Stylish cat towers?

Funny you should ask this...I've been looking for one as well. There are 3 cat trees that I don't mind but sadly 2 of them are out of stock and with my luck never to return.

 

1st choice -Lotus cat tower by Refined Feline  The Espresso one says it'll be in stock mid december...and I'm gonna get one!

 

 

2nd choice -Boabab tree thingy By Square Cat

 You get to pick the colour of inserts

 

And lastly the Franklin Cat Tower. Neat Idea. Can get some stuff from Ikea and it is really customizable

 

 

 

 Most of these cost a pretty penny just FYI.

 

We have both the Baobab Tree from Square Cat Habitat and the Lotus Tree from Refined Feline.

The quality and style of the Baobab is outstanding. I got the black laminate with the mohair frog inserts. These can be replaced, in many colors, and two or three textures, should they ever need it.The bamboo one was just too expensive. It also comes in white laminate. I love the look of this tree, and my cats, all of them, use it every day. The look is almost minimalist, but that is to my taste. It went together easily. The materials are recycled and healthy for the environment, people, and cats. It is U.S. made.

The Lotus Tower, which I got in"honey" (which was darker and redder than I expected) is much more elaborate. I bought it on special when they were having some quality control issues from their factory in VietNam. I had to buy some longer screws than supplied. But the customer service was very helpful, and I was fully informed of this problem before I purchased it.The carpeted parts are replacable, attaching with velcro. They used to come in several colors, but now only brown. It was more complicated to put together. My cats love this tree, too.

Hope this helps.

Robin
Edited by bastetservant - 11/9/11 at 3:04pm

Just need to convince my bf to let me spend that kind of money on a cat tree ;) I think I'm actually more partial to the baobab now hehe

I couldn't say that my cats (6 of them) like one tree more than the other. They all use them both, a lot (they're the only trees they have).  No one much ever hangs out in the cubby at the bottom of the Lotus, though.  And I have several cats who like huts and other kinds of enclosures.  I don't know why that one doesn't appeal to them.

 

The Lotus is higher.  However, my preference, regarding how they look, is the Baobab.  I even considered getting a second one, until the deal for the Lotus came up.  It was too good to refuse.  Now, I have no place else for a third cat tree.

 

If you like more "traditional" and very woody furniture, the Lotus you may like better.  It is more curvy.  It has brackets, and knobs.

 

The Baobab is sleek, modern, simple, and I think, sophisticated (if a cat tree can be). It's designed most ingeniously.  But so

is the Lotus. 

 

Robin

I love love love the one I bought from Polkat.  There is another level on top of the tunnel, which Ritz can sleep in.  Custom made.  Best $200 I ever spent.

 

Because my old cat condo the carpet was falling apart I took all of the carpet off, wrapped it in battening (i think that is what it is called), and covered it in fabric that is more heavy like you would make curtains in. It takes more work, but I like the result. When I ever get a bigger tree I want to do the same thing.

 

 

Sorry its a blurry picture, but you can see what I am talking about. I have redone the feather ball it is now pink and green to match. That one had taken a beating.

Those look really neat but 600 bucks?!  I need to start building cat towers and selling them!

I found out about these people last week. I like the real wood look of their cat trees. They are also featured in Modern Cat last I looked.

http://www.theverticalcat.com/

Yeah, that's for the bamboo Baobab, which is why I didn't get that one. Though now I kind of wish I had. I like the black one a lot, though.

I have the Baobab in my living room with my modern furniture (and the Lotus Tower in my bedroom with traditional, antique furniture). I looked at this as a furniture purchase that needed to fit in, aesthetically, with the design of my home. The cats needed to like it, but I had to like the looks,too. Those carpet covered cat trees are not for my house, no matter how much they are designed for cat enjoyment. I have to look at the them, and I care much about design.

Besides the price of the bamboo Baobab, I finally decided the black one would look better in my living room. It was about $400 and not that much for quality furniture that I can see lasting 20 years, easy.

If I had a room just for cats, or a basement or sunroom, or something, I'd get one of the normal, carpeted cat trees. But my cat trees (actually my cats') had to go into main living space, in a small house, so they had to fit in and be pleasing to me.

The Lotus Tower also costs about $400, and it is also made to last. It is, also, "furniture."

Robin

KI think you'll like your white Baobab, and your cats will, too! If you can put your tree in front of a window, you'll get more bang for your buck.

What color/kind of inserts are you getting? I love the mohair frog ones I got, because black and green have been my favorite colors for many years, and my favorite colors together. Also, they are colors that dominate my decor in the part of the house the Baobab is in. I knew I'd never get tired of them, which is important with an object that is so well made and will last so long.

I'd love to see pictures, when you get them. It took some of my cats a while to try the tree. Catnip always helps with this kind of thing. I'll post some of my pictures soon. Though I've been meaning to since I got the Baobab last winter.

Robin

Oh, and it took about 10 days for the Baobab to come. It was hard to wait, but they are custom made.

Aw, the white with the mohair guppy inserts will be lovely.

 

Don't worry, Annie and Marcel will love, love, love it.  And they will think you are the best meomy ever!

 

 

Robin

Those are gorgeous, and I wanted all three from Loki's post.    But, had a sit down with Wesley and Buttercup and told them they'd have to help out and get jobs working on the farm to help pay for it, and they lost interest.  

 

For those on a budget, if you google "Ikea Cat Furniture" you can see how people have modified affordable items from Ikea that are pretty stylish.  

 

Here is an example for a stylish litterbox:

http://www.level28design.com/2011/01/find-of-week-something-special-for-your.html

 

I'll be picking one of these up soon along w/ a lack-shelf.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nefariouscupcake/2989275198/

I like the simple wood ones that you can recover. I thought cat were suppose to scratch on them as well as sit

Love what you did with yours
 

 

Look how relaxed... yeah the cat is in paradise, I want what the cats want. THAT!!
 

 

I want what the cats want, too, but also trees I take pleasure in looking at.

As I said, my cats spend hours on the Lotus and Baobab every day. Lily usually sleeps most of the night on top of one of them. She likes to switch off between them.

There are places to scratch on both trees - carpet - and the Lotus has a big sisal mat.

I love the zigzag shelves, but they do need something for traction. I like the tension rod one in the first post, too. My old house has 9.5 ft. ceilings. Too tall for any tension rods I've found.


Just because some of us care a lot about design, doesn't mean we care any less about our cats' comfort and pleasure than anyone else.

After all, a lot of loving cat guardians don't get cat trees at all, much less spend $400 + shipping for one.


Robin
Edited by bastetservant - 11/12/11 at 8:21am

Most of my photos of my cats on the trees are on my phone.  And I have no idea how to get these on my computer.  So, I took a few the last couple of days with my camera.

 

First Harlow on the Baobab at 7:00 a.m. yesterday.

Next, Constantine snoozing on the Lotus yesterday morning.

Lily looking out the window on top of the Baobab.

Harlow and Lily.

Constantine this morning.

A picture from a while ago with Lily and Ariel.

 

Claudio, my nearly 16 pounder, gets on the lower shelves of the Baobab to look out the window.  He hardly every goes to the top of it, though.  And Tonya seldom comes to the part of the house where this tree is.  However, the Lotus is "her" tree and she climbs on it, naps on it a lot.  But not as much as Lily.  She uses both trees the most.

 

Robin

 On all my existing shelves except the great room, I put self adhesive kitchen cabinet cork liner on them.   Its soft/spongy, its super gripy for them, and its insulated so its comfortable to lay on, but easier to wipe clean than carpet which usually needs a vacuum attachment.  
 

 

Just an FYI the Lotus tree is now available for pre-order. Sadly they don't ship to Canada