Where Should I Put My Cat Tree?

One thing that many cat owners do not think about is decorating their house for their brand-new feline companions. After all, cats are known for having one of the more aloof personalities out of all the animals that people will have and adore as their faithful companions. Despite this misconception, many people love and care for their cats, and their cats will also show that affection right back at their owners as long as the owners know what to look for.

One of the most daunting tasks is going to be to try and decide where the largest piece of cat-related furniture is going to go. Depending on the kind of life your cat is going to have, there’s a good chance that the largest or most cumbersome piece of cat furniture is going to be the cat tree. While you might think of the cat tree as something that belongs in the corner, there are actually some places where a cat tree can end up being beneficial for everyone. Of course, this will depend on the nature and features of the cat tree.

It Depends on Your Cat

In short, it is going to depend heavily on your cat and your cat’s personality where your cat tree is going to be best suited to in your house. Cats who enjoy being able to crawl and hide in a small compartment of the cat tree are not going to appreciate having the cat tree be in the center of the house. Likewise, cats who enjoy climbing to the very top of the room to look down upon its world are not going to want the cat tree crammed into some corner where it cannot perch on. You, as the owner of the cat, are going to get a better handle on what your cat’s personality traits are like, and you will be able to fine-tune the optimization for the cat tree from there.

You will also want to try and cater to your cat’s interests as much as you can. A good example would be if you notice that your cat particularly appreciates a certain room of the house and wants to be in that room for the majority of its time, then a cat tree in that room would make sense. If a cat tends to stray away from highly trafficked areas of the house, then you may want to try and store the cat tree in a corner farther away from the main bustle of the house, no matter how much you may want to see your cats relaxing in the tree. Much of choosing the right placement for the cat tree is going to depend on your cat and what it wants out of your house.

What Cats Universally Love

However, with that being said, there are some ways that you can tackle the big question of where to put cat tree without necessarily knowing what your cat likes or dislikes yet. One of the most universally loved locations for a cat tree is always going to be by the window. Not only do window sills provide some degree of elevation for your cat to relax on, but it also provides a view to the world outside of the house. Most people can agree that this is something that any cat would appreciate. Having a cat tree that has a view of a window does not necessarily mean that the window needs to be blocked off though. In some cases, it can mean that you simply need to purchase a cat tree with longer “branches” for the perches. With enough finessing, you could easily be able to make a larger cat tree work in this type of situation.

If windows are not quite an option for you and your cat, then you may want to consider simply purchasing a cat tree that reaches up as high as your cats are willing to climb. Some older cats, even if they want to climb to the ceiling, may not be able to climb tall cat trees for long periods of time. Regardless of this fact, when you purchase a cat tree, you are going to want to try and put it in an area of the house where the cat will feel that it is tall and has a good view of the surrounding area. Cats appreciate being able to watch what is happening below them, and they may even enjoy it. This means that staircases and unobstructed corners of rooms can work well for just about any cat tree out there.

Places for Shorter Cat Trees

Some cat trees do not have to be tall and towering things that you add to your home. Some cat trees can be fairly simple pillars with a single platform on them. For these smaller, more compact cat trees, there are some more specialized places that you can choose to put them in the house that your cat may truly appreciate. A good place for the cat trees during the winter is going to be near a source of warmth. This could be (within safe distance of) the fireplace, a heating vent, a radiator, or anything along these lines. A heat source to warm up the cat tree is going to be the perfect way to attract a cat to the tree. You may also want to consider placing the cat tree near the foot of a windowsill so the cat can sit, sleep, and watch the outdoors from the comfort of its very own custom cat tree.

Places for Larger Cat Trees

If you have a larger cat tree to work with and you have enough space to arrange your room around the cat tree, then you may want to consider some other options for your cat tree. Some people will consider fencing and wiring their porches or balconies in and keeping the cat tree outside. This may be more maintenance and cleaning from any rain or snow, but it will allow your cat to experience the taste of the outdoors, which is especially interesting to an entirely indoor cat. Before going with this, you should always make sure that your porch is entirely fenced in and that there is no possibility of your cats getting out.

You could also consider placing the cat tree in a hallway. This area of the house will be highly trafficked, but your cat may feel safer if it has a perceived vantage point over the rest of the hallway. This allows your cat to enjoy seeing all of the people who are walking by and passing through the hallway. At the same time, it will offer your cat enough seclusion and privacy that your cat will be able to relax and sleep in peace if you choose to leave the cat tree in the hall. For cats who enjoy feeling as if they are in control of the house, and subsequently you, being able to look down on everyone in quite the literal sense is something that your cat would appreciate greatly.

These are just a few suggestions of where you could place the cat trees around the house. No matter what size the cat tree is, how populated the house is with cats, and no matter how much you love your cats, you can rest assured knowing that being able to place a cat tree in the best possible spot in your home is going to make your cat’s whole world light up.