Anyone familiar with this cat tree/condo brand???

carrie640 · Jun 8, 2007

http://www.armarkat.com/a6401.htm

I am trying to figure out why they are soooo cheap in comparison to things you see at like PetSmart/Petco types of places. Granted, they are the manufacturer, but STILL.

Thoughts?

gingersmom · Jun 8, 2007

I personally will never buy another of their cat trees. The one I had lasted only a year and a half, then it broke: the top perch literally snapped off when Ginger jumped on it one too many times.

They are inexpensive because they are made with pressboard rather than with real wood or plywood.

I would personally steer you away from that brand. JMO. You get what you pay for with cat trees.

jenny1124 · Jun 8, 2007

I bought a tree from Armarkat. I worry from time to time because it shakes when she jumps around on it, but I didn't have a big problem putting it together. I think it's nice, Princess likes it.. though she won't scratch on it, she uses her cardboard scratcher.

My purchase went nicely and I don't think it is any different from the trees I've seen at Petco. You can feel comfortable dealing with them, in my opinion.

P.S. Don't buy direct from the site if you can find what you want on Ebay. I got my tree for a bid of 99 cents plus $75 shipping & handling.. and this is a tree as tall as my door.

snosrap5 · Jun 8, 2007

I have 4 and absolutely love mine!

I haven't had the problems Betsy had with hers. Maybe I was lucky.

mygirlmidnight · Jun 8, 2007

I just bought one of theirs off of ebay and it should arrive next week. It looked like it was good, but if it turns out to be a dud I'll just get a new one from PetCo or PetSmart.

momofmany · Jun 8, 2007

I have heard more than one person complain on this board about the quality of these trees. I actually found an online site where they were selling these in bulk from China and they were terribly inexpensive. That tells me they are massed produced with little quality control.

If you have a rowdy or very large cat, I would shy away from these. Mine would break them in a day.

misty8723 · Jun 9, 2007

I bought one of their trees from Ebay, and it's still together. And I have a 15 pound holigan who used to take a flying leap at it and pull himself up to the top (he was slighly less than 15 pounds then, but not by much).

What would you guys recommend as a good manufacturer? I've looked at the ones in PetSmart and Pet Supermarket, and they didn't look any better than the one I have here.

momofmany · Jun 9, 2007

Originally Posted by Misty8723

What would you guys recommend as a good manufacturer? I've looked at the ones in PetSmart and Pet Supermarket, and they didn't look any better than the one I have here.

I don't look for brands, I look at their construction. Get real wood and avoid anything that is particle board, plastic or cardboard.

gingersmom · Jun 9, 2007

Originally Posted by Momofmany

I don't look for brands, I look at their construction. Get real wood and avoid anything that is particle board, plastic or cardboard.

Exactly.

And watch for deals.

I got a fantastic deal at Petsmart on a cat condo for my kitchen, just before I adopted Ferris. There's a thread on it around here somewhere...ahhh, here it is.

laureen227 · Jun 9, 2007

Originally Posted by snosrap5

I have 4 and absolutely love mine!

I haven't had the problems Betsy had with hers. Maybe I was lucky.

i have two from them, & i like them just fine. i attached my tall one to the wall, since it kinda wobbled. the shorter one is very stable, tho. my 15 pounder gets on both, with no problems. i've had the tall one for 2 years, the short one for about 6 months, & the 15 pound cat for just over a year.

minou · Jun 9, 2007

I've never owned one from that company but have friends who said theirs was poorly built and didn't last.

I bought one on Ebay from a guy that makes cat trees (I forget the name, a family owned bussiness) and it was just OK - it was made of particle board.

I agree with momofmany & gingersmom.... buy something made of plywood instead of particle board and the cat tree will last you for many, many years.

I've seen some very nice & sturdy ones at Petco & Petsmart.

Minou

ninacaliente · Jun 9, 2007

I have one tall tree from Armarkat. It is a little bit wobbly. My girls have never knocked it over, but I keep it in the corner so it has support on two sides. Their prices are great, and it works okay for us, but I don't think I will buy another tree from them.

whuckleberry · Jun 10, 2007

Some of the taller trees from Armarkat are made of plywood. I bought a plywood model a few months ago (from an eBay seller), and it seems pretty sturdy, doesn't wobble. I have a large cat who likes to climb. But, it's only been a few months, so we'll see if it stands the test of time.....

whiskerynature · Jun 10, 2007

Never tried the Armakat brand, but seems like a lot of TCS people like it (searched the forum when we were furniture shopping last year). A lot of people had decent buys from eBay, it seems.

We had 2 GreenDuck ones from PetCo -- there were pretty decent. We moved into a smaller apt & donated those two and got a tall tree & a giant scratch post instead.

We took the plunge & splurged on Angelical Cat Furniture (www.angelicalcat.com). Very sturdy, but very very very very expensive ($150/post & $490/tree, I think).

We tried one from Drs. Foster & Smith briefly, but it didn't fit our ceiling height well -- returned it, but it was okay -- some cardboard/some wood parts.

carrie640 · Jun 10, 2007

We decided to ditch them as my husband pointed out a picture of one on their website from a customer that used a BRICK at the bottom of it (apparently to keep it steady!! LOL!).

We were amazed at the price of the ones in the stores (PetSmart, etc) so he decided to make one. Got a HUGE hunk of carpet for $20..plus then the large cylander tube for $6 (sturdy stuff!)...and everything else we have...sooo...).

ryanjay · Jun 10, 2007

i bought a tree a bit over a year ago. It has two condos and 3 top perches. paid about 100 and all in all its done GREAT. one post is starting to breakdown(their fav scratcihing post so it took the most abuse) with the 24 cats I have I am VERY impressed it made it this long and still stands

. i am going to get the same one again in a month or so as I know its going to be on its way out soon.

whiskerynature · Jun 10, 2007

Just thought of this...

Have you tried looking at Feline Design http://www.felinedesign.net/homeftq.htm

If we get another, I'm thinking of getting one of the condos (esp. the Model CG), or at least some horizontal scratchers. The guy also sells some component parts if you're up to build-it-yourself-style, and he answers questions about quality of sisal rope, carpet, staples, glues, etc.

carrie640 · Jun 10, 2007

Originally Posted by ryanjay

with the 24 cats I have I am VERY impressed it made it this long and still stands

Um....really. Did you say TWENTY-FOUR cats????????????????

DANG!!!!!!!!!!!!! All inside???

ryanjay · Jun 10, 2007

lol yes 24 all inside(one goes out occasionally but only when i am watching and doesn't leave yard-he came with house as an outside cat but i took him in in January and hes happy

ALL spayed/neutered..along with a couple I have spayed outside over last year and a half. the low cost clinic knows me by name(

) It is always a adventure here but all in all they get along very well some are litters i took in and one is the mom and her litter of 5(she was to late to spay abort at the clinic-about 4 weeks in)

bab-ush-niik · Jun 11, 2007

I have this model:

http://www.armarkat.com/b6802.htm

and I love it. Sure, it's not the sturdiest thing around. But, including shipping, I got it for $60 on eBay. I have it in a corner. I really needed something that had a big enough cat condo that Puppy can actually fit in it. He does on this one (though his feet stuck through the holes and onto the ledges). Both cats like it. We've had it for a year, and we also moved with it. Great deal. If I wanted something of the same size that was better construction, I was looking at $500.

Anyone familiar with this cat tree/condo brand???

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