Standing, wall-mounted or hanging: which cat tree fits your home?

A cat tree used to mean one thing: a carpeted tower on a wide base. Today you can also fix one to the wall or hang a scratching post from the ceiling. Each type solves a different problem. Here is how they compare, so you can pick the one that suits your cat and your room.

Before you look at any product, it helps to answer three questions. What does your cat actually do most: scratch, climb, watch or sleep? How much free floor and wall space do you have, and where? And can you drill into your walls or ceiling? The answers usually point clearly to one type, or to a combination of two.

Standing cat trees

A standing tree rests on its own base, so it needs no drilling and you can move it whenever you rearrange the room. It is the only type that can carry several wide platforms, caves and toys at different heights, which makes it the best choice for climbers and multi-cat homes.

• Good for: renters, multi-cat homes, cats that love to climb and nap high up
• Space: a footprint of roughly 60 × 60 cm to 100 × 100 cm
• Watch out for: light, hollow bases that wobble on tall trees

Kikska standing trees run from a compact 84 cm Mini Meow Tower to the 215 cm Adventurer's Atrium, all on solid 20 mm plywood bases.

What makes a standing tree work

A standing tree depends entirely on its base. The taller the tree and the heavier the cat, the more the base has to resist the push of a cat landing on a top platform or jumping off it. Our bases are pre-drilled, solid plywood in four sizes: round 60 cm, and square 66 × 66, 80 × 66 and 80 × 80 cm. The 80 × 80 cm base weighs 9.2 kg on its own, which gives a tall tree a low, heavy anchor. As a rule, choose a wider base as the tree gets taller, and keep the heaviest platforms close to the post rather than far out to the side. Our guide to what makes a cat tree sturdy goes into this in more detail.

Standing trees are also the easiest to change. Posts in 20, 40 and 80 cm lengths join end to end, and platforms, caves and post caps can be added later, so a short tree for a kitten can grow into a tall one for an adult cat.

Wall-mounted cat trees

A wall-mounted tree is fixed to the wall at the top and bottom, so it cannot tip over and needs no floor space at all. It starts above the floor, so you can clean underneath, and it suits narrow spaces such as hallways or the gap beside a wardrobe.

• Good for: small flats, cats that scratch door frames and walls, owners who want a clean, floating look
• Space: only the width of a post on the wall
• Watch out for: you need a solid wall and fixings suited to it

Our Skyline Solo (95 cm) and Skyline Scratchers (190 cm) sit on plywood wall mounts with hidden stainless steel brackets. In the configurator you can build a full wall tree with up to three 80 cm posts and platforms that point out from the wall.

How the wall mount works

Each mount is a small plywood plate, 13 × 16.5 cm, with a hidden stainless steel bracket. You fix two screws with suitable plugs into the wall, then the mount slides onto the screws. The post is held at the top and the bottom, which is why it stays still under a strong scratch. In wall mode the configurator starts the tree about 20 cm above the floor, which leaves room for a vacuum cleaner underneath.

Checking your wall

Solid brick and concrete walls take standard plugs well. Plasterboard and hollow partition walls need fixings made for them, or better still, screws into the timber or metal studs behind. If you are unsure what your wall is made of, ask a local hardware shop or a handyman before you drill. Our wall-mounted cat tree guide covers fixing in more detail.

Hanging scratching posts

A hanging post hangs on a steel cable from a single ceiling fixing. There is no base and nothing on the wall: just a column of rope at the height you choose, right where your cat already likes to scratch. It reads more like a piece of design than a cat accessory.

• Good for: minimal interiors, rooms with no free wall, a second scratching spot next to an existing tree
• Space: none on the floor
• Watch out for: the fixing must go into a solid ceiling, such as concrete or a wooden joist

Choose Hanging Solo (90 cm) or Hanging Double (170 cm). Both come with a 3 m stainless steel cable and ceiling fixing.

Living with a hanging post

Because the cable gives a little, a hanging post moves slightly when your cat scratches it. A nervous cat may need a few days to trust it. Hang it so the bottom sits close to the floor, at the height where your cat reaches up to scratch, and place it in open space, away from shelves or furniture it could swing into. In the configurator's hanging mode you can build a hanging post up to 180 cm long and see it to scale before ordering. For fixing and placement tips, read the hanging scratching post guide.

At a glance

• Floor space: standing needs a footprint; wall-mounted and hanging need none.
• Installation: standing needs no drilling; wall-mounted needs two wall fixings; hanging needs one ceiling fixing.
• Platforms and caves: standing and wall-mounted trees can carry them; hanging posts are for scratching and climbing only.
• Moving house: standing trees move in one piece; the others unscrew in minutes and leave only small holes.

How to choose: a step-by-step guide

1. Watch your cat for a week. Note where it scratches, where it sleeps and where it sits to watch the room. A cat that scratches the sofa arm needs a post right there; a cat that sleeps on top of the wardrobe wants height.
2. Measure the space. For a standing tree, mark the base size on the floor with tape. For a wall tree, check the clear width of wall and the height to the ceiling. For a hanging post, find the spot in the ceiling and check there is clear space around it.
3. Check what you can fix to. If you rent and cannot drill, a standing tree is the simple answer. If you can drill, confirm the wall or ceiling is solid enough.
4. Decide on height. A scratching surface should let your cat stretch out fully. For climbing and lookouts, a taller tree helps. Our guide on how to choose cat tree height has more on this.
5. Build it to scale. The configurator draws the tree in a room with a height meter, so you can see whether it fits before you order.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing by looks alone. A beautiful post in the wrong spot will be ignored. Placement matters more than style.
• A tall tree on a small base. Height without a heavy, wide base leads to wobble, and a cat that feels a tree move may stop using it.
• Fixing into the wrong material. Ordinary plugs in plasterboard or a ceiling without a joist will not hold a scratching cat. Find solid material first.
• Hiding the post away. Cats scratch to mark their territory, so they prefer posts in the rooms they use, not in a spare room.
• Buying only one surface. Some cats like sisal, others cotton. See our comparison of sisal and cotton rope if you are unsure.

Or combine them

Many homes work best with two: a standing tree by the window for naps and lookouts, and a wall-mounted or hanging post next to the sofa, where the scratching happens. Because every Kikska part fits every other, posts, platforms and caves can move between them as your cat and your home change. Read our guides to wall-mounted cat trees and hanging scratching posts.

In a small flat, a combination often takes less space than one large standing tree. A slim wall tree in the hallway and a hanging post in the living room spread scratching and climbing across the home without a footprint. Our guide to cat trees for small apartments has more layouts.

Frequently asked questions

Which type is best for a renter?

A standing tree needs no drilling, so it is the simplest choice if you cannot make holes. If small screw holes are acceptable, a wall-mounted or hanging post leaves only those holes when you take it down.

Can a wall-mounted tree hold platforms and a cave?

Yes. Wall trees can carry platforms that point out from the wall, and a 44 cm platform can hold a wool cave. Hanging posts, by contrast, are for scratching and climbing only.

Is a hanging post stable enough for a heavy cat?

It is held from above by a stainless steel cable, so it does not tip like a light standing post can. It does sway a little by design. The key is a solid ceiling fixing into concrete or a wooden joist.

Can I change type later?

Parts are interchangeable, so posts, platforms and caves from a standing tree can be reused on a wall tree and the other way round. You add the base, wall mounts or cable kit as needed from parts, wall mounts and hanging parts.

How hard is assembly?

Every type is assembled with screws and a 6 mm Allen key. Wall and hanging versions also need a drill for the fixings. Step-by-step instructions are on our assembly page.