If you have a cat tree, do your cats use it?

[Pembroke_Corgi]

We got a new couch a few months ago and the cats don't like it as well for laying on (though the scratching potential is just the same as far as I can see). I'm thinking about getting them a big and tall cat tree but I don't want to spend a lot of money if they won't really use it. I think they would like sitting in it (and maybe even scratch it instead of the furniture...but likely not :p), but I wanted to see if your cats liked cat trees first.

The one I'm thinking of is here (http://www.amazon.com/Armarkat-Pet-Products-A7401-Beige/dp/B003BYQ18M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1282741718&sr=8-2). Thanks for any input! :)

[Bengalz]

Eve has a cat tree - not very elaborate but tall and it has a scratching post attached to it. She uses it all the time. It's her first stop in the morning to have a good scratch. She love to nap in the sun on the top perch. We also call it her 'grump post' - she likes to lie up there with her back to us when she's grumpy:D

[Grace]

We have one out in the 3-season porch, and all the cats love it. At any given time, one or more of them might be scratching or sleeping or just sitting and looking around.

Ours is smaller than the one you show, and it was worth every penny.

[Taz_Zoee]

We have two small cat trees. They are just tall enough that the cats can sit and look out the window. They use them to sit on, sleep on and in and also as scratching posts. We also have two scratching posts that they use in addition to the trees.
I know my cats would LOVE a huge tree like the one you posted! :D But we just don't have the room for it.

[catmandu]

I have placed the Cat Tree that Koxka of Spain sent years ago on the Ebony Beau Tubster Memorial Porch Enclosure and My Found Cats all still use.
My Dear Old Michael :love::love: aka Mr Purr sleeps in the little basket as it is right in the sun:love::love::love:
Is Koxka of Spain all right, I have not seen a thread by her in years.:confused:

[Freedom]

I have cat climbers in every room AND one in the cellar (where their boxes are). They love the ones set up by a window!! Watching the world go by, catching a sunbeam, the night time outdoor animals (mostly mice, moles, voles, and the local coyotes), the birds in the trees -- I put bird feeders in the back yard in winter, as much for my cats' viewing pleasure as for the birds, lol!

So location is important!

Rub catnip on the tree to encourage them.

Spritz white vinegar (50% white vinegar, 50% water) on the furniture to deter them. This is mild enough that YOU won't smell it at all.

Bichons are very cat like and also use any cat perch they can get up and into.


I have a few L - O - N - G cats, so a small tree is no good for them; they want to be able to stretch out to the max!

That one you posted is great because it is quite tall, and the high perches have rims to prevent a sleeping cat from falling off.

Go for it!

[Barbara]

We have a ceiling high cat tree and all cats loved it. They can race up and sleep in the upper hammock which was a favorite place of a) Tigris, b) Filou and c) Orion ;)
It is all wrapped in sisal rope and the lower end- up to cat stretching height has needed rewiring of the rope 3 times in the 15 years we have it.:D

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have many cat trees and condos and all of my cats love them.:) I also have scratching posts and even though I have two that are triangular shaped they're still able to crouch down and use them. They love the sisal rope on them.:)

Putting them in front of a window is a great idea so then they can watch birds or whatever else might be outside. The one you're thinking of buying looks wonderful and I'm sure they'll love it. You can also buy some catnip spray and spray it on the new cat tree to help entice them there. Good luck.:)

[lvpets2002]

:) Same here at my house too..


I have many cat trees and condos and all of my cats love them.:) I also have scratching posts and even though I have two that are triangular shaped they're still able to crouch down and use them. They love the sisal rope on them.:)

Putting them in front of a window is a great idea so then they can watch birds or whatever else might be outside. The one you're thinking of buying looks wonderful and I'm sure they'll love it. You can also buy some catnip spray and spray it on the new cat tree to help entice them there. Good luck.:)

[cassiesmom]

Eve has a cat tree - not very elaborate but tall and it has a scratching post attached to it. She uses it all the time. It's her first stop in the morning to have a good scratch. She love to nap in the sun on the top perch. We also call it her 'grump post' - she likes to lie up there with her back to us when she's grumpy:D

Milo has a scratching post with a platform at the top. He doesn't use the platform but he's used the scratching post so much that it's been re-sisaled. Cassie has never used her scratching post for scratching and it was given to us by my sister- her kitties never used it either. She does nap on it sometimes.

[Cataholic]

That is lovely!!! I know my cats would love it.

My cats use the one we have, that just sits at the window's height. I want a taller one, and that price seems wonderful.

[Laura's Babies]

I have 2 and both are use daily. Each one has their "spot" for certian times of the day.

Whatever you do, make sure it has Sissal rope on it. They LOVE Sisssel rope! Mine do not sctratch the furniture, they much more preferr the Sissel rope. You could also just cover a 2X4 or a board of any size with Sissel or do several of them for them to sctatch on. Cheap and easy to do!

[sirrahbed]

Absolutely!! Ours is out in the Florida room and there is almost always somebody on it. Gotta have a cat tree:D

[katladyd]

I have a 6' cat tree in my living room and the boys have darn near wore it out. When I get some more money, I'm getting them a new one. Do they use it? Constantly!

[mruffruff]

I have 5 cat trees, one homemade. They are in three different rooms. The cats spend most of their time in one or another. I haven't had much trouble with scratched furniture because they use the trees.

Every cat NEEDS a tree!;)

[GILL]

We have 3, 2 home made 1 I made has 5 cubbies in it, the other home made was given to us as was the commercial one. All three are always full.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I don't have a cat tree but I did add a platform to the top of one of my 30-inch scratching posts and put a table between the 2 posts. That way they can look out the window. As far as scratching goes, some cats are very picky about carpet types. The 2 posts I got came from online but my boys didn't like the type of carpet that was on them (cut pile or shag). I knew they loved the loopy type carpet so I covered both posts in this material and they use the posts exclusively now- no scratching on furniture. I have a wavy scratcher board that has some sisal on it, but they seem to like the carpet or cardboard types better.

I'm sure that your cats will like laying and playing on the tree, but the scratch-ability is kinda up to them. If it was me I'd get a few cheap scratching posts with different materials on them before I spent a big wad of money on a tree...if scratching is the main issue for its purchase. But that's just me... and I'm cheap, LOL

[mrspunkysmom]

Ditto on all above. Most important?

Location. Location. Location.

Mine ignored their first tree until I placed it so they were the center of attention. The other smaller trees are by windows and in the center hall.

I routinely scent the trees with nip. And the sisal rope saves the furniture.

Also mine seem to like the half-pipe better than the flat surface. It's more like a box.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Thanks! It seems the answer is an overwhelming YES to a cat tree. :)

I haven't quite decided which one to get yet but I want it to be tall with at least 3 areas for cats to sit/lay. I have a few weeks before I can afford to buy one so hopefully I can find a good deal in that time.

[Laura's Babies]

katladyd- Can you just redo the one they wore out? I recovered my babies tree that we made them..

Pembroke_Corgi- If you have someone to help you build one you can get a lot more bang for your bucks... A lot of those electrical places have those big wooden spool they will just give away.. add a section of 4 X 4 a smaller wooden spool circle, cover and you got it! Or build what you think you need... This is one that a buddie helped me build for mine and I recently redid it.. Cost me about $100 for materials to build it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/Grammy707/Catzzzzz/IMG_0833.jpg

You can see how much lighter the new sissel rope is than the old. I had carpet there and it got totally shredded so I put all sissel rope on it. That perch Giz is on is 2ft from the floor, the next one is 3ft from the floor and the other one is at window level.. I tell you right now, like they said LOCATION is everything. Put it where the sun shines in at least part of the day.

[katladyd]

[QUOTE=Laura's Babies;2292220]katladyd- Can you just redo the one they wore out? I recovered my babies tree that we made them..

Pembroke_Corgi- If you have someone to help you build one you can get a lot more bang for your bucks... A lot of those electrical places have those big wooden spool they will just give away.. add a section of 4 X 4 a smaller wooden spool circle, cover and you got it! Or build what you think you need... This is one that a buddie helped me build for mine and I recently redid it.. Cost me about $100 for materials to build it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/Grammy707/Catzzzzz/IMG_0833.jpg
It is not the scratching material that concerns me, that is worn, but I know it can be replaced. I just have a 20 lb. Ming jumping and climbing on it all the time. The screws are so loose they can no longer be tightened. The darn thing tips all the time. I want a brand new one, anyway. I've had this one for about 8 years now. But thanks for the suggestion.:)

[krazyaboutkatz]

I bought my 7' cat tree on ebay as well as the similar smaller looking one that I put next to it. The rest I either bought at cat shows,Big Lots, or pet stores. Here are a few old pictures of them. I've had the 7' cat tree since Jan.2003 and I got the smaller similar looking one a little while after that. Both are still going strong. I've only had to add some sisal rope to them.

[Freedom]

I wanted to add: YOU are going to enjoy this as well. Nothing more entertaining than watching a cat watching the world go by. Those ears twitch and flick, turn this way and that. And the moment something grabs kitty's attention, everything seems to just STOP!

And of course, nothing more amusing and calming that observing your kitty enjoying a sunbeam, lol.

[pomtzu]

My son's fuddy-duddy cats barely look at theirs, and it's a nice high one and by a window where they can see outside too. Once in a while one or the other will climb up to the top lounging area for a snooze, but not all that often. We've even sprayed it with catnip. :p My son was thinking of donating it to a local cat rescue. :(

[Medusa]

The Fur Posse have several, two of which are in front of windows in the enclosed patio but they don't get used much. It's almost always Yodie and Coco Puff who sleep in them during the day. There are others in the basement and they sleep in them at night but, honestly, they prefer spots that appear to be uncomfortable for sleeping. Coco sleeps on top of a bunch of catnip mice that are in their little toy box. It's lumpy but he seems to prefer it. Yodie sleeps on the shelf underneath the patio room TV. It's very small because the TV is very small but that's ok w/her. Who can understand why they do the things they do? :confused: