Wood Cat Tree: Crafted from durable and natural materials, Wood Cat Trees offer a blend of elegance and functionality, providing a sturdy and aesthetically pleasing addition to your home decor. While the ease with which you can change out one or every branch on the Modern Cat Tree is one of its coolest features, it also means that active play will sometimes shake a branch or two loose. While never a major annoyance, we did begin to anticipate needing to reinstall a branch or two whenever our test cats got the zoomies, or pounced on each other through some leaves.

Placement Considerations: Position the Cat Tree in an area where your cat spends the most time or near a window to provide them with a view of the outside world. Make sure it is away from any hazards or obstacles that could potentially harm your cat. After that, you can customize even further with optional parts and accessories, like a platform with a built-in food bowl, or replacement sisal scratch pads. Most platform accessories, like the cushions and scratchers, are secured to the platforms with velcro-like strips, making it easy to swap out replacements or remove cushions for cleaning. Easy Maintenance: Opt for Cat Trees with removable and washable components, making it convenient to keep the Tree clean and fresh.The Catit Vesper High Base cat tree is available in three different colors. There are also a wide range of smaller and alternative designs in the Vesper line. Small Cat Tree for Young or Less Active Cats: Ideal for kittens or cats with limited mobility, these compact Cat Trees offer a smaller size with lower platforms, ensuring easy accessibility and a safe play area. The Frond's perches are plywood with an ash veneer, and are shaped like petals, with curves that make it look more like curio shelves than a cat toy. However, the Frond also isn't trying to disguise what it is—it looks like a cat tree, just an attractive one. Plus, it's easy to assemble and finds a nice middle ground size, with a 24-inch diameter base and a height an inch over four feet tall. By identifying the features your cat is most likely to use, you can narrow down your search. For example, if you hope a cat tree will alleviate furniture scratching, then scratchers should be an obvious priority. Similarly, if you have multiple cats, you'll want to select a cat tree that includes duplicates of some features. A cat tree with a narrow top perch might become a permanent battle for king of the hill—better to find a cat tree with multiple elevated spots, so all of your cats can feel like royalty. The only real downside are the scratching posts. Though beefy, with a 3.4-inch diameter, the sisal-rope is only wrapped around the middle portion of each post, the rest is carpeted. This provides less opportunity for your cat to stretch out fully when scratching. Still, our tester cat didn't seem to mind, and eagerly used the scratching posts.

Cat Tree With Scratching Post: This type of Cat Tree combines a scratching post with multiple platforms, giving your cat an outlet to satisfy their scratching instincts while providing a space for climbing and lounging.

At 60 pounds, the Trixie Lilo isn't easy to move around once assembled, but it is extra sturdy. The interiors are plush too, making these cat condos a place your cats will seek out, and will be able to rely on for years. Though we do wish it came in a few more color options. The Vesper High Base is named for its top observation platform, which is 47.8 inches off the ground—a maximum height usefully in between more compact and much larger cat trees. Beneath the top platform is a "cubed den" middle level, a lower cushioned platform, and the 22.1-inch square base, which provides access to all four wrapped pillars for scratching. Rather than the more commonly found sisal, the posts on the High Base are wrapped in seagrass, which is generally regarded as softer and more stain-resistant. While your cats will love scratching it, there's a good likelihood that you'll need to re-wrap the legs of the Vesper High Base sooner than you would with a sisal alternative.

Our Whisker Cat Tower is still as indestructible and unchanged as when we first set it up several months ago. It's hard to imagine a more durable alternative. The only real downside is the assembly, which requires a Phillips screwdriver, hammer, and an electric drill with two different drill bit sizes. While the results were worth it, we did spend nearly two frustrating hours getting it together. The On2Pets Modern Cat Tree may not look real, but it does look fun. Plus, it's available in a wide range of configurations, with swappable leaves that you can update with the seasons. The Whisker Cat Tower is now one of the sturdiest items of furniture we own, with a metal frame that could probably stand up to a young tiger, and will definitely hold up to years of your cats jumping all over it. From the makers of the Litter-Robot 4, this cat tree has a similar premium, well-built feel. The Feandrea Cat Tree for Large Cats boasts two "condo playhouses"—which provide enclosed spaces for your cats to hide, play, and nap—in addition to the perch on top. The higher of the two condos includes two exits/entrances, so that your cat can zoom through on their way to a different platform, or simply have a place to hide where they don't feel cornered. Between the two condos, the base, and the top perch, there are four different elevation levels available on a cat tree that's only 33-inches high. While several of our favorite cat trees have removable pads and other surfaces, machine washable features are much more rare. For removable items, your best approach is to typically to hand wash them in the sink and allow them to air dry fully before replacing them on the cat tree.You can rotate the three Tuft & Paw Frond Cat Tree perches around its sisal-wrapped pole for endlessly unique jumping and climbing challenges. While the Tuft & Paw Frond Cat Tree looks modest—especially considering its high price—its combination of practical features and considerate design makes this one of the most attractive cat trees available. Vertical Exploration: Cats love to climb and perch on elevated surfaces, and Cat Trees provide the perfect opportunity for them to explore their surroundings from a higher vantage point. Each platform has little plastic ports—or holes—where you insert the branches. The branches themselves are about 18 inches long and made from PVC, with non-toxic silk leaves that cats can munch on without shedding plastic shavings. These modular branches can be easily replaced, which On2Pets offers in 8- and 24-branch bundles. Leaves come in ovate "Zen Green" or in multi-season maple leaves, with "Mixed Maple," "Orange Blaze," and "Deep Plum" allowing you to choose between your favorite shades of Autumn. Overall, we felt the On2Pets Modern Cat Tree looked even better than in product photos, and the flexibility of the branches had us spreading and dressing them for maximum verisimilitude. The Faux Fur Cat Tree & Condo has a whopping 10 scratching posts, two condos, and three high-up perches. Crucially, while there is a single, highest perch, there are two additional perches that are nearly as elevated, so multiple cats will be less likely to constantly fight over a single perch. As the name would suggest, this cat tree towers at 6-feet high, satisfying your cat's instincts to attain the high ground to observe their surroundings. Size and Design: Choose a Cat Tree that suits your available space and meets the needs of your cat. Consider the number of platforms, hideaways, and scratching surfaces based on your cat's preferences.

Protect Your Furniture: By offering a designated area for scratching, Cat Trees divert your cat's attention away from your furniture, preserving it from their sharp claws. Cat trees combine multiple ways for your cat or cats to play, socialize, and relax. They can offer elevated observation posts, scratchers, places to nap, and multi-level exercise spaces. The best cat tree will fulfill a wide range of your cat's instincts for climbing, scratching, and play. They may even spare your furniture. We had two cats try out the On2Pets Modern Cat Tree, and both of them loved the combination of perch and hiding spot provided by the foliage—"it seems to make them feel more in touch with their wild instincts," our tester noted. Our cats also loved the artificial turf base, and, despite using it as an occasionally scratch pad, we've yet to notice any wear and tear.Large Cat Tree for Multiple or Big Cats: Designed for households with multiple cats or larger feline companions, these spacious Cat Trees feature multiple platforms, hideaways, and scratching surfaces to accommodate their needs. In our testing, we found the Feandrea cat tree to be sturdy enough to hold up to a cat jumping in and out of the condo doorways, with a usefully compact size comparable to a small accent cabinet.