If you have cats, then you know that they need to climb. Most people have some form of cat tree at home. I published an article a ways back. It was all about how cats need to scratch things. Whether you have a scratching post on the floor, or laying down. Cats have to scratch. So what about cat trees? What are the best cat trees anyway?
Honestly, most people that have a cat tree, will say theirs is the best. Pre-destroyed though. Once cats get a hold of them for months or years, well, that’s a different story. My Mom had a couple of cat trees that after a while, it was time to toss them. Why? Well, they seem to see better days after a while.
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But it also depends on how they’re made and what they’re made of.
Different Materials Make a Difference.
I say this, because, if the tree is made with cheap carpet scraps, they don’t last. When cats get a hold of carpet, they tend to rip the fibers out. Especially cheap carpet. This makes a huge difference. Just like in our homes, not all carpet is created equally.
Some carpet, that is pennies on the dollar simply doesn’t last long. We all know what I’m referring to. Maybe you’ve been to a friends house where their carpet doesn’t look so good anymore. Then you see these high-end houses where the carpet is impeccable, even after years. Huge difference!
It’s the same for the cat trees and what they’re made of. Quality materials = quality cat tree. Canvas and rope lasts a lot longer than just standard carpet. I’ve had both on my cat trees. It also depends on how the rope and other materials are held on. Simple glue doesn’t suffice. They simply pull the rope down and it kind of hangs like a limp noodle.
It also depends on the style too.
Different Styles For Different Needs.
In one article that I posted, I talked about the space you have available. Not everyone has the space for a huge cat tree. Especially smack in their living room. Face it, some people live in tiny houses now. This is the trend. It costs way less to maintain a tiny home versus a 3K square foot home.
But does this mean they don’t have cats? Nope. A lot of people have cats. But they still need to scratch. I’ve seen some cat trees that stand a foot tall. Some that are towers as large as an actual tree. Recently though, I found ones that attach to your walls! Now if that isn’t the best cat tree idea out there, I don’t know what is.
How neat is that? So no more floor space taken up with a cat tree. You simply attach these to your walls and bam! Cats are happy again.
Attaching The Tree To Your Walls?
So how does this work anyway? Well, with some simple tools, they attach to the studs in your walls. They’re very sturdy and come with instructions on how to attach them appropriately. It’s like a mount for your TV on your wall. Only, these are for cats. Same concept. So even if you have a cat that weighs 40 lbs – that’s a huge cat – they work. And they work well!
It’s important to follow the instructions on attaching them to your walls. The last thing you want is for your cat to jump up there and rip the screws out of your drywall. This leaves a HUGE hole in your wall that would need a patch.
I would recommend having the required tools for the installation. Such as a stud finder and a drill of course. After that, a piece of cake to install!
Not only that, but they’re custom-built. Wait, what?
Catastrophic Creations – You Create The Tree.
So this company, Catastrophic Creations allows you to customize the tree. Or, really play place for your cat. However you’d like to look at it. Going to the website, and clicking on Shop, allows you to customize your cats wall. From bridges to hammock sets, you choose it all.
So if you have, say, three cats, you can cater the wall to all three. Say, you get three hammocks and three bridges along with some shelves. Or, you only want one bridge to go between the three shelves. It’s all about designing your own and what will work in your space. So no matter the floor space you have, you can now utilize your wall space instead.
We all know cats love to climb, so what better way to allow them to climb, and have a place to rest? Or scratch of course! I just love the designs and the idea behind this. Definitely worth the money for your cats! Plus, they last! I think out of everything, that’s the most important anymore when it comes to the best cat trees. You can’t claim to be the best, when your competition is doing something amazing!
Final Words On The Best Cat Trees.
Now you know about Catastrophic Creations. I was pretty enamored when I found this site to be honest. I love the idea of not having a huge lumbering cat tree taking up precious floor space. It makes it hard to fit around furniture, and the foot print is just so big. The taller the tree, the larger the foot print.
I’ve seen some pretty amazing cat trees in my days. But these are the best cat trees in my opinion. Cats love being up high. If you have a book shelf, curtain rod, or anything up high, then you know what I’m talking about. Sometimes, even the fridge. They’ll jump whenever they get the chance. So give them something to jump to and on.
I like that everything about Catastrophic can be catered to your tastes. From choosing all the parts to assemble, to the stain the wood comes in. You don’t have to order the light wood. You can also order it stained. Or, I found that if I wanted a different color than the options, I would order the base color and stain it myself. I have stain leftover from my stairs. So, I sanded the shelves a bit and stained them that color. Worked really well.
Treat your cats to their own wall this year. Save that floor space. Your friends will be amazed too when they walk in. Anyone would be, seeing cats on the wall.
What kind of cat tree do you have? Does it take up too much space? Do you like the idea of a cat wall?
Hi Katrina,
I love the idea of cat trees on walls! I’ve always imagined building one once I’m in a house and out of an apartment. I have two 20lb boys though so it does make me a wee nervous haha!
I currently have a 6ft tower for them to climb on that they inspect and lay on every now and then but they prefer the couch or the bed. Do you have any tips on how to get your cats more acquainted with it? Or do you think it’s just a personality thing?
Haley,
Male cats can be picky about where they lay. I love male cats more than females. Females like to be up high and away from people, only pet when they want. Male cats are much more affectionate and often want to be near their owners. I don’t see many male cats up on cat trees to be honest. They mainly love it to scratch up on, usually stretching as high up as they can go and extending their claws out as much as possible. Then from there, they usually mosey to the couch or bed to nap. I’ve always had male cats and I never really needed a tree for them to be honest. I usually just had a post for them to scratch at. They mainly laid on me and the bed.
My Mom has female cats that like to lay on her cat tree. Her males I never see on it. It might be a personality thing, or could just be males. I’ve never done a study on them to really have factual results, it’s more just my observation over time and having different cats over the years.
The good news is, if your cats don’t like the tree, they might just like a post and that would save you some space in your place – if you need it anyway. ๐
Thanks and hope this helps!
Katrina
Oh my God! I love this! Although I own a big property with lots of real trees that my cats can climb and scratch, I still want those cat trees on the wall. I will find a good place in the house (once I finish building it, it’s still under construction). I watched the video and it looks so awesome, you can really customize it the way you like it. I also like the plants in there, they’re plastic, right?
My cat will absolutely love this, I can already see them in there. ๐
Christine,
Aren’t these cat trees great? I couldn’t help but write about these once I saw them! Everyone I’ve showed them to absolutely loves them too. They are custom to what you want, and I’d imagine some people could really make an awesome play place for their cats that doesn’t take up floor space!
I’m glad you loved these! Feel free to share this article with your cat friends!
Thanks!
Katrina
Now, that’s really creative there. I never imagined that you can do that with a wall. I mean I love my cats, but yeah, they do take up quite some space on the floor. Guess I’ll give your ideas a shot.
Kenny,
That’s exactly what happens with cat trees in the house. The amount of space they can take up is just crazy to me. We love our cats, and we want them to be happy and have a place they can play, but sometimes we simply don’t have the space to have a big tree. I loved these as soon as I saw them!
Feel free to share with any other cat parents out there too. I’m sure they’ll love these!
Thanks,
Katrina