Where should I put a cat tree?

Somewhere the cat already likes to be: beside a window, near where the family sits, or next to the spot they currently climb on. A tree in an unused spare room is usually ignored.

Will one cat tree be enough for two cats?

Only if it has several separate perches at different heights. Two cats competing for one top platform is a common source of tension — a second tree or a wall shelf usually settles it.

My cat ignores the new tree. What now?

Move it to a busier, sunnier spot, put a familiar blanket on the top platform and play a wand session that finishes on the tree. Most cats adopt it within a couple of weeks.

Cat trees

How to Choose a Cat Tree for an Indoor Cat (Buying Guide)

A cat tree is the cheapest way to add usable territory to a room. Indoor cats measure space vertically as much as horizontally, and a tall, stable tree gives a cat somewhere to climb, nap, watch the room from and scratch at full stretch.

Heybly light grey cat tower with sisal scratching posts, a padded plush perch and a hanging hammock

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Why we recommend this one

Heybly 43.3-inch Cat Tower (HCT004SW)

Of the trees that meet the checklist below, this is the one we point people to first: it is consistently one of Amazon's top-selling cat towers, and it earns that on the two things most buyers weigh up — what it costs and what a cat actually gets out of it.

It covers every job in one frame: A padded top perch to survey the room, a hammock to sleep in, an enclosed condo to hide in and full sisal posts to scratch — so one piece of furniture handles perching, resting, hiding and scratching instead of three separate items.
Sisal posts run the full length: The uprights are wrapped in natural sisal rather than carpet, which is what lets a cat scratch at a full body stretch and keeps them off the sofa arm.
Height that indoor cats actually use: At 43.3 inches it clears most sofa backs and windowsills, which is the height range where cats stop ignoring a tree and start sleeping on it.
Best-selling for a reason: price against function: It sits in the budget end of the market while still including the hammock, condo and sisal posts that cheaper towers drop. That value balance is why it keeps ranking near the top of Amazon's cat tree charts.
Neutral light grey plush: It reads as furniture rather than pet-store plastic, so it can go in the living room by a window — the placement that decides whether a tree gets used at all.

What to look for

Height above eye level: Aim for at least 150 cm (5 ft). Cats settle where they can look down on the room, and a low tree is usually ignored in favour of the back of a sofa.
A base that does not wobble: Push the top platform hard with one hand. If the tree rocks, a cat landing on it at speed will learn not to use it. Wide, heavy bases and a wall bracket solve this.
Full-length sisal posts: Posts wrapped in sisal rope from top to bottom let a cat scratch with a full body stretch. Carpet-covered posts wear out quickly and teach cats that carpet is scratchable.
Platforms your cat actually fits on: A platform should hold a curled-up cat with room to spare — roughly 30 cm across for an average adult, more for a large breed.
Replaceable and washable parts: Removable, machine-washable hammocks and replaceable posts add years to a tree that would otherwise go to landfill.

What to avoid

Trees under a metre tall — they rarely get used by adult cats.
Narrow bases on a slippery floor.
Faux-fur everything with no scratchable surface.
Enclosed cubbies as the only resting spot; many cats prefer an open, high perch.

Getting it right at home

Place it next to a window with a view, not in a corridor.
Vacuum the platforms weekly — loose hair puts some cats off.
Rub a little catnip on a post the first week to build the habit.
Re-wrap or replace posts once the sisal is shredded through.

Check Price on Amazon

Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I put a cat tree?: Somewhere the cat already likes to be: beside a window, near where the family sits, or next to the spot they currently climb on. A tree in an unused spare room is usually ignored.
Will one cat tree be enough for two cats?: Only if it has several separate perches at different heights. Two cats competing for one top platform is a common source of tension — a second tree or a wall shelf usually settles it.
My cat ignores the new tree. What now?: Move it to a busier, sunnier spot, put a familiar blanket on the top platform and play a wand session that finishes on the tree. Most cats adopt it within a couple of weeks.

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