Cat tree recommendations
December 1, 2007 8:42 PM Subscribe
What features/specifications should I look for in a cat tree?
I would like to purchase a high quality cat tree, but I'm not sure what makes a tree "high quality." Is faux fur or fleece preferred over carpet? How big should the base be? I keep seeing recommendations stating that it should be wide enough so the tree won't tip over. Are there actual width recommendations for the base? Is there anything that I should be thinking about that I've left out? (I realize that sisal is a must.) What else should I consider when shopping for a tree?
Thank you!
I would like to purchase a high quality cat tree, but I'm not sure what makes a tree "high quality." Is faux fur or fleece preferred over carpet? How big should the base be? I keep seeing recommendations stating that it should be wide enough so the tree won't tip over. Are there actual width recommendations for the base? Is there anything that I should be thinking about that I've left out? (I realize that sisal is a must.) What else should I consider when shopping for a tree?
Thank you!
My cat ignored all pre-made gee-gaws, , but he loves a big pillow on a box by a window. Don't spend a lot of money on it because there is a good chance your cat will ignore it. Cats are funny that way.
posted by 45moore45 at 8:53 PM on December 1, 2007
posted by 45moore45 at 8:53 PM on December 1, 2007
The base of mine is heavy plywood, 24" by 24". My 19-pounder was able to rock it when he launched at it full-tilt, but it never tipped over. This eBay guide has good advice about what you should look for and avoid. Also, make sure that the lounging platforms are big enough for your cat to sleep without worrying about falling off. A rim around the lounging platform is a plus. After that, it's all about what your cat likes. If you have more than one, you might want to make sure there are multiple lounging platforms so everyone can be up high.
posted by weebil at 9:50 PM on December 1, 2007
posted by weebil at 9:50 PM on December 1, 2007
Figure out what surfaces your cat scratches most, and try to find a tree that has a surface like that. (It's always struck me as odd that nobody makes scratching posts that feel like sofa arms.)
As far as the balance is concerned, you should probably go to a store that has a good selection on display and shake the top shelf. If it feels like it's going to fall over, then it's not stable. (You don't actually have to buy from a brick-and-mortar store, but if you're looking at a particular item online, you can try to find a similar one in person to check for stability.)
Think about where you're going to put the thing. Some of those things can be awkwardly large.
Don't spend money on any aspect that your cat doesn't care about. Some such aspects depend on the cat, and others are pretty universal (most cats don't care about brand names or quality materials, as long as it holds up). I second what arnicae said. If your cat tries to get on top of tall things, get it a tall one. If it likes to bat around strings even when nobody's moving them, get one with something dangly. If it likes to hide in things, get it something with holes. If it likes to sprawl out on the bed/sofa/floor, make sure it has wide surfaces. If it likes scratching a variety of surfaces...you get the idea.
posted by ErWenn at 10:39 PM on December 1, 2007
As far as the balance is concerned, you should probably go to a store that has a good selection on display and shake the top shelf. If it feels like it's going to fall over, then it's not stable. (You don't actually have to buy from a brick-and-mortar store, but if you're looking at a particular item online, you can try to find a similar one in person to check for stability.)
Think about where you're going to put the thing. Some of those things can be awkwardly large.
Don't spend money on any aspect that your cat doesn't care about. Some such aspects depend on the cat, and others are pretty universal (most cats don't care about brand names or quality materials, as long as it holds up). I second what arnicae said. If your cat tries to get on top of tall things, get it a tall one. If it likes to bat around strings even when nobody's moving them, get one with something dangly. If it likes to hide in things, get it something with holes. If it likes to sprawl out on the bed/sofa/floor, make sure it has wide surfaces. If it likes scratching a variety of surfaces...you get the idea.
posted by ErWenn at 10:39 PM on December 1, 2007
A main post wrapped in rope is great, even for de-clawed cats. They still have the instinct to claw and will paw at it.
I have a post like that for my cat, but as far as cat tree, she is so fat and lazy that she wouldn't use one without an elevator.
posted by The Deej at 11:13 PM on December 1, 2007
I have a post like that for my cat, but as far as cat tree, she is so fat and lazy that she wouldn't use one without an elevator.
posted by The Deej at 11:13 PM on December 1, 2007
It's really more about location. A cat-tree that tucks in a corner, doesn't get light, and doesn't provide a good view is rather uninteresting, from a cat's perspective. Find something small that gets primo real estate. I like to have one right next to my computer chair. Every time the cat jumps on the keyboard or in front of the monitor, she gets relocated to the spot where she gets loving (right next to me, on her catpost). She's now learned that hopping on the cat post is the place for both affection or uninterrupted naps (while I get uninterrupted type time). She could care less what its made of...then again, a cat post with a fluffy parka on it is golden.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:10 AM on December 2, 2007
posted by iamkimiam at 12:10 AM on December 2, 2007
My cat ignored all pre-made gee-gaws, , but he loves a big pillow on a box by a window. Don't spend a lot of money on it because there is a good chance your cat will ignore it. Cats are funny that way.
Ditto. I love her but she's an ungrateful snob.
posted by poppo at 2:52 AM on December 2, 2007
Ditto. I love her but she's an ungrateful snob.
posted by poppo at 2:52 AM on December 2, 2007
My younger cat likes to lounge in the cat tree, because it's beside a window where I feed birds. (Kitty TV!) And it has sisal rope around the bottom supports, a material she loves to scratch.
IME cat trees need these qualifications:
- Near a window, if possible. Or at least near a source of entertainment.
- Sturdy enough that they don't tip over
- Tall enough to offer a good vantage point and allow the cat to stretch when she scratches
- Covered with material the cat likes to scratch (many cats like the sisal rope wrapped posts on some cat trees)
Drs. Foster and Smith make excellent, though spendy, cat trees.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 7:16 AM on December 2, 2007
IME cat trees need these qualifications:
- Near a window, if possible. Or at least near a source of entertainment.
- Sturdy enough that they don't tip over
- Tall enough to offer a good vantage point and allow the cat to stretch when she scratches
- Covered with material the cat likes to scratch (many cats like the sisal rope wrapped posts on some cat trees)
Drs. Foster and Smith make excellent, though spendy, cat trees.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 7:16 AM on December 2, 2007
Location, location, location. I have one that my cats LOVED at the old apartment, because it was next to a window. It faces a wall in the new place, and they barely use it. The base & top are carpeting and the main pole is sisal.
posted by desjardins at 8:17 AM on December 2, 2007
posted by desjardins at 8:17 AM on December 2, 2007
Ditto on the comments about getting a tree that is small enough to fit somewhere with an interesting view, because otherwise it will probably be an ignored-cat-tree.
A wide base is useful, as well, but you can probably stop an otherwise properly-sized tree from getting knocked over by placing a 5 kilo dumbbell on or at the bottom. Our rather small cat (~7 lbs) kept knocking hers over as she leaped up until we did that.
posted by Mock Turtle at 8:33 AM on December 2, 2007
A wide base is useful, as well, but you can probably stop an otherwise properly-sized tree from getting knocked over by placing a 5 kilo dumbbell on or at the bottom. Our rather small cat (~7 lbs) kept knocking hers over as she leaped up until we did that.
posted by Mock Turtle at 8:33 AM on December 2, 2007
TALL is the most important thing - twice as tall as the cat is long is a good rule of thumb.
posted by dmd at 9:38 AM on December 2, 2007
posted by dmd at 9:38 AM on December 2, 2007
Yep, pick a tree that fits the location you have picked out.
I would say pick an attractive one that fits in with your decor, but that's pointless because EVERY CAT TREE EVER MADE IS BUTT UGLY and it will be a huge eyesore in the middle of your otherwise fantastically stylish life.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 12:22 PM on December 2, 2007
I would say pick an attractive one that fits in with your decor, but that's pointless because EVERY CAT TREE EVER MADE IS BUTT UGLY and it will be a huge eyesore in the middle of your otherwise fantastically stylish life.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 12:22 PM on December 2, 2007
These trees are expensive but very long-lasting. The scratching posts are sisal (so as not to confuse the cats by using carpet materials), and the sleeping lofts are a very comfortable fleece. All the parts are replaceable and the tree is made of modular components so that it can be redesigned any time you feel like it. My cats like theirs.
posted by bchaplin at 12:52 PM on December 2, 2007
posted by bchaplin at 12:52 PM on December 2, 2007
Response by poster: My two cats love to climb & really like to scratch on the sisal rope. I already have a tree, and it's not of a very good quality. They tore off the highest "limb" so it's not very high anymore. I'd like to get one that does have some height, but I want to make sure that it can really sustain their playing. There is one "limb" left on the tree, but they don't use it much. I think it's because they don't think it feels sturdy enough.
Is getting a tree at a store like PetSmart discouraged? I'd like to actually see the tree I purchase when I buy it.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 5:10 PM on December 3, 2007
Is getting a tree at a store like PetSmart discouraged? I'd like to actually see the tree I purchase when I buy it.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 5:10 PM on December 3, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by arnicae at 8:47 PM on December 1, 2007