Cat tree - yes or no?

[tragichero]

Hi all,

I posted a couple of days ago for advice on my new adoption, who doesn't seem to like toys, and got some great recommendations (thanks all - this seems a lovely board - great advice without judgement!)

So, pay-day is coming up, and having seen my neighbour's many cat trees for her colony, I was wondering about getting one for my new kitty-cat. There are some fun looking, affordable ones on line and also a few nearly new ones going on Facebook marketplace which would be even better.

The thing is, is it worth it? Do yours actually use them? I am pretty sure that when I had cat trees before, they rarely got used.... While I am not on the breadline and can definitely afford to care for a cat if I am sensible, I don't really want to waste £30 or more on a strange living room ornament she will almost certainly ignore.... But it would be money well spent if it brings her pleasure!

If it's relevant, she is a young and very small cat, not very playful, does spend a lot of time chilling (and loves the hideaway I made her with blankets on the base layer of the coffee table....).

May cat spends all her time on hers. I got a cheap one first then had to buy bigger and better. Now the cheap one she sleeps on at night time in my room and spends the day on the better one in living room

My girls love theirs! They spend all evening on theirs. Here they are squished up together on the top tier! They aren’t overly expensive think my was under £40 on Amazon.

I have had cats all my adult life. In my experience they are five monute wonders and largely ignored after the first week but we have a large house with nooks, crannie, hidey holes and window sills.

We didn’t have one for our previous cat - she was a bed girl - but do for our boy and he uses it every day. He likes being up high, and is currently in a box on top of the fridge. It’s in the kitchen (where he sleeps at night) so not in the way, and he likes being able to watch out of the window then dash out at any signs of intruders! This one was about £40 on Amazon.

Mine loves hers. It’s in front of the window so she can sit there and watch the wildlife outside and dream…

She also uses the scratching post legs daily. Which is a relief as I don’t want her scratching my couch or whatever!

Thanks all, and great pics!

A mixed response so far (would love to hear from others if anyone else has thoughts).

If there is a reasonable chance she will like it I will probably take the risk. But if almost everyone says (don't bother, my cats loathe it.....)

Also if anyone has any special recommendations for particular models/types to go for or avoid? There are SO many out there, it is a bit bewildering.

If I get one, will pick one with hidey holes as she does like hiding. Not so bothered about any hanging toy attachments, as she isn't very playful so far.

And doesn't need to be super-sturdy - her frame is very slight.

My two love their cat tree.

If they like to be up a height then they're worth it. Mines a tree dweller and likes nothing more to sit on the top and take a swipe at your head when you walk past

My cat tree is used by the cat we already knew liked being up high. The other cat I think has sat in it once in several years.

The tunnel is used by both of them and has the advantage that if you move it every few weeks, it's a whole new toy!

Cats I've had have always loved them, only for play as kittens but older cats like to be up high. We have one in the corner of the conservatory, for bird-watching. My very elderly cat has stopped using it now, but I think that's just because he's worried about jumping up/falling off.

We got ours off Ebay, I'm sure Amazon has loads too. We do also have a very tall (height of a fully grown stretched out cat) scratching post upstairs which gets used every day.

DCat likes her cat tree very much, the hidey hole bits not as much as the sleeping platforms. A cat will need somewhere to scratch, eventuell if it is not a classic cat tree.

We have two cat trees as we have a climbing cat who loves to be up high - one in the kitchen for bird watching duties and a cheaper one for the living room. The kitchen one was expensive but is very solid whilst the living room one was a total bargain from Amazon

Wow, that kitchen one looks brilliant - I would like to have a go on that myself!

So it sounds like more cats are liking these than not....

Mine have all loved to occupy trees. Currently when Tobias is in a playful mood he gets on the 2nd to top platform & attacks either the top platform edges or the fluffy ball hanging under his platform. Then he gets over excited & nearly falls off. Boycat used to "hide" in one of the little rooms, which he didn't fit in!

2 pics of Tobias falling off the tree then pretending it never happened, and one of Boycat who thinks he's hiding (he was the thickest cat in history to be fair).

Mine like being up high. Our barrel one is used as a daytime bed by one cat. We actually have 3 cat trees - the others are excellent places to sit and look out of the windows and are used as scratching posts.

Mine are outside cats and have never really shown any interest in their tree unless they’re being kept in due to the weather or because it’s fireworks night.

My 2 girls love their cat tree. They like me to put it out in the garden for them on a nice day and spend the day sleeping on it or charging up and down it. It was money well spent.

We have two, this one is very sturdy and strong and great for bigger cats, as the beds are bigger than usual.

www.amazon.co.uk/FEANDREA-Scratching-Perches-Hammock-Multi-Level/dp/B08MQG7WQL/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=3KV73PSIV6Y2L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aW9b0KdcdOEWmw8k3xvIBNZhTf3JU9qoVvsSYjLbvrKAF5wFzrydcCUHlzTl9IDXSPI9pNHcnJbfBy7OGrAtqSC0D6T3PC9MLiJ0rQer0BXSRqWjC8N52yft0Vi1YSuwINuXW6AEHUsGJCVPysSPtPDeXM715rBDKlFNSh4tcWI6opERkvkqbWiZGWZFrHpRfr-gSDwv9KSy7ENhCcNtiQ.PZx_YRDDBYvOuDwGW77Qqvi0gnsyyWSs3TVjvGvLhMc&dib_tag=se&keywords=cat%2Btree&qid=1761402347&sprefix=cat%2Btree%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&th=1

Our Siamese used to use the cat trees a lot but she now has wall shelves to lay on and seems to prefer those but she can occasionally be found sleeping in the hammock type beds on the trees .

Your girls are fabulous! More pics of them please, maybe on the Scottish Tourism thread?

We have 4 in our house and they all get used. Mine really like flat floor scratchers aswell. Good for natural behaviour like showing off haha.

I spent a fortune on a cat tree (not much choice where I live) and thankfully the cat loves it.

We have 4 cats and multiple trees, all are used and loved. Sadly one is a kitten one which our fluffy and far too big for boy adores, it wobbles and bends but each time we bought another to replace he ignored.
They all love the hammock pods and curl up in them so I'd say start cheap to see how they get on as one of our trees was my Mum's cat who ignored it

A yes from me. Buy cheap and see how it goes. Are there any free ones on local facebook groups? We have had a rotation of cat trees through a group, there's always someone upsizing and downsizing.

Cardboard scratch mats also excellent.

Love your Boycat hanging out of his hidey hole @Allergictoironing !