Benjamin and Tigger's new Cat Tree

When Violet got adopted, the cat post went with her. So, Tigger and Benjamin have been having fun running around the house, scratching their very small post in the livingroom (to prevent rug and furniture scratching) but there was nothing like having a "cat display platform" such as the one that got adopted out with Violet.

Even the timid, formerly-feral Benjamin would be happy to sit there and purr, and let you come and pet him, when he was on his display platform. (I made a typo and put playform, that would be a good name too.) Deva, David and I could all come right up to him and he'd sit there and purr as if he's the tamest cat in the world! The little livingroom post, our bed, the couches, the dining chairs--none of them seem to have the same taming effect on Benjamin as him having his very own little place. I guess it also helps if it's in a sunny spot from which he can comfortably snooze, observe the world, snooze, observe the world. The couches do that to some extent, but maybe it's really true? Cats are not people? ;)

So...I was in search of a new cat tree. I didn't realize how lucky I'd gotten the first time--I got a covered litter box, some food, some nice cat dishes and the cat treeall for $12 with easy porch pickup in Columbia City. It was a great excuse to go eat at Tutta Bella and then get stuff to make the cats smile and purr afterwards. This lovely cat tree came complete with sitting platform on top and sisal post--a must if you don't want to "train" your cat to claw your carpets.

I wondered if I was nuts to drive all the way to Kent yesterday afternoon to get one. What made me decide on this one was that it had not one but THREE sisal posts, and the requisite kitty display platorms. It was going to be huge--more than 3x the size of the other one--with a hidey hole in the bottom, a rounded open platform and 2 round display perches. It seems very much designed with feline in mind.

It *barely* fit in the car, even after moving Deva's car seat to the other side and working it around several moves. However, Judy, Sarah's mom (who we bought it from) figured out the right geometry in the matter and finally hoisted it in the back of our Suby with no rope and no cat-tree-on-a-ski-rack required.

We got it home and I hoisted it into David's office, aka the cat nursery.

Now comes the fun part. Tigger and Benjamin spied me hoisting it in (it's HEAVY!) and came right over sniffing. Getting used things for cats is even better than new, because it's so much more exciting when they get to sniff whoemever came there before. In this case, this "kitty condo" belonged to a big Tuxedo kitty with a cute crooked mustached (named Motoboat because he purred like a motorboat when he was a kitten) and a Jack Russell terrier named Jack that Moto was generous enough to share his space with.

So, they sniffed. And checked it out. And kicked its tires. And sniffed some more. Benjamin's face lit up when he even saw it there, like "really, is that for MEEEE?" and he came scratching straight up the tallest post, and sniffing things along the way until he got to one of the platforms and stood still to sniff, then jump down and make some more rounds again.

If you are a cat person, then the sight of seeing 2 cats (well, 2 kittens really) sniffing, eyes bugging out, all around and through a glamorous new cat tree is hilarious. Enough to make you split your sides laughing, or at least have a good hearty inner titter.

I went outside to talk to the neighbor (who was taking pictures of her beloved big maple tree on the last day of it's life--it is actually being cut down right now as we speak) and then went in the backyard, and through the window, saw that Tigger and Benjamin had completed their circling of it and were happily sitting and playing on it. Within 10 ninutes it was all their own.

May every cat experience the luxury and bounty of a dedicated cat tree!