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The Hauspanther catio recently received a little makeover with the help of our friends at Omlet! We installed a few of their Freestyle Outdoor Cat Trees and they are absolutely wonderful! They fit the space perfectly and the cats are loving their new vertical world. Read on to learn more about the Freestyle Outdoor Cat Tree and how we created this Catification installation.

Free Online Design Tool

We needed some more vertical space for the cats in two areas on the catio. Omlet has a great design tool on their website that lets you build a custom Freestyle Cat Tree by dragging and dropping poles, platforms, steps and accessories into place on screen, giving you a total cost for the set. The images above were made with the tool, creating a great visual reference for the project.

Create a Custom Spiral Staircase

First we started with a single pole to give the cats another entrance/exit point for the shelves that we already had on the wall. The Freestyle poles are available in heights ranging from 5′ 7″ to 14′ 5.2″ and they easily attach to any ceiling, straight or angled. This design includes large platforms at the bottom and top with smaller steps spiraling around the pole in between, making it easy for the cats to climb up and down.

Removable Washable Cushions

We added cushions on all the platforms and steps as well as a felt den on the top platform, creating a cozy nook for the cats. The cushions are made with weatherproof outdoor fabric, available in either blue or cream, that can be removed and washed as needed.

Designed for Maximum Durability

The Freestyle system is similar to the old Ikea Stolmen system that was commonly hacked for cat use, but is no longer available. The Freestyle Cat Tree uses a special bracket that attaches to the pole and connects with whatever accessories you like. The Outdoor Cat Tree system uses heavy duty plastic and powder coated steel accessories that will stand up to the elements, perfect for use on a catio. The old Ikea Stolmen system wasn’t designed for outdoor use or for the kind of durability required when cats jump on and off and run around. The Omlet Freestyle Cat Tree is designed specifically with cats in mind, creating a durable, safe, and enriching climbing structure.

More Options with a Double Tree

Next we moved on to a larger area where we installed a two-pole cat tree. Using multiple poles allows you to add more accessories like bridges and ramps. By spanning between two poles, the tree has even more stability and gives cat lots of options.

Secret Cat Lookout

We added a felt hammock at the very top. The hammock is suspended from a large platform that has a hole in the center, letting cats easily climb in and out of the hammock. The hammock platform is large enough that cats can also sit on top. We call the hammock “the lookout” and the cats use it to spy on the neighbors.

Optional Scratching Post

A sisal wrapped post can be added to the Freestyle tree giving your cat a sturdy vertical or horizontal scratching surface. We placed ours vertically at the bottom of one pole so cats can scratch from the ground level but you can place it anywhere on the tree or use it as a horizontal connector and walkway. The ramp also has an optional sisal cover turning it into another scratching surface.

Overall I’m very impressed with the Omlet Frestyle Cat Tree. The outdoor accessories are perfect for use on a catio or you can get indoor accessories including bamboo shelves and lots of decorative fabric and plush options that are better suited for an indoor environment. Visit omlet.us to learn more about both the Freestyle Outdoor Cat Tree and the Freestyle Indoor Cat Tree.

Special Discount for Hauspanther Readers!

Hauspanther readers can take advantage of a special discount! Use code HAUSPANTHER15 at either omlet.us or omlet.co.uk and get 15% off all cat products now through June 25, 2025. They are also offering free shipping on orders over $100. Time to spruce up your catio!

*FTC Disclosure: The manufacturer sent us a complimentary sample of this product for review. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links, Hauspanther will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. We are dedicated to finding the coolest products for cats and cat lovers and we never recommend anything that we don’t love.

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