Thursday, August 9, 2012

more projects

I've been busy recently working on all sorts of house projects. One interesting trend I've noticed is that projects that somehow involve the cats seem to rise on the priority list and thus get done first. Weird, must just be odd coincidence.

Here are a few of my recent projects:

The new built in feeder in the garage needed shelves under it to store extra foods.

before

As you can see, the space where the feeder went was wasted space before. Lots of crap piled high on an old wood stove that the former occupants used but I never touched. So, stove and crap go bye bye, feeder and shelves get constructed and ta-dah, space is useful!

after

Oliver's guest house was occupying the back porch as a means to keep the red cat bed from sitting on the floor. When it got moved back outside, I needed something to hold his day bed off the floor. So, I scrounged up some old shipping pallets and used the materials to build a simple sturdy piece of feral furniture. The beauty of this project was that it cost me only a few hours time, all the materials were reused scrap, even the nails!


feral approved!

Most kitty guardians work hard to keep their cats from getting on the kitchen counters, so why would I build a special folding step to assist the cats to get onto the counter?!


The shelf is for Buddy. After watching him try to jump onto the counter numerous times and fail to make it, I thought I had better figure something out before he hurt himself. So, I built him this folding shelf. It folds down so the cabinet can be accessed. Now, Buddy can go up and down from the counter without fear of injury.


One of the bigger projects I have been working on now for awhile is to wire the house and property for a secure computer network. The purpose is two-fold, a wired network will provide faster access to external hard drives which store photos and backups of my personal files and I am planning to install network cameras around the property, so you all can watch Oliver and his feral family play, eat and do whatever else ferals do! I suppose, I might watch too! :)

Future project that is in planning stages:

Oliver's family sleeps during the day somewhere on the property of the house across the street from me. They only come here during the night, where they spend the entire night hanging out with Oliver. The house across the street is a rental has recently has been undergoing a significant remodel in anticipation of a new family moving in. I fear that if a family moves in with younger children then Oliver's family may not feel safe sleeping there anymore. So, I want to be prepared for that possibility by having a suitable comfortable housing option for them here.


Behind the garage is currently wasted space, with a pile of old lumber. My plan is to clean out that space and convert the pile of lumber into feral housing. The location is hidden and relatively undisturbed, so hopefully it would be quiet and safe.

Site of new feral housing project

I'm also planning to build some holding pens in the garage for TNR cats who are either waiting for transport to the spay/neuter clinic or are recovering after visiting the clinic. So much to do, so little time!

13 comments:

  1. Phil...Terrific, just terrific. I need someone handy in my life.

    Could you beam yourself over to my place for half a day? I really wish you could. I have about 2 feet (depth) on my front step, if even that, to work with, but I'd like to make Toby a winterized place to curl up, if he chooses. Am just going to use a giant Rubbermaid container and lots of insulation and straw (hope to get a bale of straw while Dad is here), but you could do something "fancy" that would look good enough for the condo regulations. :-)

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    1. You know, that would be lots of fun. If it was half-way practical to be able to help with something like that I certainly would love to. Maybe someday if for some reason I'm traveling through your area or you make a trip to my area. Or maybe you could send me pictures of the space with measurements and ideas of what you want it to look like and I could ship it in parts and you could assemble it. And maybe that would be the first in a new business of creating customized feral housing! :)

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  2. Wow! You are starting up a feral resort! It so nice to see them so well cared for!

    About the extra shelf in the kitchen....what a great idea! I use a step stool myself because my elderly cat, Armand, can't jump that far anymore either....and Lucius my 7 year old cat has an old knee injury that I would prefer that he doesn't aggrivate so he uses the step stool as well! My computer desk is behind the divider counter in the kitchen so they get on the desk and then its just a short hop to the counter. :)

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    1. I'm glad to hear they have special accommodations to be able to counter surf! I wasn't able to do anything that was on sitting on the floor due to space constraints, so having something mounted on the wall that could fold away seemed like the next best option.

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  3. Love it. Yeah - same here...cat projects get moved up on the list. :) The next one is some sort of feeding/housing set up for Allie (the momma cat of the alcohol kittens). I haven't seen her but I suspect she is still around. Just gotta be careful or the condo dorks will leave me nasty notes. :) We use the rubbermaid versions here as well, but I LOVE the constructed ones you make.

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  4. It really is amazing what someone with some creativity and the desire to re-purpose can do!! I absolutely love all of your projects. Talk about your catification!!! :)

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  5. I am certain I could come up with more feline related and approved projects if you were to come here. Really.

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  6. I have a garage you can organize!

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  7. Wow, Phil. You really have improved the ferals' lives. Great projects, great ideas.
    We have a few step-up arrangements for Lucy around the house. Our windows are low to the ground, so she can get up to look out, but we put a small box at the foot of the bed (which is pretty high) so that she can get on the bed for naps. I'm STILL not sure how she got on top of the piano!

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  8. I'm thinking shipping to Canada, Customs, etc. is not exactly cost-effective. LOL.

    I'll make a note to snap couple of pics and send measurements, though.

    For the love of heaven, someone cross their fingers the Universe will find Toby a wonderful home...NOT mine. ;-)

    He was up on top of the support struts again this AM, repeatedly, so the "critter-deterrent" isn't a "Toby-deterrent." I'm totally stressed, thinking he'll leap into the space with the boys, thus causing fur to fly and huge emerg vet bills at 5AM. :-(

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  9. you have one hell of a "honey do" list that is for sure! You are so handy!!!! Can we hire you out?
    Love how you are building crates for TNR as well...KUDOS!

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    1. Phil, you are the man. THE Cat Man. You take care of all of your cats, both inside and out, in so many special ways. Were you a cat in a past life? I am in awe of what you do for them. I am the same way with cat projects. Funny how they always rise to the top of other projects. Kitties rule!!

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