What Is the Difference Between Cat Tree Levels and Platforms?

Why Does an 8-Level Tree Show Only 3 Platforms?

Levels count every vertical stage. A tall climber has all kinds of cool levels and places to hide and a proper sleeping spot at the very top, and just under that little bed is an open platform.

Boxes and baskets fill levels. Some households have to have at least four of things like window perches and scratching posts, the favorite beds and boxes, and a mountain of the preferred catnip toys.

What Counts as a Platform?

Open boards let cats stretch. Several owners bought some sisal rope to replace the worn out bits on scratching posts, and the carpet is in good shape and just seems to need cleaning in a couple of spots.

The carpet underneath the base makes it wobbly. The base is big enough, it looks very sturdy, there are big, high platforms to lay on, and the sisal rope and carpet are both appealing for scratching.

Most standard cat trees seem too flimsy or small. The sisal only wraps part of each post, limiting full-stretch scratch zones, and an oversized five-post top bed helps when a cat likes to stretch and scratch on the large window sill. Prefer a large top bed cozy enough for the cat to sleep on, since a lot of cat trees seem to be made for kitten-sized cats.

The cats like to bat at the sisal rope. They have several cat trees, scratch posts, treats and so many toys for them, and the cats have been using the replacement posts just fine because the rest of the scratching tree is still in a quite okay shape.

How Do Levels and Platforms Look on Real Trees?

There is also a cat condo in every room. They will only scratch the parts with sisal rope or rough carpet, and you don’t need to have your cat tree double as a scratch post, though many people like them to.

Some senior cats are much more spry than others. There should be a scratch post in almost every room, and a two-post deep metal basket helps when they love that spot or the little basket at the top.

Which Number Should I Check First?

They also really love the trees with baskets. They love to snug in the hammock or top which worked great when they were kittens, and now though, they’re quite large and are spilling out the sides.

The kittens are sleeping on the cat tree. If the top platform starts wobbling because it’s made from particle board held together with a wooden peg in the middle, the cat will not use it.