A cat owner reached out to Reddit's r/Anticonsumption forum to seek advice on how to extend the life of their cat tree.
"I've had this cat tree for a few years and it definitely could use some help. How can I fix it to last longer?" the cat owner asked.
Redditors suggested easy ways to extend the life of the beloved pet toy.
"You can just unwrap the broken bits, get 100% jute or sisal rope and replace it," one user wrote.
"Re-wrap it. I have done it twice!" another Redditor responded. "You can get new carpet scraps from Habitat for Humanity stores or thrifts. You can buy rope on Amazon. Natural jute or sisal."
Extending the life of your pet toys is an easy way to save money. Instead of purchasing a new cat tree, simply replace the old rope to create a new outer layer.
By recycling items, you prevent them from ending up in landfills, where they release harmful planet-warming gases. As a result, the more you recycle, the more you reduce the amount of dirty energy that ends up in the atmosphere and contributes to the planet's rising temperatures.
Repurposing and repairing products also helps reduce pollution in the ocean. Each year, 13.2 million tons of plastic end up polluting the ocean, threatening the diversity of marine life ecosystems. By making recycling a daily part of your routine, you help decrease the amount of trash that ends up in the ocean.
You can also recycle your home products and clothes by sending your items to organizations dedicated to repurposing unwanted things. Some organizations you can use include GotSneakers, Play It Again Sports, and Music Go Round.
Redditors were excited to discover different ways to reuse their cat trees and offered tips for safely repurposing the rope.
"Make sure when you get new rope that it is specifically pet safe sisal or hemp rope," one user wrote. "You can not use just any old rope for this, because many types of rope are treated with chemicals that can be dangerous (even deadly) to pets."
"I'm glad you asked this, as I've been wondering the same thing with mine. It's still in perfect condition otherwise, but my cat has destroyed the rope on the bottom posts," another user said. "These replies helped a lot!"
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