How to Choose a Cat Tree Your Cat Will Actually Use

Header photo: two cats sharing the platforms of a sisal-post cat tree. Photo: Matt Buck / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized.

Why Cats Want a Cat Tree

A cat tree is not a luxury toy. International Cat Care explains that cats are natural climbers that need to be able to rest and watch over their surroundings from high places, as this is where they feel safe, and it lists cat trees and towers among the most suitable high resting places for indoor cats.

A good tree covers several needs in one footprint: a lookout, a place to nap, a climbing frame, and a scratching surface. The Ohio State University Indoor Pet Initiative includes perches, resting areas, and scratching on its checklist of basic indoor cat needs, and a cat tree is one of the simplest ways to tick off all three. The American Association of Feline Practitioners also encourages owners of indoor cats to provide an environmentally enriched indoor environment to help prevent boredom, stress, and inactivity.

Cat Tree, Cat Tower, or Cat Condo?

Shops use these names loosely, and many products could carry all three. In practice:

• Cat tree usually means a multi-level structure with several platforms joined by scratching posts, sometimes with a hammock or basket.
• Cat tower usually means a taller, narrower stack that uses vertical space in a small room. Our cat tower guide covers tall, slim designs.
• Cat condo refers to the enclosed box or "house" on a tree, which gives a shy cat somewhere to hide while staying up high. See our cat condo tower guide if hiding spots matter most for your cat.

Do not choose by the name. Choose by the features in the checklist below.

Five Things to Check Before You Buy

Big or heavy cats need extra margin on points 1 and 2. Our cat tree for big cats guide goes deeper into base size, post thickness, and platform sizing for large breeds.

Floor-Standing, Floor-to-Ceiling, or Window-Mounted

Most cat trees fall into one of three build types. Each suits a different home:

• Floor-standing trees rely on the weight and width of the base. They are easy to move and work well in corners, but tall, narrow models are the ones most likely to sway, so check base size against height.
• Floor-to-ceiling trees are held in place by an adjustable tension rod pressed against the ceiling. They give a lot of climbing height on a small footprint. Measure your ceiling height first and confirm it falls inside the adjustment range listed on the product page.
• Window-mounted trees stand against or attach to a window, giving your cat a view without taking much floor space. They suit smaller cats and apartments. Check the weight limit and the suction cups regularly.

If a window spot is what your cat really wants, a simple perch may be enough. Our cat window perch guide covers that option.

Where to Put a Cat Tree

The best tree in the wrong place still gets ignored. Cats choose high spots that let them watch what is going on, so:

• Next to a window. A view outside is one of the main reasons cats climb. Make sure any window your cat can reach from the tree has a secure screen: the ASPCA warns that unscreened windows can pose serious dangers to cats, and that most falls happen by accident when a cat is distracted.
• In the room where the family spends time. A tree hidden in a spare room gets less use than one in the living room.
• Near where your cat already scratches. The tree's sisal posts can redirect scratching away from the sofa. Cats often scratch after waking, which is why the AAFP recommends placing scratching posts next to where the cat sleeps.
• One per cat, plus one, in multi-cat homes. International Cat Care recommends that resources, including scratching facilities, are available at a minimum of one per cat, plus at least one extra, spaced out around the home. A tree with several top-level perches also helps cats share without competing for the single best spot.

Getting Your Cat to Use It

Some cats climb a new tree within minutes. Others need a few days. To speed it up:

1. Put the tree in its final spot and leave it there. Moving it every day keeps it unfamiliar.
2. Make it attractive with catnip, treats, or a favorite blanket on a platform. The San Francisco SPCA suggests sprinkling catnip on the base and into the fabric and playing with your cat near the post.
3. Play with a wand toy so your cat chases it up the levels.
4. Reward every visit with a treat or praise. The San Francisco SPCA calls rewarding the cat each time it uses the post the most important step.
5. Never place your cat on a high platform by force. Let it explore at its own pace.

For more on redirecting scratching specifically, read our guide to choosing a cat scratching post.

Safety Checks and Upkeep

• Tighten the hardware. Bolts loosen as cats jump on and off. Check every few weeks and re-tighten anything that has started to wobble.
• Check tension rods and suction cups. Floor-to-ceiling and window models depend on them. Re-seat them whenever the tree moves at all.
• Replace worn parts, not the whole tree. Shredded sisal is a sign the post is doing its job. When it wears through, rewrap the post with sisal rope or replace that post if the design allows.
• Inspect dangling toys. Remove hanging balls or strings that are fraying or coming loose.
• Vacuum the platforms to keep hair and litter dust under control.

Cat Trees in Our Shop

If you are shopping, these are the cat trees we carry. Check the dimensions and weight limits on each product page against your cat and your room:

• 71 in cat tree tower with two condos, a hammock, a basket, and sisal posts, a floor-standing multi-level tree.
• Floor-to-ceiling cat tree, 4 tiers with a top condo and sisal posts, held in place by a tension rod.
• Floor-to-ceiling cat tree, 5 levels, adjustable from 90.5 to 102.25 in, with a hammock and plush platforms.
• Floor-to-ceiling cat tree, 5 tiers with a bed and hammock.
• Gothic cat tree, 77.6 in, with a coffin bed, two condos, a hammock, and a scratching ramp.
• Window cat tree with a sisal post, step perches, and a curved top perch held by suction cups.

More Climbing and Scratching Guides

• How to choose a cat scratching post: height, sisal vs cardboard, placement, and training.
• Cat tree for big cats: sizing for large and heavy breeds.
• Cat condo tower: trees with enclosed hiding spots.
• Cat window perch: a small-space alternative to a full tree.
• Kitten scratching post: starting good scratching habits early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• International Cat Care, Making your home cat friendly.
• The Ohio State University Indoor Pet Initiative, Basic Indoor Cat Needs.
• American Association of Feline Practitioners, AAFP Position Statements, via PMC.
• ASPCA, Destructive Scratching.
• ASPCA, High-Rise Syndrome: Lifesaving Tips for Cat Parents.
• San Francisco SPCA, Scratching Posts.

This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If your cat suddenly stops jumping or climbing, it can be a sign of pain or joint problems; talk to your veterinarian.