Why Did We Make This Cat Tree Nearly 71 Inches Tall?
A Mewzoom Product Designer on Large Cats, Multi-Cat Homes, and the Value of Vertical Space
As a product designer, I get asked a deceptively simple question about this cat tree all the time:
Why make it this tall?
Our Mewswing 71" Tall Large Cat Tree stands approximately 70.87 inches tall, with a base measuring about 23.2 × 23.2 inches. It’s definitely tall. But making a tall cat tree was never the point.
The real challenge was figuring out how to give cats more room to climb, play, rest, and look around—especially large cats and cats living in multi-cat homes—without taking up a huge amount of floor space.
That led us to one simple idea:
Go up instead of out.
I like to think of the result as a small cat apartment. Instead of spreading everything across the floor, we built different spaces into the vertical space above it.
Why 70.87 Inches?
There’s nothing inherently better about making a cat tree taller.
If height were the only goal, we could have kept adding inches. But the taller a cat tree gets, the more you have to think about the relationship between its height, footprint, platforms, structure, and the way cats actually move through it.
For this design, the current dimensions are approximately:
- Height: 70.87 inches
- Base: 23.2 × 23.2 inches
- Product weight: approximately 37 lbs
The important part isn’t the number 70.87 by itself.
It’s what that height gives us without requiring a much larger footprint.
Many homes simply don’t have extra floor space for a large piece of pet furniture. That’s especially true in apartments, smaller living rooms, or homes where you don’t want the cat tree to take over the room.
So instead of making the base bigger, we used more of the space that was already there—the space above the floor.
We Wanted Cats to Have Somewhere to Go, Not Just Somewhere to Sit
A single platform at the top would have been easy.
It also wouldn’t have been enough.
This tree has multiple platforms at different heights, including a top platform approximately 15 inches in diameter, side platforms approximately 14.2 inches in diameter, and a hanging basket approximately 15.4 inches in diameter.
Those dimensions matter, but what matters more is how the levels connect.
A cat can start low, climb upward, stop for a break, move to another level, look around the room, and eventually settle wherever it feels most comfortable.
For indoor cats that enjoy climbing, that movement is part of the enrichment.
The tree isn’t just giving them a destination. It gives them a route.
Large Cats Need More Than Weight Capacity
One of the things we paid particular attention to was the needs of larger cats.
A large cat needs more usable space to turn around, sit, stretch, curl up, and land comfortably. So we weren’t satisfied with asking whether a platform could simply hold the cat.
We wanted to know whether the cat could actually use the space comfortably.
The top platform is approximately 15 inches in diameter, with side platforms around 14.2 inches.
And if you live with a large cat, you probably already know that “comfortable” is a very subjective concept.
Some cats curl into a tiny ball.
Some stretch out as far as they can.
And some large cats somehow manage to sleep with half their body hanging off the edge of the bed.
They seem perfectly happy with this arrangement.
That’s why platform dimensions matter. A platform can be strong enough to support a cat and still not give that cat much room to settle in.
Why Solid Wood?
A nearly 71-inch-tall cat tree has to handle real movement.
Cats jump onto it. They jump off. They turn around, scratch, climb between levels, and occasionally decide to launch themselves somewhere without warning.
In a multi-cat home, two or more cats may be moving around at the same time.
That makes stability a dynamic problem, not just a question of how much weight the structure can hold.
The tree uses a solid-wood structure and weighs approximately 37 lbs. But material is only one part of the equation.
Base size, overall height, connection points, installation, floor conditions, and placement all matter.
That’s why we recommend assembling the tree properly, placing it on a level surface, and positioning it against a wall or in a corner whenever practical. The product information also recommends this type of placement to help reduce lateral movement and improve stability, especially for large or active cats.
In other words, solid wood helps, but solid wood alone doesn’t determine stability.
Cats Don’t Just Sleep
We could have designed one oversized bed and called it a cat tree.
But cats use this kind of furniture for much more than sleeping.
They climb.
They watch.
They scratch.
They play.
And, eventually, they sleep.
That’s why the design includes sisal scratching areas as part of the climbing route.
Cats naturally grip surfaces and stretch their bodies while climbing. Having scratching surfaces built into the tree means they don’t have to leave the area every time they want to scratch.
From a design standpoint, we prefer features that work together rather than a collection of unrelated add-ons.
The Hanging Basket Is an Option, Not a Requirement
The hanging basket is one of the more distinctive parts of the design.
At approximately 15.4 inches in diameter, it gives cats another place to rest, with a softer and slightly more enclosed feel than a fixed platform.
Some cats will love that.
Some won’t.
And I wouldn’t tell customers otherwise.
Cats have strong individual preferences. One cat may immediately claim the basket, while another may ignore it completely and sleep on the platform next to it.
That’s exactly why we designed it as a choice.
Good cat furniture should give cats options instead of assuming every cat wants the same thing.
After all, cats generally aren’t interested in following the designer’s instructions.
What Changes When You Have Multiple Cats?
In a multi-cat home, the issue isn’t necessarily that you need a bigger cat tree.
It’s that several cats may want access to the same space at the same time.
If three cats share a home and there’s only one favorite spot, somebody is eventually going to have to give it up.
Multiple levels change that dynamic.
One cat can take the top platform.
Another can use a side platform.
A third can settle into the basket.
They’re sharing one piece of furniture while still having some personal space.
The current product page positions the tree for households with up to four cats. That doesn’t mean four cats can safely use every part of the tree simultaneously under every circumstance.
Cats vary in size, temperament, activity level, and willingness to share.
And when multiple large cats are moving around at once, proper placement and structural stability become even more important.
A Note About the 80–100 lb Weight Capacity
This is one specification that deserves a little context.
The product information lists an overall static weight capacity of approximately 80–100 lbs, while individual padded platforms support up to approximately 33 lbs of static weight.
The important word is static.
A static load is not the same thing as a cat jumping onto a platform.
For example, a 20-pound cat lying quietly on a platform is very different from a 20-pound cat jumping down onto it from another level.
So the 80–100 lb figure shouldn’t be read as a simple formula for how many pounds of cats can use the tree at once.
If you have a large cat—or several cats—consider body size, movement, platform dimensions, installation, and placement together.
Don’t just pull out a calculator and add up the pounds.
Where Should You Put a 71-Inch Cat Tree?
The height makes placement especially important.
With a base of approximately 23.2 × 23.2 inches and an overall height of nearly 71 inches, this is a substantial vertical structure.
We generally recommend placing it against a wall, in a corner, or in an appropriate location near a window.
That can help reduce lateral movement, but there’s another benefit: cats actually get more out of the upper levels when they have something interesting to look at.
Near a window, the top platform can become an observation post.
Birds. Leaves moving in the wind. Passing cars. People outside.
For an indoor cat, all of that can be surprisingly interesting.
So when we talk about vertical space, we’re really talking about more than climbing.
We’re also creating observation space.
We Also Wanted It to Look at Home in Your Home
A cat tree isn’t something you put away after playtime.
It lives in your home.
Usually in the living room, bedroom, near a window, or somewhere else that you and your family see every day.
So we didn’t want the design to feel like a piece of pet equipment dropped into an otherwise finished room.
The combination of solid wood and soft, plush elements gives it a look that’s closer to modern home furniture.
That said, a 70.87-inch cat tree is never going to be invisible.
It’s big.
We weren’t trying to hide that.
We just wanted it to feel like something that belongs in the room while still doing its job for the cat.
And Yes, We Thought About Cat Hair
There’s no getting around this one.
Cat hair gets everywhere.
So the experience of owning a cat tree isn’t just about whether your cat loves it on the first day. It’s also about whether you still want to take care of it months later.
Care recommendations include regularly vacuuming the soft areas, cleaning removable or washable cushions according to their care instructions, and wiping down the solid-wood frame.
I think the easiest approach is to treat it like any other piece of furniture.
You don’t need to deep-clean it every day.
Just keep the loose hair under control and check the cushions and scratching areas regularly.
If you have a large cat, you may want to do that a little more often.
Large cats can produce an impressive amount of fur.
Is This the Right Cat Tree for Your Cat?
We had a few types of cats in mind when we designed it:
- Large cats
- Multi-cat households
- Indoor cats that enjoy climbing
- Cats that like being up high and watching what’s happening around them
The product page lists Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian, and British Shorthair among the applicable breeds.
But breed alone shouldn’t make the decision for you.
Look at your actual cat.
How much does your cat weigh?
How long is its body?
Does it like to stretch out or curl up?
Does it enjoy climbing?
Does it prefer a fixed platform or a hanging basket?
Do you have more than one cat?
Those details are usually more useful than the breed name itself.
Two Maine Coons can have completely different body sizes and personalities. The same is true of almost any breed.
If I Had to Sum Up the Design
I wouldn’t describe this as simply a 71-inch cat tree.
I’d describe it as a way to create more usable space for cats without taking up much more floor space.
The design comes down to six things:
1.Vertical space — 70.87 inches of height without an oversized footprint.
2.Solid-wood construction — the foundation of the multi-level structure.
3.Multiple platforms — different places to climb, pause, and rest.
4.A high observation area — a place to watch the room and relax.
5.A 15.4-inch hanging basket — another option for cats that like softer, more enclosed spaces.
6.Sisal scratching areas — scratching surfaces built directly into the activity route.
None of those features is especially complicated on its own.
What matters is how they work together.
The goal wasn’t to build a cat tree that simply looks tall.
It was to create a piece of vertical space that supports climbing, observation, resting, and scratching.
Before You Bring It Home
If you’re considering a cat tree this tall, I’d check six things first.
1. Measure the floor space.
Make sure the approximately 23.2 × 23.2-inch base has enough room to sit securely and level.
2. Measure the vertical clearance.
At 70.87 inches tall, check the ceiling as well as nearby lights, shelves, furniture, and other potential obstructions.
3. Check the floor.
A tall structure is more sensitive to uneven flooring.
4. Think about placement.
A wall, corner, or suitable window area is generally preferable.
5. Watch your cat after installation.
Pay attention to how your cat gets on and off the tree and whether you notice excessive movement during normal use.
6. Understand the weight rating.
The 80–100 lb figure refers to static load. It isn’t a simple maximum combined cat-weight limit.
Why Vertical Space Matters
If I had to choose one idea that explains this entire product, it wouldn’t be 71 inches.
It wouldn’t be 100 pounds.
It wouldn’t even be solid wood.
It would be:
Vertical space.
Cats need room.
But most homes can’t keep getting bigger just to give them more of it.
So we looked at something that often goes unused: the space above the floor.
A footprint of approximately 23.2 × 23.2 inches extends upward to approximately 70.87 inches, creating multiple levels for different activities and different personalities.
One cat may want to be at the very top.
Another may prefer a lower platform.
One may want to watch the window.
Another may curl up in the basket.
They don’t have to want the same thing.
And they don’t always have to share the same spot.
If one piece of cat furniture can give multiple cats more choices without asking the owner to give up the entire living-room floor, then I think it has done what we designed it to do.
Of course, no cat tree is right for every cat.
If your cat doesn’t enjoy climbing, doesn’t care for a hanging basket, or simply prefers spending most of its time on the floor, then 70.87 inches of vertical space may not be what it needs.
That’s part of designing for cats: accepting that we don’t get the final say.
The cat is always the end user.
We can decide the dimensions, materials, structure, and features.
But the cat decides whether it will actually sleep there tomorrow.
And to me, that’s one of the most important things good cat furniture should respect.
