Our family has a big black cat named Ozzy. We wanted to get him a cat tower, sometimes called a cat tree, but we didn’t want to spend a fortune. Since he’s a big cat, we wondered what the best cat trees for large cats under $100 were.
Here’s what we found out:
Larger cats need a cat tree with a wide base, not too tall, with very stable places to sit and jump to. The best cat trees for larger cats under $100 include the FEANDREA SONGMICS Multi-Level Cat Tree, the URPOWER Cat Tree, and the LBLA Multi-Functional Cat Tree.
But there are a lot more questions to be answered about cat trees, whether cats really use them, and the best types for larger cats, so let’s dive in!
How do I choose a cat tower?
Ultimately a cat tree, or cat tower, is a piece of furniture that your cat will climb and (more importantly) scratch on instead of your furniture.
So right out of the gate, we know we want a nice texture on the carpet that your cat tree is covered with.
But, we also don’t want the cat tree to be ripped to shreds in a matter of months either, because then the cat will just go right back to scratching your couch.
So we know we want texture and durability.
To be fair, some cat trees are made of wood and they are perfect for cats that spend a lot of time outdoors. However, if they live outside a lot of the time and you have a lot of trees in your yard, I’m not sure a wooden cat tree is really necessary unless you do see your cat scratching the furniture often when they are inside.
So my article is geared towards carpeted cat trees.
Here are the top considerations for choosing a cat tower or cat tree:
- DURABILITY – Sisal rope gives you the best durability on scratching posts over cat towers made of regular carpet and especially over the inexpensive ones made of cardboard
- HORIZONTAL or VERTICLE – Cat trees can be tall or wide. Wide ones are better both for larger cats but also for cats that tend to scratch carpets more than furniture
- HOW BIG IS THE BASE? – The base, or bottom of the cat tree is what determines it’s overall stability. Looks for ones with a heavy and large base which prevents wobbling or tipping over
- IS YOUR CAT TIMID? – A cat tree with small cubbies to hide in could be perfect for shy cats
- DO YOU HAVE A YOUNGER CAT? – Younger cats are often quite playful and make like a cat tree with a lot of ledges to jump to and balls tied to ropes to swing and paw at (but avoid ones with long strings which could get caught around a cat’s neck)
So whether or not you buy a cat tree built for larger cats, if you don’t have a Maine Coon, and your cat is well over 15 lbs, consider some of these slimming options for the health, happiness, and longevity of your cat.
How to choose a cat tree for large cats
The same criteria for choosing a cat tree for any cat still applies for larger cats, so make sure and select one made from sisal for great longevity and durability.
Then select one that is more horizontal than verticle.
However, with larger cats, stability becomes a bigger issue. After all, our cat Ozzy is probably 15 pounds. We don’t want him jumping onto a flimsy cat tower and tipping it over. We also don’t want it so wobbly he doesn’t feel secure on it and will never use it.
So for larger cats, a really stable cat tree is what you want.
Stable cat trees have big, wide bases at the bottom and a thick post that extends up (for the more verticle ones). For really big cats, don’t get a cat tree that is super tall with multiple small ledges to land on.
Bigger cats like our cat Ozzy have a harder time jumping up high; especially to small landing spots.
In researching, my absolute favorite cat tree for larger cats is the:
FEANDREA SONGMICS Multi-Level Cat Tree
This awesome cat tree features an extremely wide base for the ultimate in stability and is made of natural sisal rope on the scratching posts for great durability. It’s also perfect, not only for larger cats but for multiple cats as well.
Particleboard gives the cat tree it’s stability under the sisal.
This cat tree has truly outstanding reviews with no reviews under 4 stars. On Amazon, it also comes with free Prime shipping too.
Do be aware the cat tree will need to be assembled upon arrival, but in reading the reviews, everyone said it was incredibly easy to assemble and came with all the tools needed.
Do large cats really like cat trees?
The short answer is yes, but getting the right kind of cat tree is essential.
Think about what cats love to do. They love to:
- Jump
- Run
- Climb
- Scratch
- Chase strings and balls and feathers (and laser pointers)
So a good cat tree accomplishes some, if not all of those things.
For scratching, which the main reason most of us buy a cat tree, the texture of the tree is essential. The color of the cat tree, however, is less important.
It’s a common misconception that cats are color blind.
In truth, cats can’t see all the colors of the rainbow that we see, but, according to VCA Animal Hospitals, “They just may not see the “true” color of an object. They are also less sensitive to changes in brightness, so they don’t have the ability to perceive color in the rich, vibrant tones that we do.”
So get a color that fits in with your décor and focuses more on how the sisal feels, how the perches are laid out, how easy it will be for a larger cat to jump or climb from perch to perch. If the cat tree has openings to climb through, also think about how easy it will be for your cat to fit through the opening.
Ultimately, with a little thought about the feel and design of your cat tower, your cat will love it!
What are cat trees made of?
There are a wide variety of cat trees out there.
Some are wood and some are cardboard. But the vast majority of cat trees have a combination of particleboard combined with thick cardboard tubes like you might find at the center of a roll of carpet. Then the carpet or fabric and sisal rope are used to cover the structure.
Obviously, the more wood used in your cat tree, the sturdier and longer-lasting it will be, just like a nice piece of furniture compared to much of what you can buy at IKEA.
But a lot of wood also adds to the cost and the weight.
When you consider the carpet and sisal may wear out before the cardboard tubes and particle board, for most of us, the more economical cardboard & particleboard combo cat trees make more sense and are the most cost-effective.
Like carpet in your home, you do sometimes see higher grades of carpet being offered, and, on rare occasion, carpets made from natural fibers that haven’t been treated with the sometimes toxic flame retardants, stain protectors or moth repellants often used to treat traditional carpet.
But as with your home, expect to pay more for those options.
How easy are cat trees to assemble?
Most cat trees start with a base of particleboard that is then covered with carpet and sisal rope.
So you can expect that each post will have to be screwed into the top and bottom shelves. If yours comes with hanging beds or swinging fuzzy balls suspended by a rope, that will likely need to be attached too.
It’s very rare unless you’re buying it at a store, for the cat tree to come fully assembled (but then you’d have to have an SUV or truck to have the space to take it home.
All the cat trees I review here are fairly easy to assemble and come with all tools needed. Fear not! These are not IKEA cat trees! Most typically they are assembled with an Allen wrench, which again, will be included with your purchase.
How long do cat trees last?
Particleboard, which is the base of most cat trees, is known for being heavy, but not always durable.
That’s especially true of the cheap furniture I used to buy in my younger and broker days. But unless you’re moving frequently, hopefully, once you get your cat tree assembled, it won’t be getting moved around too much which is where the wear and tear on particleboard happens.
The particleboard gets covered in carpet, which of course, can wear over time.
But, since all the cat trees I recommended have sisal rope scratch posts, hopefully, your cat won’t be scratching the carpeting surfaces.
That means you may just have to occasionally spot clean the carpet if it gets dirty. If you have long hair cats, you may also want to use the wand attachment and vacuum the carpet occasionally.
The thing that wears the fastest on cat trees is the sisal rope on the posts since it’s designed to keep cats from scratching your furniture.
But, that rope is also fairly easy to replace when it gets worn and frayed. It’s also inexpensive, so when you’re ready, bookmark this link to the highest rated sisal rope designed for cat scratching posts available on Amazon Prime.
But all told, unless you’re moving it frequently, you can expect to get up to 5 years of life out of your cat tree.
How do I get my cat to use the cat tree?
As with anything new in the house, your cat may not be instantly in love with your new cat tree.
After all, it will smell strange and foreign and unfamiliar. Cats have a sense of smell about 14 times stronger than that of humans, so how things smell is massively more important to them that it is to us.
But you can use your cat’s enhanced sense of smell to your advantage with your new cat tree.
Start by placing familiar toys, plush animals, bedding or pillows used by the cat on the cat tower. You can also sprinkle small doses of catnip on your cat tree in various places.
Also, think about where in the house your cat tree will go.
If your cat loves to be social, avoid sticking it in a dark corner of a rarely used room. And if your cat loves to sun themselves on a window sill, consider placing the cat tree by a window that gets lots of sun.
If your cat tree allows for a dangling toy, consider swapping the one that came with it for one your cat is already familiar with. But as I mentioned above, avoid having too long of a rope or cord for your dangling toy.
As a child, I remember coming home to find our sweet kitty Banzai hanging from a rope on a cat tree that was so long it got caught around his neck and killed him.
Trust me, that was traumatic for me and completely avoidable by shortening the rope if needed.
How much does a large cat weigh?
According to WebMD’s pet section, the ideal weight for a cat is about 10 lbs.
Of course, that varies with breed with Maine Coons often coming in at a whopping 20-25 lbs and Siamese cats often being closer to 5 lbs.
They go on to say “Even just a couple of extra pounds can make your pet more likely to get some health problems such as type 2 diabetes and make others, like arthritis, worse. It can even keep them from grooming themselves properly. Keeping off excess weight should lead to a healthier, happier cat.”
Cats that gain a lot of weight are often bored and so they tend to lounge a lot and eat a lot.
Want your cat to drop a few pounds? Consider some of these options:
- Cut back on cat treats
- Switch from dry to canned food (more protein, fewer carbs)
- Don’t just have food out all the time; put out a small amount at set times (twice a day works for our cat Ozzy)
- If you have a large fenced yard, consider letting your cat outside some to run, jump and play. It’s common for people these days to keep cats indoors, and it’s true that being outside can shorten their lifespan due to hazards such as predator animals and speeding cars, but cats were born and bred to be outside, and an indoor/outdoor cat will be happier and slimmer. Of course, if you live in an apartment, or on a busy street, that may not work; so use common sense
So whether or not you buy a cat tree built for larger cats, if you don’t have a Maine Coon, and your cat is well over 15 lbs, consider some of these slimming options for the health, happiness, and longevity of your cat.
Cats, or any type of pet, can be an expensive addition to your household.
So if you’re concerned about the costs of owning a cat, check out some of my proven ways of Reducing the costs of owning a pet in this article on my site.
How safe are cat trees for larger cats?
The short answer is yes, but it depends on which one you buy.
As I’ve mentioned, for larger cats (15+ lbs) you’ll want a cat tree that has a wide base. You also don’t want it to require your cat to jump to every level since that could be a challenge. So look for ladders or other ways to climb between levels.
If it’s a supertall cat tree, consider attaching a brace to the wall to ensure it can’t tip over; a few of my recommended ones below come with that option.
Ultimately we want our cat to love being in their cat tree and to start to scratch the scratching posts instead of our furniture. So if the cat tree feels unsafe or unstable to them or if there are too many small, cramped openings, they may not want to hang out there.
But if choose the right cat tree, your large cat will be very safe.
How important is a cat tree?
Ultimately, the importance of a cat tree depends on whether your cat is indoors a lot and how much they scratch the furniture and carpets.
Typically, the more time indoors a cat spends, the more likely they are to scratch on the furniture or carpets to hone their nails.
Yes, you can trim their nails, or even glue on those rubber nail covers (both of which I have done).
But those are time-consuming, and, in the case of the nail covers, extremely difficult given the cat almost assuredly won’t want you to glue on nail covers (it in no way hurts the cat though, unlike declawing cats).
So for most of us, a cat tree is hugely important.
It not only gives the cat someplace it can call it’s own, but it gives the cat hours of entertainment while providing a healthy outlet for sharpening class. It’s also a great way for larger cats to stay (relatively) in shape.
One other benefit of a cat tree is reducing the amount of pet hair that ends up on your carpet and furniture.
If you are struggling with cat hair, check out my 13 proven tips on How to Get Rid of Pet Hair in Your Home (click to read my article). Tip #10 was pure genius!
So here are my picks for the . . .
5 Best Cat Trees for Large Cats Under $100
As with anything I recommend, I prefer to recommend things I have actually used or seen, or have friends who own and recommend them.
On the rare occasions when those things aren’t possible, then I look for verified purchase reviews and eliminate anything under 4 stars or anything where even 4 stars higher if the item has more than about 9% of the stars being 1 star.
I prefer (but can’t always find) items with a minimum of 100 reviews so I know lots of people have tried it.
Then I read the questions and answers people have to eliminate any possible issues that might make the product less than desirable.
What’s left is the best of the best. Then, and only then, do I feel good about recommending it.
1. URPOWER 3-Level Cat Tree
My favorite features:
- 2 sisal rope scratching posts (great for more than 1 large cat)
- Ladder to middle perch for cats that can’t jump that high
- Free Prime Shipping
- Weight capacity up to 44 lbs, so great for multiple larger cats
- Every review it has is 5 star
What I’m not crazy about:
- It says “guaranteed” but is a little vague as to what that means
- It doesn’t have a large number of reviews
- One reviewer complained of the cat tree falling over with his large cat (so consider placing against a wall or attaching to the wall)
2. LBLA Multi-Functional Cat Tree
My favorite features:
- An unusual design that is much wider and less tall than most (great for larger cats)
- No particleboard or cardboard used for construction (all PVC pipe)
- Soft fleece beds (2)
- Free Prime Shipping
- 2 sisal scratching posts
- The lowest price of all my recommendations
What I’m not crazy about:
- Only 3 reviews (but all 4 or 5 stars)
- Requires 4 feet of space in your home for the full width of the tree
- The enclosed cubby isn’t supported by wood or braces underneath and large cats may not want to stay inside due to it being wobbly
- Comes in more pieces than most so assembly takes longer
Check it out on Amazon.
3. Go Pet Club 72″ Cat Tree
My favorite features:
- Tons of sisal scratching posts! (10)
- Maker of the #1 ranked cat tree on all of Amazon
- 2 ladders to landing pads for cats that don’t want to jump
- Nice wide base
- Free Prime Shipping
- 2 cubbies with large openings
- Great, not only for larger cats but for multiple cats
- Multiple colors available
- 3,600+ reviews (with only 6% being 1 star) and an overall rating of close to 5 stars
What I’m not crazy about:
- Taller than most (6′) which could be a concern for really large (or older) cats
- Some customers complain about having to retighten the screws occasionally
4. BEWISHOME Cat Tree Condo
My favorite features:
- Free Prime Shipping
- An Amazon’s Choice product
- Over 200 near perfect reviews (only 2% are 1 star)
- 6 sisal scratching posts
- Multiple perches and a low-hanging swinging bed
- Available in multiple colors
- Sturdy and easy to assemble
What I’m not crazy about:
- The opening to the cubby is on the smaller side and doesn’t have a 2nd opening for cats to exit from (so it may not work for really large cats)
- Crawl tube may also be too small for really large cats
5. FEANDREA 58 inches Multi-Level Cat Tree6
My favorite features:
- Free Prime Shipping
- An Amazon’s Choice product
- 11 sisal scratching posts
- 2 cozy perch beds with plush padding
- Extra large opening on cubby (plus a small 2nd one for kittens)
- Well over 600 near-perfect reviews
- 2 color choices
- Heavy duty construction for great stability
What I’m not crazy about:
- Cubby only has 1 large opening which could cause really large cats to feel stuck
- Satisfaction guarantee is vague, simply stating “FEANDREA provides you with professional customer service both before and after your purchase”
- Total weight limit is 30.8 lbs, so not great for 3 or more large cats
What is the best cat tree for large cats?
So I know this article was about the 5 best. But ultimately, I know many of you want to cut to the chase and see which is the best of the best.
As I mentioned above, in digging in and doing a lot of research, I found that while there are several great ones, my pick for best cat tree for larger cats is the:
FEANDREA SONGMICS Multi-Level Cat Tree
My favorite features:
- Free Prime Shipping
- Not too tall and very sturdy; great for larger cats
- 3 sisal scratching posts
- 2 cubbies with large openings (1 of which has 2 exit openings)
- Removeable cat bowl in case you want this to be their feeding area too
- Over 70 near-perfect reviews
- Can be attached to the wall with included wall anchor for extra support
What I’m not crazy about:
- Top opening on 2nd cubby which allows access to top perch could be too small for really large cats
- Satisfaction guarantee is vague, simply stating “FEANDREA provides you with professional customer service both before and after your purchase”
This awesome cat tree features an extremely wide base for the ultimate in stability and is made of natural sisal rope for great durability. It’s also perfect, not only for larger cats but for multiple cats as well.
Particleboard gives the cat tree it’s stability under the sisal and plush carpet.
This cat tree has truly outstanding reviews with no reviews under 4 stars. On Amazon, it also comes with free Prime shipping too. Currently under 70 bucks, so it’s well under $100.
Do be aware the cat tree will need to be assembled upon arrival, but in reading the reviews, everyone said it was incredibly easy to assemble and came with all the tools needed.
Did I cover everything you wanted to see about the best cat trees for large cats under $100?
In this article, we took a detailed look into the world of cat trees.
We examined what to look for in a cat tree for both durability and stability, and what types of features you may or may not want, depending on your cat.
However, what we really looked at was cat trees for larger cats. Larger cats, after, all, have different needs than a young kitten, so for cat owners with larger cats like my wife and I, I really wanted to show the best cat trees for large cats under $100.
What is your cat’s favorite thing to scratch on?
