Cat furniture is a commodity that allows domestic cats to follow their scratching instincts without damaging the furniture, carpets and other commodities in the house. These structures also allow the cat the have their own place which they use to climb, exercise, play or just relax. The most common cat furniture includes cat trees, cat condos, cat towers, cat gyms and cat climbers.
Cat trees are probably the simplest type of cat furniture. Generally, they use little space and have vertical construction. They have platforms situated on different levels, cradles where the cat can nap, and scratching post covered with sisal.
The construction and design of cat gyms are similar to cat trees. They also have many different platforms which give the cat the opportunity to leap from one platform to the other. They also have small cat tunnels, many cradles and semi-enclosed spaces, called “cat houses”, in which the cat can relax after all the exercises.
Cat condos are luxurious cat furniture which provides one elevated platform that is situated over an enclosed sleeping area, or it may feature many enclosed sleeping areas. They are also vertical and are covered with some material such as carpet.
Cat furniture can be made by various materials, such as wood or aluminum; they can have different heights and different number of platforms. These platforms can be situated at different levels and the distance between them can vary.
Another difference between the different cat furniture is the material they are covered with. In the past, cat furniture was commonly covered with carpet which looks good and provides the cat with good scratching material.
Today, there is special material developed for the need of cat furniture industry. It is called faux fur and is known to last longer than carpet. However, some cats prefer to scratch carper because it offers some resistance.
Thus, manufacturers use a combination of faux fur and sisal rope to cover cat furniture. Commonly, vertical posts are covered with sisal, while the platforms and enclosures are covered with faux fur.
As mentioned before, cat furniture can be made of different materials, for example wood and aluminum. The strength of the furniture depends on the materials it is made of. Usually, vertical posts are made of wood and their horizontal surfaces are plywood or pressboard. Sometimes, cardboard tubes are also used for enclosure walls.
Cat furniture can be freestanding or floor-to-ceiling. Freestanding models are wide and heavy to prevent its tipping over when the cats climb to the top. On the other hand, floor-to-ceiling models use tension against the ceiling for their stability. This tension can be accomplished in two ways: a spring-tension rod or a screw-based mechanism. When you buy cat furniture you should consider some important aspects and answer some questions. You should decide what kind of cat furniture you want – a freestanding or floor-to-ceiling? If your cat is very active or very large, a floor-too-ceiling model will be more suitable.
The second important issue is to choose the cover material. This is important both for your cat and you. Carpet models offer a bigger variety of colours that can fit the decoration in your house, while faux fur models are usually in neutral colours. However, it is recommended that the furniture should have sisal rope no matter if it is covered with carpet or faux fur.
The structural materials of the furniture are also of key importance. You should choose plywood because it offers good stability and strength. Posts be made of both cardboard and wood.
