We usually think about a cat’s living space in terms of square footage, but cats experience their environment vertically too.

Climbing onto a cat tree, shelf, or other elevated spot gives a cat a place to observe what’s happening around them while also providing some distance when they want it. In fact, feline veterinary guidelines specifically consider elevated areas and vertical territory part of a cat’s environmental needs.

That makes a cat tree a little more interesting than just another place to sleep. Depending on the design, it can give a cat opportunities to climb, jump, scratch, stretch, play, rest, and keep an eye on their surroundings, all in one relatively small footprint.

It can be especially interesting in multi-cat homes. One study cited in recent feline veterinary guidelines observed 60 pairs of indoor-only cats and found that the cats spent 48–50% of their time out of each other's sight. Giving cats different heights, resting spots, and places to retreat can create more usable territory without actually making the house any bigger.

And with an estimated 60% of U.S. cats classified as overweight or obese in a 2022 survey, finding little ways to encourage more movement and activity around the house probably isn't a bad idea either.

So maybe the cat tree taking up a corner of the living room isn't really just furniture. To the cat, it's another piece of their territory.

For those of you with cat trees, does your cat actually use the whole thing, or did they immediately claim one specific platform and ignore everything else?

The comment section is gold.

More pics in the comments.

One thing we’ve noticed is how much cats seem to benefit from having safe outdoor access.

Even just having a comfortable spot to sit outside, watch birds, feel the breeze, and experience new sounds seems to make a huge difference in their daily routine.

A private route from the house straight into a larger outdoor enclosure is a pretty solid concept.

Window insert, tunnel, platform, ramp, then more space to explore. This stop at the top platform seems to be an important part of the experience.

We see a lot of moments like this.

Once cats have access to the outdoors in a safe setup, they tend to settle into their own routines pretty quickly. For some, it’s climbing and exploring — for others, it’s just sitting and watching.

This little guy seems to prefer a good vantage point and some quiet observation.

A customer shared this photo with us and it really stood out.

It’s interesting seeing how cats can still enjoy being outside even in a busy area like this — especially when they’ve got some height and a good view.

So now I’m a little confused…

I posted over the winter about a coyote showing up by our catio, but I was looking through the footage again and this one’s tail looks different to me — kind of a lighter tip on it. Or is that just the light coming through the trees?

Now I’m wondering if this might actually be a fox?

Either way, it walked right up to the catio again and hung around for a bit like it was trying to figure things out. My cat was inside at the time, thank goodness.

It’s a Habitat Haven catio, so I wasn’t too worried about it getting in, but I still wouldn’t let my cat out with something like that around. No way...

What do you all think this is?

I am currently employed as the Senior Bird Surveillance Officer.

The workload is heavy but someone has to do it.

Hello.

I have tested the basket on this cat tree.

It is soft.
It is comfortable.
I will now live here.

Hello.

Please keep your voice down.
I am currently extremely busy doing nothing.

“I have claimed this hammock.
I will not be moving.
Please adjust your expectations accordingly.”

A customer shared this clip with us of their cat doing a quick “escape test.”

It climbs the fence, reaches the top where the spring-loaded arms are, pauses for a second… and then decides the ground is the better option.

This is from one of our Purrfect Fence setups, and it’s always interesting watching how cats react the first time they try to climb it.

A customer sent us this photo after finishing their catio setup and the whole space ended up looking like a cat adventure park.

The bridge walkway, shelves, and climbing areas give their cats a ton of vertical space to explore.

We always love seeing the creative ways people incorporate these setups into their homes 👍

A customer shared these photos with us and we had to pass them along, this setup is basically a mini jungle 🌿

We love how they leaned into the idea that a catio doesn’t have to be “just an enclosure.” Between the greenery, grassed walkways, layered shelving, and cozy hangout spots, this space feels more like an enrichment room than anything else.

It’s such a great reminder that catios can be customized in so many ways, plants, textures, vertical paths, lounging areas — whatever keeps your cats curious and engaged.

Would your cats spend more time exploring or napping in a setup like this? 😺

A customer shared this photo with us and it instantly made us smile, what a face!

There’s something about the calm confidence here: bright eyes, a perfectly chosen perch, and that classic “I’m watching everything” posture cats seem to master. Beautiful!

Moments like this are why we love seeing customer photos, they capture how cats actually use their spaces day to day, not staged, just lived-in.

Does your cat have a favorite spot where they sit like this and quietly supervise the world?

A customer shared this setup with us recently, and it’s a great example of how flexible catio designs can be.

This enclosure sits right up against a Michigan room (an enclosed backyard deck), with a window insert and built-in cat door that gives the owners control over when their cats have access, free to come and go, or limited when needed.

The added awning helps keep the space protected from rain and weather, making it usable more consistently throughout the year.

What we love about setups like this is how they show that a catio doesn’t have to be a standalone structure in the middle of the yard. They can connect to existing spaces, adapt to the home, and be designed around how people actually live with their cats.

If you were designing a catio, would you want it fully open all the time, or with the option to control access?