Is a cat tree really worth it? What it gives your cat, and when to skip it
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Whether a cat needs a cat tree depends on the cat: yes if they live indoors, scratch your furniture or seek out high places; less so if they roam outdoors freely, already have perches or no longer jump. What makes one worth having is that it brings three needs together in one place: scratching, watching and retreating.
What is a cat tree actually for?
A cat tree brings together, in a single piece of furniture, three things your cat will do anyway. According to International Cat Care, cats are natural climbers that need to rest and watch over their surroundings from high places, where they feel safe.
- Scratching. According to International Cat Care, scratching keeps claws healthy, exercises the front legs and spine, and leaves a scent message from the glands between the paw pads.
- Watching from above. A perch lets your cat observe the room without being the centre of attention.
- Retreating. A sheltered bed gives them a spot where nobody comes to disturb them.
None of these needs requires a tree: a cleared wardrobe top or a scratching post can each cover one. A tree becomes worthwhile when those options are missing from your home, or when your cat finds them on the sofa.
Which cats really benefit from a cat tree?
A cat tree is most useful for a cat that lives indoors only. According to International Cat Care, the biggest issue for indoor cats is mental wellbeing: a monotonous routine can lead to scratching furniture or to anxiety. The charity recommends shelves and cat climbing trees to add vertical space. Three situations make one relevant:
- A small flat: height is the only space left to give.
- Several cats: according to the same source, high spots let each cat get away from the others.
- A cat that scratches and climbs your furniture: the tree gives them a place where it is allowed.
Worthwhile does not mean huge. On a 60 × 40 cm footprint and one metre tall, the wooden cat tree with woven baskets covers all three: columns wrapped in sisal along their full height, two raised baskets at different levels and a round sheltered bed beneath the lower platform.
A cat tree that belongs in the living room
Pine, rubberwood, rattan and sisal rather than carpet: a piece designed for the room you live in, where your cat will actually use it. Discover the wooden cat tree →
When can you do without a cat tree?
You can do without a cat tree when your cat already finds what it offers elsewhere, or when they can no longer use one.
| If your cat… | What may be enough | Why |
|---|---|---|
| roams outdoors freely and climbs outside | a raised bed and a scratching post near where they sleep | according to International Cat Care, the outdoors offers more choice of scratching surfaces, but a high resting place and a scratching post are still advised at home |
| scratches the sofa but does not look for height | a sturdy upright scratcher, tall enough for a full stretch | the need is to scratch, not to climb |
| already has perches: a wardrobe top, a windowsill | clearing those spots and making them stable | according to Ohio State University, any surface that lifts them off the ground works as a perch |
| is older, arthritic or no longer jumps | a low, comfortable bed and a horizontal scratcher | according to International Cat Care, older cats may prefer a horizontal or angled scratcher, which offers less resistance |
For a cat that only scratches, our guide to choosing a scratcher will save you buying something too big. For a cat that no longer jumps, look at our beds and scratchers instead, and at the article on cat trees for older cats to adapt the one you already have. And if they have given up on the sofa or the bed, cat stairs with two, three or four steps give them their way back up, step by step rather than in one leap.
What makes a cat tree useless once you have bought it?
A cat tree ends up unused when it is badly placed, unstable or the wrong size, rarely because the cat “doesn't like cat trees”.
- It gets banished. A tree judged too ugly for the living room ends up in a hallway, and the cat stops using it (see where to put a cat tree).
- It wobbles. According to International Cat Care, a post that moves can put cats off. Set against a wall, a tree sways less.
- Its beds are too small. Again according to International Cat Care, cats are less likely to use beds too small to rest in comfortably.
- Its scratching post is too short. The post should be as tall as your cat standing on their hind legs, the charity adds.
On those last two points, be critical of every product page, ours included: the one for the wooden cat tree with baskets gives the total height (100 cm), not the inner size of the baskets or the wrapped height of each column. Measure your cat curled up, then standing at full stretch, before moving on to our guide on how to choose a cat tree.
How can you tell, before buying, whether your cat will use it?
The best clue is what your cat already does: if they sleep on the back of the sofa or scratch a table leg at full stretch, a tree will not create a need, only give an existing one a better place to go.
You can also test without buying anything: clear the top of a sturdy piece of furniture near a window, lay a blanket that smells of them on it and watch for a week. According to Ohio State University, where your cat curls up to sleep shows where they feel comfortable.
If they climb up, a tree adds a scratching post and a shelter. If they still ignore the wooden cat tree with baskets, you have 30 days to send it back under our money-back guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Can wall shelves replace a cat tree?
Yes for perching, if they are sturdy and non-slip: according to International Cat Care, many wooden shelves are extremely slippery. They replace neither the scratching post nor the hideaway, and they need drilling, which is not always possible when renting.
Does a cat that sleeps all day need a cat tree?
A big sleeper mostly benefits from the bed part: according to International Cat Care, many cats feel vulnerable sleeping on the floor, so their bed is best raised. For them, a raised bed may be enough; a compact tree adds a scratching post.
Is a cat tree still useful in a large home?
Yes, if the home lacks reachable height: floor space does not replace a lookout. If your cat already has several perches and scratching posts, however, one more tree will not change much.
Key takeaways
- A cat tree is worthwhile when it brings together what your home lacks: an upright scratching post, a perch and a shelter.
- A cat tree makes the biggest difference for an indoor cat, in a small flat or living with other cats.
- A cat that roams outdoors, only scratches or no longer jumps can do without a cat tree.
- A compact, stable tree in the living room gets more use than a large one banished to a hallway.