Big cats
Big Cat Solutions
A 20-pound cat landing on a perch built for a 9-pound cat is a physics problem, not a training problem. Here is what to check.
By Joel Wood. Picks and specs last checked .
The complaint
“My Maine Coon is 20 pounds. Every cat tree I’ve bought either tips when he jumps on it or the perches are so small he hangs off both ends.”
Big-cat owners buy more cat furniture than anyone, because they replace it more often. The reviews follow a pattern: the tree lasts a few months, develops a lean, and gets relegated to the garage. The cat goes back to the top of the fridge.
The second problem is that “large” in a product listing usually describes the tree, not the cat. A tall tree with standard perches is worse for a big cat than a short one, because it adds height without adding surface.
Why it fails
Cat furniture is designed and tested around a 9-pound cat. That assumption shows up in every part of the build.
- Perches are sized to the average. A 14-inch round platform fits a domestic shorthair curled up. A Ragdoll or Maine Coon can’t fit its hindquarters on it, so it uses the perch as a step and never settles.
- Fasteners are the weak point. Heavy landings work screws loose in particle board within weeks. Once a joint has play in it, the wobble compounds with every jump.
- Height sells, width doesn’t. A 6-foot tree photographs well. Its base is often narrower than a big cat is long, which means the centre of gravity moves outside the base every time the cat shifts on top.
- Cubbies become traps. A closed box with a single 8-inch opening is cosy for a small cat and a squeeze for a big one. Big cats learn to avoid them, and the cubby becomes dead weight at the top of the tree.
The fix is not a bigger version of the same tree. It’s a different set of specs, and most of them are about width and rating rather than height.
What to look for
Check every one before you buy. This is the part the pin couldn't fit.
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A stated weight rating, and at least 1.5× your cat's weight
If the listing doesn't give a number, the maker hasn't tested it. Big cats land hard; the rating needs headroom, not just a match.
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Perches at least 20 inches across
A Maine Coon stretched out is close to 40 inches long. A standard 14-inch perch is a footstool to them, and they will sleep on your bed instead.
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Base wider than the top platform, or a wall anchor
Height without width tips. Anything over 4 feet tall needs a base at least as wide as the highest perch, or a strap to the wall.
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Solid wood, plywood or metal frame
Particle board fasteners work loose under repeated heavy landings. Screws into plywood or steel don't.
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Cubbies with two openings, or none
A single-entry cubby sized for a normal cat is a trap for a large one. Open perches beat closed boxes.
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A bed at least 24 inches across inside, with a low entry, a firm base, and a cover that zips off
A big cat sleeps stretched out, and most "large" cat beds measure their outside edge. Check the inside. A firm base stops it collapsing into a bowl under 18 lb, a low side means an older cat steps in rather than climbs, and a zip-off cover is the only kind that gets washed.
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Cubbies at least 14 inches wide inside
A big cat lies down in a cubby, it doesn't sit in one. Most cubbies are built around a 10 or 12 inch opening for an average cat, and a 20-pound cat either wedges in or gives up on it. Measure the inside, not the hole.
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On a tree for two cats: two top perches at least 18 inches apart, and two ways down from each
One top spot is one fight, every day. Two perches far enough apart that a swipe doesn't reach, each with its own route down, means the lower-ranked cat can leave without passing the other. That's what stops the tree becoming a territory.
How tall should a cat tree be for a big cat?
Tall enough that the top perch clears any sofa back or windowsill the cat already uses, usually 5 feet or more, with at least 32 inches of clear scratching post on the way up. Height matters less than the base. A tree for a 15-pound cat needs a footprint wider than its top perch, or it tips the first time the cat lands.
The fixes
Products that pass, and where each one falls short
Every card below lists the product's known flaw. If we can't name one, we don't list it.
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Cypress Cat Tree
Mau Pets · $250–600
- Real wood branches on a wide, heavy base — rated well past a Maine Coon
- Wide hammocks and baskets big enough for a stretched-out large cat
- Looks like a piece of driftwood furniture, not a carpeted post
Known flaw
The branches are real wood, so every tree is a bit different from the photo, and the woven baskets sag noticeably under a 20-pound cat within a year. It also ships in a very large box.
Link to Mau Pets coming soon
Deluxe Playplace
Catastrophic Creations · $250–600
- Wall-mounted, so there is no base to tip no matter how hard the cat lands
- Brackets and bamboo shelves carry a stated rating well above any house cat
- Long lounge shelves fit a big cat lying full length
Known flaw
Every piece goes into wall studs. That rules out renters, plaster walls, and anyone who doesn't want to patch at move-out, and the install takes an afternoon with a stud finder.
Link to Catastrophic Creations coming soon
Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge
PetFusion · Under $100
- Long enough for a Maine Coon to stretch out and scratch at the same time
- Dense cardboard that big cats prefer over sisal, and it can be flipped when worn
- Low and wide, so it cannot tip
Known flaw
It is cardboard. It sheds confetti around it every day, looks tired after a few months, and gets replaced rather than repaired. A floor lounge, not a climbing solution.
Link to PetFusion coming soon
What we don't recommend for a big cat
Two popular Tuft + Paw products don't suit a cat over about 18 lb. The Cove litter box has 20 inches of usable length, short of the 1.5× body length rule above, and the Porto carrier's 30 lb rating describes the handles, not the headroom. The Grove cat tree is solid, but ask their support for a weight rating before you buy it for a big cat, because they don't publish one.
Get the big cat sizing card
The weight rating, the perch width and the base rule for cats over 13 pounds. We'll also email you when something in this category actually passes, which isn't often.