How Tall Should a Cat Tree Be? 44 to 81 Inches, by Cat

This page sets out what Ohio State University’s vets say a cat needs from a perch, then 5 trees from 44 to 81.1 inches, matched to the cat and the room, as How we choose describes. Nothing here was handled or tested.

DUMOS 44-inch ↓

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Best for Kittens and small rooms

Watch for Low for a climber

Yaheetech 54-inch ↓

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Best for 1 or 2 adult cats

Watch for Caves are small for big cats

Feandrea 59.5-inch ↓

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Best for A living room

Watch for Not the tallest perch

Yaheetech 63-inch sturdy ↓

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Best for Heavy cats

Watch for Large footprint

Feandrea 81.1-inch ↓

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Best for Climbers and 3 cats

Watch for Needs a wall strap

The window and the room set the height, not a number

The Ohio State University Indoor Pet Initiative publishes no ideal height for a cat tree. What it does say is that a cat needs to raise itself off the ground and see what is going on, outside as well as in. A cat that can hear and smell something but not see it may be frightened by it. So the top perch should reach a window and look over the room. Ohio State also suggests more than 1 perch, so the cat can look out at different angles. The cat trees guide adds a 70-inch Globlazer for large cats to the 5 trees below.

44 inches suits a kitten, an older cat or a studio apartment

A lower tree is the right one when the cat cannot yet, or can no longer, make big jumps. The DUMOS 44-inch tree has a scratching post and low steps, and fits beside a window in a small room. A climber will outgrow it quickly.

01

Best low tree

DUMOS 44 Inch Small Cat Tree

A 44-inch tree with a scratching post, sized for an apartment or a kitten.

DUMOSDUMOS 44 Inch Small Cat Tree

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Specifications for DUMOS 44 Inch Small Cat Tree

Height	44 inches
Includes	Scratching post

44 inches, for a kitten, an older cat or a small room.

Buy it if

• A kitten, an older cat, or a studio apartment

Don't buy it if

• A climber who wants a view from near the ceiling

54 inches clears the back of a sofa, enough for most adult cats

At 54 inches a cat sits well above the furniture and can watch the whole room. The Yaheetech 54-inch tower adds 2 enclosed caves for sleeping out of sight, a top perch with raised sides and sisal posts for scratching. It is the height to buy when nobody yet knows what the cat will prefer.

02

Best all-round height

Yaheetech 54in Cat Tree Tower with 2 Caves

A 54-inch tower with 2 enclosed caves, a perch with raised sides and sisal scratching posts.

YaheetechYaheetech 54in Cat Tree Tower with 2 Caves

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Specifications for Yaheetech 54in Cat Tree Tower with 2 Caves

Height	54 inches
Hideaways	2 caves

54 inches, 2 dens and a lookout, for 1 or 2 cats.

Buy it if

• 1 or 2 average-sized adult cats

Don't buy it if

• A cat over 15 pounds, who will outgrow the caves

59.5 to 63 inches suits a living room, or a heavy cat

Between 5 and 5.5 feet, a tree gives a lookout over most furniture without dominating the room. Feandrea’s 59.5-inch tower stacks several levels and a condo into that height, about 22 inches shorter than its tall sibling.

03

Best for a living room

Feandrea Cat Tree, 59.5-Inch, Multi-Level Condo

A 59.5-inch multi-level tower with a condo, a step down from Feandrea's 81.1-inch model.

FeandreaFeandrea Cat Tree, 59.5-Inch, Multi-Level Condo

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Specifications for Feandrea Cat Tree, 59.5-Inch, Multi-Level Condo

Height	59.5 inches
Layout	Multi-level with condo

A mid-height tower that shares a living room well.

Buy it if

• A living room where an 80-inch tower would dominate

Don't buy it if

• A cat that wants the highest point in the house

For a big cat, the build matters as much as the height. The Yaheetech 63-inch is sold as sturdy and made for heavy indoor cats, which suits a Maine Coon or a ragdoll.

04

Best height for a heavy cat

Yaheetech 63in Sturdy Large Cat Tree for Heavy Cats

A 63-inch tower the maker sells as sturdy and built for heavy indoor cats.

YaheetechYaheetech 63in Sturdy Large Cat Tree for Heavy Cats

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Specifications for Yaheetech 63in Sturdy Large Cat Tree for Heavy Cats

Height	63 inches
Built for	Large, heavy cats, per the maker

63 inches, built for a heavy cat.

Buy it if

• A Maine Coon or any cat whose weight wobbles a light tower

Don't buy it if

• A small apartment

81.1 inches nearly reaches an 8-foot ceiling, so anchor it

A standard 8-foot ceiling is 96 inches, so the Feandrea 81.1-inch tower stops about 15 inches short of it. That height gives 2 or 3 cats separate levels to claim, and gives a climber the highest point in the room. Measure the ceiling first, and fix the top to a wall: a cat landing on the highest platform puts its weight where a tall tower is least stable. Will a cat tree tip over? covers the base, load and wall strap in detail.

05

Tallest

Feandrea Cat Tree, 81.1-Inch Large Cat Tower

An 81.1-inch multi-level tower with condos, for cats who climb to the top of everything.

FeandreaFeandrea Cat Tree, 81.1-Inch Large Cat Tower

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Specifications for Feandrea Cat Tree, 81.1-Inch Large Cat Tower

Height	81.1 inches
Layout	Multi-level with condos

81.1 inches, for climbers and multi-cat homes.

Buy it if

• A climber, or 2 or 3 cats who need separate levels

Don't buy it if

• A room with a low ceiling, or no way to anchor it