4 Things You Must Know Before Purchasing A Cat Tree

Hi my zezelife friends, here is jennifer! 

You are new to a cat furbabie and wanna do some research before deciding which cat tree to buy? You’ve come to the right place! As a mommy of 3 lovely cats, I spend years of time to be a qualified cat keeper recognized by my babies, finally 🙂 Today, I would like to share the knowledge about cat trees and hope you enjoy reading and helps!

Table of contents

1. The invention of the cat tree

2. The importance of the cat tree

3. Pros and Cons of different cat trees

4. Ready to buy? 5 Key points you should take into account!

1. The invention of the cat tree

In 1916, Mike Donner, a famous American zoologist, invented the cat tree, a pet toy, in order to treat the increasingly severe depression of his cats. The emergence of the cat tree has solved the space utilization problem of the vertical activities of indoor cats, so since the advent of the cat climbing frame, it has been supported by cat lovers. Based on this, the factory invented various types of cat furniture products with different materials, but the range has been limited to a small group of people. Until the 1980s, the establishment of AroPet, the first company in the United States to produce cat trees on a large scale, made this product effectively promoted in the United States and soon became a hit all over the world.

2. The importance of the cat tree

First of all, let’s understand the living habits of cats.

1) Claw Grinding

No matter what kind of cat, Ragdoll cat to Maine Coon cat, from short haired cat to long haired cat, they all have the habit of sharpening their claws. Wanna stop them? Unfortunately, no way! In order to maintain their weapons, catsneed to grind off the aged cuticle on the paws regularly. By constantly sharpening their claws, this group of fur kids can ensure that their claws become sharper and more aggressive. On the other hand, there are sweat glands distributed on the paws of cats. When they are grinding their paws, they will leave their smell in the place where they are scratched, so that cats can divide their sphere of influence.

2) Climbing

Cats are addicted to climbing high since they can observe the surrounding things and monitor their own territory easily in higher place. In addition, cats will go to high places for quietness to avoid being disturbed by people or other animals. Yes, they are sometimes ice cold 🙁

Well, after we understand the habits of cats, I believe you will get to know about the importance of cat trees more easily and deeply now.

Imagine if you don’t have a cat tree installed in your home, or if you have a cat tree but you don’t guide the cat to use it correctly, the sofas, curtains, even wooden floors, and wallpapers in your home will be worn out of shape by them! Besides being unsightly, you’ll have to shell out money for new ones. The most frustrating thing is that if cats grind their claws in one place, it is very likely that they will grind their claws in the same place more often. The situation will become vicious circles. Besides, most people who keep cats are office workers. In this situation, when cats lack companionship and no playground, the risk of cat depression will highly increase. Therefore, for the both physical and mental health of your loving pet, every breeder should have a cat tree installed at home.

3. Pros and Cons of different cat trees

Although we can see cat trees of various designs and structures on the marketplace, they can be roughly divided into four types according to the materials: corrugated paper, particle board, density board.

1) Corrugated paper

The price is cheap, but the thickness of corrugated paper is checked and it is easy to age. Especially in humid and rainy areas, cat trees made of corrugated paper are easily scrapped. Even if they are properly protected, they are hard to beat as a cat’s weapon. Generally, they need to be replaced after 3-6 months of use.

2) Particleboard

Particleboard generally can be used for 1-2 years. Although it is made by pressing, it is easy to crack and deform when exposed to water, which will cause the decline of cat tree stability, thus leading to potential safety hazards at home.

3) Density board

The general life time is more than 3 years. The density board has a uniform structure, smooth and flat surface, fine material, stable performance, firm edges, and can be decorated in multiple ways and is a high-quality material on this market.

All Zezelife cat tree products are made of high-strength density boards. While ensuring the stability of the structure, all the columns are wrapped with jute or sisal, so that cats can release their passion for grinding their claws while climbing!

4.  Ready to buy? 5 Key points you should take into account!

1. You have to admit – appearance

The cat tree is placed at home, which is a kind of furniture indeed so you should apply similar standards while purchasing cat trees. The first condition for us to choose furniture is that it’s beautiful, and it needs to be close to, match and harmonious with the decoration style of our sweet home.

2. The structural stability

The overall structure of the cat tree should be kept light at the top and heavy at the bottom. Many people like to choose a tall and narrow climbing tree and they think that a higher one can effectively make use of the overall space. In fact, the higher the tree, the more chassis accessories should be. Therefore, it isl necessary to choose a reasonable design with high stability rather than just picking up the higher ones.

3. The moving line

We often see vertical cat trees, but imagine if you are a cat and you only climb vertically and cannot jump horizontally, will you lose a lot of room for movement and fun. Obviously, a cat tree that staggers left and right is more in line with the climbing habits of cats.

4. The size of your living space

Maybe the breeders think that if you love your cat, you must give it the biggest and tallest cat tree, which is not necessarily correct. The purchase of the cat tree should also refer to the size of the space in your home or where your furbabies live. You have to leave some other space for the cat to do other activities to avoid the cat being restricted and causing severe damage to your furniture or other potentially fragile items.

5. The cat’s age and preferences

Young or lively cats prefer to jump up and down. In this case, you should install a cat tree with a higher upper space and a foothold. However, for older,  less active, or obese cats, it is better not to jump up and down and run around. Considering their mobility, it is best to choose a cat climbing frame that is slightly shorter and has a cat nest at the bottom.

6. The number of cats

Some cat owners only have one cat, so they only need to choose a platform or a cat bed. If you think it is too dull, you can tie the cat’s favorite toys or some decorations to it. However, some cat enthusiasts, or places like cat cafes where there are many cats, need to consider that each cat should have its own place to stay, rest, and sleep so as to avoid disputes caused by seizing the cat bed. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a larger cat tree according to the number of cats to ensure that each cat has a place to live comfortably.

Well, cat lovers, all the above is what I wanna introduce to you about cat trees in this article. In the following blogs, I will continue to share with you my experience and experience of growing into a qualified cat keeper over the years.

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At zezelife, we love and care about cats as much as you do. All staffs of zezelife is composed of senior cat lovers. Cooperating with product designers, graphic designers and professional veterinarians, we are committed to producing interesting and loving pet products.