Connector

A connector for coupling a first hollow tubular support of a cat tree to a second hollow tubular support of a cat tree, the connector comprising:

• a hollow tube having a first end region and a second end region;
• a first expandable retainer comprising a base, an expander, a diametrically expandable member and a bolt;
• said base of said first expandable retainer further comprising a skirt push-fitted into the first end region of the hollow tube to couple the first expandable retainer to the first end region of the hollow tube, and
• a second expandable retainer comprising a base, an expander, a diametrically expandable member and a bolt;
• said base of said second expandable retainer further comprising a skirt push-fitted into the second end region of the hollow tube to couple the second expandable retainer to the second end region of the hollow tube,
• wherein:
• the first expandable retainer is insertable into an end of the first hollow tubular support and the second expandable retainer is insertable into an end of the second hollow tubular support;
• and
• rotation of each of said first and second expandable retainers relative to the hollow tube causes the first or second expandable retainer to expand and couple the connector to the first or second hollow tubular support.

A cat-tree support connector means, comprising:

• tubular linkage means having a circular cross-section,
• a first expandable retaining means comprising a base, an expander, a diametrically expandable member and a bolt;
• said base of said first expandable retaining means further comprising a skirt push-fittable into a first end region of the tubular linkage means to couple the first expandable retaining means to the tubular linkage means at a first end thereof, and
• a second expandable retaining means comprising a base, an expander, a diametrically expandable member and a bolt;
• said base of said second expandable retaining means further comprising a skirt push-fittable into a second end region of the tubular linkage means to couple the second expandable retaining means to the tubular linkage means at a second end thereof opposite said first end;
• wherein for each of said first and second expandable retaining means:
• the diametrically expandable member is moveable against the expander to expand the diametrically expandable member when the tubular linkage means is rotated in a first direction relative to each diametrically expandable member, and the diametrically expandable member is moveable away from the expander to permit the diametrically expandable member to contract when the tubular linkage means is rotated in a second direction opposite to said first direction.