Product Description

Few can resist the rich photography and simple tale of a bungalow converted into the ultimate cat playground.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #400188 in Books
• Published on: 1996-08-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 92 pages

From Library Journal
What began as a simple floor-to-ceiling scratching post to prevent Walker's nine cats from sharpening their claws on the furniture is now a whole set of ramps, stairs, and cat walks throughout his house. The playfulness of this house, which has been painted in over 40 bright colors and contains Walker and his wife's collection of Dian de los Meurtos figurines and toys, comes across in the numerous photographs. Instructions are included for building ramps, cat walks, and mouse holes through which the cats pass from room to room. This fun book is recommended for large interior design collections.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
It's not exactly architecture or do-it-yourself art. What Walker has created is a colorful tribute to the roles cats play in our lives by offering a way to reward them for simply being their feline selves--an environment called the "cat house." The directions for reproducing his 110-foot series of catwalks, staircases, mouse (and other) holes, and shelves are admittedly sparse; a few architectural renderings and some minimalist instructions guarantee that an imitator will need to check other sources. But practical advice does appear in the description of how to secure treasured accessories and furniture, and there are some suggestions on remodeling (e.g., don't position the new feline aerie next to the curtains). Above all, it's the spirit that counts as well as the photographs; every one of the nine felines sharing the Walkers' lives is pictured rather contentedly walking, sitting, rolling over, and smiling on one of the structures. Definitely catwalks to heaven. Barbara Jacobs

Customer Reviews

A Dream to Build On
Bob Walker's "The Cats' House" is not the type of book that gives you detailed plans and instructions on how to build catwalks, stairs and doorways for your cat. This would be impossible because each house is so different. What it gives you instead is a beautifully illustrated vision of what it would be like to live in a house with nine cats walking, napping and playing overhead. What you ultimately do with this vision is up to you, your carpentry skills and budget. The stunningly gorgeous photographs, architecture and interior design in this book give you the fuel you need to stoke your own creative fire. After reading Walker's book and poring over the photographs, I challenge any cat lover not to have the same reaction I did, namely, that of looking around my home trying to figure out how I too could transform my living space in order to make it more fun for my cats. Now, I think I'll go look at some books about woodworking!

The Cat's House
I would not recommend this book. I bought it thinking it was going to help me build my own cat's house. Was I wrong. The book is very small, about 3&1/2" square. I could hardly see the pictures in this book. A complete waste of money if you ask me. I was very disappointed when I received this book.

Build your own feline paradise
If you're really into cats, bright colors, and Mexican folk art, this is a five-star book for you! But even if you're just really into cats and Walker's decorating style ain't your thing, this is nonetheless a worthwhile purchase. After introducing the feline family, Walker describes how he and his wife built an impressive overhead cat transport system into their home (it started by accident -- all they wanted was a room divider and a built-in scratching post). Even if you can't imagine reproducing a neon-lit zigzag for cats on the ceiling of your hallway, it's easy enough to adapt Walker's ideas to fit any decorating style. The book includes some construction diagrams and a lot of helpful hints from the wisdom of experience (e.g., Walker found that putting "cat-walks" flush against the wall didn't allow the felines enough space to turn around). The vibrant photography shows the amazing possibilities of what can be done with lumber, a tape measure, imagination, and lots of cats!