Cat Tree

Price: Depends on tree, cheapest at Chewy

Cats are meant to climb, but living in an apartment can make it difficult for a cat to perch high up.  A cat tree is a great option to get your cat to that confidence-boosting space, but it can be an issue when it comes to your bank account.  What to do what to do...

I have a 4-5 year old cat named Chubby and a 6 month old cat named Pip.  When Pip was tiny (or tinier), Chubby needed her own space that Pip couldn't get to.  I wanted to get Chubby a cat tree that was tall (around 6 feet tall), aesthetically pleasing, and one that would be stable and last a long time.

I ended up purchasing this cat tree from Chewy.com.  It's from a company called Armarkat and I love it.  It took a while to assemble, maybe 20 minutes.  Once I let the cats into the room where the tree was, they went crazy.  Chubby started jumping from bed to bed and batted at Pip below which was the first time she played with Pip since I brought the kitten in.

Now, they use it mostly as a bed.  Pip loves the top "bunk" and Chubby really likes all of the beds.  It gives them confidence.  Whenever I vacuum (as cat owners, we all know how much cats love the vacuum), Pip sits on the top bed and watches me.  Chubby chases me with the vacuum, but she still loves her cat tree.

The issue many cat owners face is that cat trees are expensive and it's hard to know if you're going to get a quality tree.  I spent around $80 for this cat tree which, like I said, is right around 6 feet tall and comes in an ivory color.  The texture is similar to carpet with the poles being wrapped in rope.  I've had the cat tree for about 5 months and it hasn't once been knocked over.  Let me note that Chubby is around 10 pounds and is clumsy.  Pip is right around 5-6 pounds now and is full of energy, so she jumps off and onto the cat tree with a lot of force.  It hasn't so much as wiggled.

The ropes are great because the cats now go to the cat tree to scratch instead of bonding with my carpet.  I find that the product is sturdy and comes as it is described.  I trust Armarkat to make a quality cat tree and I believe that Chewy.com is the cheapest site to get a good quality cat tree.  They range in size, so if 6 feet is too tall for your liking, they have smaller trees.  I believe every cat should have a cat tree and I trust Armarkat to make an affordable, long lasting, sturdy cat tree.