Do Cats Sleep in Cat Trees?

Whether you are taking care of cats for the first time or you are simply curious about the way your cats think and react to the world that you have created for them, there may come a time when you realize that you aren’t quite sure if your cat uses all of the accessories and toys that you have bought for your cat. After all, cats have quite the reputation for not caring about what their owners have purchased for them, so it would make sense that one would be worried about their cat not using something that was bought for them. This is especially the case with cat furniture that is on the larger side of things, such as cat trees.

Cat trees are considered to be the indoor equivalent to the large and sprawling trees that you can see in your yard. Most cat trees are designed to be tall enough for your cat to climb, have a good and scratch-friendly material on the “trunk” of the cat tree, and will usually have more than a few platforms for the cat to sit on and possibly rest on. Of course, these platforms then beg the question of whether they will use them as they are supposed to be used. There are certainly some cases where cats will not care about the platforms that are on the cat trees. However, most cats will love and enjoy the platforms that are on the cat tree.

How Do Cats Use Cat Tree Platforms?

Cats will use the platforms, or the “branches,” of the cat tree for a variety of reasons. The main intent of these platforms is to provide a comfortable place for your cat to sit down and watch the rest of your house at. Many cats appreciate being able to watch their “territory” from an elevated point of view, as this will allow the cat to watch the entirety of their territory at once. This is one of the many reasons why cats can be found on shelves, countertops, tables, and any point in your house that is off the floor. Chances are that if you have purchased a cat tree, you will find your cat sitting on one of the platforms contentedly watching and surveying its territory.

Cats who are in a more playful mood in a multi-cat household may also take to the perches of a cat tree for their daily dose of playtime. One of the common ways that cats will play with each other is simulating a hunt. You can usually recognize this when cats chase each other around the house well into the late hours of the night. To cats who are pretending to hunt each other, the branches of a cat tree are going to be the perfect place to get the job done. Not only will they be able to continue chasing each other, but by adding the dimension of height, they will be able to hide and climb, adding a whole separate level to their play time. Many cats appreciate having a cat tree to play with for this reason.

Finally, many cats may find that their cat tree is a wonderful place to sleep. More often than not, the perches of the cat tree will be up and away from the ground, making them a bit calmer and quieter than other places in the house. Depending on the placement and the type of cat tree, there may even be some perches that will be warmer from the sunlight, or there may be parts of the cat tree that a cat could hide in. Assuming that the cat is comfortable in the house and it enjoys sitting on the cat tree, it is very likely that you will come across your cat sleeping in the cat tree one day. Cat trees are often quite comfortable for cats, and for this reason, more than a few cats may find that the cat tree is the perfect place to take a nap, especially in the midday sun.

Can You Make the Cat Tree More Appealing?

If you want to try and urge your cat to sleep in the cat tree, there are a couple ways that you can go about doing this. It should go without saying that because all cats are different creatures with their own thoughts and feelings, some of these solutions may be more effective than others at getting your cat to relax on the cat tree. There are some cats that will be perfectly happy on the tree, even if you don’t do anything and there are some cats who will immediately lose their interest in the tree the moment you change something about it. You will know your cats best and what they prefer and dislike.

One way that you could try and urge your cat to sleep in the cat tree is to move a cat bed, a blanket, or something soft that the cat usually prefers sleeping on to one of the perches of the cat tree. If there is an object that the cat regularly associates with “sleep” on one of the perches of the cat tree, then there’s a better chance that the cat will move its preferred sleeping location onto that perch of the cat tree. This works best with favorite blankets and cloth that the cat sleeps on, but using a cat bed may also get the job done.

You could also consider moving the cat tree into a location that will make the cat more enticed to sleep on it. This could be beside a window that gets a fair amount of sunlight during the day. Just about everyone knows just how much cats enjoy lazing about in the sunlight. You could also consider simply picking up and placing your cat on one of the perches of the cat tree and petting it there. By doing this, your cat may come to associate sitting on the cat tree with pets and relaxation, leading to it becoming relaxed and happy on the tree. These are just a few of the ways you can try and get your cat to sleep on top of the cat tree, as watching a cat curl up in one of the cat tree perches is something that many people can appreciate the sight of. Your cat will also likely appreciate being able to have a comfortable place to sleep as well.