Goth Cat Tree: How a Game Developer Redesigned Space, Silence, and Cohabitation
As a game developer, I was actually completely transformed in my daily rhythm by a goth cat tree.
When I was writing this article, the computer was still compiling.
To be honest, if it were me from a few years ago, I probably would never have thought that I would spend time building a cat tree. At that time, my understanding of "home furnishings" was very simple - it just needed to be functional and not interfere with my coding.
Until one day, I found myself stuck in a very absurd situation.
I'm adjusting the lighting for a game with a dark and moody style. The scene in the picture is low in saturation, with strong contrast and clear shadow layers. At the moment I look up, I see the corner of the real-world living room:
A light-colored, fluffy, cat tree like the ones used in preschools, standing there.
It's not broken and it's not ugly.
But it doesn't belong here at all.
That was the first time I seriously searched for the goth cat tree.
Why am I so sensitive to "inconsistent styles"?
This is related to one's profession.
After playing games for years, you will become extremely obsessed with "world consistency".
In a scene, as long as one element is off, you will feel extremely uncomfortable.
The problem is that I had never regarded the cat tree as "part of the world" before.
I simply took it as a compromise:
"Anyway, it's for the cat. As long as it looks casual, it's fine."
But the cat tree happens to be one of the most noticeable items in the house.
It is tall, fixed and always there.
You can't hide it like you do with a fishing line.
When I began to view this object through the eyes of a "designer", all the problems emerged.
For me, a goth cat tree is never "cool".
When many people think of a goth cat tree, they tend to associate it with darkness, individuality and style labels.
But for me, it addresses a more practical issue: not interrupting the narrative of the space.
The good goth cat tree has several distinct features:
- The color is understated and does not draw attention.
- Simple structure, no noise
- It looks more like furniture than a pet toy.
You won't notice it every day, but it works properly every single day.
This is quite similar to a good game UI.
It exists, but it doesn't disturb.
The structure of the cat tree is actually quite similar to that of a system architecture.
This was something I realized later.
The problems with many cat trees are not related to the materials, but rather to the logical confusion.
The hierarchy is chaotic, the stress points are unclear, and the scratching area is located in an unnatural position.
It's like a system that looks very impressive but can't even run smoothly.
Cats are capable of "testing stability".
As long as it jumps up and it shakes once, it will remember.
After that, no matter how beautiful it is, it won't have any effect.
So later on, I gradually favored the solid wood structure of the goth cat tree.
It wasn't because of its "high-quality", but because of its predictability.
The solid wood cat tree has the greatest value in terms of "quietness".
This tranquility is not emotional; it is physical.
When my cat is active at two in the morning, if it is using a lightweight cat tree, you will hear all kinds of faint sounds.
The wooden structure is different. It is more like a tree that doesn't respond.
For someone who has been staying up late to code all year round, this difference is very real.
It was during this process that I came across the brand Mewzoom.
It wasn't promoted by an advertisement. Instead, I saw it in someone else's home.
That three-tier wooden cat tree stood quietly in the corner, as if it was supposed to be there all along.
The three-layer structure is the most comfortable configuration I have used.
Many cat trees like to be built tall, as if the higher the better.
But from the perspective of cats' behavior, three layers is just right.
- Top level: Observation post
- Middle level: Rest area
- Bottom layer: Safe base
Cats are not always "playing";
rather, they are more in the process of changing their states.
This is quite similar to how people write code, test it, take a break, and then continue.
That three-tier goth cat tree with moon-and-star designs looks stylish, and it doesn't disrupt the structural logic. I personally find this aspect perfectly acceptable.
The removable seat cushion is a very "grown-up" design.
I would like to emphasize this point.
If a cat tree doesn't have a removable and washable seat cushion, it implies that you don't plan to use it for a long time.
Or, it assumes that you will tolerate the smell and wear and tear.
But truly living together requires maintenance.
The fact that it can be washed indicates that the designer had in mind the condition several years from now, rather than the state right after unpacking.
How do I see this cat tree issue now?
Now let me summarize again.
The criteria I use to choose a cat tree are actually quite "programmer"-like:
1.Is the structure stable?
2.Is the behavioral path reasonable?
3.Can it be maintained over a long period of time?
4.Does it disrupt the overall spatial experience?
If a goth cat tree can make sense at all these points, then it is basically unlikely to have any problems.
And when you start to view the cat furniture from this perspective, you will find:
This is not about buying something for the cat, but about designing a way of cohabitation.
At this point, my program has just finished running.
The cat was sleeping soundly in the middle layer of that solid wood cat tree.
The entire space was quiet, unified, and there were no extra things "calling attention to themselves" to me.
For me, this is already a very good design outcome.