Pet merchandise are not all the time good to have a look at. Carpet-covered cat timber and plastic toys do not significantly mix in with decor, and in the event you reside with a cat, you recognize that sometimes you are going to depart rubbish round—like empty packing containers or a balled up serviette—as a result of that is what they like to play with. That is the value we pay for glad cats. However not every thing meant for feline enrichment must be ugly or cheaply made.
Dwelling with three cats in flats and small properties, I’ve discovered that when every thing you personal is on show, you need it to look good. I additionally wished them to be constructed nicely, with longevity in thoughts, and naturally, I wanted my cats to truly like them. So I began a mission to seek out lovely cat equipment. These are my (and my cats’) favorites.
Additionally, take a look at our many different pet-related guides, just like the Best Cat Toys, Best Litter Boxes, Best Feline Supplies, Best Pet Cameras, and Best Vet Telemedicine.
Up to date November 2024: We have added the Archie & Oscar Henrietta cat tree, Omlet’s Change cat scratcher and Freestyle Cat Tree, and Dagne Dover’s Kyoto pet service. We have additionally eliminated a discontinued product and up to date costs and hyperlinks all through.
Desk of Contents
Do Your Cats Want Fancy Furnishings?
Your cats want a couple of issues: a clear place to go to the lavatory, contemporary meals and water, and a complete lot of affection. They do not want a $600 litter field enclosure or $300 tree.
Cats are infamous for enjoying with the packaging the very costly merchandise got here in as an alternative of truly utilizing that very costly merchandise. In case your cats solely need plastic toys and junky-looking timber, give these trash goblins what they need. And what I personally like in model, chances are you’ll hate—but it surely’s a spot to start out if you would like to clean up your house.
Security Recommendation
I spoke with Russell Hartstein, animal behaviorist and founding father of the Los Angeles canine coaching facility Fun Paw Care. He identified that some furnishings, whether or not low-cost or costly, might doubtlessly be held along with poisonous supplies like formaldehyde glue. The place doable, I requested every of the businesses to verify the supplies used and have offered their responses under.
When in search of merchandise for cats (or any pets!), hold a watch out for small elements that may very well be a choking hazard in the event that they got here undone. Make certain every thing is connected correctly to carry weight, particularly for items that require at-home meeting. Control issues which might be glued on, just like the rope usually connected to scratchers, to verify items of the dried glue aren’t uncovered. Even when the glue is unhazardous, you do not need your pet consuming that.
Cat Bushes
Inexpensive and Strong
Fortunately, you do not have to spend a ton on a cat tree to get one thing that appears fairly good. My cats lounge on Catit’s small Vesper Box ($90) whereas I work (I hold it subsequent to my desk). It has a backside semi-enclosed space for some privateness, a center seat with a scratching put up and toy, and a high mattress. All three ranges have furry pads that Velcro in. They arrive in several different configurations and color options.
The Vesper furnishings is constructed from fiberboard with a laminate end. My cats have been utilizing it since 2020 with out something degrading—it made it backwards and forwards throughout the nation in packed U-Hauls too. Catit does supply replacement parts to increase the furnishings’s life. I’ve used a bunch of issues from Catit now, together with totally different water fountains, and it is a typically well-regarded model. It additionally affords a 30-day return window in case your cat finally ends up not liking it, and you’ll find merchandise at Chewy and Amazon too.
Catit assured me all of the Vesper furnishings is made with toxin-free supplies, and it follows the formaldehyde emission standards (TSCA Title VI compliant) for composite wooden merchandise put forth by the EPA.
Runner-Up
The Mau Cento Tree received probably the most compliments of any furnishings I’ve owned. Past being fairly, my cats cherished it. I usually discovered two of them quick asleep in every basket, or my little woman Eely slumbered within the fuzzy cave. They leap on and off, scratch the designated scratchers, and play with the pom poms. It’s extremely costly, although elements are replaceable.
Every bit is constructed from actual wooden (sourced ethically from timber that “not bear fruit,” in line with the corporate), and the model donates 5 percent of earnings to animal welfare and environmental conservation organizations and crops a tree for each order. Mau shared take a look at outcomes with us that confirmed no lead, cadmium, or formaldehyde was detected within the merchandise examined—this included plush bedding, sisal ropes, steel frames, particle board, tree trunk, plywood, and different woods and fillings. We have been glad to see this, although the model didn’t explicitly state that the furnishings was unhazardous.
For Cats Who Want They Have been Outdoors
As really useful by PETA and the Humane Society of the United States, my two cats are indoor-only. Nonetheless, they nonetheless get pleasure from chattering and lunging at birds that go to our window bird feeder, and the Archie & Oscar Henrietta, a 5-foot-tall, three-tiered fake tree, checks two packing containers—it permits them a excessive place to take a seat, and it satisfies their intuition to hide themselves from each prey and potential predators (young children, vacuums). Although meeting isn’t precisely a breeze, the tree seems to be nice in a room filled with houseplants, and the person branches might be popped in or out relying in your or your cats’ preferences—there are sufficient to cowl the entire tree, or simply partially, as my cats Circe and Scylla choose.
Circe enjoys hanging out on the underside stage, concealing herself among the many leaves, and Scylla loves hanging out on the highest with a few of the branches eliminated, in addition to rubbing her face everywhere in the “stems” and “leaves.” Be aware that producer On2Pets confirmed that the tree elements are fabricated from unhazardous, pet-safe supplies, although cats shouldn’t be permitted to chew on the greenery. —Kat Merck
A Customizable System
There are cat timber, after which there’s the Omlet Freestyle cat tree, which has extra in frequent with an erector set than it does the everyday carpet-and-sisal quantity. Sturdy sufficient for even the most important of cats, this modular assortment of steel poles and solid-bamboo platforms is akin to Barbie’s DreamHouse for cat fanciers—you should purchase as many platforms, steps, beds, scratchers, and add-ons as you’d prefer to create something from a single pole in a nook to a maze that spans a complete room. There are pots for crops, rings for treats, scratchers, and pads.
For those who can’t resolve construct your personal set, Omlet’s web site affords a number of predesigned strategies. Poles taller than 8 toes have to be bracketed right into a wall for stability, however not like comparable merchandise, Freestyle can accommodate ceilings as much as 12 toes excessive. My cats spend at the least a part of every day on a set that includes two poles, scratchers, and beds (costs fluctuate relying on what number of elements you add). Nonetheless, convey your endurance—even my wholesome marriage was threatened over the meeting of two poles’ value of equipment. For those who do construct your personal, although, be sure you embody the tipi. My cats battle over theirs. —Kat Merck
Cat Beds
A Tender Cave
Catenary’s Moon Cave affords two delicate mattress choices. In case your cats like small areas for napping, depart it as a cave. If they like some headroom, push down the highest to show it into a standard pet mattress. There are tons of two-in-one beds like this that you’ll find for reasonable, however I recognize that the impartial, delicate design right here blends into the nook of my lounge as an alternative of standing out like a brightly coloured toy. Possibly I used to be influenced by photographs on the web site, however I am imagining this trying completely cozy beneath a Christmas tree this winter. The bouclé—aka looped yarn—can also be mechanically cleanable.
Window Beds
Cats love lounging within the solar, so beds that sit on the window make excellent sense. I have been utilizing the Ok&H Pet Merchandise Kitty Sill Fleece beds for years. It is not fancy, however the beige fleece blends in fairly nicely. In case your home windows haven’t got sills for them to take a seat on, there are alternatives with suction cups to stay proper on the glass.
Suction cup cat seats all the time make me nervous, particularly as a result of I’ve a pair hefty boys right here. However Tuft and Paw’s Cloud 9 Window Hammock is safe, so long as you completely clear your home windows and provides the cups time to actually stick. I’ve additionally used the Kitty Cot ($45), which is extra reasonably priced although not as aesthetically pleasing. I would suggest including one thing delicate to each—each supply blankets or pads for an additional price, however I want they may very well be connected even with snaps or velcro, so they do not slip round if a cat leaps onto it.
Scratchers
The Finest Scratcher
Not each piece of good cat furnishings must price a number of hundred bucks. I’ve used a couple of of PetFusions’s loungers and so they held up very well beneath ferocious cat claws. Additionally they look cool and are robust sufficient to help my weight (generally ya gotta attain one thing up excessive, you recognize). Cats can scratch one aspect to oblivion and then you definately simply flip it to a wonderfully clear aspect.
Higher Cardboard Slabs
Corrugated cardboard scratchers are nice as a result of most cats love them, and so they’re straightforward to switch. Except the big PetFusion lounger above, most are simply skinny rectangles. They do their job however do not appear like something particular. Catenary’s Bloom scratchers, although, take it up a notch, utilizing pet-safe dyes to create a phenomenal, pure design mimicking wildlife. It has no impression on whether or not or not my cats will scratch them (they may), and so they actually look good on my ground. For $60, you get a set of three, and every one is reversible.
Do not have that a lot house to spare? The Boots and Barkley Wave Scratcher ($15) from Goal shouldn’t be as cute, however my cats find it irresistible.
A Lovely Facet Desk Scratcher
Typically you see a product on Kickstarter and depend down the times till it is accessible—that is what I did with the Hilde & Phil Cat-e-Nook. It is an actual wooden aspect desk for you, a scratcher on your cats, and a protector on your furnishings arms. The sisal scratch mats are replaceable and connect to the wooden with sturdy velcro, so it is a long-term funding for you and your pets.
Relying on the peak of your furnishings, chances are you’ll want so as to add a riser. The web site has precise measurements, but when it is taller than 25 inches, you will want a 2-inch riser. If it is taller than 27 inches, get a 4-inch riser. The usage of risers additionally means you may swap them in or out in the event you change furnishings as an alternative of getting to get a brand new desk altogether. I really like that the model is named after the founder’s cats—it is my dream to open a enterprise named after my beloved buddies.
A Scratching Put up With ~Vibes~
UK-based Omlet is thought for its predator-proof hen coops just like the Eglu Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends), however up to now few years it has expanded its choices for different pets, together with cats. One of many heaviest, sturdiest cat scratchers I’ve ever seen, the Change is a 33-inch-tall, sisal-wrapped tube on a 16 x 16-inch bamboo base weighted with a big water bottle. It accommodates 12 totally different LED gentle reveals of curiosity to each cats and other people, from the basic pink darting laser to coloured pinwheels and Tetris-like patterns, all with adjustable brightness, colours, and speeds. (My cats should not particularly all for chasing the lights, although they do watch them.) Set it up in a darkish den or gaming room for a twin cat toy and dialog piece, or use it in a bed room as a nightlight.
Neither of my 10ish-pound home shorthairs might knock this over regardless of my waving a toy on the highest of it to check their full leaping weight, so it may very well be a superb possibility for bigger or extra energetic breeds like Maine coons or Bengals. The sisal sleeve is also replaceable ($45), so not like cheaper scratchers, the entire thing doesn’t have to be tossed when spent. Be forewarned, nevertheless, that this tree requires a prolonged and considerably difficult meeting, so be sure you have a few hours and a stable provide of endurance put aside. —Kat Merck
Sofa With Scratch Pads or a Cushion
The Work in Progress Cat Sofa is lovely and can be utilized as a scratcher, a mattress, or each. The bottom worth features a cardboard scratcher that may be flipped over after which replaced (then you may recycle the previous one). Or you will get a really pretty cushion for an extra $110. One in all my cats instantly scratched and lounged on it—cats usually lounge instantly on cardboard scratchers, so you do not have to get the pillow instantly.
Like a few of the different merchandise on this record, I believe it is costly given its simplicity. Nonetheless, Work in Progress (WIP) is a small enterprise. For those who can afford it, it is good to help small companies like this, relatively than a significant firm like Petco or Walmart. The Cat Sofa is manufactured from Baltic birch wooden in Arizona. It is completed and sealed, assembly the Greenguard low-emissions certification, so it ought to be secure for pets. The cushion is stuffed with polyester and the duvet is a linen-cotton mix.
A Service/Mattress Combo
I’ve tried fairly a couple of carriers throughout the value spectrum, and I used to be impressed by Tuft and Paw’s Porto Cat Service (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It is delicate however sturdy, and would not collapse beneath the load of a cat. It has transported my cats to vet visits and saved them comfy within the automotive throughout a cross-country transfer. Some cats will sleep in any service in the event you depart it out, however I like that this one might be reworked into a bit of mattress by unzipping one aspect and unfolding the fake shearling pad. Your complete factor is framed in zippers, so it may well go from a structured service to fully flat. That offers you extra choices for getting fussy cats in or out.
An Upscale Service/Mattress Combo
My cat Scylla is unusually choosy about the place she sleeps, however she is obsessive about snoozing within the soft-sided Dagne Dover Kyoto pet service. (It’s additionally fashionable amongst our employees with canine—WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu makes use of it to tote his pup to the seaside.) The bag as a mattress is sensible from a cat perspective—it’s principally a field, which cats love, with opaque sides to make them really feel secure and mesh screens on the back and front to allow them to regulate issues. In contrast to many precise cat beds, the Kyoto’s delicate sherpa mattress insert additionally has a zip-off, washable cowl.
I additionally love that it opens from the highest, which makes it a lot simpler for wrangling and inserting noncompliant animals, and that it’s each TSA-compliant (it may well match beneath an airline seat) and permits Scylla to have a secure and acquainted house every time I must take her someplace. I’ve the big measurement, which inserts pets as much as 20 kilos, however there’s additionally a small possibility for pets 15 kilos and beneath. Seat belt loops add a layer of security for automotive rides, and all the bag collapses flat for storage. —Kat Merck
Litter Packing containers and Enclosures
A Nice Primary Litter Field
My cats are completely high-quality utilizing plain previous litter packing containers, and yours in all probability are too. You may class it up a bit with packing containers disguised as crops or hidden inside aspect tables, however Tuft and Paw’s Cove litter field takes a easy litter pan and elevates it.
It is hefty, so it will not transfer round in case your cats prefer to kick. Talking of kicking, the removable shelter retains litter and pee inside—simply in case your cat has a excessive stream. The field has a devoted house for the included scoop and dustpan. Nonetheless, I want you possibly can buy the shelter individually. Weirdly, this field would not match into the model’s litter field enclosure, however the model launched a brand new Cubby version ($69) that does work with its fashionable Haven Enclosure ($699)—we have not tried the Haven, however we have been coveting it from afar.
The Finest Litter Field Enclosure
Placing a litter field inside a bit of furnishings meant to hide it may give your cats some privateness, conceal odors, and conceal little turds out of your friends.
Tuft and Paw’s litter field enclosure is without doubt one of the most lovely items of furnishings I’ve seen, but it surely’s pricier than loads of us can afford. WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe has tried this Rena Litter Field Enclosure from Wayfair although, and you may usually discover it for round $120ish (and normally even much less). It merely is not as fairly as Tuft and Paw, but it surely would not appear like a poop receptacle both, and there is ample house on high for some decorations to additional mix it in with your own home.
