From Pubs to Purrfect Cat Trees

Hello fellow cat lovers (and maybe some dog lovers! too!). Di here a passionate cat lover from Sophisticated Scratch!

Today, I want to share a little bit about our lives, our furry companions, and how Sophisticated Scratch evolved.

A Somerset Childhood and a World of Work.

Born in Devon, but raised in Somerset in a broken home, my childhood was quickly filled with the love for animals. I spent my early years in my parents pet shop in Taunton before they divorced when I was 7. My best friends were a Siamese cat, two Dachshunds, and a Dalmation.

Later in life my career took quite a few twists and turns and I have tackled many challenges trying to find my path through life and here are a few of them.

At 16 I joined the Territorial Army 43 Signal Squadron,  I then went on to have a fascinating job working with racehorses, followed by a plasterer's labourer, taxi driving, multiple home renovations, running pubs and even drove a truck with Mark my husband, hauling a 53ft trailer across Canada and USA, then running a B&B in British Columbia and finally working as an Emergency Care Assistant for the NHS.

The journey from pubs to purrfect cat trees has been a long hard road to conquer, but they instilled in me a strong work ethic, resilience, and the ability to connect with all sorts of people.

Mark's Path: From Skyscrapers to Senior Citizen Comfort

Mark's journey has been equally diverse. He was born on Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia, and spent his early years working on the family farm alongside his siblings.  Later he scaled new heights literally, as a floor layer in skyscrapers.  He drove taxis for a while and changed direction again and put his skills to building a subdivision of bungalows specifically designed for senior citizens in Canada.

In later years Mark managed and ran a number of pubs with Di, qualified to become a home surveyor and to add another chapter to his impressive resume, Mark drove a truck across the vast landscapes of Canada, USA and then the UK!

While gathering all these wonderful skills and experiences he managed to fit in more house renovations than I care to remember and his dedication and building skills have proven invaluable in our business today.

Meeting in Paradise and Pub Dreams

Our paths finally crossed in paradise, way back in 1998, while holidaying in Barbados. Love at first sight led to an incredible adventure driving a freight truck across most of North America together! We returned to Barbados to marry in 2000.

We saved up for our shared dream - a charming pub in the UK.

We have both experienced various journeys in life together and before meeting and throughout these adventures we have gained valuable insights into what really makes us tick and followed our aspirations.

Helping Hands on the Ambulance and a Life-Changing Diagnosis

Feeling a strong desire to give back, I spent a rewarding period working for the NHS as an emergency care assistant.

Racing alongside paramedics on ambulances, I played a vital role in saving lives and helping people in their most critical moments.

However, in 2012, I received a life-altering diagnosis of ME and Fibromyalgia. The demanding job I had at the time, as much as I cherished it, was no longer an option. It was during this challenging time that I started looking for ways to work for myself and manage my condition.

The Seed of Sophisticated Scratch is Planted

We've always loved renovating properties, and this is where Mark's skills really came in handy! He patiently taught me how to use and maintain a huge variety of tools from chainsaws to sanders and everything in between.

One day, after finishing a renovation project in our newly decorated home, I looked at our rather drab cat furniture and realised it just wasn't cutting it. It clashed with the new décor, stood out like a sore thumb and felt, well, boring!

I searched high and low on the internet for a unique and stylish cat bed and scratcher hoping to find something that would complement our home, but alas nothing quite fitted the bill. The choices I found were repetitive and made with flimsy cardboard and thin sisal.

That's when the idea struck - I would create a cat scratcher myself!

It all started on a dog walk with Wrinkles our Shar Pei, when I came across a fallen oak limb, inspiration struck immediately I knew I could use it to craft something special for Sam and Jake our two cats.

From Humble Beginnings to Sophisticated Scratch

With a few attempts (and a lot of help from Mark!), I built our Siamese cats their very own unique scratching post and cat tree. They would attack the sisal like I had never seen and sat proudly in their cat tree they loved it, and so did everyone who saw it!

Unfortunately Jake died from a brain tumour in 2012 but we still have Sam and he is still enjoying life at the grand old age of 18.

Friends and neighbours soon started asking me to create cat furniture for them and made remarks such as how unique and beautiful they are and you should sell them.

I took note of this and in 2017 Sophisticated Scratch was born!

It wasn't easy at first, there were learning curves galore.

Mark built me a little workshop at the bottom of our garden in Somerset, and I started small, even working part-time with the ambulance service while growing the business.

Devon Calling and Going Full-Time Sophisticated

By 2019, Sophisticated Scratch had outgrown our Somerset home. We moved to a beautiful spot in Devon called Little Silver, where an idyllic rural setting and a convenient old Nissan hut became my new workshop.

The house is another renovation project that we are working on slowly.

Mark joined me full-time in 2021, leaving his lorry driving days behind. We've faced challenges like everyone, but despite the pandemic and global issues Sophisticated Scratch keeps climbing!

Our Passion: Delivering Purrfect Furniture Across the UK

We pour our hearts into what we do. Each cat tree is handmade with love, using beautiful Devon oak, robustly built to last a lifetime.

We pride ourselves on exceptional customer service and creating the dream cat tree for every feline friend. And the best part? We deliver our fully assembled cat trees all over the UK and when possible we offer personal delivery! So, if you ever see us on the road, give us a toot and a wave!

A Gift of Creativity and a Life Well-Lived

Working for myself has been a game-changer for managing my health condition. Surrounded by nature, animals and the therapeutic rhythm of working with my hands, I feel a world away from those final, demanding years in the ambulance service.

Our days are filled with harvesting oak with the help of the local farming community and land owners, crafting dream cat trees, and delivering them across the UK to you.

We are so grateful for the journey we have been on and for the opportunity to use our creativity for a living.