How often to replace cat tree?

[ladytimedramon]

Before I adopted Delilah, I ordered a cat tree off of Amazon that I thought would work for whatever cat I adopted. I've had it since April (about 7 months). I've noticed that it seems to be getting a bit shaky, as well as Delilah totally scratching through the carpet and sisal in spots. Since it is getting shaky as well as torn in spots, should I replace it? If I replace it, how do I pick a good one online? My head was spinning the first time I looked for one, but I want to get one that lasts longer than this one.

 

[game misconduct]

best thing would be to read as many buyer reviews as you can find lots of trees look good but the base is to light etc.i found this place i plan to check out once its time for a new tree its local if your in southern california C&C Cat Furniture

 

[game misconduct]

havent bought or nothing from them just a site i found while looking for a cat tree my next tree i buy probably will be from this companysince they do custom builds along with recarpeting ,repairs etc.

 

[jcat]

I'd suggest going for a sturdy modular tree, so that you can replace parts as needed and get years of use. Our ceiling-high tree (a German brand, sold by Clevercat) is over 20 years old, and our last - rather large - cat used it daily for close to 14 years. I replaced most of its beds with perches in 2013 simply because Mowgli prefers them and a color change was due, and I expect the tree to last another 5 years. It didn't cost a fortune, either. The model we have is still available for €140 - that's $160.

 

[ladytimedramon]

best thing would be to read as many buyer reviews as you can find lots of trees look good but the base is to light etc.i found this place i plan to check out once its time for a new tree its local if your in southern california C&C Cat Furniture

The way Delilah jumps on it I'm glad she's only 7 pounds. Too bad that place isn't in Dallas. I'm one of those people who, for some items, likes to see and touch them. Also I'm a single person in an apartment so the more compact the better.

 

[ZombieTiger]

That's a good question. I'm looking for my kittens first cat tree right now, and I never thought it would be so difficult to decide.

I did what game misconduct suggested and looked at as many reviews for products in my price range I could. I think I found a decent one on Zooplus and I'll probably order it when the next pay comes. I can post it here if anyone wants.

 

[ZombieTiger]

BTW, to answer your question as a complete cat-amateur and a neurotic person, if the cat tree started getting shakey, I'd definitely replace it if I could. I have no idea if you can leave it being like that for a while though.

 

[game misconduct]

The way Delilah jumps on it I'm glad she's only 7 pounds. Too bad that place isn't in Dallas. I'm one of those people who, for some items, likes to see and touch them. Also I'm a single person in an apartment so the more compact the better.

i am in a single bedroom apartment also i forgoet to mention pay close attention to the images of the tree your interested in make sure its real carpet the one i bought while sturdy and solid isnt carpeted with good carpet its got that felt? material like they use for those smallish lap blankets used while watching tv. doesnt offer much grip after a nail trim and isnt gonna last to long i think

 

[ladytimedramon]

I wish my dad was around. He'd probably build me one... but then if he was around I probably wouldn't have a cat. My parents weren't cat people. But dad loved doing stuff with wood. I've seen instructions on making my own with wood, pvc, etc but right now I don't know if I have the confidence to try it (let alone the time and patience).

I have to pick up some stuff at PetSmart today. I'll check to see what they have in store while I'm there.

 

[fionasmom]

I have had better luck with a cat tree that I see in person than purchase online. The best have oddly come from privately owned pet stores. I have purchased at Petsmart as well but have found that I need a good look at the construction and at how sturdy it looks, how the base is made etc.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

I lived in a multi-cat house for years. I have had cat trees for 4 years at best, usually it between 2.5 to 3 years. It all depends on the quality of the cat tree, the number of cats in your household and the age and temperament of each cat. I had one cat tree go in no time because of a hyperactive kitten and young cat who tear everything to shreds. If you live in a household with calmer and older cats, a cat tree may last even longer than 4 years. I have had no such luck with my cats. The little maniacs lol. I usually buy my cat trees from Amazon which have them reasonably priced. I have looked in pet stores but the cat trees are small and overpriced. If you know someone with carpentry skills, you could probably have one Custom made and the quality would be much better.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

The cat trees I buy on Amazon or usually over $140 dollars. I have bought cheaper cat trees, but they were not that good at all. The brand I seem to keep going back to is Amaracat. Hope that helps.

 

[Kieka]

I have a deluxe cat tree from kittymansions.com its stood up really well to both scratching and my 16 pound boy leaping on and off. But you can usually find good deals in thrift stores or online for used trees. You want to look for something with good stability. You can re wrap scratching posts with sisal rope from the hardware store and recover cloth.

We recently rescued a cat tree off a curb. It was terribly wobbly and half the rope was missing. My niece wanted a cat tree for her room though and asked grandpa to make it work for her room. We left it outside and sprayed it down with deordorizers and disinfectants first. It ended up being much too large for out space so we did some serious cutting. Took posts and other aspects and refit them to a table, rewrapped the posts, and recovered the whole thing. About $35 in materials and we have something the cats are really enjoying. We also added some stability by adding extra wood to the underside of posts and anchoring them a little better.

A cat tree can last 10+ years fairly easily. Some just need some minor upkeep.

 

[LTS3]

Pre-pandemic cat shows were a great place to check out cat furniture in person and take one home. Shows have probably been put on hold now or vendors aren't allowed.

Aruba Cat makes really sturdy cat trees with a price to match. My 6 foot tree is still in good condition after 10 years. They will ship the smaller scratching posts but not the large trees. A few local stores sell the trees.

Check these online cat furniture web sites for more affordable options:

Cat Trees - CatsPlay Superstore

Cat trees offer your cats the opportunity to climb and play, as well as to perch 'above' the human activity occurring in your home. Cats love this sense of being up high, and love to have a place to call their own. Our cat tree cat furniture comes in a variety of styles, including your choice of c

www.catsplay.com

Cat Condos & Trees, Extra Tall Towers for Multiple Cats

Find the tree or condo your cat will love. Check out our selection of tall towers for multi-cat households. Fast & Free Shipping!

www.cozycatfurniture.com

Etsy.com has lots of handmade cat trees and stuff you may want to check out.

A DIY tree might be something to look into. I know using Ikea furniture and parts is one cheap way.

 

[neely]

If you know someone with carpentry skills, you could probably have one Custom made and the quality would be much better.

That's a great suggestion and similar to what we did. We went to a cat show a few years back and everyone was crowding around this one vendor selling custom cat trees. We wanted to buy one because his workmanship was amazing but it was pricey. As it turned out we were at a local pet store that was discontinuing some of their cat trees and there were a few made by this vendor. As luck would have it we got it at a great price!

 

[Father of furbabies]

I custom built mine with a couple power tools (circular saw, drill, and a power stapler) with some parts from walmart (scratching posts), some carpet scraps from a local carpet store, and a half sheet of plywood from a local hardware store.

I cut the plywood down to the sizes I wanted and stapled the carpet (along with some glue) down the boards then I drilled holes for the post bolts and put it together. I even recycled some old pieces from a prebuilt to get more use out of them. This lets me replace pieces as needed.

 

[Moonlight_wolf]

I made a cat tree once but it looked incredibly ugly and was very wobbly. Not in the “it’s going to fall over” way though so I wasn’t worried for my cat’s safety. It lasted a while but when I moved I left it in the apartment since it was too hard to transport. So someone else’s cat enjoyed it there. Wobbly doesn’t always mean it’s gonna fall over. And it didn’t bother the cats so I wasn’t concerned. Some cat towers you can attach to the wall to make them less wobbly.

But I found my current cat tower on Amazon. I just checked reviews and measured the space I had for it. It’s not a carpeted one it’s that fleece stuff but my cat doesn’t seem to mind.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

That's a great suggestion and similar to what we did. We went to a cat show a few years back and everyone was crowding around this one vendor selling custom cat trees. We wanted to buy one because his workmanship was amazing but it was pricey. As it turned out we were at a local pet store that was discontinuing some of their cat trees and there were a few made by this vendor. As luck would have it we got it at a great price!

Thank you. For my next cat tree, I think that am going to go for a custom made decked out one that is 7 feet tall. I know what I am looking for is on the expensive side, so I think I will have my brother who is a carpenter make it some day. The kitties will love it and hopeful it will last much longer.

 

[daftcat75]

I have between six and eight cat trees depending on whether you include the Katris structures—cardboard Tetris pieces that can be used to build your own cat trees. Funny coincidence: Katris is an anagram of Krista, the (former ) beneficiary of all these trees. I can tell you that Krista liked both a tall, soft place to perch and a sturdy leg to really claw the crap out of. They don’t necessarily have to be the same tree. And in fact, a good sturdy scratching post was something she would cross a room for. If you can only do one tree, make sure it has a good long post for a cat to really stretch out on when she scratches it and make sure it’s very sturdy—even better if it’s one you put together as you can periodically re-tighten the posts. Cats will find comfort. Don’t you worry about that. A good scratching post is worth more than any cute condo or platform or your furniture. Krista really liked the Furhaven brand. They have the right combination of sturdy and tall for climbing and perching.

 

[lizzieloo]

I've been using the same tree for 6 years. All of the posts on the bottom have been well used/no longer usable but the top two are fine - only most fosters aren't interested in the top two posts. I don't like the idea of buying them regularly as its so much waste. So I buy just regular small posts to put beside the couch and they use that for their claws and keep the tree so they have a high place to sleep. I'll likely get a new tree when I adopt a permanent pair. I've noticed most kittens don't like to sleep in the cubby so I won't worry about it being on the next tree...