Do your cats use your cat condo???

captiva

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I'm getting a little bonus -enough to buy a cat condo
My DH is not happy about it because he said that would be something else taking up space they never play with. He has a point because they never seem to play with anything we buy them. We did have a small cat house on a carpeted post at one time. It was shaped like a bird house. They never sat in it - even as kittens. Has anyone else purchased a cat condo that your cats didn't use? I hate to waste the money.
 

noni

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No, my guys live in ours.

I have a very simple one - no fancy playthings/toys, no unusual shapes...just some tubes and half-tubes stacked on each other.

Charlotte loves the top floor. It's "her" place. Pengy literally lives in the bottom tube. Simon and Pie "share" the middle half-tube - whomever gets there first. The only one who doesn't use it is Esse, and I think that's because she'd rather be in the room I'm in - and when in the bedroom, where the condo is, she is tucked onto the bed with me.

My condo is about 12 years old, and has earned every penny I spent on it. It's falling apart now, the rugs are frayed and the wood shows through. It is worn and tired, but still useable - and so it stays, tucked into the corner, not taking up much space, and giving my guys climbing, sleeping and hiding places.

I don't know where I'd be without it....I know Pengy wouldn't be out from under the bed if not for the condo.

Good luck, Chris. Let your husband know that if you get one, it will be used, or you'll give it away (maybe to a foster place). That way, you can get the charitable donation should your guys not take to it. But I'll bet your guys use it.

Best-
Michele
 

berylayn

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Chris,

I had the same fear when buying ours. But Ebony loved it from the minute we took it out of the box. She wanted to climb on it before it was even put together! I think cats have some 6th sense for their furniture. Its Eb's place now and she chooses to sleep in that now rather than on our sofa or in our bed. I think it was one of the best purchases I have made this year. Good luck!!! (btw...the place where we got ours on Ebay was AWESOME). If you want more info feel free to send me a PM.
 

misscharlotte

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I bought a cat condo last November for my 2 cats. My cats love it!! My 5 month old kitten, Izzie, really loves it. She likes to climb the sisal rope posts and also lounge on the top tier. I bought it off Ebay. You can see more of my cat condo at my pet's website.
 

momofmany

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My cat condos are rarely empty. I will say that none of them like the built in hidey holes and much prefer the tall perches with short walls surrounding them.
 

rarepuss

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Excellent points made by all, and i agree. I have two, but they are short, the tallest is just 36". Marsh never liked the hidey holes or the bottom tier, just the top, but he mostly uses them for scratching. I think my next one will be a tall one, with a way to anchor it to the ceiling, and no fancy stuff.
 

pinkdaisy226

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Originally Posted by captiva

I'm getting a little bonus -enough to buy a cat condo
My DH is not happy about it because he said that would be something else taking up space they never play with. He has a point because they never seem to play with anything we buy them. We did have a small cat house on a carpeted post at one time. It was shaped like a bird house. They never sat in it - even as kittens. Has anyone else purchased a cat condo that your cats didn't use? I hate to waste the money.
Congrats on the bonus and that you're buying a cat condo! Sorry, I still don't have one yet but I can't wait to see what yours looks like!
 

talon

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Yes and no. They like sitting on top - not going into the hidey holes. Next time I buy one, it will be like MissCharlotes - plenty of open perches.
 

deb25

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I've had 2 cat condos and given both away. My cats never used them. Now I have a tree with 3 levels, and even it doesn't get used as much as I would like, although Joey uses it in 'spurts' (sometimes a lot, then he ignores it for ages).

Sandie can verify for you that I missed a plane home from Connecticut the one time I went there to visit her and Imagyne because I was late to the airport and had to check baggage. That's because I bought a cat sofa I saw in Petco up there and couldn't carry it on the flight. Then I went to all that trouble, and the cats rarely use it. Joey will once in awhile stop by to scratch on it, and Squirt avoids it like the plague.

It's one of those things you won't know until you actually buy it. If you do, spray some catnip spray on it to attract your cats.
 

cguer

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I just got a cat condo/gym for my kitties a few weeks ago, and I was reluctant too, thinking they'd never sit on it. I want to put it near a window, but I haven't moved the furniture around yet, but it hasn't stopped Kelsey and Savannah from using it. Savannah in particular likes the highest perch to sleep on, and has taken to calling our from it -- apparently just to look down upon her "subjects"--myself and Kelsey. Kelsey has sat in the cubby on it, but doesn't stay for long, but she likes the lower platform, especially when she can get me to stand there and rub her tummy. They also have started to use the sisal covered legs for scratching more than anything else -- and since I've already lost the arm of chair to them, I really think it's worth it!
 

joanne511

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Chloe spends a LOT of her time on her condo. We got one at Costco for $65 and it's been perfect for her. It's really simple, but keeps her active and gives her a perch so she can look out over the room. (Chloe is the little black blob playing on the lower level in this pic.)
 

ekseabolt

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My mom has five older cats that will have nothing to do with a condo period. My cats on the other hand just love to play and sleep on theirs. I introduced them to it when they were just kittens so I am not sure if that has something to do with them using it or not.
 

halfpint

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I have 2 of them in the enclouser for the cats I rescued, they Love them, they wrap thereselves around the pole part and jump from one shelve to the other, they sleep in the cubbies, can't complain here they really Love them
 

eburgess

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Limerick got a cat tree from Santa Claus.... he loves it
He spends his days looking out the window watching the world go by.
 

darkeyedgirl

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I have mixed reviews on cat condos.

It seems to me, cats prefer to use YOUR stuff, no matter what. Such as: when you read a newspaper... what's the first thing your cat does? Sits right square on the page all relaxed, as if the newspaper was created just for him. BUT if you lay out the same size newspaper right next to you and try to move him over to THAT newspaper, he will prefer to be on whichever one YOU are reading.

Same with cat condos; they prefer your bed, your laundry basket, your cushions in the kitchen, your rocker. I bought a cat condo and well, dismantled it and it's now just a carpeted box. I put it in a spare bedroom with a bed on top of it. They don't use the carpeted box; every now and then, Zorro will be found curled in the cat bed sitting on top of the destroyed cat condo.

I do have a floor to ceiling cat tree, not a condo, which gets used quite often, by my monster Hammie. He swings like Tarzen around that thing and takes flying leaps to and fro. The other cats have no real interest in it; they prefer the sofa, cushions, my bed...



Which is fine with me... I like 'em on me.
 

snowleop

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My cats have two cat trees/condos -- one in the living room and one in my bedroom. Both are used ALOT for scratching, playing, sleeping. I agree with others here, though, that the hidey holes are rarely popular. One of the cat trees has a "tube" and this is a favorite sleeping space, but the hidey hole on the other cat tree is rarely used.

Congratulations on the bonus. I think you should definitely get a cat tree. Chances are they will use it and love it!
 

sharky

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I have two "posts" and a house and a tee pee ... they are great though oonly one cat will use the posts at a time..
 

sofiecusion

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Summer will sleep on top but not inside. My mom's kitties however love theirs and even sleep together in the little hidey holes!!! Good luck! Can't wait to see pics!!!

 
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