Goodbye, Cat Tree? Let Your Cat Climb the Wall Instead

Do cats really need a cat tree?

Your cat wants to scratch, climb, look down on everything and sleep undisturbed. A cat tree is one way to make room for all of that – but not the only one. That's where the search for a good cat tree alternative begins.

The thing sits in the middle of the living room, takes up a square meter of floor and wobbles as soon as someone takes a running jump onto it. After two years the plush is frayed, the sisal post is shredded, and in photos you try to hide it behind the couch as cleverly as you can. By the time your partner asks whether it “really has to stand there,” it's fair to rethink the whole thing.

Why the wall is suddenly so interesting

Many cat households are looking for a solution that takes up less floor space and still does it all. The answer is often right beside it: on the wall. Space that would otherwise stay empty becomes a climbing route, a lookout and a favorite spot. In online communities like r/catwalls, cat people from all over the world show how their cats get around their homes on steps, shelves and hammocks – sometimes simple, sometimes a whole landscape.

When a wall replaces the cat tree

Before you haul the old cat tree to the curb, it's worth taking a look at what it actually does. A cat wall is only a real alternative if it takes over everything your cat used to do on the cat tree. Below you'll find these four jobs, the cases where the wall wins, and the situations where a cat tree or a scratching board is a better fit for you and your cat.

The four jobs of a cat tree

A cat tree does four jobs: scratching, climbing, keeping watch and resting. An alternative works if it covers all four – whether on the floor or on the wall.

• Scratching: claw care and scent marking in one. According to the environmental needs guidelines of the feline medicine societies AAFP and ISFM (2013), cats leave their scent through glands in their paw pads when they scratch.
• Climbing: moving up, not just across.
• Keeping watch: a raised spot extends the usable space upward and lets your cat keep an eye on her surroundings, according to the same guidelines.
• Resting: a spot where she can stretch out completely – ideally with a hollow that makes her feel safe and snug.

Cat tree, cat wall or scratching board?

• Cat tree: everything in one place, but it needs floor space and a stable footing.
• Cat wall: spreads the jobs across the wall, but needs a suitable wall and careful installation.
• Scratching board or cardboard scratcher: covers scratching only – no climbing, no lookout.

A survey of around 2,500 cat owners in the US and Canada (Cisneros et al., 2022) shows that people who offer sisal, provide flat scratching surfaces and reward their cat for using them report less scratching in unwanted places. That doesn't prove cause and effect. But it does suggest that the right scratching surface in the right place matters more than the shape of the furniture.

When is a cat tree the better choice after all?

When you're not allowed to drill, the wall isn't suitable, or your cat is very heavy or older and avoids big jumps. In that case, a sturdy cat tree is the more honest choice. Or you deliberately plan the wall with wide steps and short gaps between them.

How to get started with your cat wall

You don't have to fill the whole wall right away. Three tried-and-tested ways to start:

• Start small: the SCRATCHPAD as a scratching surface plus a few STEPS as a way up to the windowsill or a shelf.
• The classic: the cat wall set with SWING hammock, STEPS and CATWALK scratching post. It covers all four jobs – scratching, climbing, keeping watch and resting. The SWING holds up to 15 kg (33 lb).
• For big cats: STEPS XL with a 24 × 20 cm (9.4 × 7.9 in) step or the roomy WAVE XXL as a climbing aid.

How do you get your cat used to the wall?

Put the scratching surface where she already scratches today – by the corner of the couch or in the hallway. Place a treat on the first step or lure her up with a wand toy. And reward every attempt. After that, it's a matter of patience. Some cats are up there on the first evening, others need a few days.

What to check first

Every wall is different. So before you drill, check what your wall is made of and use wall anchors that suit it – the assembly instructions for each product point you in the right direction.

Get it right once instead of redoing it three times

Felt and cork pads, the hammock and the scratching element can each be reordered separately. If something wears out, you swap that part – the wall stays.

You'll find more ideas and ready-made combinations in our cat wall sets as a cat tree alternative. Your cat gets her climbing route, and that square meter next to the couch is yours again.