The lengths cat owners will go to in order to please their feline companions are endlessly impressive. People will invent phone apps to better track cats’ moods or even make one-off LEGO replicas in honor of the fluffy pets. YouTuber and doer of “stupid stuff” Liam Thompson may have one of the best-ever demonstrations of love for a cat, however, as he’s built an elevator that lets his 20-year-old cat Frodo safely go up and down an outdoor staircase. And become…Lord of the Stairs!
Thompson, an inventor and apparent lover of cats and dogs, recently posted the above video to his YouTube channel. Although Thompson appears to create just about any contraption that pops into his brain, he definitely has a “things for cats” streak. Previously, for example, Thompson has made a train for cats. As well as a “Roomba Chariot,” which is just as epic as it sounds.
In the video, which comes via Laughing Squid, Thompson says he built the elevator as a way for Frodo to safely descend and ascend an outdoor staircase. Thompson notes that Frodo adores chilling out near the pool while the Sun’s out and beaming. At 20 years old, however, the stairs are tough on Frodo’s body. (We imagine it’s basically his version of Barad-dûr in Middle Earth.)
The cat elevator has a simple design, utilizing essentially two components: a track and a tiny cart. Thompson shows how he deploys an electronic hoist that can “electronically hoist things” to gently lower or bring up the cart.
As for how Frodo feels about the cat elevator? Unfortunately, we can’t use our cat-mood tracker app on him. But based on his face and body language we’d say he likes it? At no point does he jump out of the elevator. Plus, he comes back—of his own volition—for a return trip. Which shouldn’t be all that shocking as the cat’s namesake never shied away from an adventure.
Feature image: Liam Thompson
