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

We got our cats a huge second hand climbing tree from gumtree. Previously used by 2 Maine Coones. Our cats are smallish and they love it. It cost £10.

Also, we decided on a climbing bag which we attached to stairs and the use it as a “ shortcut” to go upstairs. It doubles as a floor to ceiling scratch post.

We bought one for £40(!) when cat was a kitten - it got used a lot as a hiding place for a couple of weeks, then basically ignored ever after.
We eventually got rid of it, it was still pristine.

Cat loves to perch on high bits of furniture - the fridge, the mantelpiece, various bookcases, the piano, the kitchen dresser, windowsills, bedroom wardrobe, bannisters, back of the sofa etc etc.
And she has an old tub chair that she uses as a vertical scratching post indoors.
But she is always deeply disdainful of anything that is bought especially for her.

I got one second hand and sort of trained my cat to use it by hiding treats around it.

She will climb it on her own to relax, but she also gets on it to attract our attention as we walk past

We had a basic floor to ceiling one with a couple of platforms and then got smaller one when we got the kittens. They love them both. Both cats take turns to sleep on the 'top bunk'

We spent a lot on one - it was used as a coat rack for a while till I sold it. I think the cat sniffed it once....

My outdoor cat loves hers. Wouldn’t be without it.

Re scratching- some seem to be vertical scratchers and others horizontal. Ours is definitely horizontal and loves scratching our coir doormats (and carpets sadly).

This. Girlcat is very much a vertical scratcher, her favorite is a wooden panel covered in a very coarse jute fabric which is on the wall over the back of the sofa. Tobias is a very enthusiastic scratcher, and took over his predecessor's habit of striping the wall paper. He still does, but nowhere NEAR as much since I got him one of those cardboard scratchers & just laid it flat on his bed. He's also a great lover of carpets for scratching purposes.

My 3 babies love their cat tree and it's used every day.

Mine of all ages have loved a cat tree. Early years recreating the lion king on the top bit to older ones sleeping on it

i get mine from Wayfair for about £50

My cat loves to scratch and pick at his which when rewarded with a dreamie seems to discourage him from picking the sofa.

My 2 cats love theirs. Cats like high places so they can look down and survey their kingdom.

I have the omelet cat tree. It was expensive - but my sleeps in it every day and loves to climb up high.

you can configure it however you like.

My cat ignored her cat tree for a couple of years and then couldn’t get enough of it. They’re fickle little things and in the grand scheme of how much money you’ll waste trying to keep up with their passing fancies, one cat tree is very little.

If she doesn’t take to it, you can also train her to play with it by using treats as an incentive to climb and explore.

Mine don’t bother with theirs but they do go outside which probably makes a difference.

My adult rescue cat loves his. Facebook marketplace often has them cheap if you want to try them out for minimal spend.

You need to think carefully about where to put a cat tree. Cats like them near a sunny window so it is warm and they can bird watch.

That’s exactly where ours is - they used it for about half an hour on the first day and have totally ignored it in favour of sitting on the radiator in the shade 🤣