Jan 19, 2011

How to Build a Cat Exercise Wheel, Part 1

RESEARCH & REVIEW



Bengalized.com Bengal cat on exercise wheel



Bengal cats are renowned for their energetic antics. You bought cat climbing trees, cat condos, cat toys; you tried scratching posts, catnip and cat calming aids, but for those who live with such a feline, you may want to consider buying a exercise wheel.

 Yes, I said exercise wheel.

Like the one's for hamsters. Except gigantic.


It turns out that many cats enjoy launching themselves into an all out run from time to time. More surprisingly, they are pretty amenable to using the cat wheel. Cat toys and kitty condos provide great distractions, but there's nothing else that really exhausts- and satisfies!- a cat like pretending to chase a gazelle at full speed across the Savannah.

The Da Bird Value Pack (Includes 1 Da Bird Original Single 3 Foot Pole Cat Toy & 2 Replacement Feathers)   3 Pack of Da Bird Guinea Feather Refills

I researched where to find, and eventually, how to build a cat exercise wheel. Initial research proved unsuccessful; although there are other cat wheels available in the ether, it's slim- and expensive!- pickings. I haven't found any yet that fulfill my 3 criteria:

1) Serviceable - e.g. diameter, width of platform, ease of turning, and safe for cat!

2) Inexpensive - $200 or less

3) Attractive - after all, it WILL be an enormous fixture in my living room

My research included reading many forums involving my same question: where can I find one? how can I build one? So here is a compiled list of  several resources for cat exercise wheels:
  • SOURCES TO BUY A CAT WHEEL:
    • Petzones - $849
      • Price: bad  -  $649 for the 36" diameter wheel, but it could be argued that 36" is too short for an adult cat to fully stretch out.
      • Size: too large
      • Appearance: a wooden work of art!

    •  Cat Wheel Company -  $295.00
      • Price: okay  -  Amazon.com reports it as $795.00, so I'm not sure if the company's website is up to date.Size: perfect  -  Tread is wide enough & 41" in diameter is large enough for an adult without taking up TOO much space, relatively.
      • Appearance: bad  -  Plastic and cheap-looking; I mean, it is decorated with stickers that look like fire!
Toy Go Round Wheel Cat Exercise Treadmill
    •  Bundas Cattery Cat Wheels - $275
      • Price: okay
      • Size: too small - I'm concerned about the 30" diameter of the wheel- I feel this is too short for an adult cat to run all out. However, I will email them for further clarification.
      •  Appearance: meh
 
  • SOURCES TO MAKE A CAT WHEEL:
    • PLANS to build a cat exercise wheel
      • Diameter: 52" or 54" = really large!  
      • In all, these seem like good plans to use as a guide when building a cat wheel. 
      • No instructions or materials listed.
 
 
    • A supposed PATENT for a cat wheel
      • No instructions or materials listed
      • PDF containing multiple image views of the wheel
    • YOUTUBE:
      • Ringo
        • Ability level: Impossible - requires an advanced engineering degree 
        • Instructions: no
        • Materials: no
      • Rogers827
        • Ability level: unknown - this person was kind enough to offer his email if you'd like to contact him for plans & how-to!
        • Instructions: no
        • Materials: no
      • TheMarbellous1
        • Ability level: unknown
        • Instructions: no
        • Materials: no
        • Homemade, but kind of small and unattractive. Works for them, but not for me
      • Draco
        • Ability level: medium
        • Instructions: no
        • Materials: yes
        • More of a hack than a piece of art, and too small for an adult cat. However, the vid does provide materials
      • Cat Wheel by Richard Norton
        • Ability level: difficult
        • Instructions: no
        • Materials: no
        • This one is hooked up to a food-incentive. It also has a wall-attachment instead of a stand
      • The Karakashkats
        • Ability level: unknown
        • Instructions: no
        • Materials: no
        • Owner is willing to sell you the plans for this kitten-size cat wheel, or one that is large enough for adults

RESULT:

With the goal to achieve a proper size-to-function-to-appearance ratio, I'll be drawing upon the above elements to plan and build one myself...

Based on all this info, what would you do to build one? Post your comments!


Stay tuned for Part 2:

PLANNING