Without a doubt, declawing isn’t the best thing you can do to your feline friends. If you’re unfamiliar, declawing entails amputating the last bone of each toe. Imagine if someone removed the last knuckle of each of your fingers — not so kind, right?
Truth be told, we may not always have a say in this. Declawing can be 100% justifiable if it will prevent something worse from happening, such as serious infections or complete leg amputation.
Either way, we’re not here to dwell on the past. I wrote this post to review the best cat trees for declawed cats to ensure that they’re living a normal, happy life. Be sure to do your due diligence as cat trees are expensive so you want to make sure you buy something your cat will love.
*This page contains affiliate links to products I recommend. If you purchase something from this page, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
The 5 Best Cat Trees for Declawed Cats: Reviews
In each of the following reviews, I’ll discuss the attributes of every cat tree to highlight the most important features and drawbacks.
#1 Feandrea 67 inches UPCT18W Multi-Level Cat Tree – Best Overall
- Exclusive Luxury for Cats: Your feline friends need a cozy home of their own to play, take a nap or jump around; this cat house is sure to be their dream-come-true
- All-in-One Playground: 2 roomy condos offer luxurious napping experience; 3 plush perches with raised edges allow your cat to rest on its head while watching over the house; sisal-covered slope adds...
If you own more than one declawed cat, you should consider getting this huge cat tree from Feandrea.
First things first, this cat tree is 67 inches high. Yes, it’s not the highest on the market — some models can reach a whopping 90 inches! But for declawed cats, it’s advised to stay below 70 inches since they can’t really climb or jump efficiently.
Featuring two large condos, this cat tree guarantees endless hours of luxurious napping and relaxation. There are also 3 plush perches adjusted with different heights to match your cats’ varying personalities. I absolutely like how Feandrea equipped these perches with a raised-edge padding — most cats love dangling their heads over such edges.
Underneath each perch, there’s a furry ball hanging with an elastic band. This should provide lots of fun for your cats when you don’t have time to play with them.
To improve the cats’ experience, Feandrea added lots of platforms that cats can easily hop onto. And at the bottom, cats won’t have to exert the slightest bit of effort; all they have to do is gracefully walk over the sisal-covered ramp.
In terms of safety, Feandrea reinforced the bottom with plenty of battens to improve stability. There’s also a sturdy fitting attached to the back with which you can prevent wobbling or tipping.
Pros
- Large build that suits multiple cats
- Lined with comfy faux fur
- Equipped with multiple platforms to minimize climbing
Cons
- A bit expensive
#2 Go Pet Club 62-Inch Cat Tree – Best Features
- Ultra-Durable: This cat tree is made from highly durable compressed wood with faux fur; multiple scratching posts are covered by natural sisal ropes, perfect for cats to scratch, climb, play, and...
- Ultimate Relaxxation & Fun: This 62" tall cat tree has a quiet & roomy cat condo, allowing your feline friend to nap without disruptions; it features a tall perch, cozy top tunnel, multi-level...
With a height of 62 inches, this cat tree from Go Pet Club should be more than perfect for folks who have moderate to small space.
The thing that makes it stand out the most is its creative design. First of all, there’s a roomy condo that measures 11 by 13 inches. I like that it has a small opening since most cats like to nap in dark cave-like areas.
Over the highest part of the tree, Go Pet Club placed a wide, padded perch with raised edges. I like how it’s placed way higher than all of the other tree’s parts. This should let your cats watch over the house with the most satisfying vista.
There’s a small padded bowl hanging on one of the sisal-wrapped posts. At first glance, I had a hard time believing that such a design can hold the weight of my adult cats. But I was relieved to know that none of the Amazon customers had a negative experience on this matter.
The last part, however, did arouse plenty of angry comments. There’s a fabric hammock hanging from the lowest platform. Many users reported that its puny screws couldn’t hold the weight of kittens, let alone adult cats!
Pros
- Includes a condo, perch, bowl, hammock, tunnel, and stairs
- Lined with durable faux fur
- Comes in a wide variety of colors
Cons
- The hammock may not be that durable
#3 AmazonBasics Cat Tree with Platform – Best for Senior Cats
- Multi-platform cat tree with scratching posts
- Tiered platforms provide space for your cat to relax, play, and climb
As you might already know, cats become more vulnerable to degenerative joint disease as they get older. If your cat is older than 10 years, you might want to consider adjusting different things around your home to fit his reduced activity level. As for the cat tree, this one from AmazonBasics should be your best bet.
To minimize your cats’ effort, AmazonBasics chose to ditch the complex structure for an extremely simple design.
There’s a main post that holds a small perch at the top. To relax there, your cat will simply walk over the tiered platforms. I like that they’re designed as consecutive stairs — this should let your cat walk his way to the top without breaking a sweat.
Is it perfect? Not really. I don’t know why, but AmazonBasics chose to leave the platforms and the perch with zero cushioning.
To make things more comfortable, I suggest padding them yourself with soft blankets. But make sure to staple them well from the underside with a staple gun. And constantly check on them to repair any small tears before they coalesce into bigger cuts.
Pros
- Simple design
- Suitable for restricted areas
- Affordable
Cons
- It doesn’t have enough padding
#4 Kitty City Claw Mega Kit Cat Furniture – Most Versatile
- A cat magnet! Your cats will love it!!!
- Easy to change modular design to fit any space. Lightweight, and easy to move.
Do you like to DIY different things around the house? If so, you can let your cat see how talented you are with this versatile cat tree from Kitty City.
Thanks to its modular design, you can come up with endless setups to fit any weird corner in your home. Just hook the foundation tubes to the corner parts to make small boxes. Then attach these boxes next to or above each other. You can order more modules to make the tree taller or wider.
Instead of the regular padding and faux fur, this cat tree features nylon sheets that attach to the tubes with velcro pads. As you might’ve thought, velcro may not be sturdy enough to support large breeds. To make the tree more secure, you can put a couple of stitches to permanently attach the velcro.
Alternatively, you can ditch those nylon sheets altogether and buy the Kitty City fabric add-on bed instead. This bed attaches to the tubes via stitched fabric loops that won’t suddenly detach.
Regardless of the padding choice, the height between the platforms will remain small enough for declawed cats to hop onto. You can also elevate the level of the platforms by adding small beds if your cat has a hard time jumping.
Pros
- Can be built in any shape
- Kitty city releases lots of add-ons
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- The original nylon sheets may not be sturdy enough
#5 Superjare Cat Tree – Best for Single Cats
- [ Extra Scratch Boards and Sisal Posts ] This cat tree is equipped with an extra scratching board and posts covered with natural sisal. Kittens can grind their claws on it to help them develop a good...
- [ Large Top Plush Perch ] The big top perch is wrapped in plush. When the cat is bored, he can look at the scenery outside the window, the birds flying by the window or play with the toy ball below....
If you currently have only one cat in your house, you can suffice by getting this mini cat tree from Superjare. It measures 33 inches in height and 18 inches in width and length.
I like that the plush-padded condo is placed at the floor level. This means that your cat won’t have to do any effort to take a quick nap. Over the top, there’s a large bed that’s generously padded with a comfy material.
Just like the previous cat trees, Superjare was keen on placing multiple platforms to minimize the amount of needed climbing. As a plus, all the platforms are lined with the same high-quality plush so that your cat can relax wherever he wants.
Last but not least, there’s a small, furry ball dangling from the highest platform. It’ll be always there for your cat to play with, even if you’re not home.
Pros
- The small size is suitable for tight spaces
- The lightweight build can be easily relocated around the house
- Equipped with a dangling ball
- Supported with a robust base
Cons
- Will be too small for more than one cat
What to Consider Before Buying a Cat Tree for Declawed Cats
As you saw earlier, declawed cats may not be able to use all types of cat trees. To make the shopping process easier, here are some of the factors you should look for.
Get Plenty of Platforms
Unlike human nails, cats’ claws grow out of the bone. After declawing, your cat will have lost the last digit of every toe. Not only does this eliminate the scratching, but it also messes up the cat’s balance. In most cases, it prevents cats from jumping as high as before.
That’s why you should get a tree with as many platforms as possible. Also, make sure these platforms are close enough to each other so that the cat doesn’t need to jump at all.
Preferably, search for trees that have ramps connecting between platforms. This should be ideal for overweight cats since hopping can be also challenging for them.
Keep It Low
Cats are naturally attracted to high areas. I guess they just love to relax while watching over their slaves (yes, that would be us!).
But of course, the higher they go, the more dangerous it’ll be. Without claws, they might not act quickly enough to prevent damage if they happen to lose balance. That’s why I generally recommend keeping it as low as possible — better safe than sorry!
Don’t Forget About Toys
The loss of balance usually leaves the cats depressed. The fact that they can’t scratch anymore builds up stress and tension inside their bodies. If you don’t provide alternative ways in which they can vent, they’ll be more likely to develop destructive behavior.
Get as many dangling toys as space allows. Dangling furry balls are the most basic idea. You can also find hollow balls filled with clackers to stimulate their sense of hearing.
The Verdict
Remember, choosing to declaw your cats to prevent scratching is absolutely cruel. There are plenty of alternatives with fewer complications and better results. If you have an older cat with arthritis, be sure to check out these cat trees for arthritic cats.
If declawing is inevitable, it’ll be important to get a suitable cat tree, such as the Feandrea UPCT18W. I think this is the best cat tree for declawed cats because it has multiple platforms, perches, and condos that pushes your cats’ comfort to the max.
If your declawed cat is older than 10 years, consider getting the AmazonBasics Cat Tree. With its consecutive tiered platforms, your cat will hardly exert any effort.
Lastly, it’s important to keep an eye on your cat after the operation. If you notice that the limping continues for more than five days, call your vet ASAP.