cat tower - Cat Life

Having a cat who loves to climb can be fun but also a struggle. Their climbing can destroy furniture and curtains and get them stuck places they are not very happy to be in. One way to discourage a climbing cat from taking a trip up your to the top of your window shade is the offer options for safe climbing. Your climbing cat will love having a place to climb up high, get their energy out and have a space all their own.

Cat Wall Climber

A cat climber is one of my favorite products for your climbing cat. They come in many types, colors and sizes (and also prices) and are both a fun place to play on and take a nap. The Trixie Pet cat lounging set is my favorite basic option but the wood model pictured below is definitely the coolest looking.

Cat Bridge

A cat bridge is a fun option if you have a little space. We like the Mocohona model because it is easily wall mounted and has a fun perch for them to hang out on in addition to being able to perch on the bridge itself.

Cat Playplace

The CatastrophiCreations Deluxe Cat Playplace has it all. It attaches to your wall (how high is up to you!) and is a fun place to play plus a hammock to hang out in way up high.

Cat Wall Shelves

Cat wall shelves allow you to customize how your cat’s wall play area looks and how it feels to them. We like the Petfusion Activity Wall because you can buy 1, 3 or even more to make a playplace the size and height your cat will love.

Cat Window Perch

A window perch is a fun way to get your cat up high and give them a look around. My cats love to sit by the window and watch the squirrels go by and I’m sure your

Cat Tree

Cat trees come in all shapes and sizes. From realistic trees and huge models to more sensibly sized trees. My absolute favorite is the AmazonBasics Large Cat Tree. It is sturdy, fun and the price is very reasonable. For rundown of our favorite cat trees check out our Cat Tree post.

The Final Product for Your Climbing Cat

Eventually your cat will get stuck somewhere or you will need to get them down from somewhere before they want to. At one point my cat really liked to sneak into the garage and climb onto our fridge. We did not want to open the garage door or move the car until she was down and she would always do this when we were in a hurry. I don’t love ladders. I am a little afraid of heights so I use a sturdy step ladder to get her down and it usually works. At worse I get my 6’3″ husband and he can usually grab them off the top of the window shades or wherever they end up.

While we cannot promise that your cat will not end up in some strange places we hope that having the right outlets for your cat’s love of climbing can prevent some of the unsafe or unwanted climbing. We once had a cat, Bear, who loved jumping onto the top of an open door. It took talent but was certainly not the safest option and it eventually broke one of our doors causing nails to stick out. So while some climbing is fun making sure your cat has safe ways to do it is also important. I hope this guide has given you some ideas of how you can help them be safe and have fun!

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I am sort of obsessed with our cat trees. I mean I am a cat blogger so hopefully that is not that surprising but while it is certainly not an essential item it is my absolute favorite “non-essential” cat item. At first I was worried it would be too large and take up too much space. Of course when it came the cats only wanted to play in the box. My husband and I were prepared to write an interesting review about how our cats loved the box but ignored the tree! But then we moved the tree to a different room and it became the cats, and ours favorite thing!

Safe Climbing Space

We currently have a fifteen year old cat and two six month old kittens. While they have very different personalities and needs all three love to climb! I have found the kittens attached to a window screen, on top of a curtain bar (the curtain was up so I have no idea how she got there) and on top of a ten foot tall chest. These are not the safest places for them. Once we got the cat tree there was less crazy climbing. They go up and down chasing each other and I think that burns off enough energy that I don’t find them on top of something they can’t get off of anymore.

Meanwhile our fifteen year old cat does not climb much anymore. She is still in really great shape for her age but she is not jumping on the top of doors like she did 12 years ago when we first got her. She usually prefers her heated cat bed but she also really likes the first couple steps of the cat tree. It has a little house halfway up I find her chilling in. While I have never seen her at way top she likes to be up pretty high to keep tabs on the other cats and the kids.

Scratch, Scratch, Scratch

Our cat tree has ten scratching posts. While your cat tree may not have that many it will almost certainly have at least one or two scratching posts. When my cats get wound up and start playing and climbing they also get VERY scratchy. By having the scratching posts right there it gives them a great place to scratch (and saves my furniture a little).

Fun Place to Play

If you have more than one cat and they like each other the cat tree will almost certainly become a cool playing spot. My bonded pair love to jump and pounce on and from it. Lots of cat trees also have toys, usually balls attached which can be fun for singleton cats too.

Cozy Place to Hang Out

Cat trees often have hammocks, little nest areas or even a cat box. These are great places for your cats to get some alone time while feeling super secure knowing they are high up. If you have multiple cats and want peace in your house highly recommend getting several hiding spots for your cats and cat trees can definitely be one of them.

Cat Trees Are For Everyone and Every Cat

There are cat trees for every style and every personality (both the owner’s and the cat’s) . There are cat trees that look like trees and can fit into your decor and trees that can match any color of your furniture. There are also shorter trees for older or less active cats or giant trees if you have lots of space and cats. They are a great addition to almost any home where cats roam!

Which is your favorite cat tree? Check out ours and then tell us your favorite in the comments.