Or King Cat perhaps?
After his girlfriend was ready to throw an eye-sore of a carpeted cat scratcher out the window, Mike came up with the idea for the Sky Scratcher. His first creation was inspired by the Chicago skyline (since he grew up there), and now Mike has just introduced the brand new Empire Sky Scratcher as a tribute to NYC!
“I am King Cat hear me roar! (or is it growl?)!” Kip is so funny, he looks more surprised than scary!
The Sky Scratcher is eco-friendly as it’s made of cardboard and renewable bamboo plywood. It doesn’t use toxic glues or adhesives, so worn” floors” can actually be replaced. It comes fully assembled and includes a bottle of powerful organic catnip spray to entice your kitties to start using it!
I love how it looks like a piece of art in my living room!
In case you were wondering, the name “Sky Scratcher” was inspired by a French book from the 1800s that described American sky scrapers as buildings that “scratched the sky.”
Both versions of the Sky Scratcher stand three feet tall and retail for $149 + $25 shipping/handling. It’s not cheap, but I couldn’t love it more if I tried. It was just awarded the Readers Favorite & Fab.com award in the Apartment Therapy Design Showcase 2012 and I can see why.
Petie (left) and Kip (right) posing with the Empire State Sky Scratcher
In truth, I almost don’t want the cats to use it because it looks so cool as a sculpture in my living room. I’m tempted to create an entire skyline of Sky Scratchers!
A less expensive alternative is the “Subway Hug & Kick” $24 (pictured below) which also comes with a bottle of organic catnip.
One of Mike’s cats, Frank, demonstrates the “Subway Kick and Hug”
Mike wasn’t always a cat man, but became one when his girlfriend adopted one in 1998 at which point he says “I immediately fell in love and have been a cat guy ever since.”
He and his girlfriend now have three rescue cats in their family (who double as product models) – Maceo (16 yrs old), Smokey (9 yrs old) and Frank (2 yrs old) – plus an outdoor stray Thomas, who he “co manages” with his neighbors.
Mike describes Thomas him as “a loveable giant that passersby stop to gawk at because he is such an amazing specimen of a cat.” How cute is that?
Maceo (left) and Smokey (right) show how it’s done
While Mike has considered creating a Big Ben Sky Scratcher (how cool would that be?), he’s keeping his next project under wraps. All I know is that it will be a vertical scratcher that will also include a horizontal scratching surface that it’s slated to launch Holiday 2013 – the suspense!
The original Chicago Sky Scratcher
So save up your pennies and have a piece of the Big Apple (or Chicago) in your home! For those of you in the New York area, Mike will be at the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair June 22nd and 23rd if you want to check him and/or his wares in person!
Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation for this review beyond receipt of the product itself. All opinions are my own.
14 Responses to Catzilla and the Empire Sky Scratcher!