Are Cat Trees Worth It?

[PinkFrogss]

We’ll be bringing a cat home in the next week or two, so starting to shop for everything we’d need. I love the idea of a cat tree and always thought they were so cute, but all the ones I like are quite expensive when we’re already buying everything else as well.

Do most cats like them? Would you recommend getting a smaller cheaper one to start with and seeing if she likes it before upgrading?

Aware I am probably overthinking

They are probably better for kittens, who will climb and investigate. I bought one for my already adult cats once, and they pretty much ignored it altogether.

My adult cats love them, having had them since kittens. They're 9 now, and on their third tree as of last week. Just a £35 one from Amazon, about 5 ft tall. More than enough.

Mine love it and it also has inbuilt scratching posts. But you can always get one later - we didn’t get ours for a couple of months.

I got it off Amazon and it was about £40. In Pets at Home etc equivalent cat trees are over £100.

How exciting!

Is your cat going to be able to have access to outside when older?
If yes, we buy ours a couple of double height scratching posts and haven’t ever got cat trees - as they’re so expensive. When we have deliveries in boxes, we keep the boxes and put them in various places at different levels (the ones under radiators are most popular!)
If no, I would buy a cheap one and see if they like it. You can spray with cat nip to get an initial interest going.

Are uou getting a cat or a kitten? A single cat needs space to familiarise themselves in their new space without human interaction. A single kitten needs a lot of stimulation and play.

Enjoy!

We got one for our kittens but the old cat loves it too! We got a really tall one 1.5m I think.

My almost four year old cats still use it, though just to nap in now. But they played a lot on it when kittens. What do you mean by ‘everything else’? A litter tray a few toys and feed bowls….

My ragdoll has always loved hers. I got a very tall one from Zooplus.

Some of my fosters liked them & some didn’t.

I think position has a lot to do with it. A cat tree’s going to be more popular if it lets a cat get high up or if it’s good for basking in the sun. They’re also good for providing vertical scratching posts which you really do need.

I got my cat this for Christmas. The cabin & the top 2 round platforms are fixed to the wall & the cat tree below is wedged underneath it. It was hard work putting it up but it’s been well worth it for how much she loves it!

Mine use theirs all the time, they sorted it out between themselves that one claimed the enclosed house bit and the other one uses the basket bit on the top to survey her kingdom. It's looking a bit worse for wear now because it's been used so much, I might replace it but I'm worried that a new one would be rejected for being different, I can't find the exact one to buy it new again.

Thank you everyone, wasn’t expecting so many replies! She’s a rescue and about 3/4 years old they believe.

It seems many cats that use them had them from being a kitten and sadly I don’t think she was in the kind of home that would care enough to have gotten her a tree but that’s also why I want to get her one, she’s had a shit start and deserves all the love and toys possible now. Fuck it think I’ve just talked myself back into getting one

We’re also getting a cat flap installed once she’s been with us a month, and that’s looking a bit pricey due to the kind of doors we have. Plus the cost of the cat etc it all adds up without also getting an £100+ cat tree. I know there’s cheaper ones but they’re a lot smaller or don’t look as fun, and I’d rather get a good one that pay less for one and then end up replacing it with a more expensive one in a few months.

Aw. Sounds as though she will landed on her paws with you. My relative fosters cats and her first foster was a “foster fail”. The most timid and nervous cat for months after a difficult start in life…. Now she still startles easily but she’s the happiest, snuggliest kitty ever 🐾

Aww that’s lovely! We went to visit her Friday night and she was very cuddling, also seemed to love exploring the room and jumping up on things (and knocking things over!)

My large clumsy girls like this, it’s more stable than their previous one with just a single pole. About £28 on Amazon.

I really dislike cat trees, and have never had them with previous cats.

Current cat has 3... two are in front of windows she likes to look out of but kept falling off the window sills and one is in 'her' room which doesn't have a window sill.

Mine prefer the mantelpiece!

My cat absolutely his, now on his second one and both cost around the £80 mark. 1st one lasted 4 years but that included the destructive kitten year. I would expect his latest one to last a lot longer as it isn't being attacked on an hourly basis now!

Yes , my 2 cats use it everyday. They use it to sleep on and play and it also stops them from clawing my furniture. I got a smallish one from Pets at Home for about £40 which is perfect for what they need, without taking up too much space.

We have quite a low one which is level with the kitchen window, and it is very much used. Sometimes he sees pigeons on the bird feeder or cats using the garden as a thoroughfare and is straight to the door to see them off!

My girl was 5 when she moved in & I don’t think she had much experience of trees or toys before that either. It sounds as if your rescue’s going to have a wonderful life with you.

I hope you’ll be sharing photos…?

I rescued two kittens at around. 10 weeks..I hate the cat trees but I’ve given in and they love it!!! Plus I needed them to stop scratching My furniture..I think it’s quite a good habit to get them in..mine parole around but a regular stop is the tree and not my furniture..they love sitting atop it

Cats can also get a lot of entertainment from a pile of cardboard boxes.

My girls love there’s, we have two, one over looking the garden the other overlooking the front garden. My girls love sitting on the beds on the cat tree and watching all the birds and people. I’d say make sure at least two of the platforms have beds on them not just a platform so they can go to sleep on them.

I bought one for kittens. I now have 3 adult cats and they use it constantly - it’s a tall one and they like the high vantage points, the scratching posts and the ability to chase each other up and down it

Please post pictures of her when she arrives. 😻