Thursday, August 2, 2012

PETCO Premium Cat Tree Bungalow Review

Last spring, my Mom sent Suki and I this cat tree from PETCO and Suki fell in love with it. It has held up extremely well since last year considering the amount of use it gets, but there are a few negative qualities about it which I will discuss in this review.


When I first got this cat tree in the mail, it was actually missing one of the main support legs. I ended up calling their customer service line and they had a replacement to me within two days, which was really nice.  If you are ordering online, make sure you check that you have all the pieces before you start setting up! I had to take mine all apart and repackage it which was annoying.

Once we got a tree that came with all the right pieces, it was very easy to set up. I had it put together in a half an hour, of course, by that point I was really good at assembling and disassembling them.


Suki immediately found this tree really fun. She loves clawing at the carpeting, and trying to grab the hanging feathers. There are also little white caps that go over the screw heads thats Suki had a ball digging up with her teeth and then batting them around the room. A bunch of those are now missing. She doesn't seem to mind the exposed screw tops though.



Suki is a little too big to actually fit comfortably in the little cubby room area, but for a kitten it would probably be really a really cozy place. If I was able to set this up without the room, then I probably would have, but the very top poll screws into the roof of it. 



When picking out a cat tree, I thought it was important that it was tall enough satisfy Suki's need to be high up. This cat tree in particular is perfect height for me because the area at the very top is at my eye level. Right now I have it right next to my bed, and at the very top, where she can keep an eye on me, is where Suki ends up sleeps in a ball almost every night.


One bad aspect about this particular cat tree is that the support poll in the front right is extremely wobbly. It was always a little wobbly (I don't think the screw that secures it to the base is long enough), but now after a year it is extremely wobbly. It is more of a game for Suki to jump from it to the higher levels and not fall off. It still works, which is why I'm not too concerned, but it is not ideal.

 

The carpet material is nice and has stayed pretty clean. I've vacuumed it a few times and dust bunnies and other little things come off very easily. Suki never really uses the scratching posts on it, but that is because we let her tear apart our couch instead. Overall, this cat tree has held up and I think it is a good buy for how cheap it is. I just wish they would re-consider how the front right support poll is designed, because that part feels cheap and flimsy.

Leave a comment below if you have a cat tree or want one like this!

6 comments:

  1. This is EXACTLY like the one we got for our two cats, Lydia and Mittens. They both LOVE it! Especially Lydia,even though she's blind. She gets up on the top level, whereas Mittens likes to get in the shelter but doesn't venture anywhere higher. It really is a good tree. Lydia has stopped (mostly) tearing up our couch and now prefers to use the scratching post.

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    1. I like it too! It fits nicely in room corners and by windows. Right now I have hers next to my bed in the corner of the room with the window open a few inches so she can get a nice breeze in the night. She also loves to watch the dogs next door.

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  2. I like tree! I wish they had dog trees. :)

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  3. What an amazing tree you have there! Huge fun!!

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  4. I have the same cat tree as well. The reason it is wobbly is the support piece is held on by a piece of plastic that gradually comes loose. Mine has eventually broken, several times, and I have replaced it, but now it seems the part is no longer available. Very disappointing. PETCO is "sorry" I am frustrated as my cats love the tree and I want nothing but to purchase another support. Good luck with yours! Your cat is beautiful!

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  5. This article your very interesting.
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