Cat Trees Suitable For Softpaws/Clipped Claws?

[lolvo]

Hi all,

(I'm not going to name names here, but you can PM me if you want to know the brand I'm referring to.)

Can anyone recommend a good cat tree (preferably floor-to-ceiling) for a sphynx with clipped claws and/or nail caps? I just got the tree that I ordered in the mail yesterday, and poor Missy has fallen out of the darn thing a few times already. I'm going to return it and buy a different one, because the "plush" surfaces of the perches are impossible for her to get a grip on with her trimmed talons. She just slips right off, or has to pull herself up using the sisal-wrapped posts. This isn't something she enjoys - she would rather be able to hop from platform to platform with grace and ease - and she keeps forgetting to be careful on the un-grippable surfaces.

What I'm looking for is a floor-to-ceiling, preferably modular (screw-together) cat tree with lots of platforms and not too big of a footprint. If anyone has had good experiences with a particular brand, let me know. If you have plans or have DIY'd their own trees, please share! I'm open to DIY-ing a tree if anyone has one that they've made and had a good experience with, and I'll start by attaching my "dream tree" that I want to make Miss Demeanor someday.

 

[admin]

Hi all,

(I'm not going to name names here, but you can PM me if you want to know the brand I'm referring to.)

Can anyone recommend a good cat tree (preferably floor-to-ceiling) for a sphynx with clipped claws and/or nail caps? I just got the tree that I ordered in the mail yesterday, and poor Missy has fallen out of the darn thing a few times already. I'm going to return it and buy a different one, because the "plush" surfaces of the perches are impossible for her to get a grip on with her trimmed talons. She just slips right off, or has to pull herself up using the sisal-wrapped posts. This isn't something she enjoys - she would rather be able to hop from platform to platform with grace and ease - and she keeps forgetting to be careful on the un-grippable surfaces.

What I'm looking for is a floor-to-ceiling, preferably modular (screw-together) cat tree with lots of platforms and not too big of a footprint. If anyone has had good experiences with a particular brand, let me know. If you have plans or have DIY'd their own trees, please share! I'm open to DIY-ing a tree if anyone has one that they've made and had a good experience with, and I'll start by attaching my "dream tree" that I want to make Miss Demeanor someday.

View attachment 52274

Is she able to latch onto the carpeting with the caps? We do not use soft paws but do clip the cats nails and they climb up our cat tree fine. Its just a simple tree from Petsmart but its all carpet with a few perches. Perhaps a fully carpeted tree would be good.

 

[SphynxKid]

I too, like @admin, have a Petsmart tree that is about 5'5" tall. It has a cubby at about 1 foot, a plain platform at 3 feet and then another platform section that has about a 4 inch ledge. The platform has a hole in the bottom they can crawl up through and play in. Both cats can fit in the platform/ledge on the top. The platform halfway up does not have a ledge, it's just a platform and has space for one kitty. It is all made of long, shaggy carpet and I keep nails short here. Moses used to have nail caps and he had no trouble. It is also small enough in the gaps where he could just crawl up without having to grip or climb. Our tree is 8 years old is is JUST starting to show some wear on the bottom post because my fluffy uses that as a scratching post, which isnFINE (rather than than my furniture). I can easily replace it with a piece of matching carpet when I need to. Neither of them EVER used to the cubby, so I store their sweaters in it, they just use it as a step to get to the first platform.

I can get a picture for you later.

Fluffy LOVES cat trees. When we go to pet stores we always spend 10-15 min in the aisles while she tests out new trees and uses them like a jungle gym. She cries when I finally take her out of the aisle. It's like a kid at a playground!

Jen

 

[Sphynx Asylum Dad]

We have a petsmart tree and one we ordered from Amazon (will look at the brand this evening). The girls nails are trimmed regularly, and Raskol has been in caps for a while and nobody has any trouble gettin up and down. Each of them gets carried away and slips from time to time, and it can get pretty entertaining but no real issues.

 

[Yoda mom]

I like your drawing sketch ! When I lived in Seattle, I made a floor to ceiling cat tree- out of birch
Screwed a large square base thru the bottom - jig saw cut perches around branch limbs. You can L clamp the base to wall. Will look for some pics- my bengals loved it- sadly the tree stayed behind in the move years ago.

I have a kitty mansions redwood model cat tree not sure if that is an option.

Footprint is about 23"x23" and apx 76" tall

 

[lolvo]

Thanks for all of the awesome ideas, everyone! I'm really curious about that petsmart tree... is it a floor-to-ceiling one? Or just nice and tall?

In other news today, my tub faucet decided to start leaking on Wednesday night. Since then I keep finding damp spots from where Missy has laid down after playing in the water - I keep having to remind myself that it's not actually pee :-/ Also, my six-day automated feeder arrived this morning! I'll be testing and reviewing it once I venture out of the house to get the required nine-volt battery. Meanwhile, Miss Demeanor seems to be having a lot of fun with the oversized shipping box it came in.

 

[Sphynx Asylum Dad]

The petsmart tree we have puts our babies eye level with me in the top platform, so just a tad more than 6 feet tall. The other one is a bit taller.