The bookcases were easy to build ... it's just 1x8 boards and sheets of 1/4 inch plywood. The shelves are fixed - screwed in from outside the bookcase. If I had known about pocket screws and Kreg jigs when we made the bookcases, they would have been attached from the inside with pocketholes. I would also have made some shelves adjustable.

http://ana-white.com/2010/11/wall-bookcases-plans-and-how shows how. Her site is FABULOUS for simple DIY stuff and more complicated things too.

===========

She's half his weight and a lot shorter ... and she's learned how to use that lower center of gravity like kitty judo. She can bring him down with a head grip like a cowboy does when bulldogging a steer (she leaps off a chair as he runs past and wraps herself around his head), or come in low and knock his feet out from under him.

Lure him in with the tummy trap ...
Grab him by the ears!

Much wrestling on the floor, hissing and growling and kicking and chewing happens. A wild chase across the furniture obstacle course follows.

Then they make up, he licks her forehead

... then he chomps her on the ear, she sinks her fangs into his throat, and it starts all over again until they are too tired to move.

nothing like a "swing from the chandeliers" kind of cat! Believe me, it may be irritating now, but you'll miss the action when they're gone! I say just enjoy them and the amazing dexterity and intelligence it takes to create this kind of mess. Shredded toilet paper is an inexpensive, albeit messy, toy. ;o)

Oh my lord! This is a very funny post. I love that cat - but he sure is trouble!

Yes, do enjoy the cats while they are in their "prime". I recently lost my beloved Missy who was a tiny, Siamese/Manx looking kitty. Years ago someone dumped her in the desert and we rescued her. I loved her little pom pom tail.

-----

That website where the build things is wonderful. I bookmarked it to study later. I had no idea that building a bookcase like that was within the scope of a do-it-yourselfer.

I find myself indulging in this post. Every day I'm visiting it. Every time I read something written in it I find myself smiling like a fool as I recognize and recall the antics of all the cats I've have been pet to over the years. Cats are funny! I couldn't resist a baby ferret. I bought it. After a slow introduction the Siamese we had decided it was just a smelly dwarf cat that liked water. Then I bought another ferret and it was 2 against 1. I had forgotten so many of the antics and hunt, seize, steal sessions that were part of daily life. We had a midsized parrot too at that time. He became part of that action by joining up with the Siamese and dive-bombing the ferrets. OMG! Life is so much more fun with pets!

Thanks for starting this post.

I haven't been visiting Houzz for very long. I got started by innocently googling "Retro Kitchen" because my son recently bought a 1940s colonial house and the kitchen needs a style-appropriate update. The very first picture was the perfect update, and remains a favorite. For me, the gorgeous pictures are like crack cocaine with no commercials.

Home decorating in general, bookcases specifically, and cats are my favorite things in life.

Yup, Gail Dunning. I was caught the same way.

You need a desk that can be closed when not in use. When we camped, we used to carry toilet paper in a coffee can with a slit in the lid to keep the roll clean. Who knows...we may start a new trend. :) I liked the idea of a lovely basket with a small opening. Can you store papers and magazines in plastic containers or lidded baskets to protect them?

You will miss it when he does not do it anymore!

scritchity, scritchety... thunder thunder thunder .... and a THUD as they leap to ... and down to the .... Haha! Fill in the blanks-that sounds like my house! I call it "the horses are loose"

groveraxle - So far (knock on wood) he has shown no interest in books. They are packed tight in the shelves, not lying around like newspapers, so he's less likely to encounter them.

And, he doesn't like glossy paper, and the covers may not appeal to his sense of texture.

These Houzz folks are so clever...I guess because I said I liked bookcases, up pops gorgeous pics of guess what? Bookcases. In fairness, there ought to be cat pictures, too.

Cats will sometimes not care about anything or anybody but themselves

And sometimes they will amaze you. Once I accidentally closed a cat up in my bedroom (with no litterbox) when I left for work. When I returned that evening, I found that she had pulled out a plastic bag from somewhere and pooped on it when she had to go. No mess anywhere else!!

Wow that's impressive who's cat was it

It was my own cat - a large white and grey longhaired domestic. We got her as a kitten when my boys were 3 and seven. She was about 12 years old at the time, and a terrific mouser. She survived to 19 and a half and I still miss her.

I accidentally shut my Tux in an interior bathroom (no light). When I let him out a couple of hours later, he had shredded the toilet paper, pulled everything out of the cabinets, rolled up the bath rug etc. He came out of there with his head and tail held high, looking very pleased with himself for accomplishing so much all in the dark. That is the only time he touched the toilet paper. The bath room was cozy warm just from his exertions.

My current cat, Leo, also did something similar. We had one of those covered litter boxes with the back to the wall, and my husband put the lid on backwards so Leo couldn't get into the box (we only had 1 box at the time, now we have 3 for 2 kitties). So Leo somehow climbed up on and then hovered over a trash can and pooped in the trash can. Best kitty ever! I spent 30 mins looking for evidence since I knew he'd had to have gone to the bathroom in 9+ hours, and then finally followed my nose to find it in the trash can.

Too funny. I hope Leo pointedly ignored your DH for a while.

I'm pretty sure Leo did in fact ignore my DH for a while. I gave Leo lots of love and belly rubs for making sure I didn't have a mess to clean up!

That is so funny it's amazing how smart animals can be like my dog

My dog can open up a lockable trash can when we lock it and leave she will knock it over, snap open the lock, and scatter the trash everywhere.

Just came across this - and I felt it would make you feel better about your cat (leopard!) http://viraldip.com/these-32-cats-might-look-cute-but-they-just-commited-evil-crimes-on-their-owners/

OMG, ASV, I just read the link at work and nearly got a hernia from supressing my laughter.

What fun! I have 2 Bengals. They've never been interested in toilet paper, but really like the papers in my office, especially Bindi. I discovered if I supplied them with cardboard boxes to chew, they'd leave the paper in my office alone - well, mostly.

Bhakti really likes plastic bags. To keep him safe, I tie each plastic bag in a knot. It was rather funny when he got one knot undone, then stuff a couple of knotted ones in the open bag. Oh, well. Mostly safe!

Install a bidet. ;)

tsudhonimh, I can't offer anything that hasn't already been suggested. Just wanted to thank you for such an entertaining thread and for sharing that incredible creature with us.

I LOVE this cat! I hope you give him a roll every now and then when you solve the problem.

I love Houzz! This post just made my day! Forget the remodeling efforts we've got going on, let's talk about a great cat! He is awesome and I want to see one in person now. We have rescue kitties and the toilet paper is a go-to item when someone wants attention. Usually the only time they go after it is out of boredom. We just try to keep our buddies occupied and they leave it alone but we sometimes come home to find toilet paper wads that were soaked in the potty (clean water of course) throughout the house--sort of like a giant spit ball fight. Your bookshelves are great. Meet Horatio aka Ho. He is sitting in a giant Lego castle.

This is Chico.. A very laid back bloke.

How about a do it your self project something like this...

I have a very important question about the toilet paper rolls that your cats unroll. [Though mine eat cardboard and paper, especially cards from my daughter, they don’t unroll tissue paper.] Do you hang them with the end on the top or bottom?

Love the kitty a little snow is!! Give him other toys with toilet paper in it. What kind of cat is he?

Karelina ... It doesn't matter. He doesn't unroll the paper, he rips huge chunks out of the rolls.

1. Get that smart kitty an agent so he can pay for the toilet paper
2. SCAT is an air pressured movement deterrent. Startles them just enough to stop being nosy but doesn't traumatize or take the natural quirkiness out of the cat.
Had to use this for my cat who has a million scratch pads/perches/posts... But prefers my leather: headboard/dining chairs/sofa.
This brand also makes a SCAT pad but to me it looks a little too harmful.
These little critters are just too smart and too cute for their own good!

keep the door closed to the bathroom and pantry. That is what we do. I was taking my kitty to be spayed and was not allowed to feed her...so she got in the pantry. And for some reason we had a box of dried potatoes of some sort and she found them and opened them and it looked like it had snowed in my kitchen when I woke. lol She sat there quite proud of herself licking it all up.

I know this is an old thread...but I got so much entertainment reading it I thought others may still find it and be interested in this product I just ran across. It is called the MollaSpace Paper Pot. Reviews say it is good for deterring destructo-cats and dogs!

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/paper-pots#pr-header-back-to-top-link

I just read and enjoyed this old thread. Beautiful cat! My cats like toilet paper too. Strangely, they leave mine alone, but tear up the rolls in hubby's bathroom. I leave rolls on the counter, the floor, top of the toilet, wherever, but they don't mess with mine.

When my cats mess with something that's absolutely MINE and OFF LIMITS, I have a hissy fit. It's all show and lots of fun for me, but the cats respect my show of authority.

I pick up the item (shredded toilet paper) and wave it around yelling "Who did this?! Was it you? Was it you?" As I stomp at each cat. I yell "This is MINE!! MINE!! Not yours!!" All the time stomping and waving the item around. Some of them hide, very few will sit and blink at me.

Then I take it back where it belongs, still yelling, clean it up and put out another. Then I glare at everybody from where the item belongs and yell again "MINE! You leave my stuff ALONE!" and they do.

I never lay a hand on them and would never hurt them. This is purely a show of dominance and possession that they understand.

This is my cat EXACTLY ! I have a 14 month old F1 Bengal male and loves TP and shredding paper. Mine gets into my linen closet and pulls out the whole package, I came home to 3 shredded rolls on my living room floor last night. I give a show of dominance and he laughs at me !

Lori: It's the joy of Bengals! My Bengal boy Leo is 7 years old now, but we still have the my little pony show most nights as he races up and down our wood floored hallway. Not sure what he's chasing, but he's happy and I'm amused, so it's all good. If I could just keep him away from the plastic bags and from trying to whack his new brother (my dad's cat, who I adopted after he had to go into assisted living), my world would be grand! Good luck!

Breathtakingly gorgeous animal. Don't know that I would be up to the challenge.

I saw this the other day and it reminded me of this old post...

I'm not personally fond of the typical toilet paper holder. In my own home, each bathroom has a Thai rice basket with lid. Depending on size and shape, these hold 2-4 rolls and look beautiful, while providing a very practical purpose. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=thai+rice+baskets&t=ffab&ia=images

I suggest you purchase a commercial toilet tissue dispenser like the ones you see in rest rooms outside your home. Good luck!

I have so enjoyed this post. I recently became a new cat owner, he is so naughty, but oh so cute. Love that guy!

While doing a search for tp protectors, I had the good fortune of discovering this thread. I love the kitties, stories and those book shelves! This made my day.

Aside form toilet paper and paper towels my cat loves to turn on the DVD player I turn it off he turns it on .

I had a Burmese cat that was 3 feet long from nose to tip of tail. He could open doors, shred the toilet paper, smack the wood blinds to get my attention. He was called 'bad Kitty' at times. He died a year ago after throwing a blood clot. It is hard to be upset with them for very long.

Ohhh I love Bengal kitties!! Great kitty cats!

How is he with your furniture?