Floor-to-Ceiling Trees for Apartment Cats: The Purrfect Space Savers

Sometimes it can be a little tricky talking about pet products due to the fact that people can mean different things when using the same term. When I talk about floor-to-ceiling cat trees, I’m not simply referring to really tall cat trees that go up to the ceiling.

I’m talking about the anemic types of cat trees that so slim, narrow, and tall you have no choice but to secure them into place by drilling, as it’s the only way to keep them up.

I first brought up the topic of floor-to-ceiling cat trees in my article about narrow cat trees ideal for small spaces.

While trees that go to the ceiling really don’t seem to be all that common as of yet, they do seem to be gaining popularity, and I have a feeling they may even begin to be some of the most popular types of cat trees around as time goes on.

Why? Well, there are many more of us cat owners who live in small apartments these days.

Obviously, nothing stops pet parents who live in large houses from grabbing floor-to-ceiling cat trees for their pets; they’re pretty gorgeous and suit minimalist interior design layouts quite well after all.

But since those with ample space aren’t forced to try to conserve it, trees that go to the ceiling aren’t typically necessary for those who live in big homes, though they can be for those of us in apartments and flats.

Floor-to-ceiling cat trees basically have only one pretty annoying downside, and it’s one I mentioned in the first paragraph of this post. You have to secure them in place by drilling into your ceiling.

And while this is a deal breaker for many, for the few who are able and willing to drill, there are ever-so-many upsides to be reaped. A few of these benefits off the top of my head:

1. They’re normally a lot cheaper than other cat trees since they don’t have to be wide or heavy.
2. They can fit in ridiculously tight spots since they’re so anemic.
3. You can place a number of them around the house and in different rooms without feeling overwhelmed by so much cat furniture.
4. They’re ever so fun fun for cats, as they typically allow cats to jump much higher than the average cat tree allows.
5. Because of the additional height they also give cats wonderful vantage points for peering outside and into the room from.
6. As briefly mentioned, aesthetically, they’re nearly all both modern and sleek; prettier than the majority of other cat trees, condos – even the majority of cat products in general.

Again, so long as you can put up with their one and only downside – there’s a lot to like about cat trees that go from floor to ceiling.

A word of advice: make sure to measure your ceiling and compare the height of your room to any of the floor-to-ceiling cat trees you might be interested in.

I’ve seen a number of complaints about having to return cat trees, surprisingly, not just when ceilings were too high, but also at times when ceilings happen to be a hairline too low.

Floor to Ceiling Cat Trees for Small Spaces & Apartment Life

1. Cat Craft Three Tier Floor-to-Ceiling Cat Tree

In my opinion, the Cat Craft Three Tier Cat Tree is probably the best bang-for-buck, the sleekest looking, and the most space efficient cat tree of all the floor-to-ceiling types I’ve found.

Based on reviews, it’s apparently very sturdy; thus, in terms of safety, it gets a solid A+.

There is, however, one area where this cat tree doesn’t shine. Apparently, the carpeting covering the poles seem to take quite a hammering if you’ve got a cat who really likes to scratch.

Best way to get around this problem? Use Dee’s simple yet genius DIY hack: wrap sisal rope around the poles. Makes this tree much more durable, and quite honestly looks pretty attractive as well.

This tree comes in black, dark brown, beige, and grey. So lots of options in case the standard black doesn’t quite match your furniture.

Chewy

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2. Furhaven Tiger Tough Cat Ladder Playground

Not into DIY-ing, but really like the previous cat tree?

If you don’t want to risk the carpeting on the poles being demolished, you’re probably better off grabbing a floor-to-ceiling cat tree like this one – one that’s already got sisal rope wrapped around the poles.

The Furhaven Tiger Tough Cat Ladder comes in far fewer colour options. That being said, between this grey and white variant and the beige/cream option, my guess is you’ll find one or the other will easily match your furniture at home.

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3. Pawhut Floor-to-Ceiling Adjustable Staggered Climbing Cat Tree Tower

Take one look at this aesthetically unique floor-to-ceiling cat tree and you’ll know in an instant whether or not it’s for you.

Personally, I love this style for cat furniture. There’s something ever-so-appealing to me about metal in a cat tree.

That being said I love industrial looks, so it’s hard for me to resist falling in love with an offering like this.

While I’d personally prefer the steps on this cat tree to come in a black rather than a brown, I think it would probably be very easy to DIY some new steps, or cover the ones it comes with in a different fabric.

Obviously, one of my favourites aesthetically. I’ve seen pictures in reviews of this cat tree placed in front of windows, flat on walls, even right next to the tops of kitchen cabinets, so that a cat can get up to a high vantage point to hang out in.

Really versatile from that perspective, and so besides the Cat Craft tree from spot #1, this is probably my favourite option.

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4. Trixie Esma Adjustable Height Cat Tree

Have a cat who loves hiding spots? Need a thin, narrow tree that’s ideal for multiple cats who don’t always get along to enjoy at once?

This is probably the only cat tree I can recommend, as no other I’ve seen yet ticks those boxes.

The only downside? This cat tree may not be ideal for overweight cats, as they may have issues climbing the tree and fitting into the somewhat narrow hiding spots.

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5. Roypet Stable Adjustable Tall Cat Climbing Tree with Perches

A ceiling-high cat tree that’s all about the cat hammocks for lounging spots!

I’ve seen a lot of reviews complementing the stability of this particular cat tree, and since it’s got two hammocks, I’d imagine it’d be great for multi-cat households since more than one cat will be able to doze off on this tree without any fights breaking out.

Comes in coffee, dark blue, and grey, and fits ceilings over 6 feet tall, so if you’re looking for an option for a particularly high ceiling, this may be where to start your look.

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6. TRIXIE Santander Adjustable Height Cat Tree

The Trixie Santander is another floor-to-ceiling cat tree that has integrated hiding spots, and while it certainly doesn’t have as many as the Trixie Esma from spot #4, based on reviews, the Santander seems to be a lot more sturdy.

The hiding spot that exists is also wide enough to comfortably seat any cat – regardless of weight.

A viable alternative to the Santander you may want to check out? The Trixie Santiago Adjustable Cat Tree.

Similar Products That May Work Out Better

1. AmazonBasics Cat Activity Tree with Scratching Posts

Really just want a tall, narrow cat tree and are okay with the fact that it won’t be as sturdy or tall as a drill-in-to-the-ceiling floor-to-ceiling type of tree?

I’d recommend going with the best tall, narrow cat tree currently out and about – this Amazon Basics Large Cat Tree.

I’m really biased, however, as I bought this tree for my cats and it’s by far their favourite as well as my personal favourite.

In terms of stability, price, ease of use next to a window, the fact that it’s footprint is quite small in the room, and that I think it doesn’t look too ugly as it’s got quite angular shapes – I love this thing.

Want more narrow, tall cat tree options? Check out the rest of my favourite thin cat trees in this article here.

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2. BIG NOSE- Wall Mounted Cat Scratching Post Multi Level Cat Shelves

Along the vein of thin, narrow products your cat can climb are these solid wood multi-level jumping shelves that are meant to be drilled into a wall or the side of a wardrobe.

You can grab one, or grab a couple and arrange them either right on top of each other to make a makeshift floor-to-ceiling climber, or side by side to make for added interest.

These also pair really well with cat steps, other shelves, as well as activity centers to make an attractive obstacle course for your pet, but it isn’t necessary.

As a standalone, this sisal pole would make for a great climbing activity, especially if once your cat clawed his or her way to the top, he or she could then jump onto the top of a kitchen cabinet, a bookshelf, or a wardrobe.

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3. SmartCat Cat Climber

The SmartCat Climber is obviously not a cat tree, but at the same time, it pretty well near ticks off all the boxes you’d want a floor-to-ceiling cat tree to provide.

This cat climber can easily be fastened to a door without any drilling, but you can also attach it to the wall or to the side of a wardrobe by drilling it in if you prefer.

There’s quite a lot of range in terms of where you can place this cat climber. It can go nearly anywhere you might like it to in your home.

Chewy

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4. Go Pet Club Huge Cat Tree

If you don’t care all that much about the space conservation part of the floor-to-ceiling tree equation, and simply want a tree to go to the ceiling because it gives your cat the best vantage point, this is an amazing, tall option you should probably consider.

Looking for more narrow cat trees that aren’t anemically thin? Check out my narrow cat tree article.

Prefer massive cat trees, no matter how much room they take up? Check out the cat jungle gym article I have up instead.

More Trees for Your Cat Without Going Visually Overboard?

When you’re living in a small space with a cat, having what feels like way-too-much-cat-stuff can be a pretty easy milestone to pass.

A possible solution besides having more and more floor-to-ceiling cat trees? Having a few small, visually unobtrusive cat trees rather than large ones since these can be placed next to sofas and in corners without towering over human furniture.

In case you’re the type who likes to put away pieces to make some extra space when company comes over, there are a few trees, like the Trixie’s Miguel Fold and Store Cat Tower that are perfect for this.

And if you’ve got a few different rooms your cat frequents, having a small cat tree in these lesser used areas may do the trick keeping kitty happy on a tighter budget as well.

I find if you leave cats without a single object to scratch on in a room, when they feel the urge to scratch, they’ll typically use a piece of “human” furniture instead of wandering off to another room to use a cat scratcher, tree, or tower.

So using this method could help you save your human furniture from kitty scratches as well.

Thoughts on Floor-to-Ceiling Cat Trees?

Do you have a floor-to-ceiling cat tree at home?

Ever entertained grabbing a tree or condo that went all the way to the ceiling? What put you off the idea, or do you still have plans to grab one for your cat?

Are there any cat trees that go to the ceiling you would personally recommend?

Have experience with one you would advise others to avoid? Please let us know about your experiences with the products you’ve tried in the comments below!

Looking forward to reading your thoughts!