those with cat trees

[crittermom]

how often do your babies use/play with them?I am thinking about getting one for our three for Christmas.But, I bought them a scratch post and a kitty condo,and they use it VERY little.The kitty condo has 2 holes in it and is about 2 foot tall.
Do you have to intice them to get on the cat tree?Do they enjoy them because they can climb?
I saw a post about a cat gym thing that someone posted about also.............do your babies use that often?It was only $20 on QVC if that helps figure out what I'm talking about.

Mine prefer to lay on our furniture or the floor.I don't want to spend the extra $$$$ if they will most likely not use it.

Thanks for any input on this!!

 

[tru]

I've had a cat tree for years and it gets plenty of use, especially since the kittens moved in.

I have mine sitting in a corner near two windows and the cats often play and lay on it to watch out the windows and there is often one or more napping on it.

I've never regretted getting a cat tree and kind of wish I had the money and space for a couple more. Cats really do love their vertical space.

It's good to keep in mind that cats don't usually jump on something like that and go crazy with excitement. You could sprinkle some catnip on the tree to encourage them to play on it.

If you decide to get one, take your time and look at the many different designs and prices before making final decisions.

 

[lookingglass]

The boys use their cat tree every day! They love it. When DH and I move to a larger apartment we are going to get a second one so they both can have high perches.

 

[epona]

I was wondering along very similar lines to this as my kitten loves the bookcases - 7 ceiling height bookcases in my sitting room make for a happy kitten

and he can even, much to his delight, get to sit on the top of the door. Only problem is that as he hurtles around them, books, cds, and ornaments tend to hurtle off the shelves and onto the floor. I swear when I get home, my floor looks like the bargain bin in a department store at the end of day 1 of the January sales

I am on the lookout for fairly cheap cat-gyms in the hope of him spending less time scattering books around the room, but I think the bookcases are so much fun that it might be a waste of money

 

[gizmocat]

Gizmo uses her kitty palace every day. Here she is sleeping in one of the lowest 'cups'. The highest one is her favorite.

Each kitty cup has a raised carpet 'paw' in the bottom that Gizmo enjoys digging in and rolling over.

It's a bit more expensive than some of the other 'palaces' but it was a wise investment; Gizzy is rarely on the furniture any more, and a clawed cat will definitely benefit from the three sisal and carpet scratching posts.

Gizmo also likes to hide behind the post bases.

 

[dusty's mom]

We tried one bought at Petsmart. Our kitty is weird, and would only lay on the flat base. We bought it with the understanding we could return it if she didn't use it. We kept it for 2 weeks then returned it. We could not get her to climb on or in it even when we baited it with catnip.

 

[goldenkitty45]

We have a cat tree. I think kittens take to them better then older ones if the older ones never had a cat tree.

I had several when raising rexes and they ALL loved them. But Ling had never had a treehouse till now and she doesn't really use it other then to sit on top to see out of the window. The rex used it because he knew what it was for.

I think that older ones will teach kittens and all is well. Otherwise you might want to put some catnip on the tree to intice them.

The smaller/cheaper ones are a waste of money - you need a post at least 4 feet high - it has to be sturdy and not easily knocked over. The littles ones cannot withstand an adult cat and can easily tip over - they are only good for very young kittens!

 

[meow meow]

You might try putting in front of a window so they have something to look at.

 

[krazy kat2]

Mine have a 7 foot cat tree, and sometimes they will not use it for months at the time. Then they will live on it for months. When they don't use it for awhile, I move it. I just moved it into the dining room in front of the windows, and they are having a ball with it. It had been in the bedroom, but they started using it to dive from to wake me up. It didn't take too many times of Miss Pepper Chunkybutt landing on my chest and knocking the breath out of me to make me move it.

 

[dicknleah]

I have to replace the sisal rope on mine. Some of my cats love the thing.

 

[lmgluvscats]

We went through 2 of the cheaper ones-kept getting knocked over and torn up-till we invested in a 7 foot really solid one. The cats play and lay on it EVERY day. I have it in our front picture window, and so many people comment on how cute it is to go by and see them there. In fact, some stop when walking by or DRIVING by and watch them, if they are particularly being entertaining. Will soon have to replace the sisal posts or buy a new one-my babies have really enjoyed it. Linda in SE IA

 

[crittermom]

Thanks guys!!! It looks as though mine may be getting one for Christmas.

 

[pami]

Mine have had two. One 7 foot and one 5 foot. They would run and chase each other and play king of the hill. Everyday they knocked them over. I was constantly repairing them. But my cats are WILD !!! Just make sure you get one with a solid base. And if its not, you can always screw the original base into a large piece of plywood to make it more steady and then staple a carpet remnant to the bottom and around the plywood.

 

[lmgluvscats]

LOL - Just got through looking at some on eBay and ended up getting another one. 7 feet tall, with another solid base, 3 perches, a ladder, a hole to crawl through...it's gonna be fun for us too!! We got it for only $1.25...of course postage will be $100, but they retail for $319!! However, it stands up to my 18 pound cats using it to bounce off of when they are playing "chase". Linda from SE IA

 

[trouts mom]

If you have a store called Petcetera where you live..they have tall, up to ceiling cat tress for only $59!! They are awesones too!!

 

[crittermom]

No, we don't have one of those around here.We only have Petsmart and it's a hour drive there.

 

[footersownsme]

Glad to see people have crazy cats like Kricket. I got a 6' cat tree off ebay and she loves it, i cant say its the sturdiest thing in the world but that doesn't phase her. My other cat Roxy will not get within 10 feet of the thing, it scares her to death for some reason. (she is a scardy cat to begin with) Kricket sprints up and down all sides of the tree so she can get to the highest perch, scrunch herself so shes pancaked on it thinking "HA you cant see me" and then comes flying off it, grabs my leg, and takes off running. It's absolutely adorable. I would love to get her a bigger one maybe that will be the x-mas present this year.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My girls adore thier tree. They have from the moment we brought it home. It took them a day or two to use the top perch, but they prefer to be up high now I've noticed. It was deffinatley worth the money! We got a great deal off Ebay.

 

[charcoal]

Mine love love LOVE their cat tree. They also have the little cubby hole thing you described and rarely used it while waiting for their tree to arrive. Three out of the four are usually sleeping on the cat tree at the same time at least twice a day.

 

[etain]

For those that have purchased cat trees on ebay, is there a particular vendor or brand you would recomend? Armarkat comes to mind, but I don't know anything about them, are they sturdy and durable?