How a Large Cat Tree Changed My Life as a Cat Owner
How did I become a qualified pet owner by being taught on a "large cat tree"?
To tell you the truth, you might not believe it, but I used to be the kind of person who would seriously reason with cats.
Yes, it's the kind of situation where you're woken up at three in the morning and then try to sit up and tell the cat,
"You're doing this wrong. We still have to go to work tomorrow."
Later, I realized a harsh truth:
Cats simply don't care about your KPIs.
They only care about one thing —
Whether there is a place where they can jump, climb or look down upon you, this "useless human".
And my real transformation began from the moment I started researching "large cat tree".
Cats are not animals that live on the ground (at least they don't think so themselves)
When my first cat arrived, I prepared a delicate little cat bed for it and placed it in the quietest spot in the living room.
So what happened?
It slept on top of the closet every day.
At that moment, I realized that the concept of "comfort" that I understood was completely different from what the cat understood.
What the cat wants is —
- High
- Safety
- Can observe every move you make
In simple terms, they like to act as "security cameras".
Later, I did a lot of research and observed for a long time. Eventually, I came to accept a reality:
If there is no vertical space in the house, cats will create it themselves — even at the cost of your bookshelf, curtains and your dignity.
Why the "Large Cat Tree" Can Change Everything
Many people think that a cat tree is just "something to buy later", but now I would directly say:
If you live in an apartment, then it is basically a necessity.
And even the small ones won't do. A large cat tree is really what's needed.
The reason is quite simple —
1.One floor is simply not enough. Cats need to have "separate living areas".
You can observe the daily life of a cat. In fact, it is quite particular:
- The place for eating should not be too noisy.
- The place for sleeping should be elevated.
- The place for daydreaming should have a view.
- Occasionally, one also needs a corner where "no one can bother me".
A regular cat bed cannot meet these needs, but a well-designed large cat tree can.
It is essentially a "cat duplex apartment".
2. It is the gym for cats, and it is also your lifeline.
In the past, I would spend every day playing with the cat until it got tired. Otherwise, I wouldn't need to sleep at night.
Later, there were large cat trees, and the cats could play on them for the entire day:
Jumping up and down, running around, and even scratching the pillars along the way.
My most obvious feeling is that —
It no longer regards my sofa as a tool for emotional expression.
This is of crucial importance.
3. If you have a multi-cat household? Then don't hesitate!
When I got my second cat, for a while, our house was like a real-life version of a power struggle drama.
Competing for territory, vying for positions, and keeping an eye on each other.
Later, I added a more complex "large cat tree", and the situation immediately improved a lot.
Because they can finally:
- One is the "king" at the top level
- One is a "commoner" in the middle layer
- Occasionally they ignore each other and just live their own lives happily
Once space is made three-dimensional, conflicts will be reduced.
The pitfalls I've encountered: Not all cat trees are worth purchasing
To be honest, I was once fooled by a "seemingly luxurious" cat tree too.
That photo is very nice, but it's the kind that the cat doesn't like to use after being on it twice.
Later, I came up with several very practical criteria:
1.Stability is 100 times more important than appearance.
Once the cat feels unstable, it will no longer trust this thing.
You might think it's just a slight shake, but in the eyes of a cat, that would be considered a "seismic level".
Especially for larger cats, or those that like to pounce —
Their structure is unstable and they simply fall apart.
2. The space should be truly functional, not just an ornament.
Some cat beds may seem large, but once the cat gets inside, it gets stuck.
Some platforms are very high, but there is no transition in the middle, so the cat simply doesn't bother to climb up.
A good design should be such that:
The cat doesn't need to think, and knows exactly how to move.
3. The material determines whether you will collapse in the future.
Cheap fabric = becomes frayed
Poor-quality hemp rope = starts to fall apart
Later on, I preferred the wooden-structured styles. Firstly, they were stable. Secondly, they were durable. And they didn't look like "pet disaster scenes".
Once, I was "slapped in the face" at a friend's house.
I have always been skeptical about those seemingly "high-end" cat climbing structures.
It wasn't until one time when I visited a friend's house that I saw a large cat tree from Mewzoom.
At first glance, I thought:
"How could this thing be so much like a proper piece of furniture?"
For the next half an hour, I was mainly observing the cat.
That rather large cat moved very naturally on it:
- Slowly crawl up from the bottom to the middle layer
- Stop on the platform for a moment
- Then jump to the top layer and lie down flat
The entire process was smooth, without hesitation, without any wavering, and without any expression of "I don't want to go up".
What surprised me the most were several details:
- It has a dedicated food bowl area to avoid clutter on the floor.
- Each layer has ample space, not for decoration purposes.
- The cushions are washable (and I will remember this for the rest of my life).
At that moment, I understood one thing:
Whether a cat tree is useful or not does not depend on whether you think it looks good or not, but on whether it feels comfortable or not.
Will the large cat tree take up too much space?
At first, I was also very reluctant to accept it.
The place where I live is not very large; it's a typical urban apartment.
At first, I was also worried:
"Will this thing make the living room look like a pet store?"
But later it was discovered that the key actually lies in the choice.
1.Choose the right style, and it becomes an integral part of the furniture.
Nowadays, many designs have tended towards modern simplicity, featuring wood and neutral colors.
Placed in the corner, it is actually tidier than a pile of scattered cat supplies.
2. It is "utilizing space upwards", not occupying space.
Rather than buying a bunch of cat beds, toys and scratching posts, it's better to have a comprehensive large cat tree.
You will find that the ground becomes even more refreshing.
3. Once a fixed position is established, the cat will regard it as its "territory".
Cats are animals that are very particular about their territory.
Once it decides that a certain area belongs to it, it will reduce its "invasion" of other regions.
In simple terms —
If you give it a kingdom, it won't try to take your sofa.
Real Change: I finally don't have to negotiate in the middle of the night anymore.
After replacing the large cat tree, my quality of life has improved significantly:
- The number of midnight bursts has dropped significantly.
- Furniture damage has decreased noticeably.
- The cat is more independent and no longer constantly follows me.
- Finally, I can enjoy a cup of coffee without worrying about it spilling.
The most important thing is that I began to understand cats, rather than trying to "modify cats".
Final Note: Raising a cat is not about control; it's about negotiation (and you need to have leverage)
If you are still hesitating whether to buy the large cat tree or not, I won't directly persuade you.
But I can say quite honestly:
Cats won't change themselves to fit your house, but they will make use of all the resources you provide for them.
The question is —
What did you give it?
A decent "tree",
Or your curtains, bookshelves and patience?
It took me a long time to figure this out.
If you could have figured it out earlier, you might have bought fewer sofas.