I like the idea of cats. I like watching them engage in their zany hijinks. The fact that they are naturally introverted appeals to me. We have two cats: Doctor Cigarettes and Rooty Tooty Disco Cutie, or Rudy for short. They are great, except for when they decide to be social and use my leg as a scratching post. I’m sure this is their way of telling me something. Maybe they want me to address the political climate? Perhaps they can sense an earthquake coming? I don’t know. All I get from them is pain and blood running down my leg. That’s where the best cat trees come in handy.

Over the years, I have tested several cat trees professionally for major publications you’ve heard of. My list below is based on my research, talking to experts, and some testing. Our picks for the best cat trees are

 

Best Overall: Mau Cento Modern Cat Tree Tower

  • Price: $299
  • Color options: White, brown, bullet gray
  • Dimensions: 23.5″L x 18″W x 46″H
  • Materials: Wood, wicker, plush
  • Weight capacity: Up to 23 pounds each

If you live in a dump, this probably isn’t the cat tree for you. The Mau Cento isn’t just for keeping your furry friends entertained; it’s also a statement piece. At $300, it’s a low-key status symbol. Made from a combination of wicker baskets and wood branches, the Cento features removable, machine-washable cushions. Plus, Mau donates 5% of all proceeds to environmental conservation and animal welfare efforts, and they plant a tree when you buy something. Some cat lovers mentioned that it was hard to assemble, and others thought the price was a bit much for what you get. Fortunately, you don’t have to take their word for it: Mau offers a 45-day risk-free trial.

Buy the Mau Cento Modern Cat Tree Tower on Amazon

 

Best for Larger Cats: Feandrea Cat Tree

  • Price: $75
  • Color options: Light gray, beige, cream white, jelly pink, smoky gray
  • Dimensions:26.8″L x 18.9″W x 39.8″H
  • Materials: Particle board, plush, sisal
  • Weight capacity: Up to 44 pounds each

Just because your meow-meow is a chonker doesn’t mean she can’t have fun. The Feandra Cat Tree was designed for the bigger gals, offering sturdy construction that can support felines up to 44 pounds. The cushion is removable and washable. Assembly is a breeze, with all the tools you need included. An anti-tip kit anchors the tree to your wall so that rambunctious animals will remain safe during boisterous play. The feedback on the Feandra Cat Tree is overwhelmingly positive. Customers comment on how spacious the top perch is and that the tree can easily accommodate several cats, both young and old.

Buy the Feandra Cat Tree on Amazon

 

Best for Multiple Cats: Catit Vesper Cat Tree

  • Price: $170
  • Color options: Oak, black, walnut
  • Dimensions: 22.1″L x 22.1″W x 47.8″H
  • Materials: Engineered wood, memory foam, seagrass

The Catit Vesper has four levels, so each of your cats can claim a spot for their own lounging. Whereas most cat trees are covered with fabric, making them hard to clean, the Vesper is mostly laminated wood with memory foam cushions and seagrass scratching posts. The wood is easy to clean and doesn’t collect pet hair. Buyers found the tree to be quite sturdy —a must when multiple cats use it. Assembly was also a breeze, and the finished product looks nice in any living room. The most significant negative is that some customers report the scratching posts coming apart.

Buy the Catit Vesper Cat Tree on Amazon

 

Best Budget: Hey-brother Cat Tree

  • Price: $40
  • Color options: Light gray, smoky gray, beige, black and red, green, mushroom
  • Dimensions: 27.6″L x 19.7″W x 35.4″H
  • Materials: Engineered wood, sisal, plush, paper

One thing I love about cats is that they don’t care how broke you are. In fact, there isn’t a single feline on the staff at Celebrity Net Worth due to their lack of fiscal awareness. So, if you’re on a tight budget, you can still keep your kitties happy with this Hey-brother Cat Tree. I can only assume the late Hulk Hogan founded the company, though the cat tree lacks that wrestler’s durability. Customers complain that the fabric starts to tear after just a month. Others found it wobbly. Still, it provides good value for the money, looks sexy, and is easy to assemble.

Buy the Hey-brother Cat Tree on Amazon

 

Best for Senior Cats: New Cat Condos Premier Triple Cat Perch

  • Price: $138
  • Color options: Brown, gray
  • Dimensions: 20″w x 20″d x 32″H
  • Materials: Carpet, wood, sisal

While older folks need a nice rocking chair to wait out their twilight years, cats prefer plush surfaces for lazy, days-long naps. The New Cat Condos Premier Triple Cat Perch features three easily accessible levels for quiet, horizontal meditation. The sturdy construction makes it ideal for all breeds and multiple felines. Plus, it’s made right here in the good old United States of America (plays the “Star-Spangled Banner”). One of the biggest perks of the New Cat Condos tree is that it comes fully assembled.

Buy the New Cat Condos Premier Triple Cat Perch on Amazon

 

Best for Kittens: Furhaven Tall Cat Tree

  • Price: $88
  • Color options: 13 styles
  • Dimensions: 23.6″L x 19.3″W x 59.8″H
  • Materials: Polyester, sisal

The Furhaven Tiger Tough Platform House Interactive Playground Tower, or the “Tall Cat Tree” as its friends know it, is covered in soft plush material, except for the posts, which are covered in sisal rope. The cozy cat perch gives your mouser a spot to look down upon you with contempt, the way she likes. The main complaints from users are that the platforms are relatively small and that the unit does not fit into corners easily. Still, it should be enough to keep active kittens occupied.

Buy the Furhaven Tall Cat Tree on Amazon

 

What Are Cat Activity Trees?

Essentially, a cat activity tree is a piece of equipment that your meow-meow can climb and perch on. At its most basic, a cat tower consists of a post with a platform on top. On the other hand, if you love your feline friend, you can get trees with cat toys, gangways, scratching posts, ramps, hiding holes, dog torture chambers, hammocks, ladders, platforms, and perches. It’s a place where your cat can go to unwind after a day of napping in the sun.

Are Cat Towers Made out of Dead Mice?

I like where your head is, but that is an idiotic question. Cat trees are generally made out of the following materials:

  • Wood – Many of the more expensive, modern cat towers are made out of durable wood. And they often blend well with your interior décor so that you can be a classy cat person. The problem is that wood tends to show scratches more clearly than other materials.
  • Corrugated Cardboard – If you’re crafty, you can use Amazon boxes to make a DIY cat tower. Or, you can buy a heavier-duty corrugated cardboard unit. This is one of the least sturdy options and is prone to tearing.
  • Carpet – Carpet offers a soft, comfortable spot for cats to take a load off after an exhausting day. This material is commonly found on non-scratching post poles and flat surfaces.
  • Sisal – Sisal is often used on cat tower scratching posts because it is a coarse, durable natural fiber.

Which Designs Are Best for Your Kitty Cat?

Most cats like being up high. In fact, the Brains Report’s Department of Nonsense Statistics found that 78% of the work performed by firefighters is coaxing cats out of trees. Being up high gives these vulnerable creatures the sense of security that humans get from guns and kung fu. Unfortunately, our bigoted Founding Fathers didn’t think the Second Amendment should apply to cats. Regardless, here are some design considerations you need to pay attention to:

  • Height – I just got done talking about this. If you invent a device that allows you to communicate with cats, they will tell you they want higher towers. On the other hand, cats like looking out the window and judging people and other animals that walk by. So, you might be able to get away with a window-height activity tree.
  • Size – Cats do not get claustrophobia (CLAWStrophobia? LOL). They love small confined spaces because this keeps them safe from sneaky cucumbers. So, confined spaces are fun for your cat’s activity tree. Also, don’t be afraid to go big if you have a kitten because, you know, they’re going to get bigger.
  • Stability – Most cat tower manufacturers don’t want to kill Mr. Fluffkins. Despite their tall, narrow design, cat trees are relatively stable. The ones on our list have not had any issues with toppling.
  • Aesthetics – Keep in mind that this product will be hanging around your house/apartment for the next decade or so. You should probably pick out something that doesn’t make you want to gouge your eyes out every time you look at it.

Well, that just about sums up everything you need to know about cat activity trees, and I wrote the whole thing without saying “pussy” once! Please share this with your favorite cat lovers.