I was looking at those steps....was the issue the steps themselves or how well it was anchored to the wall?

Stole this pic from Etsy website... there's a rectangle piece of wood that attaches to the wall and then the paw step comes off of it. The actual step broke in half at the joint where the paw meets that rectangle piece of wood. There is still a piece of wood screwed into my wall so it was definitely anchored into the wall really well. I think the problem was the wood was too thin and had no support under it for when Shango hit it really hard so it kind of had a diving board effect. Once I get moved into the new house in hopefully a few weeks, I'm going to have my dad fix the step and add some kind of metal bracket support underneath it and the other two so they can support a heavy pounce. I think the steps are fine, but you'll definitely want to add some kind of support underneath them.

 

[spieg]

Sure anytime let's keep chatin'! I did a pole is sisal rope and lm not a fan of it, I have to keep the rope trimmed. I bought some sorta heavy hemp rope st Walmart. I'm going to try.
Other than the room isn't ready which is a giant thing? Why the delay in finding your new boss?

Absolutely! Hopefully this thread can evolve into some tips and ideas for everyone! I've never had a Savannah, but my bengal wanted nothing to do with sisal. I'm really hoping after making up some sisal posts the future savannah is at least a little bit interested. The main thing holding me back at this point is just availability. I may have done things a little backwards, but I found a breeder that I really like and want to get one of her babies. I'm willing to wait a little while if that's what it takes. Now if six months go by or something like that, I may have to start looking elsewhere, but hopefully that's not the case.

One very lucky, hopefully F1 female, is going to love that room Your design looks great. Only thing I can think of to contribute is to make sure everything is reinforced very well to handle the size/weight of an early generation. I had purchased some adorable paw shaped steps on Etsy and unfortunately, Shango recently snapped one off the wall while jumping from it to his bridge . These spotted balls of energy really can put a lot of force in their jumps. Luckily Shango's bridge has held up great, but it was supposed to be rated to hold up to 160 lbs and I also had my dad add extra brackets when he installed it for me.

Good tips! I tend to overbuild things and plan to do some of that with this as well. I'll also attach things directly to the wall to prevent anything from tipping over. I've got some angle brackets that i'll use wherever reinforcement is needed, but i'm hoping to not have to use too many of them. I would imagine that kind of thing would work well under your paw shaped steps once you get them remounted in the new house, too! The ones I picked up are rated for 150lbs each.

Lots of great feedback so far, keep it coming! I picked up my cedar posts tonight and had to laugh at myself. They look like friggen telephone poles. For anyone ordering cedar posts in the future, here are a couple of pointers. First, apparently, a 4" cedar post is an approximate measure. Many of them are closer to 6" diameter on one or both ends. Second, 3" would likely more than suffice for anything up to and including supporting your entire house.

 

[spieg]

Well, there have been more lessons learned.

1. 4" fence posts weight about 50lbs each.
   
2. Fence posts are tapered.
3. Keeping an 8ft long 50lb tapered fence post straight on a chop saw is difficult.
   
4. A 10" chop saw is not quite big enough to cut through a 4" fence post.
   
5. Dimensional lumber would have been much easier to work with.

Regardless, i'm determined to make it work because I think it'll look cool.

Here are a few pics, first the empty room as a starting point, then the telephone poles in their respective positions, and one with a beer bottle for size perspective. And because I need a beer after that!

 

[Rafiki]

I am loving the fact that you are so totally "owned" by a savannah that has not even arrived. LOL. Good servant!

 

[Patti]

I may have done things a little backwards, but I found a breeder that I really like and want to get one of her babies.

You are doing things exactly the right way - kudos for you taking the time to find a breeder you trust and believe in. I did that both with my first Savannah, and with my Rhodesian Ridgeback - I had to wait about a year for each, but it was well worth it in the end

 

[MM3]

Absolutely! Hopefully this thread can evolve into some tips and ideas for everyone! I've never had a Savannah, but my bengal wanted nothing to do with sisal. I'm really hoping after making up some sisal posts the future savannah is at least a little bit interested. The main thing holding me back at this point is just availability. I may have done things a little backwards, but I found a breeder that I really like and want to get one of her babies. I'm willing to wait a little while if that's what it takes. Now if six months go by or something like that, I may have to start looking elsewhere, but hopefully that's not the case.


Good tips! I tend to overbuild things and plan to do some of that with this as well. I'll also attach things directly to the wall to prevent anything from tipping over. I've got some angle brackets that i'll use wherever reinforcement is needed, but i'm hoping to not have to use too many of them. I would imagine that kind of thing would work well under your paw shaped steps once you get them remounted in the new house, too! The ones I picked up are rated for 150lbs each.

Lots of great feedback so far, keep it coming! I picked up my cedar posts tonight and had to laugh at myself. They look like friggen telephone poles. For anyone ordering cedar posts in the future, here are a couple of pointers. First, apparently, a 4" cedar post is an approximate measure. Many of them are closer to 6" diameter on one or both ends. Second, 3" would likely more than suffice for anything up to and including supporting your entire house.

I maybe wrong and please correct me if I am but I can remember way back someone ( darn wish I could remember where I heard it) that different types of wood could be toxic ( inhaling )for kitty. Not sure if cedar was one. Help if anyone has any info.

 

[MM3]

You are doing things exactly the right way - kudos for you taking the time to find a breeder you trust and believe in. I did that both with my first Savannah, and with my Rhodesian Ridgeback - I had to wait about a year for each, but it was well worth it in the end

Oh yes! Great great advise! I learned .....oh did I learn! Would not recommend and would run the opposite way away from my kitties breeder. Do your homework and then do your homework again!

 

[spieg]

I maybe wrong and please correct me if I am but I can remember way back someone ( darn wish I could remember where I heard it) that different types of wood could be toxic ( inhaling )for kitty. Not sure if cedar was one. Help if anyone has any info.

I thought the concern was primarily with smaller animals living in cedar chips/shavings, but now you've got me wondering. Does anyone else have any good/bad experience with cedar? I know there are a couple of companies that use it in their cat trees and scratchers, but that doesn't necessarily make it good. Any thoughts?

 

[Renee]

I thought the concern was primarily with smaller animals living in cedar chips/shavings, but now you've got me wondering. Does anyone else have any good/bad experience with cedar? I know there are a couple of companies that use it in their cat trees and scratchers, but that doesn't necessarily make it good. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't use it. There is mixed reviews but the wood is very aromatic and some studies show it increases asthma and respiratory diseases in animals.

Whether or not the studies are statically significant, you're putting in a ton of work and are going to have a new little one. Just not worth the risk in my opinion.

As a side note, Keep the Pictures Coming! I'm super excited to see what the final results are.

And they do pounce as though they are a ton of bricks! Loki goes at my toes in bed and it feels as though a ton of bricks has hit me. They put all of their weight and momentum into such a small surface area, it's nuts.