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the basics
we've put together the following notes to make ordering your hicat® as straight forward as possible - please read through this information as there are some useful tips to help you with the specification, ordering & installation of your hicat® as well as some important information, which forms our terms & conditions all of our products are made-to-order with floor-to-ceiling units available for ceilings up to 3040mm high as standard - the product sheet on the configuration page gives a full overview of unit types, optional features & pricing our units come in 3 diameters - poles are 180mm, tom & bob tubes are 337mm & fat tom & fat bob extra wide tubes are 432mm - pole, tom & fat tom units are floor-to-ceiling units made for climbing whereas bob & fat bob are low podium versions suited to perching, sleeping & also as a place to land when jumping down from floor-to-ceiling units pole units offer just external climbing whereas tom & fat tom tubes have 2, 3 or 4 access holes that allow internal & external climbing - please refer to the configurations page for standard unit configuration & the dimensions sheet on the dimensions page for specific measurements 2 & 3 access hole units offer half height internal climbing, 4 access hole units give full height internal climbing - 3 & 4 access hole tom & fat tom units also come with a full shelf below the third access hole as standard tom & fat tom units can be customised with additional features & accessories at an additional cost including extra full shelves, cut away shelves for through climbing, cushion pads, small peep holes & hicatch toys used for interactive play units come with a coir wrapped end detail as standard - clear acrylic or painted mdf end caps can also be specified as a cost option standard units come in bleached, natural & bark coir finishes, which is made from the fibres of coconut husks & is 100% natural - the finishes page gives an overview of available standard coverings & special coloured internal finishes is made from a twisted pile polypropylene carpet, which can be specified at an additional cost because our floor-to-ceiling units are made-to-measure we apply an incremental price adjustment (up & down) to the unit prices shown based on ceiling height - this is to keep things fair in terms of material cost so please expect to see a variation in price when you order unless your ceiling height is within the 2400-2599mm ceiling dimension used as our guide unit price standard units delivered to the uk mainland can be purchased via google checkout, special orders for units that include additional features & options &/or non-standard delivery options, delivery outsides of mainland uk or workshop collection, are taken online using a simple order form on this website requests for special features or instructions can be outlined & included as makers notes when you order your non-standard unit - please contact us beforehand if you need advice on specifying your hicat® & we will be happy to help delivery is normally within 20 working days from receipt of payment - delivery to mainland uk is included in our standard pricing with additional supplements for saturday & non mainland uk destinations installing our floor-to-ceiling units is very simple & requires only one fixing hole to be made in the ceiling for our tom & fat tom units & two for pole units - installation instructions come with your order & include tools & fixings for setting up floor-to-ceiling units all units come with tilting & height adjustable plastic feet, which are suitable for both hard & soft flooring please remember that hicat® units are made-to-measure &/or order so we cannot accept any customer returns due to incorrect measuring, specification or that are simply too big to get into your home contacting us if you have any specific queries not covered in the following customer information, please feel free to contact us at our workshop: hicat limited studio 33 80-84 wallis road london E9 5LW phone +44 (0)20 8986 2004 e-mail hi@hicat.co.uk website http://www.hicat.co.uk we are a limited company - registration number 6445491 pricing standard prices include delivery to mainland uk - guide prices for pole, tom & fat tom are based on a ceiling height 0f 2400-2599mm: pole (£138) tom2 - 2 access holes (£328) tom3 - 3 access holes & internal full shelf (£388) tom4 - 4 access holes & internal full shelf (£438)* extra full shelf - additional internal shelf (£24) crescent shelf - cut away internal shelf to allow through climbing (£36) crescent shelf instead of standard full shelf (£20) bob1 - 1 access hole (£118) bob1 bn - 1 access hole & bird nest feature (£118) fat tom2 - 2 access holes (£398)* fat tom3 - 3 access hole & internal full shelf (£462) fat tom4 - 4 access hole & internal full shelf (£524)* extra full shelf - additional internal shelf (£32) worm hole shelf - cut-out internal shelf to allow through climbing (£44) worm hole shelf instead of standard full shelf (£24) fat bob1 - 1 access hole (£144) fat bob1 bn - 1 access hole & bird nest feature (£144) *only available for ceiling height 2240mm & above peep hole - small spy hole opposite access hole (£14) pole hicatch - velcro® band + 2 sticky darts (£20) tom hicatch - velcro® band + 2 sticky darts (£26) fat tom hicatch - velcro® band + 2 sticky darts (£28) pad - cushion for tom & bob (£12) fat pad - cushion for fat tom & fat bob (£14) pole ceiling height adjustments (add/subtract £2 every 10cm) tom ceiling height adjustments (add/subtract £8 every 10cm) fat tom ceiling height adjustments (add/subtract £10 every 10cm) coir bleached (included) coir natural (included) coir bark (included) special coir concrete (add 10%)** special twist pile colour internal (add 10%) wrapped ends (included) wrapped ends/bird nest feature (included) 5mm acrylic ends caps (add tbc) 10mm acrylic end caps (add tbc) 9mm painted mdf end caps (add tbc) delivery to mainland uk (included) delivery to mainland uk saturday (add £tbc) delivery to mainland uk saturday by mid-day (add £tbc) delivery outside mainland uk (add £tbc) workshop collection (subtract £tbc) **very limited stock before ordering sample requests - if you would like samples of our finishes please get in touch & we will be happy to send out swatches more options - as well as the options on the configuration page we are always experimenting with new features - these include re-positioning access & peep holes, two piece units to help with access or shipping, units that fit under sloping ceilings & taller bob & fat bob units, so it's always best to check with us before ordering if you have a special request bird nest feature - our freestanding bob & fat bob units can be specified with a bird nest (bn) feature in place of the standard top cap so that pad & fat pad cushions can be fitted on top of these units - the pricing stays the same as the standard units but the height increases to 560mm as opposed to 500mm for the standard bob & fat bob units end finishing options - units come with wrapped coir ends as standard, which extends the coir over the end of the tube to give a waterfall edge appearance - there is also the option of having the coir cut & the ends finished with a 5mm or 10mm thick clear perspex® caps or 9mm thick mdf caps painted to a customers ral or bs number – image 9 in the gallery shows the 5mm acrylic end cap option & standard wrapped ends suggested hicat® unit combinations - for tom & fat tom units with 3 or 4 access holes you may want to think about ordering a bob1, fat bob1 or pole as well - apart from looking great it will give your cat a podium to land on or a pole to grab when climbing out & down from the higher access holes, alternatively you could position you hicat® next to a sofa or armchair to act as a landing pad suggested hicat® options & features - in addition to the standard full shelf specifying a crescent or worm hole shelf in the fourth access hole on tom4 & fat tom4 units means that your cat can reach this higher access hole by climbing up & through this shelf as well as climbing back down inside the unit - specifying a climb through shelf below the second access hole is a nice to have as is adding a peep hole behind the third access hole, not essential but it does add more opportunity for you & your cat to interact children + hicat® - if you have young children & are ordering a 2, 3 or 4 access hole unit it's good to have a shelf installed below the second access hole - this gives a child-friendly height hole for your children & cat to play in & would also suggest that the climb-through shelf option is better as it will still allow your cat to climb up to this hole from the inside of the unit extra special finishes - in addition to the standard & special internal finishes we can also fabricate all of our units in a selection of custom coir, sisal & wool mixes in coloured, striped & patterned designs - these materials can be used in conjunction with our standard materials or used to create a totally unique hicat® rough guide to sizing - tom units will suit most average size or small cats & allow them to sleep comfortably on the standard full shelf - larger cats will struggle to lay down on a standard tom full shelf so the bigger fat tom unit with either a full or worm hole shelf is a better option if you want to let your cat settle down & sleep in their hicat® delivery supplement to europe - if you would like to know your non-mainland uk delivery supplement price before placing an order please send us an email noting the unit that your interested in, you approximate ceiling height (if ordering a pole, tom or fat tom unit) & your postal area code/town & we will advise on a price - typically, delivery to most eu countries is between £80-140 on top of the uk pricing for a standard tom or fat tom unit shipping to the united states - we have lots of enquiries from the usa asking for shipping quotes & we are happy to provide these but please brace yourself as the delivery supplement can be high if you don't live near a major city - on average shipping costs are between £120-£160 for a standard tom or fat tom unit to an address within 25 miles of a major city plus there is a 7% import duty & local taxes/charge on top of this shipping to asia, australasia & other far away places - we can advise on shipping quotes but based on experience, the price for delivery is always more than the cost of the unit, which is obvioulsy very dissapointing for the customers & cats making these enquiries viewing our products - we do have a few sample units on display at our workshop in hackney wick, east london so if you want to visit us to have a look at what we do & how we do it please get in touch to arrange a convenient time for a viewing - the workshop can be tricky to find so we can email you our workshop map if necessary customer references - we've compiled some of the customer feedback we've received on the home page but are happy to arrange personal references on request discounts - we offer discounts to individuals working within animal welfare organisations, associations & institutions as well as individuals working within veterinary practices so please enquire before placing your order questions-questions - we do get frequently asked questions & queries on specific points not covered in our customer information so thought that it would be worth noting these below starting with the four most common ones; - will our cat want to climb their hicat®? - yes, they will based on our experience & customer feedback - we've only ever heard of a couple of instances where elderly & infirm cats didn't want to climb - how long will a hicat® unit last before we have to replace it? - you should get years of use from your hicat® ignoring the usual wear & tear - we've been making hicat® units since 2008 & we've only ever had praise from our customers regarding our workmanship & fabrication - is it easy to make a mistake when measuring up for a hicat®? - yes, mistakes can happen but none to date - we build in some tolerance for installing our floor-to-ceiling units & there is also some adjustability in height to help take up any minor discrepancies - are floor-to-ceiling units easy to install? - yes, all you need is a step ladder, a drill that can hold a 12mm bit - units come with installation instructions, fixings & tools so the only other thing that we advise on having around when installing these units is another pair of hands to help manoeuvre them in to position - is the end finish option just aesthetic? - yes, it's purely cosmetic & down to personal preference with most of our customers choosing the standard wrapped end as this gives the unit a softer more natural look with acrylic & mdf end cap options having a sharper architectural feel - can we purchase a hicat® if we live outside the eu? - yes, we can export to any country but there will be additional freight charges, tax & import duties levied by the authorities in the destination country on top of our standard uk pricing & these vary from country-to-country - can the access & peep hole positions be changed? - because of the fabrication methods used we can't rotate access holes in different positions around the unit (they have to face in one direction only, one above the other) but they can be positioned at different heights at an additional cost - peep holes are positioned directly behind the access holes as standard but can be re-positioned both vertically & horizontally again, for an additional charge - can we mix & match coir finishes? - yes, within the pricing for standard coir finishes we can alternate colours on the inside & outside of the unit but if you're looking to have different standard coir colours between internal compartments or across shelves this will incur an additional cost - similarly, if different special internal colours are mixed inside a unit this will also attract an additional charge - do you make a freestanding tom or fat tom unit? - no, not as standard but we have made special units that fix to the wall with a baton rather than the ceiling or have oversized bases to support the unit as an island - these units are normally partial height & have been specified with bird nest & fully wrapped coir top caps to allow cats to perch on the top of these units - how does the ceiling measurement get used during fabrication? - floor-to-ceiling units need to have some ceiling clearance when they are installed so we reduce this measurement by 35-40mm depending on the unit type & means that after the hicat® is installed there will be a small even gap at the top & bottom of the unit - can hicat® units be re-used if we move home? - because our units are made-to-measure it's unlikely that you will be able to re-use your floor-to-ceiling hicat® unless the ceiling heights are within a cm or so of each other, however, just like other types of bespoke or built-in items you may have the option of adapting your unit to make it shorter (access hole positions permitting) or adding an extension piece or longer ceiling connector &/or feet to make it taller - do overseas customers have to pay using google? - yes, unless they can arrange for all bank charges associated with making an international transfer to be paid by themselves otherwise, a payment via google needs to be made that incurs a credit card fee of 4% - do you make an outdoor hicat®? - not at the moment but we are keeping our eyes open for suitable core & covering materials that are weather-proof so that we can offer this option - the main problem is finding something that is waterproof but easy to climb like coir! - is it safe to install a hicat® if we have a plasterboard ceiling - yes, the ceiling hole used to lock our floor-to-ceiling units in to position just acts as a locating point & doesn't take any of the unit's weight - virtually all of our customers to date have this type of ceiling but if you happen to live in a property with a period lath-and-plaster ceiling you may need to have a plywood or plasterboard section cut in to the ceiling in order to safely install the hicat® - what happens if we want to order a floor-to-ceiling unit but don't think we can get our measurement accurate to within 5mm? - if you are still struggling with after reading the notes contained in the measuring up section below we can send out a laser tape measure for you to use as long as this is returned to us using a recorded or signed for post service - is it possible to specify units with our own covering? - yes, this is an option subject to making sure that your covering is suitable & can be used in our fabrication process - why can't we specify special internal finish on the outside of a unit? - these special twisted pile carpets do not have a boucle weave like our coir finish so they are not easy to climb but do offer a very comfortable & soft interior finish that is colourful & contrasting to the coir - is the special coir concrete finished in a similar way to standard coir? - no, the coir concrete fabric has a industrial & raw look to it when compared to the standard coir & also has contrasting natural coloured finishing around the back seam, access holes & peep holes (please see image 4 on the website gallery) - this fabric is pigment coloured so un-dyed strands can be seen where there's a fabric fold & un-dyed fibres can be pulled through on surfaces that are used to scratch & climb, which also adds to the worn look but won't be to everyone's taste - what's the maximum height floor-to-ceiling units can be made to? - because of the carpet widths available, 3.8m is about as tall as we can go without having to add in seams on the units - this said we would offer a word of caution to customers thinking about ordering extra tall units as climbing basically becomes an extreme sport for cats & would also note that units with four access holes will have a large internal span between the third & fourth holes, which can be uncomfortable for cats to descend through & also means that they will be out of reach! - do you offer discounts for large orders? - sorry, we don't - our units are priced incrementally against height on a materials/labour basis so the price is the price - are there any additional uk delivery options in addition to those listed? - yes, there are a number of options including deliveries before 9am, mid-day, saturday before 9am & also assisted deliveries - we can usually advise on a specific supplement price before placing an order so please email us if you have a request - can floor-to-ceiling units be installed upside down? - yes, the feet & ceiling connector will need to swap ends but once this is done the unit unit can be installed upside down - are your able to rotate tom & fat tom units after they've been installed? - yes, because these units have a single point ceiling fixing they can be rotated 360° so that the access holes can face in any direction - you may need to adjust the feet after doing to re-level the unit measuring up positioning your hicat® - it's best to place your units away from other tall furniture, cupboards, windows, etc as your cat will probably want to attempt a leap to a nearby observation point or ledge if available proposed location - once you've settled on the position for your hicat® take the measurement at that spot as ceiling heights aren't always consistent across a single room measuring technique - using a steel retractable type tape measure, place the body of the tape measure on the floor & extend the tape to the ceiling making sure that you keep a vertical line when taking the measurement & add the size of the tape measure body to the dimension taken (the body dimension to add will normally be noted on the side of the tape measure for reference) measuring on carpeted floors - to help get a more accurate measurement place a large thick hardback book on the floor & whilst someone stands on the book measure from the upper face of book to the ceiling as described above then add the thickness of the book to the dimension carpeted floors with underlay - foam underlay normally compresses down to almost nothing after a hicat® has had time to settle so add the thickness of any underlay on to the overall ceiling height production tolerances - your supplied ceiling measurement needs to be accurate to within half a centimetre i.e. 5mm then we build in a height reduction to our floor-to-ceiling units, which allows for ceiling clearance & adjustment during installation (normally ±10mm) access arrangements - while you've got your tape measure to hand check your access making sure that you have a enough height & turning space to manoeuvre your hicat® into its proposed location in your home ordering standard orders - if you live in mainland uk & would like a standard unit without any additional features & options you can make a purchase using google checkout special orders - if you don't live in mainland uk or would like to customise a unit with additional features & options an order can be placed online using our order form making a special order - the online form in the order section of the website is used to submit your special order with personal & order details - if you are specifying extra shelves &/or peep holes their proposed positions need to be confirmed in the makers notes section special specification - you can also note any special requests in the makers notes section on the order form & we will confirm pricing as part of the order confirmation - some of the most common customer requests include access hole, shelf & peep hole positioning adjustments & special height bob & fat bob units terms & conditions - part of the ordering process also requires you to confirm acceptance of our terms & conditions, which basically means that you've read & understood this customer information section of the website so again we would recommend that you read through all of the notes before ticking the box order acknowledgement - once you've submitted your order you'll receive a google checkout purchase receipt for standard orders or an automatic email for special orders summarising your order details & guide price - if you don't receive a mail straight away you may want to check your junk mail folder as it may have been treated as spam mail & quarantined by your email client order confirmation - once we've checked your order we will process your payment if it's a standard google checkout order or send a confirmation email if it's a special order to confirm your specification, any special request, makers notes & pricing where applicable together with your preferred payment request & delivery supplement if applicable problems ordering - from time-to-time we do get the odd report from a customer who can't place an order online because our order form doesn't appear to be working - this is normally down to internet browser compatibility so rather than bang your head against the wall trying to work out what's wrong it's easier just to email us your customer & order details & we will happily submit an order on your behalf payment google checkout purchase - these orders are processed automatically but we will send a payment processed confirmation email when we charge your credit card with your invoice & will advise on an expected delivery date special order - payment can either be made by electronic transfer direct to our bank account or by credit/debit card using google via their secure online payment process but this type of payment will incur a 4% fee - uk customers also have the option of paying by cheque but this normally adds up to a week on lead times special orders payment - once we've received your payment will will send a payment confirmation email with your invoice & advise on an expected delivery date non-uk bank transfers - if you are making a bank transfer from outside of the uk we ask that all associated transaction charges are paid by the customer when sending you payment refunds & returns - please remember that hicat® units are made-to-measure &/or order so we cannot accept any customer returns or refunds due to incorrect measuring, specification or that are simply too big to get into your home delivery lead times - delivery of your order is normally within 20 working days from receipt of cleared funds delivery supplements - if you're outside mainland uk or have requested a special delivery service a supplement will be added to your order confirmation or a discount applied if you've arranged a collection from the workshop despatching your order - we will email you again on the day your order has been despatched & include some instructions on signing for your order mainland uk - we use a courier for our standard deliveries & units are despatched on a next working day service & will advise on an expected delivery date before your unit is confirmed as despatched deliveries to europe & beyond - these are fulfilled using freight companies on a 3-5 working day service so we can't confirm a specific delivery day before despatch but do ask the freight company to get in touch with our customers before a delivery is attempted taking delivery - it's important that someone is at home to receive your delivery otherwise our courier or freight company may apply a handling charge after a number of failed delivery attempts - in the event of a failed delivery a card will be left with a new delivery date or instructions on a how to arrange a redelivery signing for your hicat® - when your hicat® arrives there are two options for signing for your delivery: - firstly, if you are unable to unpack & check your delivery while the driver waits please sign the delivery note as "unchecked" stating the reason why e.g. courier couldn't wait - secondly, if the courier will wait for you to unpack & inspect your unit & once your satisfied that it's in perfect condition sign the delivery note - in the unlikely event that damage has occurred in transit the delivery note should be signed as "damaged" detailing the condition e.g. end cap cracked assisted deliveries - please note that unless you have arranged for an assisted delivery the driver will only handle your delivery to the main front door of your building - if you live in a residential block or have flights of stairs to climb with your delivery we would suggest that you have another pair of hands at the ready as the units can be tricky to handle installation installing your hicat® - floor-to-ceiling units come with an installation pack containing instructions, fixings & tools install must haves - all you will need to install your hicat® is a stepladder, a drill that can hold a 10mm bit but having a small mirror to hand will also be useful if you've ordered a tom or fat tom two pairs of hands are better than one - manoeuvring larger tom & fat tom units in to place can be tricky if you're on your own so we would recommend getting some help when installing these units freestanding bob & fat bob - we recommend that some ballast is placed inside these units to prevent them toppling over whilst in use - a couple of 5kg sandbags should do the job heavier tom & fat tom units - these units may need to be raised slightly from time-to-time after they've been installed if carpet compresses down &/or floorboards give so they come with adjustable feet that can be raised using the spanner enclosed in the installation pack safety first - it's important that you read the instruction leaflet paying careful attention to the safety notes & make sure that your hicat® is correctly located in the ceiling fixing & stable before you allow your cat/cats to play playtime cats only - our units are very strong however the access holes, shelf & the low freestanding units should not be used to stand, sit on or climb up by anyone but your cat don't panic - if your cat doesn't make an immediate dash for the top of your hicat® they may need some enticing - a laser pointer is a great way to grab their attention & get them rocketing on, off & around your hicat® but you may want to think about ordering one of our hicatch velcro® toys as an option supervision - we've made some suggestions on hicat® combinations & shelf options in the before ordering section above to help make things easy for your cat when using 3 & 4 access hole units - if you haven't followed these suggestions please make sure your cat is comfortable using the higher access holes on these units before leaving them unsupervised monthly inspections - just to be on the safe side we would suggest giving your floor-to-ceiling unit a quick once over from time-to-time to make sure that the ceiling connector is correctly installed (the connector should extend at least 10mm in to the ceiling fixing hole), feet are in place & the unit is secure, stable & upright coir care - the coir finishes are 100% natural & don't carry any preservatives or finishing treatments so the darker colours can fade over time especially if placed in direct sunlight - if a section becomes soiled this is best treated by using a soft brush with a little warm water & mild detergent wear & tear - do expect to see some signs of use over time especially if the hicat® is being put through its paces in a home with more than one cat - surfaces can become marked if your cat has a favourite scratching spot & strands can fray around the access holes, peep holes or seams but these are easily fixed with a touch of glue pad & fat pad fabric care - cushion covers can be removed & either dry cleaned or washed at 40° then laid out flat to dry - you may see 3-5% shrinkage after cleaning, which is normal for this type of fabric feedback - we've really enjoyed watching our cats play on their hicat® units & it's always fantastic to hear & see how other cats get on - if you can drop us an e-mail (with a photo or two) to share your experience with our products it would be really great to hear from you ∑:) |