Materials

We are committed to using the best and most eco-friendly materials available. This means we try to source all our materials as locally as possible and are constantly searching for better materials, fabrics and finishes.

🦸The development from an idea to a finished product takes a lot of time, a lot of renditions, fine-tuning and testing. It's both time-consuming and expensive but we're committed to making our pet furniture unique and quality. Unfortunately, there are a lot of copycats out there, stealing our designs and making them in cheap materials with bad finishes and we're investing in taking down each and every one of them, no matter where they are.

💪We're focused on quality and all the work is done by only two people, from ideas, development to testing and manufacturing. Every piece has come through our hands numerous times during different stages of productions.
Since it's handmade, some minor imperfections may be visible.

We've done a lot of weight testing to make sure everything is absolutely safe for your cats and you. When assembled properly, our products are extremely sturdy and safe and could hold an adult human, let alone a few cats.
Our products are skillfully handcrafted, made to order, high-quality bespoke design and too complex to mass-produce.

We're here to make lasting and sturdy products and have no interest in being yet another copycat CNC pet furniture producer, as they are flooding the market, and everything looks and feels the same. Every single piece of wood has gone through our hands numerous times. Everything is made by the two of us and with a lot of love. Every piece of wood has been sanded multiple times throughout the process, before and during the painting to ensure the best looking and most durable products.

One bridge bar takes more than 20 minutes to make, that's just the time it spends in our hands. First, cut into a strip, then into a bar piece, then the holes are drilled(2 for mounting strings and 2 for screws holding everything in place), smooth round corners are made on all sides (one at a time), then there's sanding, fine sanding, inspection, dusting it off and coating(then it's let to dry for at least 10h on both sides), then again sanding, coating and sanding until we reach a finished polished look. Then the sisal string goes through the holes, two screws holding 2 6mm strings, and the bridge is assembled and attached to its mount.

🏅 It's labor-intensive but the end result is totally worth it.

🌳 Environmentally Friendly Wood

Our basic material is birch plywood. Birch is a fast-growing native species of wood from North-East Europe. It's harvested in most of the Northern Hemisphere, which means it's all around in our little country. Its abundance and speed of growth mean that it causes minimal devastation and destruction of biodiversity when it is cut down, making birch plywood a sustainable choice. Plywood is also a lot more sustainable than solid wood as it is made using multiple thin layers of wood that are glued together using an adhesive. Plywood is arguably one of the strongest and most environmentally friendly substitutes to solid wood.

Birch plywood is also considered as one of the safest woods out there and is used in creating children's toys and playground equipment. It has no jagged edges and knots.

It's manufactured to European standard EN635-2 with a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, which means it meets all ten principles from the FSC, including reduction of environmental impact and appropriate monitoring and assessment activities to maintain the condition of forests.

Our plywood also meets the strictest formaldehyde limitation in Germany of 0,1ppm with the test method DIN EN 16516 or 0,05ppm with the test method DIN EN 717-1.

Birch plywood is not only a very strong material but has excellent mechanical and physical properties. We chose birch plywood because it's hard and very resistant to warping and bowing, also it has a void-free core which means that screws bite and hold with 100% of their threads leading to better screw holding, which is ideal for long-term use.

We use the highest grade plywood available and we sand it down to a fine, well-sanded finish before applying lacquer or paint. Another great thing about birch wood is that it is pale and neutral with subtle grain so it looks great with medium gloss lacquer and handles light paint very well.

All wood surfaces can be cleaned with a wet cloth and mild detergents. 

@scratchythings What you need to know about the maintenance of our cushions #catfurniture #cattree #catwall #catshelves #catbed #catpillow #catcushion #cattower #cat ♬ original sound - ScratchyThings

🎨 Water-based paints and lacquers

We offer 25 standard base and accent colors and every year we add a few more. The selection of the paints was probably the hardest, as they needed to be safe, durable and look good. We've made so many mistakes and tried out a wide selection of manufacturers and styles before finding the perfect fit.
We opted for the flat colors as they work and look the best and every single one of them works great with base parts in just the lacquered birch ply, which is the option most customers go for. The lacquered bases are the most common as they are the toughest finish with high mechanical resistance(resistant to mild cleaning agents, household stains and cat accidents).

⚠️ Some manufactures claim they have impregnated the plywood with environmentally friendly oil or stain. Environmentally friendly isn't the same as being toxic-free and safe when ingested, especially if the shelves are not 100% dry and the cat's fur gets soaked in the oil daily. It could produce digestion problems, diarrhea, or produce long-term effects, which is especially dangerous to kittens or cats with underlying health conditions. The finishes need to be fully dried and cured, no matter what kind they may be saying they are using.

💚 Our colors have been tested under standard EN 71-3 and have a certificate confirming its suitability for coating children's toys and are bee safe, which is the highest grade available. They have no smell.

⏳ Our products go through multiple coats of paint and sanding, with long periods of drying in between. The painting process is the longest, and mistakes and accidents made after everything is painted and dried cost more in time as it needs to be redone in order to fit our high standards.

We offer a custom selection of over 900 paint colors available: https://www.meinonlinelager.de/caparol_farben/swingcolor-mix-color-express-cce_ccid-115.html
Our standard options are only for indoor use, but we're working and testing options for outside spaces and catios.

🍩 Cushions and fabrics

After years of testing, we've settled on a selected few fabric style choices. They are all high-quality upholstery grade fabrics made to last and withstand a lot of wear and tear.

The best and visually appealing fabrics were velvet-like. They're made to last and have low maintenance. They can easily be vacuumed for regular upkeep and can be spot cleaned with usually just a damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease. We have 3 kinds of velvety fabrics, they are all thick and luxurious. What makes them ideal for cats is that they are closely woven fabrics with threads cut to give the fabrics a short pile. This is why the fabric releases the hair easily, rather than trapping it in like traditional woven fabrics. Also, most cats don't like to claw it because it lacks that woven texture and they can't see the damage, there are no loose fibers, it's not rugged. It's a superior material and one of the comfiest. The outer soft texture discourages them from scratching in the first place. We found a way to work around their instincts.

Our fabrics come in 3 styles: Lapaz - our classic fabric that has proven over time to offer great durability with simple maintenance, Fox - a moleskin pattern fabric with properties similar to Lapaz, and Titan - classical lush thick velvet that is also water repellant and suitable for outdoor use.

For the special needs kitties, the ones with bladder and other physical issues we have an option of outdoor-grade water-resistant fabrics (please contact us as the colors and patterns change)

We use high-density polyurethane foam as it has proven itself as the best option for support and comfort and it's also a long-lasting foam that lasts for years without losing its shape. We only use the best quality, highly resilient polyurethane, which is recyclable. It has gone through extensive years-long testing in the homes of our customers, but more so in the homes of local NGOs we work with and in our home. The cold-molded polyurethane foam acts just like a human-grade mattress and helps support your pet's joints and bones by distributing the mass evenly on the cushion. Comfort is crucial for cats that are getting older or those who are recovering from illness or injury. As they get older their bodies lose muscle tone and circulation in the extremities diminishes and the healing slows down. Older cats develop joint problems, have a harder time getting up and down as they age. Overweight and obese cats have also more stress on the joints which leads to developing arthritis earlier in life. By providing comfortable places for rest, we're giving them a far better quality of life and it's just from the benefit from extra padding and warmth. The foam doesn't go flat, it conforms to the cat's body, which means it is flexible and durable. Dense foam cushions the joints and eliminates pressure points.

Our cushions have no zippers, nor buttons as those haven't been ideal for often washing and cleaning. All cushions and hammocks are removable and everything is machine washable at lower temperatures. Also, the oils from your pet's fur go deep into the cushion so washing just the outer cover shouldn't be a good enough option and all the parasites we don't see get into it so with animals it's always best to wash the whole thing. All the cushions are small enough to fit into standard washing machines.

Cushions are held on the surfaces by long and wide hook and loop fasteners. They're not visible when placed in their places and don't tear nor shrink during regular washing. They are firmly attached so you don't have to worry about your cat falling off the furniture.

🐱 Carpet covering on the wall elements

We've tried a couple of different kinds but decided on a hard carpet with rubber padding that's really resilient and hard to claw on, but does give a good grip. It's made out of 100% Olefin fiber and comes with a thick Rubber outdoor backing. It is mildew, abrasion, fire, chemical and sunlight resistant and designed to not fray around the edges. It's not absorbent so urine or puke stains do not represent a problem. It can be washed with a sponge or a damp cloth or be spot cleaned and is easy to replace as we don't glue it to the surface, it's securely stapled. It's low-maintenance and easy to clean and vacuum.

🐱Artificial grass covering on the wall elements

As many cats live solely indoors, fake grass can provide a stimulating environment for exercise and play. Cats love the lush feel of fake turf and we love the look of it. We've chosen a high-quality thick grass that is soft to the touch, can be easily maintained, and doesn't shed.

Synthetic grass is highly durable, resilient, yet comfortable and safe.
As the color green is most common in their natural environment, it provides a calming effect and helps reduce stress in your cat. The blades are soft, so your cat won't sustain any injuries when walking, rolling, or playing on it, yet it provides a good grip, especially on very high shelves and for clumsier, chonkier cats.

🐈 Scratching poles

Our scratching poles are made out of birch plywood and hard PVC tubes. They are long-lasting and sturdy and will withstand a lot more stress than your cats could ever dish out and you will never have to worry about it breaking and injuring your cat.

They are sturdier than any wood poles we tried before and are way lighter, which is crucial for shipping. It's also safer for use on wall elements, as it doesn't put a lot of pressure and weight. It is wrapped with a 3mm backing soft carpet, that is there as a damper and to provide additional grip and texture under the sisal/jute rope that is tightly wrapped around it. They are reusable and can be upgraded with new attachments. The poles are recyclable.

Most scratching posts are made out of cardboard tubes and have PVC end caps that tear under pressure. The cardboard is easily destroyed by water, mold, or harder kicks and prone to breaking under repeated stress. The plastic caps break under the vibration of cats jumping and they don't grip to the metal screw anymore, so it was always our mission to find another, more durable solution. Once the pole starts shaking, most cats won't use it. Our scratching poles don't shake nor break when assembled correctly.

🧶 Sisal and jute

We've been testing with woven sisal and jute, with sisal carpet with rubber backing and with different kinds of sisal and jute ropes and we've found the perfect one.

It is the most expensive option and it does take a lot of work and effort to attach it to a post, but the longevity and the look of it more than cover the costs. Both options are made just 10km/6mi from our workshop.

We've opted for the 12mm thick version as it's the right size so that the cats could fully punch through with their claws and also the thicker rope is longer-lasting, more luxurious looking and decorative. They are 100% natural, untreated and toxin-free. They are economically sourced and biodegradable.

Both options are long-lasting and should last for years and years. Once it's time to change the rope the pole can be reused and rewrapped.
We don't have the option to dye the ropes.

Sisal is the standard option, it's made from the Agave Sisalana plant and cultivated and grown all around the world. The plant grows in tough and dry conditions. The material is sustainable and biodegradable, strong and rough and gives cats the feel of clawing on real tree bark. In the beginning it's extremely stiff but it becomes softer and more appealing to cats as it's scratched and used more.

Because it's made from natural fibers, it is likely to absorb moisture and mold if uses outside. It will shrink when wet and lengthen when it's dry.
Jute rope is a bit softer than sisal, and some cats do prefer it as they can do more damage to it. They can sink their claws further in, but it does frail somewhat quicker than sisal.
It's durable, sustainable and biodegradable.

🧵 PP ropes available on request

We can offer polypropylene ropes in black, red, yellow, blue, green, and orange. Available only on request. The polypropylene ropes are non-toxic, hard and durable.