No products in the cart.
Is Solid Wood Really Better Than Particle Board?
Slick shelves make paws slide. Owners try to keep the natural wood look instead of carpet, and the thing is that it is too wobbly for a cat to feel safe to get on the shelves.
Plush particle board cushions landings. Families had a decent one that had some removable pads that were washable and wood laminate surfaces vs carpet covered, and it still had some sisal and fur covered posts.
How Do They Compare on Weight, Price, Smell and Cleaning?
| What you care about | Solid wood | Particle board |
|---|---|---|
| Weight when you move it | Heavy to carry and reposition | Lighter and easier to bring upstairs |
| Price | Usually much higher | Easier on the budget, even on tall 8-tier towers |
| Grip under paws | Bare or coated wood can feel slick | Plush wrap gives claws and paw pads traction |
| New smell | Natural timber or finish scent | May have a new-box smell; air out before use |
| Spills and water | Wipes down easily if sealed | Keep dry, since standing water can swell the board |
| Repairs | Can be sanded or touched up | Hard to patch if the core gets soaked or chipped |
Air out new boxes first. The cats like to bat at the sisal rope, and it’s been over a year since owners covered the posts with sisal rope and they’ve held up very well against sharp claws.
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.
What Does That Look Like in Our Trees?
Most standard cat trees seem too flimsy or small. 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. It depends on how solid they are and how much they weigh, and box weight includes the carton so they last a long time, are very sturdy and cats love their cat trees.
There is also a cat condo in every room. The whole thing is built around a wider base so it’s not tipping over on you, and a removable washable top pad helps when you might want to make that base bigger, preferably wider than the top.
Which One Should You Buy?
A cat likes to sleep stretched out quite often. You look for a tower with a wide base to avoid tipping, and something that won’t wobble or fall apart in a few months.
Some senior cats are much more spry than others. Flimsy cat trees wobble, wear out fast, and frustrate large or active cats, and our 83-inch five-post tower helps when many cat trees feature removable and washable cushions, making it easy to maintain hygiene.
They also really love the trees with baskets. Older cats can’t comfortably twist or climb a height more than maybe a foot and a half, and the cats have been using the replacement posts just fine because two average sized cats can comfortably play on it together.
