Five cat trees and towers you, your cat, and your family will love plus a simple guide to ‘catifying’ your home.
Catifying your home is about creating a space that serves both the needs of man and felines. To create said type of space, you will have to invest in a few items including a cat TV, scratching posts, and scent soakers. Wait, what is a cat TV?
A cat TV is an item or location whose purpose is to keep your cat distracted. But that is part of a larger conversation which we get to below. So, keep reading. Our core topic today is cat trees and towers, we ask questions including. Do cats like cat towers? Where should I put my scratching posts? And how do you build a cat’s safe space?
Working with expert cat handlers, we created this guide to help you avoid the need to comb through reviews and save time and money. After combing through dozens of cat trees and towers, we boiled all that information down into five options. All the recommendations in this article are reasonably priced, sturdy, strong enough to handle your cats’ weight, and perfectly balanced to prevent tip over and other accidents. But before we get to that list, we must ask:
Do cats like cat towers and trees?
Cat towers and trees mimic the wild. The reason for that is -although domesticated, cats still have wild instincts.
What you must remember is that your cat is a predator. Its predatory instincts shape its behaviour, for example, the reason cats love climbing is to hunt birds and other small animals for food. How do cats hunt? By stalking prey which is easier from an elevated position. Apart from being instinct-led behaviour, climbing is also good exercise. Therefore, the reason cats love cat towers and trees -is. the act satisfies your cat’s natural urge to hunt.
However, just because cats love to climb, it does not mean that yours will automatically fall in love with a feline climbing playset that you buy. That raises the question:
Is a cat tree necessary?
The answer is yes, having a cat tree in your home is necessary because:
- It can help reduce cat conflict in your home if you have multiple cats.
- A cat tree or tower features scratching facilities that can help prevent furniture damage.
- The elevation gives your cat a better view of your space boosting its confidence and navigation (fewer accidents).
- Cat towers and trees allow felines to relieve stress, exercise, learn how to hunt, and allows them to fulfill their instinctual needs.
How do you make your cat tree or tower attractive to your companion?
We go back to cat TV. I use Cat TV as a blanket term to refer to space you design purposely for your cat to claim. Remember cats are territorial felines, meaning, they make their home by claiming territory. You want your cat to claim territory in your home that is. Out of the way of your valuables, say treasured pictures or paintings, and away from your furniture. How do you do that?
Create a cat highway to a territory you want the cat to claim.
Your cat marks its territory via scent glands on its face, cheeks, and feet. Some cats use urine and their tales to mark territory. That means the cat will often follow the same route to its favourite position in your home. You may create a highway to the cat’s favourite position using carpet tiles. The logic is, when your cat walks on the carpet tiles, scent glands release into the tiles, prompting the cat to follow its scent to a designated area.
To make the designated area attractive, you should populate it with items the cat wants to play in or on. Also, make sure that the path you create is out of the way of your valuables. Hence away from your furniture and delicate furnishings.
How do you encourage a cat to mark territory?
Placing scent soakers such as a cat scratching post, feline trees, towers, litter box, or your cat’s favourite toy in one area will encourage the cat to claim the territory. If the cat is a notorious furniture assaulter, you may want to create a distraction for the cat when it is not sleeping or using its scratch post or tower.
Cats hunt birds, fish, and other small animals. Therefore, the most logical place to position cat towers or tree is near a window or near some other distraction cats love. It could be an aquarium if you do not have a window space. What about a real TV?
The issue with placing cat furniture near your television is that the feline might get excited and damage your screen. So, we recommend placing said items away from your valuables.
With all that in mind, here are our recommendations.
The best Cat trees and towers on PetWizard 2021
Find cat trees and towers for feline sleeping, hiding, and play areas below.
The best combo cat tree: Cat Tree Scratching Post Scratcher tower condo House Furniture Wood Grey
This three-level cat tree features a fake hanging mouse to awaken your cat’s inner hunter or playful baby, has facilities for scratching, climbing, and condominiums for your cat to hide. Although the condominium only features one enter and exit point, the hole is small enough for the cat to feel secure and large enough to avoid your cats from getting stuck. On top of that, the comfortable soft plush cover is scratch resistant meaning you do not have to worry about shedding, and the eco-friendly sisal featured in the scratching areas is perfect for all cat breeds.
The paw markings on the plush cover make the item aesthetically appealing, and the neutral; Gray colour means that it will fit into any aesthetic.
The item’s footprint only measures 53cm by 53cm, meaning it will not take up too much room in your house.
We recommend this item for pet parents who have one or two fur babies.
The best tower for multiple cats: 180 cm Multi-Level Cat Scratching post
What is great about this item is that it corrects the flaw featured in the first item on this list. By that I mean it features cat condominiums that have entry and exit. This design feature makes the item perfect for multiple cats because there is no possibility of your cats getting stuck in the condominium. Consequently, there will be fewer conflicts at playtime, and the size of the holes and placement of the scratching posts -means that your cat will not outgrow it any time soon. This is the perfect item to purchase for your kittens to grow up in.
Its multi-level design helps your kitten develop and strengthen muscles, and aesthetically, the neutral colour will fit any space.
The item’s base dimension is 60cm by 50cm and stands 180m. That makes it perfect to place on the ground near a window. For play, the item features ladders and hanging toys.
The best cat tree for Horizontal and vertical scratching: 141 cm cat scratching post
Coming in two varieties, a beautiful blue or white. This fluffy playset is perfect for cats that scratch vertically and horizontally. It features ladders padded with scratching sisal, a hammock, and a condominium. The plush velvety surface adds comfort and style to the item.
This tree is purpose built for play, scratch, perch, and climb. Therefore, is suitable for both playful and docile cats.
The base is wide and heavy enough to support even the fattest of cats. So, get it for your kittens today.
Best cat tree for a single cat: cat scratcher Pole 112cm-White and Grey
Cat’s love climbing challenges, this item is built to get those vertical climbing gears rolling. Unlike other items on this list, this item does not feature a ladder. Instead, what your cat gets are three scratching positions constructed vertically, a spacious condominium, and a “kitty throne” at the highest level. The vertical design and small footprint mean that the item will not take up too much space in your home.
To stimulate your cat’s muscles and encourage problem-solving. The item features two balls, one suspended and the other held up by a spring. Also, the base is strong and sturdy enough to handle serious play, but the limited real estate on the pole limits the number of cats that can use it at a time.
So, we recommend this to parents who own at most two cats.
For playful cats: Cat Tree Scratching Post Scratcher Toys Condo House
Do you have multiple cats with varying personalities? If yes, this item is what is missing in your home. It is a full cat house that features a condominium, slide, two perches, a hammock, and an aesthetically pleasing aesthetic. What I like most about the item is that it is stylish enough to fit all aesthetics. Large enough for three cats, and it features multiple scratching posts placed conveniently along climbing routes.
Therefore, if you are looking for an item that will meet all your cat’s instinctual and predatory needs and not worry about tipping over, this is the item to purchase today.
Cat trees and towers quick take
In a previous article, we talked about attractants that you can use to encourage your cat to fall in love with its new scratching post or tower. In this what you should remember is how to create a cat highway in your home. Creating a path for your cat will keep the cat from wandering into places you do not want it to go.
Also, it is important to pick a cat tree or tower that allows your feline to practice instinctual behaviour in a safe setting. We recommend any of the towers or cat trees linked above.
Therefore, what you should do next is head on over to our shop and find a cat tree or tower that matches your home’s aesthetic and is big enough for all your cats to enjoy with little if no conflicts.
