When Were Cat Trees First Sold?

[thebluepencil]

I'm trying to figure out when the first cat tree was made and sold on a large scale. I've found a patent from 1968, but not anything else. Do any of you remember seeing a cat tree for the first time or know if cat trees were "a thing" in the '60's or earlier? I'm also curious about whether cat tree design has evolved much since they were first created.

US3479990A - Cat tree - Google Patents

 

[Willowy]

Well, kitty litter wasn't invented until 1947, so very few people kept cats indoors before then. And it took a while for the culture to catch up. Yeah, I'd say 1968 sounds realistic for cat tree invention. There may have been people who made their own or commissioned a custom piece before then though.

I don't remember anybody having cat trees in the '80s. Or really the '90s even. Their popularity has really taken off in the past 20 years or so.

 

[bodester413]

I think the first time I saw one was in the 90's. We went to a cat show that was close to where I lived at the time in Madison (WI). They had some for sale there.

 

[Columbine]

I don't remember anybody having cat trees in the '80s. Or really the '90s even. Their popularity has really taken off in the past 20 years or so.

We always had a cat tree when I was a kid (I was born in '82), even though we had indoor/outdoor cats until I was maybe 19 or 20. Its only since we've had 100% indoor cats that the cat tree forest has sprung up

I can't imagine having cats without cat trees

 

[white shadow]

.
Root around in there and you'll see a scratching post from 12 years prior.........
.

 

[debbila]

Well, kitty litter wasn't invented until 1947, so very few people kept cats indoors before then.

No wonder it was the thing to put the cat out at night!

 

[Willowy]

We always had a cat tree when I was a kid (I was born in '82), even though we had indoor/outdoor cats until I was maybe 19 or 20. Its only since we've had 100% indoor cats that the cat tree forest has sprung up

I can't imagine having cats without cat trees

You're in the UK, right? I think the UK has always been a bit more cat-centered than the US. I wonder when the cat tree was patented there? Or kitty litter.

 

[Columbine]

You're in the UK, right? I think the UK has always been a bit more cat-centered than the US. I wonder when the cat tree was patented there? Or kitty litter.

Yep, I'm in the UK I'm not sure when cat litter first appeared here, but as it's still the cultural norm for cats to be indoor/outdoor, it wouldn't have been as crucial as in the US with indoor only cats.

The only references I can find to the first kitty litter and cat tree are the American ones. I'm guessing they were copied or imported by manufacturers over here, or maybe more people made their own

 

[Antonio65]

You're in the UK, right?

Totally off-topic.
But how did you get that Columbine is from UK?
Did any word or spelling in her post take you to this conclusion?
As a non-native English speaker, I am curious and willing to understand, thank you

Back in-topic.
Once I browsed the on-line archives of a local newspaper and found the issue of my birth day, I wanted to know what happened on the day I was born and one of the articles was about pet canned food available on the market for the first time. At least over here.

 

[Columbine]

Antonio65 - I don't think anything I posted in this thread 'gave me away' (so to speak ). I have said I'm in the UK many times on TCS, so I'm guessing W Willowy just remembered that from previous conversations

There are grammatical differences between UK/Australian English and American English though - mostly to do with different spellings (eg colour vs color) and alternative nouns for things (eg biscuits vs cookies etc), and those can often give clues as to where you're from. Hope that helps

 

[Willowy]

I'm guessing W Willowy just remembered that from previous conversations

Haha, yes, this is it. Nothing amazing .

Although I can usually get a feeling whether a poster is from the US or not in most posts. From sentence structure, alternate spellings, various cultural references, etc. I kind of play the game in my head whenever I read a post. I'm not always right but usually.

 

[Tobermory]

I don’t know about cat trees, but I remember when clumping cat litter came out in the ‘80s. I thought it was the best invention ever! My cats probably thought so, too, since I kept their litter boxes much cleaner after that. (I have not always been the enlightened cat servant I am today. )

 

[lutece]

I don't remember anybody having cat trees in the '80s. Or really the '90s even. Their popularity has really taken off in the past 20 years or so.

I had fancy carpeted cat trees in the late 80s that looked just like the ones we have today... I even had one with a cute little carpeted pagoda house on top.