[Noisebridge-discuss] Cat ladder / elevator

[Don French]

I am assuming that by a solid ramp you mean something other a simple board
running from the window to the fence, right?  Because how could that be
harder to build than any of the other options you mentioned?

I would abandon the idea of a tube because I don't think you will get a cat
to enter it.  Rats, maybe.  Cats, not so likely.  Which brings me to the
point of how to make the door so that kitty can enter but rats and squirrels
can not. I would suggest using RFID like
http://www.petdoors.com/electronic_pet_doors.htm?gclid=CObsjcSXupwCFRYiagodk1b0oA
except that you would probably want to build it yourself for maximum geek
cred.

Wouldn't a spiral ramp be a lot more difficult to make than a board between
the window and the ground?

-- Don


On Sat, Aug 22, 2009 at 9:12 PM, Sai Emrys <noisebridge at saizai.com> wrote:

> I'm considering making a cat ladder / elevator. (Here are some:
> http://catladder.blogspot.com)
>
> My constraints:
> * usable by my relatively stupid and large (~12 lb) Maine Coone ("Ki")
> * gets my cat between my bedroom window (~15 ft off ground) and either
> the ground below or the wooden fence nearby (~5 ft high, ~8 ft away
> from the window wall)
> * can't require penetrating walls (against lease)
> * doesn't require me to frob it
> * safe for my cat
> * cheap and easy to make
>
> I've considered basically a few options:
>
> 1. simple canvas ramp or tube, hooked to my window and the fence
> 2. ditto, longer, staked into the ground (and parallel the wall)
> 3. vertical canvas tube w/ spiral ramp inside, hooked to window
> (somewhat like closet hanging racks)
> 4. (geeky and maybe failure prone) basket "elevator" triggered by
> weight in basket after a short time delay (like automated version of
> this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_1FknihCNI)
>
> I'm hesitant to try a hard ramp 'cause it'll be a pain to make, and an
> open spiral staircase 'cause my cat really is quite stupid (and I
> don't know if my woodcrafting abilities are up to it). And I can't do
> the simple boards-in-wall stairs design 'cause I can't attach stuff to
> the wall (nor do I have a ladder).
>
> Ideas? Anyone done something similar before?
>
> - Sai
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