what's up with cat trees
Plus the adoption story of Sir Loin - our little ball of fur
Cats were always admittedly cool, but we’d been in the band of labeling ourselves “dog people” our entire lives. Bryan’s family never owned a cat and I didn’t hang with ours growing up too much, because honestly, I was avoiding the litter box chore.
Yea. No, thank you. That’s your cat, sis.
So we remained petless in NYC as the combo of morning poo pick ups, living within a 600ft² apartment, and being “BIG dog people” on top of it all meant it’d be selfish, and then borderline abusive (on both ends) to adopt a pup.
Fast forward and we now live in the sunshine state, so sleet and snow are no excuse. But uh, we’re still in a 5th floor apartment with our dream doggo being the not-so-small Irish Setter. Aka we need a backyard!
At the same time, we’re eager to start our little family. And I can’t imagine going another 5 years without a pet (growing up in a mini petting zoo will do that to you).
So if the math is right… condo life = cat parents.
And us being dog people? Well, stepping into the kitten section of a Humane Society changed everything.
The first kitten we met wasn’t Sir Loin, it was a furry grey, blue eyed fuzz ball named Greg who was super timid, sweet, and… not quite the right fit. A little too scared of everything in sight, poor guy.
We were discouraged until “our guy” was carried in gnawing at the volunteer’s hand.
He was gently set down and you could see curiosity spark as he looked around the room wide-eyed, taking it all in. He purred as soon as we picked him up and nuzzled Bryan’s 5’oclock shadow. Then he fearlessly jumped from the bench to the floor - at 8 weeks old! That’s no Greg. He proceeded to hoist himself up the side of a wooden chair with zero leg support or cushion to cling to. It looked like the kitten version of a pull-up.
I glanced back at Bryan and saw he was head over heels (with the cat version of himself) and has since called him “MY Guy!”.
Boys.
Few signed papers later, and he’s officially part of the family.
Sir Loin settling in
No question - we’re spoiling him. He has the most natural (not cheap) litter, wet food, dry food with the highest protein, FILTERED water lol, and a suffocating amount of snuggles. Toy wise, card board boxes are preferred over any PetSmart product.
Only thing we’re missing is a perch for him to watch over us in the dining room where he’s not allowed a seat at the table - a cat tree!
Before making the investment — don’t laugh — we mocked up a cat tree to be sure he’d like it. It was a slightly unstable, quickly crafted multitude of cardboard boxes, tape, and scraps of fabric.
He loved it!
Bryan, being frugal as ever, suggested we keep the homemade tower. Unfortunately, he married an interior designer, and while a testament to our creativity, a pile of taped boxes aka trash beside our front door isn’t the look I’m going for.
So. Where are all the cute cat trees?
Cat trees seem to be a staple in cat owner homes, so why are they so ugly?? Or enormous. And always covered in bad beige carpet.
At some point, with that monstrosity, guests are going to walk in and wonder who owns who.
Offenders:
A not-so-terrible cat tree (kinda cool, actually)
Here’s one by Mau I don’t mind. However, it doesn’t match the vibe of our space nor does it fit well in the dining room corner as it’d block the front door from opening entirely. We actually bought it and Sir Loin was a fan, but yea, not quite right.
Also - I with the “Faux Rabbit Fur” wasn’t synthetic. I’m getting picky, I know.
This guy (below) built his own tree in a similar fashion and it fits perfectly in his mid-century home. Love how he aligned a few steps with the window frame. And did he really match the base to the carpet? Kudos.
Alas, there are no wood workers in residence.
SOS
Do you guys have any recs? Let me know in the comments! I’m new to the game and have a feeling I’ve only skimmed the surface here.
Our dining room walls are a dark F&B De Nimes blue (note: not a ton of natural light in this area), so I’m considering this one to stretch from floor to ceiling. It’ll blend in better and not block the front door from opening. Simple, yet effective.
And yes, it’s covered in carpet - gross, but functional, so I’ll allow it.
As always, thank you guys a billion for reading!!! Sorry I’m a crazy cat lady now. I didn’t see it coming either.
XX,
Wendie
P.S. How do we think Sir Loin will get along with an Irish Setter?
BFFS I ‘d bet.
