How tall should a cat tree be?

Cats feel safe when they can see the room from above it. That instinct, not aesthetics, is what decides the right height: a tower that only reaches your knee will be used for scratching and nothing else.

The numbers that matter

• Top platform: at least as long as your cat from nose to tail base, plus a few centimetres. A 50cm platform for an average 45cm cat is the practical minimum.
• Overall height: 100–150cm for a confident jumper, 150cm+ for a cat that already climbs. Floor-to-ceiling poles (around 290cm) suit cats who want the highest point in the room.
• Base footprint: at least a third of the overall height, and wider if the top perch overhangs. This is the number that separates a tower that stays upright from one that tips.
• Post thickness: 8cm or more for a cat over 5kg. Thin posts flex, and flexing posts are why cats stop trusting the top level.

Solid wood versus particleboard

Particleboard towers are fine for kittens and small cats, but the fixings loosen after a few months of jumping. Solid pine or rubberwood costs more and doesn't wobble — if the listing doesn't say solid wood, assume it isn't.

Placement beats height

A tall tower in a hallway corner gets ignored. Put it where the cat already sits to watch the room — near a window or the back of the couch — and leave the top perch clear of shelves the cat could use instead.