DIY Cat Hammock Chair

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Okay, I have to be 100% honest right now, this might be one of the most fun DIY projects I've ever done.  Y'all know how much I love my cats, so anything for them is always high up there.  On top of that, I had this wild idea to make a fun play spot for them, and Mike helped me make it happen.  Seriously, they love every aspect of this chair, and I'm so excited to share it with you.  Moral of the story for this DIY project is definitely that my new favorite go-to tool in the garage is a staple gun.  That thing can do anything!

I went thrifting to find this perfect chair and pair of pillow cases.  Bonus was that part of the back was broken (that I knew I was removing anyway!) so everything was only $6.  Clearly Roxy isn't good with change (me either, girl) and loved it from the second I brought it home.  I knew I'd win her over in the end, though.

In addition to the chair, 2 pillow cases, a staple gun, and scissors, I went shopping at Dollar General for the rest of the items I needed: thick sisal rope (similar to hemp), a hanging cat toy, mug hooks, a grommet kit, and, of course, their favorite: 9Lives® cat food.  They have so many varieties that cats can't resist, from Meaty Pate with ground meat, poultry or fish to Hearty Cuts with chunks, cuts, and shreds in a rich, thick gravy.  9Lives is dedicated to the health and happiness of all cats, and it definitely shows in the quality of their products.  Check out DollarGeneral.com to find coupons and save on 9Lives wet and dry cat food - they're live now through 5/31/18!

 Alright, now here is how to make your own cat activity chair!

1. Take the chair cushion off the frame, and wrap it inside one of the two pillow cases.

2. Set the covered cushion back on the chair, pulling the new cover fabric tight, and staple the pillow case in place.  Keeping the cushion on the chair frame for this step will help keep all the fabric in place while you staple it in place.  

3. Remove the cushion from the chair again, and cut away all extra fabric.  Place the cushion back on the chair one last time.

4. Tightly wrap the sisal rope around the back of the chair (and the legs, if you wish).  This is a perfect way to cover any unsightly cracks or scuffs, especially if you're using a thrifted chair.  Cats love to scratch this rope, and it'll keep them off your nice furniture!

5. Staple a hanging cat toy to the top of the chair to add additional play fun.

6. Screw large mug hooks into the legs of the chair at even heights. We used an electric drill to create pilot holes and make this process a little easier. 

7. Measure the size for your hammock and mark off where you will place the grommets to hang the hammock on the mug hooks.  We made sure to leave a little extra room between the grommets and not pull the fabric tight so that it would look and hang the most like a hammock for the cats.  We purchased an all-in-one grommet kit that had the parts of the grommet and all the tools needed for installation at Dollar General.  It was so easy to use, and the whole process only took about 10 minutes to insert 4 grommets.

Here it is: before and after!

Clearly Shadow is loving it! ...and the food, too.

Do you have a cat who's part of your family?  Have you treated them to 9Lives cat food?