Small Cat Tree vs Large Cat Tree: What Cats Actually Need
One thing my cat taught me: often, buying bigger doesn't mean you're buying right.
Last month, while organizing the storage room, I came across a photo.
The photo was taken four years ago.
There's an extremely exaggerated cat tree in the picture.
It's rising so fast it's almost touching the ceiling.
Gray velvet.
Seven or eight platforms.
Looks like something you'd only see at a pet show.
And Leo was crouched inside a cardboard box nearby.
That's right.
A cat tree worth over two hundred dollars is right next to it.
It chose free cardboard boxes instead.
I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that photo.
Because at that time, I really couldn't understand.
Why doesn't it like something I spent so much money to buy?
Later, after living with cats for a long time, I realized that many problems weren't actually the cat's fault.
And within ourselves.
When I first started raising Leo, I was especially easily swayed by advertisements.
Seeing another person's cat lounging at the top of a tall cat tree, like a king surveying his kingdom.
I also want to buy one for Leo.
After buying it, I found that it didn't look anything like it did in the advertisement.
Its favorite spot remains by the window.
To be precise, it was the corner by the window that had already turned slightly pale from the sun.
Around ten in the morning, sunlight streams in just right.
It will jump up.
Curling up into an orange furry ball.
He sleeps for two or three hours at a time.
At that moment, I suddenly realized an issue.
Cats may not seek "more" in the same way humans do.
They care more about being "comfortable."
Why I Switched to a Small Cat Tree
Later, we moved.
This is where things began to change.
The new apartment isn't very big.
At least it's much smaller than before.
After the moving company left, I stood in the living room looking at the huge cat tree and for the first time seriously pondered a question.
Is it really worth taking up so much space?
The answer is actually quite obvious.
Not worth it.
Leo hasn't used it most of the time over the past year.
The only place I actually spend time in regularly is the platform at the very bottom.
The remaining part is more like a decoration.
So I gave it to my friend.
To be honest, I actually felt a bit relieved when the mover carried it away.
The living room suddenly became much more spacious.
It was from that time on that I started paying attention to small cat trees.
The initial reason was particularly realistic.
Just because there's no space at home for a large one.
Later it turned out that the compact design actually better suited Leo's habits.
It prefers to be slightly above the ground.
But not too high.
I like having a small space where I can curl up and nest.
Also likes having a place to scratch.
The requirement is actually very simple.
Much simpler than merchants imagine.
The Most Important Thing: Stability
Once a friend came to my house.
He keeps two Maine Coon cats at home.
They are all quite large in size.
Seeing the cat tree Leo is currently using, his first reaction was:
"Isn't this going to wobble?"
I even shook it twice on purpose.
Absolutely still.
Then he nodded.
That's fine.
Looking back now, this was probably the most authentic criterion for purchasing.
It's not about whether it looks good or not.
It's not about how many layers there are.
but whether it's stable or not.
Cats actually care about this matter a lot.
The large cat tree used to look impressive.
But every time Leo jumps on it, it slightly sways.
People might think it's nothing.
The cat doesn't think so.
They are astonishingly sensitive to such details.
Later I found out that many people now place great emphasis on wobble-free designs when choosing cat trees.
The reason is simple.
Stability directly determines whether a cat is willing to use it.
→ Shop Small Cat Trees Now
Why Furniture-Style Cat Trees Make Sense
There's another change I never expected before.
The house looks much more comfortable.
The traditional cat trees used to give me an indescribable sense of discomfort.
The living room clearly has wooden furniture.
Suddenly, a dusty, furry monster appeared in the corner.
Especially jarring.
After being exposed to some solid wood designs, I finally understood why more and more people are drawn to furniture-grade cat furniture.
Because it really looks like furniture.
Not pet supplies.
Placing it there won't disrupt the entire space.
Instead, it feels as if it has always belonged here.
I've always felt that good design has one particular characteristic.
You won't notice it all the time.
It simply exists in silence.
Be effective when needed.
Blend into the background when not needed.
A bit like the bookshelf at home.
Or the dining table.
Cat furniture is actually the same.
Over the years, I've seen quite a few products that were designed in an overly extravagant way.
Yet in the end, it's often the ones that seem the simplest that remain.
Wood.
Cushion.
Grab the pole.
No extra items.
Yet it is used every day.
What Cats Really Need
Leo is almost seven years old this year.
It has become much quieter compared to when I was a child.
Used to love running around the house.
Now I prefer to find a spot to watch outside the window.
A stray orange cat passes by downstairs every day.
It's bigger in size than it.
Every time that guy appears, Leo immediately sits up straight.
Like a security team leader responsible for community safety.
Sometimes I cook in the kitchen.
You can see it sitting there just by turning around.
Still as a statue.
I can watch for twenty minutes.
Even half an hour.
To be honest.
I still don't know what exactly it's looking at.
But it clearly enjoyed it.
Over the years of raising cats, I've gradually come to a realization.
Many people think cats need more toys.
More devices.
More consumption.
What cats truly want is often remarkably simple.
A spot to sunbathe.
A safe little nest.
A place to sharpen claws.
A corner from which to observe the world.
That's all.
So now, if someone asks me whether a small cat tree is worth buying.
I probably won't directly answer whether it's worth it or not.
I would ask in return.
Where does your cat usually like to stay the most?
Because the answer is actually hidden there.
The cat has long told you what it needs.
Most of the time, though, we don't really listen.