# Searching for my first cat tree/condo



## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Hi,
I've been looking online for about a week, for a kitty condo. I have two cats, Harpo and Opee, 10lbs. and 15lbs. respectively (and 10 and almost 9yrs old). We've lived together in a large 2-story house since they were kittens. Harpo has quite a bit of anxiety because of his cystitis condition. Opee adores Harpo, and Harpo is sometimes irritable with Opee. They don't sleep together, but eat together sometimes. 

My living situation is changing and I will be bringing Opee into my bedroom at night, where Harpo sleeps every night. So it's time for a kitty condo. Harpo is very agile and quite the climber. Opee not so much. Harpo also can be very rambunctious with Opee, so this condo needs to be VERY sturdy.

I want to make a great decision about the condo, considering both their needs. It will have several perches, two hideaways (one high and one low) and will be at least 6' tall. I have several condos bookmarked. The manufacturers I'm looking at are Amarkat, Go Pet Club, Solvit Kitty'scape (my favorite in uniqueness), and Kitty Mansions. All the others seem to be out of my price range. My top price is $150.

I've read scores of reviews. I'm asking you, out there, my cat loving friends, which brands are best and worst? 

:wolfie :wolfie

Many thanks,
Judy

p.s. I want to order it by June 5th.


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## Fae (May 25, 2013)

I don't know about brands, but I've seen on My Cat From H*ll that high, open (uncovered) spaces and walkways can be good for anxious cats. Of course, there's more to it than that, but I just thought I'd bring it up.

Have you thought about getting some IKEA floating shelves? They're a lot cheaper than designated cat shelves and pretty sturdy, though I'm not sure if there's one that would hold both cats at once. There probably is.

I haven't used them myself (yet!) but the neat thing about them is you can basically choose how the "cat wall tree" is set up, and it isn't super expensive to buy a new part.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

*Cat tree/wall shelves*

Thanks, Fae, for the ideas. I would love to have wall shelves for the cats, and I always wonder how big/deep the holes in the walls would be. If it needs to hold a cat that weighs 15 lbs. I think it could be a major hole(s).

I also watch My Cat From **** and there are great ideas. I don't own this house and don't want to make any more big holes in the walls. 

I would really love to have a catwalk. I've seen some cool ones on TV.


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

I really wanted to get the Kitty Mansions Honolulu tree (and pull off the stupid fake leaves), but went with the Trixie Sancho (



) because it was $30 less expensive and our cat never uses floor-level hidey holes. I also went with one that was shorter than 6 feet because... well, I'm only 5'7", and I wanted to make sure I could get the cat OFF the highest shelf if I had to.

The Trixie ones are really good build quality, though. I've never had an armakat (which seems to be the standard), but the Trixie one is way sturdier and less wobbly than the ones you get at Petland or petco or petcetera or whatever. I think it's because they don't have any hanging edges (like the Solvit ones seem to) where a 15lb cat jumping on them could cause a problem. My cat can leap, from the ground, onto the top post, and climb to the perch, with barely a wobble. 

Just a not about the trixie one, though. Io's 7lbs and get through the hole on the 3rd level fine, but a 15lb cat might have problems.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

*Cat Trees*



Jacq said:


> I really wanted to get the Kitty Mansions Honolulu tree (and pull off the stupid fake leaves), but went with the Trixie Sancho (here) because it was $30 less expensive and our cat never uses floor-level hidey holes. I also went with one that was shorter than 6 feet because... well, I'm only 5'7", and I wanted to make sure I could get the cat OFF the highest shelf if I had to.
> 
> The Trixie ones are really good build quality, though. I've never had an armakat (which seems to be the standard), but the Trixie one is way sturdier and less wobbly than the ones you get at Petland or petco or petcetera or whatever. I think it's because they don't have any hanging edges (like the Solvit ones seem to) where a 15lb cat jumping on them could cause a problem. My cat can leap, from the ground, onto the top post, and climb to the perch, with barely a wobble.
> 
> Just a not about the trixie one, though. Io's 7lbs and get through the hole on the 3rd level fine, but a 15lb cat might have problems.


Jacq, thank you for recommending Trixie cat trees. I had never heard of that line before. They look cute, but so far in my search I haven't found one that fits my criteria. And all of the Trixie's on Amazon had no reviews except the Honolulu had two reviews that weren't good, except your personal review on this forum that was great.

By the way, does your cat have clothes on?


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

I meant the Trixie Sancho.


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

You reminded me to leave a review. Thank you 
(The "Pet Supplies" section of Amazon Canada is only a few weeks old, which explains the lack of reviews). 

The tree I got is definitely not for larger cats, and the instructions are actually incomprehensible (many pieces are mislabeled on the instructions, and there's one point where all the posts are upsides down compared to the platforms :roll: ) but I managed to figure it out. For the price I'd buy a tree by this brand again.

My cat's wearing a hot dog costume in my avatar. She doesn't normally wear clothes but I couldn't resist. Here's the bigger version. And here's the thread with pics of the Trixie tree, if you'd like a sense of scale: http://www.catforum.com/forum/41-meet-my-kitty/192490-new-cat-tree.html


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

*Trixie cat trees*

Jacq, Your kitty looks so tiny! She's adorable. Thank you so much for the photos. I've read in several reviews that the instructions were terrible (for several manufacturers). Your cat tree is smaller than I want, but it's still great to see real photos especially with a kitty in action! Also, I'm glad that I reminded you to write and a review and an explanation of why there are hardly any reviews on Amazon.

From what I found earlier today the Trixie company is US based. Are they made in the US or China? Most of the cheaper ones are made in China.

Is that sisal rope or sea grass? I have sea grass on a cool free standing perch that I have in my bedroom, but Harpo doesn't scratch it. 

Did you have to "teach" your cool cat to use the first cat tree or did she find her way?


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

Aww, thank you! She's not the biggest fan of the haircut, but who cares when she's super cute, right?  
(And yes, she's tiny - 7lbs).

I "taught" her the tree belonged to her the way I do with any new toys or whatever. I use a treat or toy to lure her up onto the tree, into and out of the house, onto the top perch, and up and down through the hole on the 3rd level. Within about 10mins she was climbing all over it on her own, attacking the dangly ball. 
Since then she uses the house not-so-much (she's not really a hidey-hole cat) and often naps on or watches us from the high perch.

The posts are sea grass, definitely. What I meant about the visible staples is shown in this pic (ignore Ken - he's the cat's boyfriend):









I decided not to rewrap because the posts seems pretty sturdy and safe, and Io doesn't pick or chew on or bother the staples at all (and also because I'm too lazy to disassemble/reassemble haha). I know some cats don't like certain materials, but Io uses the seagrass about as often as she uses the sisal (cardboard is her favourite, though). I taught her to scratch a surface on command and I use that to show her where the "good" places to scratch are. Once I showed her the sea grass was OK she went with it.

I'm pretty sure it said "made in Germany" somewhere on the package, but I've thrown it away and can't confirm. I could be wrong there, though.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Ohhhh, really visible staples! Thanks for the photo. How do you do that with the red circle around the staple? Smartphone? Harpo's favorite scratching substrate is cardboard too! Hopefully Ken is a good boyfriend to Io.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

I have an Armarkat tree, it is very tall, has a crow's nest at the top, and Stephano, my kitten, that is his favorite place to rest. It is not the sturdiest tree out there, but it is by no means cheesy, it is solid enough. He runs up and down it all day. Yes, I have to agree that I don't think any cats use the hammocks or any lower hidey holes or places on the bottom of the trees. There is a pouch on the one we have, up high, and I have seen that get used on occasion. I only paid $89 for the Armarkat, it included shipping.

I also have one from Petsmart, that I probably paid $130 for. It is a little more sturdy than the Armarkat one. It is pretty no frills, has a top tier, a middle tier, and a round third tier that no one ever goes into, ever. My maine **** loves that one, it is in his room and he sleeps in the middle tier. He does not ever go on to the Armarkat one, for some reason. I think because the sitting areas are too small for his ginourmous behind  But my baby kitty sure loves the Armarkat tree, he LOVES it. 

I had a small one from "Go Pet Club" that my sister gave me, which was the junkiest thing I have ever seen. It was so wobbly, no matter how tightly you screw down the screws. I gave it to my daughter for her cat, which was fine when he was a kitten, and now he is a 10 month old behemoth, and it is way too wobbly for him, so he doesn't even use it. Read the reviews on Amazon, people will tell you how they feel about the different ones. That's what I did, and I think we scored pretty well with our Armarkat tree


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Howsefrau32, Thanks for the feedback. I'm loving everyone's responses. I think I'm considering this one: 



 although I can get it for $99.99 less $10 for using me Bill Me Later. I want 2 "condos" for the boys. It's by Go Pet Club and got good ratings. How big is your Maine ****?


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Has anyone ever returned a tree/condo because of poor quality? The condos I'm looking at are about 30 - 75 lbs. What a nightmare that would be.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Wayfair has some nice ones, too.

Cat Trees | Wayfair - Buy Cat Tower, Cat Tree Online


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I will add to my response that it also depends on the cat. Any well made cat tree will not stand up long to the onslaught of claws and chewing. My declawed cats (I adopt them that way so don't freak) would probably not cause undue wear on it at all, but other cats might tear them up in no time. My friend bought a great quality tree and after 3 years and 3 cats it looks horrible from the scratching and climbing with their claws.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Here is a guide of some things to look for when selecting cat furniture...

Choosing Quality Cat Furniture - 6 Important Factors | eBay


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## 0ozma (Sep 22, 2012)

As an alternative, I spent a little bit of time building my own. It is VERY sturdy, heavy, and durable. For what I made, it was much cheaper than they sell for in stores. All the trees I see in stores are very light-weight and if tall, the cats make them wobble just by jumping on/climbing them. I wanted my kitty to feel safe, and he loves it


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

I had the same experience as howsefrau32 and the "go Pet Club" tree. I have a very small one (maybe 3.5 feet high) with two platforms, two posts, and floor level hidey hole. Very very very wobbly, no matter how much you tighten it.

BUT, we "fixed" it by taking pennies, bread tabs, and folded up bits of cardboard and shoving them between the post and the bottom place where it screws in (think like fixing a wobbley desk). You have to push them in far enough that the cat doesn't think its a toy, but it fixed the wobble. We also put it against the dresser, so it's supported on two sides by the dresser and the wall. I wouldn't trust it to not to fall over if it were freestanding. To think the stupid thing cost something like $50 and is so crappy. I'm buying online from now on.

As an aside, have you thought about what material you'd like fore the normal part? We specifically went with the "faux fur" coverings because Io so far has no idea that carpet is nice to scratch, and we wanted to keep it that way and not encourage her with a carpeted tree.


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## swimmergurl1105 (May 30, 2013)

We have a "Go Pet Club" tower as well, which we like well enough. It's really tall, has lots of perches, and our cats like it. They do occasionally hide in the boxes in the bottom if they are feeling stressed. However, it is definitely a little wobbly (which my husband fixed with a couple screws), and we lean it against the wall for extra stability. No issues with tipping, etc so far. The ramps don't attach very well though, so those might get taken off. Also, the hanging toys got pulled off in about 4 seconds. We did cut the string off and it's now one of their favorite toys . All in all, nice and big, fair price, free shipping - not perfect but good for the value.

Amazon.com: Go Pet Club Cat Tree, 50W x 26L x 72H, Beige: Pet Supplies


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

judybean said:


> Howsefrau32, Thanks for the feedback. I'm loving everyone's responses. I think I'm considering this one: Amazon.com: Go Pet Club Brown 72" Cat Tree F2081: Pet Supplies although I can get it for $99.99 less $10 for using me Bill Me Later. I want 2 "condos" for the boys. It's by Go Pet Club and got good ratings. How big is your Maine ****?


My maine **** is only part maine ****, and he is about 15 pounds and 5 years old. I had no idea he was a maine **** until my vet said "this kitty is maine ****....at least part". He has a big fluffy coat, fur between his foot pads, has the distinctive funny mew, he eats with his paws, plays with his water. I read an article about maine coons and yep, my boy does all of those things that maine coons do. 

This cat tree you looked at does look nice, and the review are ok, but having had one of this brand, and hearing how wobbly they are, I would not waste my money on that brand. Returning would be awful, and you would probably have to pay at least $50 to ship it.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Thank you. I've been looking at wayfair.com too.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

0ozma said:


> As an alternative, I spent a little bit of time building my own. It is VERY sturdy, heavy, and durable. For what I made, it was much cheaper than they sell for in stores. All the trees I see in stores are very light-weight and if tall, the cats make them wobble just by jumping on/climbing them. I wanted my kitty to feel safe, and he loves it


I went down that path a few years ago and hired a guy to build a cat tree with specs from someone who builds them and sells them (way way out of my price range). They are the most gorgeous well-built cat trees I've ever seen. I have the structure built but I need someone with a drill press to drill the center holes in the posts. The guy who built it doesn't live around here any longer. I've tried to find another person to help finish off the structure, but to no avail. Some day I will go back to the project. It still needs the sisal rope and fabric covering for perches and condos.

I agree, when you're in control of the building, you'll usually get a much better product. Congratulations on doing it yourself!


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Marcia said:


> I will add to my response that it also depends on the cat. Any well made cat tree will not stand up long to the onslaught of claws and chewing. My declawed cats (I adopt them that way so don't freak) would probably not cause undue wear on it at all, but other cats might tear them up in no time. My friend bought a great quality tree and after 3 years and 3 cats it looks horrible from the scratching and climbing with their claws.


From what I've read here and elsewhere, it all seems to be based on chance. You might buy a brand that doesn't have a great reputation and it works great for you and you don't end up with a wobbly cat tree. Or the opposite, that you buy a brand with a good reputation and you have a terrible experience. Also, it seems the taller the cat tree, the greater the chance of having a wobbly one. This is frustrating.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Thank you, NebraskaCat, for the Choosing Quality Cat Furniture guidelines.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Jacq said:


> I had the same experience as howsefrau32 and the "go Pet Club" tree. I have a very small one (maybe 3.5 feet high) with two platforms, two posts, and floor level hidey hole. Very very very wobbly, no matter how much you tighten it.
> 
> BUT, we "fixed" it by taking pennies, bread tabs, and folded up bits of cardboard and shoving them between the post and the bottom place where it screws in (think like fixing a wobbley desk). You have to push them in far enough that the cat doesn't think its a toy, but it fixed the wobble. We also put it against the dresser, so it's supported on two sides by the dresser and the wall. I wouldn't trust it to not to fall over if it were freestanding. To think the stupid thing cost something like $50 and is so crappy. I'm buying online from now on.
> 
> As an aside, have you thought about what material you'd like fore the normal part? We specifically went with the "faux fur" coverings because Io so far has no idea that carpet is nice to scratch, and we wanted to keep it that way and not encourage her with a carpeted tree.


Hi Jacq, please refresh my memory: which brand cat tree cost you $50 that you've had to take almost everything from your own living space to prop the cat tree up with and not wobble? Geez...

I don't want carpet as the main material to cover the tree. I want some kind of faux fur (best quality possible). Harpo already scratches in all the wrong places. I have a lot of strands of Sticky Paws on various pieces of furniture downstairs. For about the last 6 months he's been scratching on the carpet when he gets excited, and also when he wants something. So, no carpet! I don't want to send him any more mixed messages. 

Some of the faux fur I've seen online looks very thin. If Harpo scratches the faux fur, then it won't last long. Opee is very appropriate with his scratching (he's practically purrfect). Opee has two scratching posts that are made of sisal fabric and they are the primary posts he scratches! He's such a good boy. There's a third "tree" in the house that a friend made several years ago and it has four posts wrapped with sisal rope and Harpo used to scratch on the posts until Opee started scratching. 

My plan when I get the tree/condo delivered is to introduce it to Harpo first when Opee is not there. My prayer is that Harpo claims a post or two or three.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

swimmergurl1105 said:


> We have a "Go Pet Club" tower as well, which we like well enough. It's really tall, has lots of perches, and our cats like it. They do occasionally hide in the boxes in the bottom if they are feeling stressed. However, it is definitely a little wobbly (which my husband fixed with a couple screws), and we lean it against the wall for extra stability. No issues with tipping, etc so far. The ramps don't attach very well though, so those might get taken off. Also, the hanging toys got pulled off in about 4 seconds. We did cut the string off and it's now one of their favorite toys . All in all, nice and big, fair price, free shipping - not perfect but good for the value.
> 
> Amazon.com: Go Pet Club Cat Tree, 50W x 26L x 72H, Beige: Pet Supplies


Thank you for your review. Your tree is one of the ones on my list. It fits my criteria. How thin is the faux fur? I plan to put the tree in my bedroom, which is quite large, against the wall, and facing the backyard. It seems that some of these tall trees require a wall to be the most stable.


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

judybean said:


> Hi Jacq, please refresh my memory: which brand cat tree cost you $50 that you've had to take almost everything from your own living space to prop the cat tree up with and not wobble? Geez...


Haha, when you put it that way it does sound a bit silly. The tree is this exact one (which has been on "sale" for two years :roll: ). The website doesn't say the brand, and I was sure it was Go Pet Club. But looking at the pictures on Amazin it looks like all the Go Pet Club trees have their logo on them somewere, and there's nothing on mine... So... no idea who made it. Sorry. 



judybean said:


> Some of the faux fur I've seen online looks very thin. If Harpo scratches the faux fur, then it won't last long.


The faux fur on ours is pretty thin, but thicker and nicer on the "bed" portions. Io doesn't strach at the fur at all (it doesn't feel like anything that would be good to scratch), though she does make biscuits on the softer parts.

Good luck with Harpo. Too bad Opee hasn't been able to teach him good manners


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

howsefrau32 said:


> My maine **** is only part maine ****, and he is about 15 pounds and 5 years old. I had no idea he was a maine **** until my vet said "this kitty is maine ****....at least part". He has a big fluffy coat, fur between his foot pads, has the distinctive funny mew, he eats with his paws, plays with his water. I read an article about maine coons and yep, my boy does all of those things that maine coons do.
> 
> This cat tree you looked at does look nice, and the review are ok, but having had one of this brand, and hearing how wobbly they are, I would not waste my money on that brand. Returning would be awful, and you would probably have to pay at least $50 to ship it.


Everything I've learned about cats has been in the last 10 years. My two guys are my first cats. I still don't really know what a maine **** cat is, except they are big! What is the distinctive funny mew that your kitty has? I love that he eats with his paws. Sounds like a raccoon. 

I'm not going with the GoPetClub brand. Thanks again for your feedback. This is all very valuable. I liked it because it has all the features I'm looking for. If a tree wobbles I imagine most cats would ditch it. I can't afford that.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Jacq said:


> Haha, when you put it that way it does sound a bit silly. The tree is this exact one (which has been on "sale" for two years :roll: ). The website doesn't say the brand, and I was sure it was Go Pet Club. But looking at the pictures on Amazin it looks like all the Go Pet Club trees have their logo on them somewere, and there's nothing on mine... So... no idea who made it. Sorry.
> 
> 
> The faux fur on ours is pretty thin, but thicker and nicer on the "bed" portions. Io doesn't strach at the fur at all (it doesn't feel like anything that would be good to scratch), though she does make biscuits on the softer parts.
> ...


This is a new site for me, Petcetera. So that's the $50 dollar one. Hmmm. It's so cute. This is the wobbly one? It's only 28" high. And I'm looking for a 72". Yikes! I couldn't figure out the manufacturer either. It doesn't look like a GoPetClub brand.

If only Harpo would be a copy cat when he sees Opee scratch appropriately. And Opee has never copied Harpo with his naughty behavior.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Jacq said:


> Haha, when you put it that way it does sound a bit silly.


No, not silly. I was thinking resourceful. If you didn't have your own living space to draw resources from, your kitty tree would be in shambles. LOL! Just kidding, Jacq.


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

I got my last 2 condos on ebay....free delivery and I got them at a good price by winning the bidding. Good quality, too.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Cat Lover Lennie said:


> I got my last 2 condos on ebay....free delivery and I got them at a good price by winning the bidding. Good quality, too.


I've been looking at eBay too. Do you know which brands you bought and how long you've had them?


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## Loza (Apr 14, 2013)

*I think the one you are after is the one I bought?*

HI Judybean 
Attached are two pics of the set up I have for my kitties who arrive on Wednesday. I think the tree is the one you posted a link to? I bought mine for $79 plus delivery on Ebay. I am from AUS so we might have different price?. It was so easy to put together and is super sturdy and looks really nice too. Win Win! 
I will let you know if my kitties like it after they arrive 
You will also see in the pic some awesome perches I bought on Etsy from a lovely lady named Jenny in America. Does anyone else have these?
Outside you can see some planters which I have catmint and cat grass in. Here's hoping I can get at least something to grow, I am not known for my green thumb!
Laura


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Loza said:


> HI Judybean
> Attached are two pics of the set up I have for my kitties who arrive on Wednesday. I think the tree is the one you posted a link to? I bought mine for $79 plus delivery on Ebay. I am from AUS so we might have different price?. It was so easy to put together and is super sturdy and looks really nice too. Win Win!
> I will let you know if my kitties like it after they arrive
> You will also see in the pic some awesome perches I bought on Etsy from a lovely lady named Jenny in America. Does anyone else have these?
> ...


Hi Laura, thanks for the post and the photos. Do you know the brand of the cat tree? It looks good. Super sturdy is music to my ears. I've been looking at several from eBay today and now I'm thinking about getting two trees/condos because the prices are so good. Where are your kitties coming from, and how many? Kittens?


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

p.s. $79.00 Australian dollars = $75.62 US dollars.


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## jamie_leigh (May 23, 2013)

I had also been looking for a cat tree for the last week or two. When looking around I found the Armarkat solid wood cat trees but they were a little out of my price range ($189 for the one I wanted). I found the same one on on ebay, put it on my watch list, and bid the last minute and won it for $76 with free shipping, yesterday. I'm super excited! I like that the bedding is removable and machine washable, and that it is made with wood rather than particle board. I can't wait 'til it gets here! 

Premium Solid Wood Cat Tree S6107 - Armarkat Online Store


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

Man, you guys are lucky.

I tried to buy a cat tree on ebay TWICE and was burned both times. Seller fell off the earth, never sent any tracking, nothing. One of them was definitely a "too good to be true" sort of thing. But the other... man.

Sucks having $70-80 trapped in the Paypal black-hole for three-four weeks while they go through the dispute resolution.


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## jamie_leigh (May 23, 2013)

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with ebay, there are definitely bad sellers on there, there are also lots of good seller too. The seller I bought from has 5,000+ positive feedback, there are only a few negatives and I kinda laughed when I read one of them "color shows brown, its golden brown" <-I don't think that deserves a negative feedback, lol.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

*searching for my first cat tree/condo*



jamie_leigh said:


> I had also been looking for a cat tree for the last week or two. When looking around I found the Armarkat solid wood cat trees but they were a little out of my price range ($189 for the one I wanted). I found the same one on on ebay, put it on my watch list, and bid the last minute and won it for $76 with free shipping, yesterday. I'm super excited! I like that the bedding is removable and machine washable, and that it is made with wood rather than particle board. I can't wait 'til it gets here!
> 
> Premium Solid Wood Cat Tree S6107 - Armarkat Online Store


Somehow yesterday I found myself looking at this one on eBay (I really don't know how). I am attracted to the all wood design. I bid on it last night and again just now. It looks like a cat tree for one adult cat or a few kittens. I love the description: Chinese fur. How many cats do you have?


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

Amazon.com: Armarkat Premium Cat Tree Model X7805, Goldenrod: Pet Supplies 

This is the one I have. I did not pay this much for it, I got it on sale for around $90. It is very tall, 78 inches I think. I can tell you it is not very wobbly. Stephano, my kitten who is almost a year old, runs up and down this all day long, and he loves to sleep at the tippy top, in fact he is there right now. Taffy, the maine ****, does not go on it at all, but Beep, my 10 year old cat, she loves the square compartment and the tent, no one ever goes on the hammock on the bottom, not ever, or on the very bottom. Stephano does occasionally sleep in the pouch that is near the top, he does like that also, but Beep doesn't really ever go in there. I was suprised at how sturdy it was. I would not have paid as much for the tree as it is listed here, but you can search and find it cheaper online elsewhere. It is a very big tree, a lot of tree for the money. If I had known how big it was, I might have picked one that was a little bit smaller. But I am amazed at how sturdy this thing is. Oh, and it does not have the thick carpet, but the soft faux fur on it, and Stephano scratches the top all the time and so far, it has held up. And we've had it since Feb. Try to find one on amazon that includes shipping, because otherwise shipping is a fortune. Good luck  

Oh, and I can't really describe Taffy's mew, but if you youtube Maine **** meowing, you will find some videos of maine coons and their funny sounds the make. They are not very vocal cats and have this funny trilling mew.


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## swimmergurl1105 (May 30, 2013)

judybean said:


> Thank you for your review. Your tree is one of the ones on my list. It fits my criteria. How thin is the faux fur? I plan to put the tree in my bedroom, which is quite large, against the wall, and facing the backyard. It seems that some of these tall trees require a wall to be the most stable.


I agree, which is too bad because the cats definitely prefer the taller trees. The faux fur is thin, but covers the tree nicely, and it's very soft. The cats seem to like it.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

howsefrau32 said:


> Amazon.com: Armarkat Premium Cat Tree Model X7805, Goldenrod: Pet Supplies
> 
> This is the one I have. I did not pay this much for it, I got it on sale for around $90. It is very tall, 78 inches I think. I can tell you it is not very wobbly. I would not have paid as much for the tree as it is listed here, but you can search and find it cheaper online elsewhere. It is a very big tree, a lot of tree for the money. Try to find one on amazon that includes shipping, because otherwise shipping is a fortune. Good luck
> 
> Oh, and I can't really describe Taffy's mew, but if you youtube Maine **** meowing, you will find some videos of maine coons and their funny sounds the make. They are not very vocal cats and have this funny trilling mew.


I've also seen yours before. I like it and it's 78" (6.5'). I've been wondering about some of these trees if you can swap things around. Like on yours, could the little house go where the teepee is? Or do you have to put it together exactly the way it's designed to be? 

Does anyone out there have the Solvit Kitty'scape? It's totally modular and looks very different from every other cat tree out there.

I listened to Maine ****'s meowing. My precious Harpo has such a range of sounds that he makes and that's one of them. My precious Opee makes one sound: a high pitched squeak, and not very often. Man, those tails on the Maine Coons!

By the way, Hausefrau32, you got a good deal. There are deals to be found out there.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

judybean said:


> Also, it seems the taller the cat tree, the greater the chance of having a wobbly one. This is frustrating.


I got one isn't wobbly... it stands in the middle of a room and has Jasper (he weighs at least 11 pounds) _flying_ onto it and climbing it straight up like a tree the top on the side without a perch. It weights like 300+ pounds with a 32" base and is 7 feet tall.

It cost 50 dollars, was a literally a 5 minute drive away, 6 months old and the person's cats never used it. It originally cost 500 dollars. I love Craigslist.










There's ones that look similar that have cubbyholes on top.


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## jamie_leigh (May 23, 2013)

> Somehow yesterday I found myself looking at this one on eBay (I really don't know how). I am attracted to the all wood design. I bid on it last night and again just now. It looks like a cat tree for one adult cat or a few kittens. I love the description: Chinese fur. How many cats do you have


I have one cat. I've had her for almost two weeks  Where in description did you see chinese fur? The one I bought says "Ultra-Thick Faux Fur"


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

jamie_leigh said:


> I have one cat. I've had her for almost two weeks  Where in description did you see chinese fur? The one I bought says "Ultra-Thick Faux Fur"


Look here. Cracked me up!
2012 New Design 61" High Armarkat Solid Wood Cat Tree Furniture S6107 Promotion | eBay


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

I love your cat tree!! It looks GIGANTIC! I've seen some trees that are similar, but I'm losing track, even though I'm very organized. I didn't bookmark the ones that were out of my price range. My Harpo would love your tree. Happy for Jasper and I love Craigslist too! Look at that base--WOW! 

Fabulous find.


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## jamie_leigh (May 23, 2013)

Hilarious....Chinese fur, lol. What would the definition be? Fake fur made in china


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

I still think the best cat tree was the one that one member here had built because he said he didn't like the store-bought kind. Sorry I don't remember his user name, but I kept a photo of his tree...


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

Or, furs worn by Chinese.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

NebraskaCat said:


> I still think the best cat tree was the one that one member here had built because he said he didn't like the store-bought kind. Sorry I don't remember his user name, but I kept a photo of his tree...


Wow, do you think it's a real tree? His cat thinks so.I couldn't tell from the photo. If you are creative, have a healthy spine, have the right tools, and know how to use them, I think you can make wonderful cat trees. I don't fit the bill.

Thanks for sharing, Nebraska Cat. I'm so pleased with myself that I thought of this forum as a way to get feedback It's been really enjoyable for me. 

I still don't know what I'm going to order. I need to wait until mid-week. Knowing my guys I'm pretty sure they'll love whatever I pick. I just saw an Armarkat X6001 with a huge house, perfect for my Opee boy (15 lbs.) Premium Cat Tree X6001 - Armarkat Online Store but the tree overall isn't enough for the two guys together. If I find two real good deals this week, I'll buy two and either keep them both in my bedroom (there's plenty of room) or one can go downstairs. I'm psyched!

Thanks everyone and I'll post photos later. I think we should have a party!


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## tezster (Jun 4, 2013)

Most of the cat condos I find in local stores are fairly expensive - I found an inexpensive one on eBay for $36. For the price, I'm quite happy with it. The little 'rooms' themselves haven't gotten too much use (other than during playtime), but all the scratching posts, the bridge, and the perch especially is frequently used by my kitten - she can lounge/nap and keep an eye out for interesting events out the window at the same time. 



















At the other end of the spectrum, I would love to get a 'natural' cat tree like the ones offered on Pet Tree Houses: Real Cat Trees With Leaves | Real Cat Tree

But even if I could afford it, the shipping costs to Canada would be astronomical.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

tezster said:


> Most of the cat condos I find in local stores are fairly expensive - I found an inexpensive one on eBay for $36. For the price, I'm quite happy with it. The little 'rooms' themselves haven't gotten too much use (other than during playtime), but all the scratching posts, the bridge, and the perch especially is frequently used by my kitten - she can lounge/nap and keep an eye out for interesting events out the window at the same time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing your photos. That looks like a nice tree you have there! And also thanks for sharing Pet Tree Houses. I think my guys would love the natural leaves especially if there are any bugs on the leaves! I'll probably go with eBay. They seem to have the best deals that I've seen.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

I know that on my Armarkat tree, I dont believ eyou could switch things around. The holes are pre drilled and line up exactly like you are supposed to put them on. The tee pee part, you could actually leave it off, I did that at first because my older cat preferred to lay on it without the tee pee, but then I put it back and she still lays there. Maybe you could re drill some things and rearrange, if you were really handy with a drill, which i am not.


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## judybean (Apr 15, 2013)

howsefrau32 said:


> I know that on my Armarkat tree, I dont believe you could switch things around. The holes are pre drilled and line up exactly like you are supposed to put them on. The tee pee part, you could actually leave it off, Maybe you could re drill some things and rearrange, if you were really handy with a drill, which i am not.


I figured that things are pre-drilled on these commercial trees and that pieces are not meant for rearranging. I'm fairly handy with a drill, but it's not something I use everyday.

I still haven't decided on the tree, but I'm pretty sure I'm going with eBay. I'm so glad that someone mentioned it earlier in this thread. I doubt that I would have thought of it because I never look at eBay. I do now! I've been following a few bids here and there and prices are good. I'm also only looking at sellers with very high selling numbers (over 5000) and 99% favorability. I think I recall that you had a bad experience or two with eBay. Or it might have been someone else.


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