It’s interesting to compare the world we live in with the world our cats live in. Essentially, humans occupy a horizontal world. Cats adapt to that but also have a great deal of experience living in a vertical world. This is where a cat activity centre or cat tree comes into play.
I have found that since both of my boys – Roger and Doogle – are ‘trapped’ within my little horizontal world commonly called an apartment, they still need an outlet in order to experience their vertical world. I figured that out one day when I found both of them hanging off of the drapes. It tipped me off that I had to do something. So I visited the local pet store and that is where I discovered cat condos and cat trees. If you have spent any time on this website you’ll know that I jumped into that vertical cat world with both paws. Here are the reasons why investing in a cat activity centre is a good investment for the average pet owner.
4 Reasons Why A Cat Activity Centre Is Great
1. Timid Cats Have A Place To Basically Chill Out
It happens. Not all cats are as brave as they may act. There are some that are really quite timid. A cat actvity centre or cat tree gives these cats a place to feel secure while still being part of their surroundings. With the different levels and platforms on them, a timid cat can go as high as he or she needs to and can see more of their environment. This actually has a calming effect on the timid ones.
2. A Cat Activity Centre Increases Your Cat’s Territory
This is something that is so very important to my cats. We live in a small apartment. The boys are indoor cats and in reality, they only have so much area to ‘claim’ as their territory. When I installed a couple of different cat trees in the living room and bedroom, it extended the area they had access to. In fact, most of the time if the boys are not curled up with me in bed at night, they are sleeping in a hammock or on a padded platform on one of their cat trees. It really does make a difference in a small space. It also will give them that extra room if you happen to have a large home.
3. They Give Your Cat A Place To Exercise And Stretch
One of the things I like most about a cat tree is that it has many surfaces that attract scratching by both of my boys. I did used to have a couple of scratching posts but since the cat trees I have here have wrapped sections designed specifically for cat scratching, I no longer need them. Plus, the stretching action that my cats get from reaching up to get a full scratch from a vertical post is also good for them. I still give them exercise through game play (check out my article here on Silly Games For Cats To Play) but the cat trees do serve a number of other purposes that make a real difference in our apartment.
4. Cat Condos And Trees Are Easy To Set Up, Take Down Or Move
Depending on the particular style, there are several stand alone designs that take up little room and require no support on a wall. These are great options if you have company often and wish to slide the cat tree into another room. You can also get designs that are easy to mount and remove to mount elsewhere if you so desire. In other words, there is nothing permanent about a cat tree if you don’t want it to be. I’ve rearranged my living space twice and moved the cat trees and condos I have as well to fit into my new configuration.
Don’t Let The Word ‘Condo’ Scare You
What really helps with increasing the territory of your cat with a cat activity centre is that you can do it quite affordably. That is to say, you don’t have to break the bank to provide your cat with this extra space to play, climb, scratch, watch or nap. For me, that was very important. Partly because I don’t have a lot of space to work with in the first place and partly because I only have a part-time job. Also, when I volunteer at the local animal shelter, I see how cats get attached to the trees and condos they have for them to play on.
It was a no-brainer for me to shop for a couple to keep Roger and Doogle occupied when I’m not around. I started with a couple budget cat trees under $100 because I wasn't sure how my boys would go with them. Turns out I had nothing to worry about because now I can't keep off the things!
Oh, I just wish there’s a cat activity center in our area! Seems like my cat badly needs it.
Hi Angela, tell me about it. Cats need a place to play and expel all that energy. My advice, look into a few of the ones I’ve mentioned on my Buyers Guide. Hope this helps, Jeanie.