Cat towers: Some people love them, some people hate them. Cats love them and they are a necessary part of having a cat. So what’s a human to do? Get a cat tower, obviously. I regularly recommend cat towers as part of behavior modification plans and catifying one’s space. I don’t recommend any old cat towers as they’re not all created equal. So what makes a good cat tower and what are some options for folks who don’t want a giant carpeted cat tree in their space?
Why Do Cats Like Cat Towers?
Cats have a natural behavioral need to climb. This is not surprising to anyone who has tried unsuccessfully to keep their cats off their counters or tables! By climbing to a high perch, cats gain an advantage over predators attempting to snack on them as they will have a harder time reaching them. It also allows them to survey their territory for threats and take action if one is spotted.
When cats are the predators, they gain an advantage over their soon-to-be snacks. Cats can spot tiny prey moving from a distance and can surprise attack from above. This allows them to spend less energy searching for prey and increases the chance of a successful hunt.
In a home, cat trees fill the role of actual trees, cliffs, and other natural climbing spaces cats encounter in the wild. It allows them to feel secure in their space and fulfills a completely natural urge for them in a less problematic way than climbing on a counter. Many cat towers also offer features that can reduce conflict or help get out other natural urges like scratching.
Features Of A Good Cat Tower
While the location of a cat tower is very important, even if you put a not-so-great cat tower in an awesome location it won’t appeal to your feline friends. So what should you look for in a high quality cat tree?
Safety
A tower that won’t injure your cats or you should be your top priority. Look for a tower that:
- Can withstand more than the weight of your cat. If you have a multicat home, it should be able to hold more than one of them at once.
- Isn’t top heavy and will topple over when a slight breeze comes through.
- Doesn’t have parts your cat could chew or choke on.
- Has good reviews and doesn’t have any broken parts.
If you’re local to the Twin Cities, the best place without question to get your cat tower is Purrniture. I consistently have clients rave about the quality of their cat trees. Plus, my own dudes love theirs!
Height
Unfortunately, there are plenty of safe cat towers that I still wouldn’t recommend. All things considered, what feature should you prioritize above others? Height.
I’m sorry or you’re welcome for that (cat) dad joke. Pick whichever fits how you feel about it better.
Because cats love high places, a high tower (like this cool spiral staircase one) gives the cat a place that feels like it’s their own space. They can climb the tower to escape from other cats, a new dog they don’t get along with, or just take a nap. If you have a tower that’s higher than somewhere that you don’t want to climb, they may naturally (or with a little persuasion) start going to the tower as an alternative. Adding another place for the cat to perch is much better more effective than using a squirt bottle!
A Variety Of Features
Cats have many important duties they need to accomplish each day like being cute and napping. To help your cat accomplish all of these important tasks, pick a cat tower that gives them places to:
- Curl up in a nest like space
- Scratch
- Hide
- Bat at a fun toy
- Nap at different heights
Some cat trees will meet all of these needs, while others will only check a few boxes. The more you check off, the happier your cat will be.
Meet All Their Needs
Especially if you live in a small apartment, you can save space by squeezing multiple features into one cat tree to meet all the needs of your cats. Pick a cat tree with dangling toys or ropes for your cat to play with or with built-in food or water dishes. If you’d rather go with something totally unique, this incredible heirloom quality bookshelf and cat tree combo is available on Etsy that has something for your cat and you.
By Making Something Unique
If you can’t find a cat tree that has everything you’re looking for, why not make your own? Well, make your own kind of. Modular cat trees allow you to mix and match parts to create a completely unique cat tree suited to your cats. No special tools or skills are required!
Two cool modular options:
- PetLibro’s Infinity Cat Tree. It’s close to a standard cat tree, but customizable. Get more than one and you can combine them into a super cat tower!
- Omlet’s Freestyle cat tree. This is one of my favorite cat towers in general. It goes from ceiling to floor and is built by adding on a platforms and features a la carte. Even with the same pieces, you can come up with a totally different cat tree from someone else.
Unused Space Becomes A Cat Tower
Having cat towers in different rooms is important so your cats can climb wherever they happen to be, but sometimes it can be hard to fit cat trees into your some spaces. Thankfully, there are a lot of really cool space saving cat trees. K&H Pet Products makes an over the door cat condo that I recommend to clients all the time. Itt was a hit with our Chief Purr Officer when I first got it!
This type of tower is better suited for a door that doesn’t have a lot of activity (think a closet door), but it can go over most doors. It allows you to add vertical space in sometimes tricky or narrow locations.
Windows Can Become Towers, Too
An alternative is a window perch. Window perches add vertical space, but they don’t take up floor space. They’re usually mounted via suction cups, but some lean on a windowsill. As long as your cat isn’t a chonk due to stealing another cat’s food, they’re stable and safe. Make sure to check how much weight they can safely hold before purchasing one if you have larger cats.
If you’re concerned about safety, have a double level window perch that also is made by K&H Pet Products (they make genuinely great pet products). I got mine when Zoloft first came home and have only had the suction cups 3 times in the over 6 years I’ve had it. Because it has multiple suction cups, it’s never completely fallen off and it has never been the same suction cup. They’re really well built!
If you have multiple cats or want to add more space you can get multilevel window perches. K&H even makes multilevel window towers with built in cat grass pots. It’s a great feature with a little more enrichment for your cat. Plus, it being mounted on a window means the cat grass will get plenty of sun.
Which Cat Tower Is Best For My Cats?
Phew, that was a lot to consider! So which cat tower is the right one for you and your cats? As you may guess, it completely depends on your situation. Your budget, space, cat’s preferences, and your aesthetic preferences (yes, there are a lot of nice looking cat towers available) are all important considerations.
Plus, there are often some exceptions to what I outlined above because why would cats be straight forward when they can be complicated? Some cats may prefer hanging out on a medium height perch or may sometimes go up high, but may prefer hanging out in a hidey hole lower on the tower. As cats age, they may not want to jump as much due to pain. Every cat is an individual so you have to really know your cat.
If you’d like assistance in picking out a tower, I’m available for consultations (and I can also help with behavior problems). We can talk all about cat towers and figure out a few options for you and your cat. We can even talk cat shelves or making your own cat furniture! I’m here to help if you need it.
