How to Get a Cat to Use a Cat Tree
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You built the cat tree, set it up, and your cat sniffed it once and went back to the sofa. That is normal. Cats are cautious about new objects, and a tall, unfamiliar piece of furniture is a lot to take in. Most cats come round once the tree is in the right place, smells familiar and is linked with good things. This guide shows how to get a cat to use a new cat tree, step by step.
How we wrote this: the steps come from Battersea’s guides to scratching furniture, creating a cat-friendly home, playing with your cat, signs of pain in cats and caring for an older cat, and Best Friends Animal Society’s guides to indoor cat enrichment and scratching alternatives. All were checked on 1 November 2026. We did not test any cat trees for this guide, and we do not show prices or ratings.
Why cats ignore a new cat tree
Battersea explains that cats like a stable, predictable home, and that they mark familiar places with scent from glands on the face and between the paw pads. A brand-new tree smells of packaging and the factory, not of your cat. It may also sit somewhere your cat never goes, or wobble when they test it. Any of these is enough to make a cat stay away.
The fix is to deal with each reason in turn: put the tree where your cat already wants to be, make it steady, make it smell like home, and then give your cat reasons to climb it. Do not lift your cat onto the top and hold them there. A cat who is put on a perch against their will learns that the tree is somewhere bad things happen.
What you need
- The cat tree, fully built and tightened. If you have not chosen one yet, our best cat trees for indoor cats guide explains what to look for. A mid-height tree such as the Feandrea 37.8-Inch Multi-Level Cat Tree is easier for a shy or older cat to start on than a very tall one.
- A wand or fishing rod toy. Battersea suggests one with a long rod, so your cat’s claws stay well away from your hands.
- Dried catnip or valerian, if your cat reacts to them.
- A blanket or bed your cat already sleeps on.
- A small reward your cat likes. What it is, and how much, is between you and your vet.
Step 1: put the tree where your cat already spends time
Placement matters more than anything else. Best Friends suggests putting perches and cat furniture, such as cat trees, by windows so an indoor cat can watch the outside world. A tree next to a sunny window with a view of birds will often sell itself.
Battersea gives the same advice for new scratching posts: place them where your cat spends a lot of time, or near the spot they already scratch. Cats also like to scratch in places that matter to them, such as doorways and routes to favorite spots. So good places include:
- Beside a window your cat already sits in.
- In the room where the family spends the evening, not a spare room.
- Next to the sofa arm or carpet your cat has been scratching.
Avoid putting the tree next to noisy appliances. Battersea notes that cats can be put off by sounds and smells we do not notice, such as cleaning products or high-pitched noise from household equipment.
Step 2: make sure it does not wobble
Battersea says a tall scratching post or multi-platform cat tree must be rigid and must not wobble, and that taller models may need fixing to the wall with a bracket. A cat who feels the tree sway on the first jump may refuse to try again.
- Tighten every bolt after building, and again after the first week of use.
- Push the top platform firmly from the side. If it rocks, move the tree against a wall or into a corner.
- For tall trees, use the wall anchor or strap the maker supplies. Tall models such as the Mau Ivy 73-Inch Modern Cat Tree are worth anchoring even if they seem steady.
- Put the tree on a flat floor, not on a thick rug that lets it lean.
Step 3: make it smell familiar
Battersea explains that scent marks from your cat’s face and paws help a place feel familiar and safe. You can borrow that scent:
- Put a blanket or bed your cat already uses on one of the platforms or in the hidey hole.
- Gently stroke your cat’s cheeks with a soft cloth, then wipe the cloth over the posts and platforms.
- Let the tree air out for a day if it smells strongly of glue or packaging.
Best Friends suggests rubbing or spraying a scratching post with catnip to draw a cat to it, and Battersea suggests herbs such as catnip or valerian on sisal posts. Not every cat reacts, and Battersea advises not to handle a cat while they are under the effects of catnip.
Step 4: play on and around the tree
Play is the fastest way to teach a cat that the tree is fun. Battersea suggests a simple game for new scratching posts: dangle a toy on a rod around the base so your cat’s claws touch the surface. Build on that:
- Start at ground level. Drag the wand toy around the base and up the first post.
- When your cat follows the toy onto the lowest platform, let them catch it there.
- Over the next sessions, move the toy a little higher each time, one level at a time.
- End every session with a catch, so your cat finishes on a win.
Battersea also suggests tossing a small reward to chase during play, and hiding toys so cats can paw at them. A toy tucked into the tree’s hidey hole or dangling from a platform gives your cat a reason to explore it alone.
Step 5: reward every visit
Each time your cat climbs, scratches or rests on the tree by choice, praise them quietly or drop a small reward on the platform. Keep it calm. Then leave them alone. Best Friends notes that high places, including cat trees, are good spots for a comfy bed, and that a cat resting in their safe place should be left alone. If the tree becomes a place your cat is never bothered, they will want to be there.
Step 6: give it time
Some cats climb a new tree within minutes. Others take days or a few weeks, especially shy cats or cats in a new home. Battersea says that once a cat scratches a surface, the scent and marks they leave encourage more scratching in the same spot. So the first scratch or the first nap is the turning point, and use tends to grow from there.
If your cat still ignores the tree after a couple of weeks, try a different spot, ideally a window, before you decide it is the wrong tree.
Kittens, older cats and more than one cat
- Kittens usually climb readily. In our view, supervise until they can get up and down safely, and remove any dangling cords they could get tangled in.
- Older cats may prefer lower platforms. Battersea suggests a small box or step to help an older cat reach their food bowl without straining, and the same idea can help them reach the first platform.
- More than one cat. Battersea recommends providing several high places, beds and hiding spots around the home, so cats have a choice. Battersea also suggests at least one scratching post per cat, in different parts of the home. One tree may not be enough for two cats who do not get along; a scratching post such as the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post in another room, or cat wall shelves, give the second cat their own spot.
When it may be pain, not the tree
A cat who used to climb and suddenly stops is a different case. Battersea’s vet team says cats with long-term pain, such as arthritis, may show very little sign of it, and may simply stop jumping up onto beds and other raised places because they expect it to hurt. If your cat stops jumping, hesitates before jumping, or seems stiff, see your vet. Battersea advises an assessment by your vet as soon as possible if you think your cat is in pain. Do not try to train a sore cat to climb.
Cat ignoring a new bed or perch? See how to get a cat to use a new cat bed or window perch, from picking the spot to adding a familiar scent.
Keeping it fresh: see how to clean a cat tree, from weekly vacuuming and stain removal to sisal care and checking for wobble.
Cat always on the kitchen worktop? See how to keep a cat off kitchen counters, without punishment.
FAQ
Why won’t my cat use the cat tree?
Usually the tree is in the wrong place, wobbles, or smells unfamiliar. Move it near a window or where your cat already spends time, check it is steady, add a blanket that smells of your cat, and play with a wand toy around it. If your cat used to jump and has stopped, see your vet.
How long does it take a cat to get used to a cat tree?
It varies. Confident cats may climb the first day; shy cats can take a few weeks. Short daily play sessions on the tree speed things up.
Should I put catnip on a cat tree?
It can help. Best Friends suggests rubbing or spraying catnip on a scratching post, and Battersea mentions catnip and valerian. Some cats do not react to catnip at all.
Where is the best place to put a cat tree?
By a window, in a room your cat already uses, and away from noisy appliances. Best Friends recommends windows so indoor cats can watch outside.
Should I put my cat on the cat tree?
No. Lure your cat up with a toy and let them choose. Being placed and held on a high platform can make the tree feel unsafe.