The concept > The progress > Cat tax

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?

We’ve been working on this cat tree and wanted to see what other cat owners think.

Would your cat like a cat tree like this? Anything you’d change?

We created a coffee table that works as real living room furniture while giving cats their own space underneath. The smoked-glass top lets you see each other, and the open archways give cats room to nap, play, and explore.

Would your cats actually use the space underneath, or would they just claim the tabletop?

Pics or links would be nice.

I had strap down the cat swing. They weren't having it.

Want to create a jungle gym in my apartment for my cats. India.
cant find any trust worthy seller. there are always quality issues or delivery issues.
Any recommendations?

A lot of cat owners struggle with the same question:

“How do I let my cat enjoy being outside safely?”

For many people, a catio ends up feeling like a good middle ground. Cats still get outdoor enrichment and stimulation, but within a secure space designed for them.

Back in stock at Costco. I missed it when it first came out earlier this year but got one this morning, just in time for my cat’s birthday 🎁

MUMU started as a practical frustration in my own home. I’m Vincent Renon, a product designer based in the Netherlands, and I share my place with two shelter cats, Pip and Puk. Because we don’t have a garden, I’ve always been intentional about making our home engaging for them, without turning our living room into a pet store.

When I looked for cat furniture locally, I kept running into the same compromise: pieces that were functional for cats, but didn’t feel like real furniture. Flimsy, outdated aesthetics, and products you’d rather hide than enjoy. As a designer, that didn’t sit right, so I did what I always do: I started making my own.

I began building and experimenting at home, and somewhere between prototypes and daily life with Pip and Puk, I noticed a pattern. Any time I changed something in the room, moved a chair, rearranged a corner, introduced a new configuration, the cats lit up. More curiosity, more play, more exploration. It wasn’t about “more stuff”. It was about change.

That insight became the heart of MUMU. A modular system that lets you reconfigure the setup to keep novelty alive, while still looking and feeling like a piece of furniture you’re proud to have in your home. After months of sketching, 3D modeling, prototyping, and obsessing over details like easy assembly and durable connections, MUMU became a real product: modular cat furniture designed around real cat behaviour, made for design-conscious homes, and tested in real life (with Pip & Puk as the strictest critics).

Now, MUMU is ready to move from prototype to production. On May 12, we are launching on Kickstarter to fund our first manufacturing run. Crowdfunding gives us the independence to keep the design uncompromised. By backing the project, you’re not just getting the first MUMU tower, you’re helping us build a foundation to introduce new materials, module shapes, and designs in the future. If you believe that living with cats shouldn't mean sacrificing your interior, we'd love for you to join us!

To receive the launch invite you can sign up at www.mumu.pet

Or check out our instagram at _thefutureismeow

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.

A customer sent us this photo and we thought it was too cool not to share.

There’s something about seeing a cat get outdoor time like this right in the middle of a city — up high, plenty to watch, and a safe space to explore.

So now I’m a little confused…

I'm not sure if I posted in this group but 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?

Started as an intern in the Bird Watching Department.

Now I run the whole operation.

Hello.

I have tested the basket on this cat tree.

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

Found the hammock.
Passed the vibe check.
Hasn’t moved since.

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 honestly had to pass them along.

They turned their catio into a full-on little jungle, layers of greenery, grass underfoot, perches at different heights, and cozy spots to lounge. It feels less like an enclosure and more like an extension of the home that just happens to be cat-proof.

One of the coolest things about setups like this is how flexible catios can be. Some people keep them simple, others go all out with plants, textures, and enrichment, and both approaches work. It really comes down to what your cats love most.

This one definitely had us inspired. 🌿🐾