Is cat furniture worth the investment? Yes!
Shortest blog post ever!
Dozo enjoying our Watchtower
Okay, I can elaborate. I have two pieces of Drs. Foster and Smith cat furniture – a “soft sage” Watchtower Tree and a “forest green” Treetop Hideaway – and the cats have obvious affection for them. I decided to purchase two because we were moving from a large home to a much smaller one, and I knew Pan and Dozo would appreciate the extra room to play. Plus, as kittens they had already learned how much fun furniture is: They’re the orange pair in this product video.
Here are a few reasons for loving our kitty Trees:
- Though front declawed, the cats spend daily time at the sisal posts. I have never seen them go through the same scratching motions on the couch or any other piece of “people” furniture.
- They give the cats a safe retreat. When a car pulls in, Pan often heads straight for the top of his Watchtower, where he can get a good look at the visitors. If he’s unsure, he goes right to the cubby at the bottom. The trees are also nice elevated spots if they don’t want to share playtime with the ferrets.
- Pan is literally jumpy, too. He’s been known to leap from the floor to your shoulders without warning. The Watchtower’s tallest platform gives him a place to be up high without needing you to get there, and he has noticeably decreased his people-climbing.
- The Trees have helped keep the cats off the counters and table. Although the Watchtower sits right beside our dining room table, it didn’t take long for the cats to learn that sitting on the tower is okay but sitting on the table isn’t. They don’t feel as if they’re being unfairly denied the tabletop, because they have another, acceptable table-level place to be.
- We’ve made the Treetop Hideaway their trick-training spot. When the treats come out, the cats scramble to the same place each time, knowing what’s coming next (Pan attempts a trick, and Dozo shares the reward).
Pan napping on the Treetop Hideaway.
The cats sleep on and play with and watch birds from their Trees, and having two means they don’t have to share if they’re not in a brotherly mood. While they truly are easy to assemble, be sure to follow the enclosed directions, especially with the tall pieces! It’s quickest if you do everything in the correct order, and not put a level on upside down (personal experience). They just look good: like they belong right there amidst the other furniture.
The Trees have become an important outlet in our cat’s lives and their very favorite place to hang out. The only competition would be from their Slumber Nest and my laptop keyboard.
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I totally agree Kerri! My cats ADORE their DFS Furniture. Next purchase will be a DFS Super Deluxe Tree (#4164) and a DFS Window Perch (#3906). I even “retired a Kitty Kastle that we used to carry to the cats at the barn. They LOVE it!
PS … Love the paint choices, wish I could have convinced someone to let me paint so bold!
I would love to add another Tree to our bedroom, and then more bird feeders on the little balcony for them to watch, too. Do you ever try not to think about all the things you buy for the animals, compared to what you buy for yourself…?
And thanks, we call that one wall “mac-and-cheese-powder-orange!”
Where did you purchase the DFS Furniture?
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Wow, after reading this, I think we need to get a cat tree or 2! We have one of the cardboard Cat Cavern Scratchers, and 1 of the cats perches on it & scratches up a storm all the time. I think it’s time to expand though since we’re getting a kitten soon! Here’s the cat cavern scratcher: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3261+20831+17643&pcatid=17643
Eileen, the whole Furniture category can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/DFSfurniture
There are lots of choices!
I’ve been thinking about getting a piece of cardboard furniture too, Melissa. My boys love the cardboard insert on one of their toys.
Eileen, Sorry, let me clarify, DFS is “shop-talk” for those of us that work here at Drs. Foster & Smith. I sometimes forget that it isn’t something that everyone uses. See the link above in Kerri’s reply … it will take you right to the Cat Furniture.
My cat has been using the cat furniture I have for 9 or 10 years and it is still as sturdy as ever. I have the Classic-Cat Treehouse, which sits in my bay window right by the bird feeder, and the Watchtower, which is in Max’s private dog-free territory. Also, I bought a Deluxe Cat Tree for a friend over 7 years ago.This tree has survived 4 cats diving on to it and is no worse for wear. I can’t say enough good about this furniture.
A good, sturdy, reasonably-big piece of cat furniture is never too expensive when you consider what furniture repair costs these days. Add the entertainment value to both your cats and you, and it is a real bargain. Just be sure to get one that is well-build, cleanable, solid, and big enough to hold all your kitties.
I debated getting a cat tree or condo for my cats about 10 years ago when we aquired a very nice one from a friend after he lost his cat to divorce and the cat moved cross country. My then eight year old cats loved it and spent many hours bird and people watching and playing tag. So we aquired a second tree.
When we later adopted two new cats from a shelter after the death of one of our cats, the first thing they did when we gave them freedom in the house was head for the cat tree. Our male scales it like a monkey would a tree. Our remaining senior cat, now 18 1/2 sleeps on the lowest level next to her favorite window and heat vent and also in the second level cave area (when she wants to be with us but have some space).