Go Pet Club IQ Busy Box Cat Tree Condo with Puzzle Box - 67in (170cm)

The Go Pet Club IQ Busy Box Cat Tree Condo has a puzzle box built into the base -- a 10-inch tray with two balls a cat has to work at through the openings. It is the only tree in the range that gives a cat something to do with its brain as well as its legs, and at 67 inches on a 30-inch footprint it is unusually tall for the floor space it takes.

Key Features

• IQ Busy Box: A built-in puzzle tray with two balls inside, for the mental side of play that most trees ignore.
• 67 inches on a narrow base: A 16.25 x 30 in footprint, so a lot of height for very little floor.
• Cozy condo: An enclosed retreat part-way up the tree.
• Multiple perches: Elevated spots for lounging and for watching the room.
• Sisal rope and sisal-wrapped posts: Both climbing rope and scratching posts.
• Hanging toy: Included, hung high to encourage climbing.

Why A Puzzle Matters

Most behaviour problems in indoor cats come down to boredom rather than temperament. A cat that gets nothing to solve will find something -- usually your furniture or your sleep. A box with balls in it is a small thing, but it is the sort of small thing that gets used every day rather than once.

Good For

• Indoor-only cats, especially single cats with no one to play with.
• Narrow spaces -- a hallway or an alcove where a wide tree will not go.
• Young, active cats who get destructive when under-stimulated.

Dimensions

• Overall: 67 in / 170 cm high, 30 x 16.25 in / 76 x 41 cm footprint
• Base board: 23.5 x 16 in / 60 x 41 cm
• IQ box: 10 x 10 x 2.75 in, with two balls
• Covering: Faux fur, with natural sisal rope

Why A Cat Tree Earns Its Space

Cats need to climb and they need to scratch, and a house with nowhere to do either gets the sofa instead. Height matters because a cat that can get above everything else feels safe enough to relax; scratching matters because it is how a cat sheds the outer sheath of its claws and marks territory, and it is not a habit you can train out. A tree gives them somewhere to do both that is not your furniture.

Where To Put It

• Against a wall, in a room the family actually uses. A tree in a spare bedroom gets ignored.
• Next to a window if you can. A view of birds and the street is half the appeal.
• Not next to the litter tray or the food bowls -- cats keep those areas separate.
• Give it a week before deciding it has failed. Rubbing a little catnip on the posts, or putting a worn t-shirt on the top perch, usually settles the matter.

Stability And Safety

• Build it on a level floor and tighten everything fully. A wobbling tree is one a cat will stop using, and a tall one that rocks is a genuine hazard.
• Re-check the bolts every few months. They work loose as a cat jumps on and off.
• Put the base against a wall for taller units, and keep it clear of anything a falling tree could land on.
• Keep it away from curtains, blind cords and shelves a cat could use to jump onto something they should not reach.

What It Is Made Of

Go Pet Club build these the standard way: a pressed-wood frame wrapped in faux fur, with posts covered in natural sisal rope. Pressed wood is strong in compression and keeps the cost down, but it does not like water, so this is indoor furniture and it should be wiped rather than washed.

Sisal, And Why It Frays

Sisal is a natural plant fibre, and cats go for it because it shreds under a claw in a way carpet does not. A post that is going fuzzy and loose is a post doing its job, not a fault. Once a post is worn down to the board, the sisal can usually be re-wrapped with rope from a hardware shop rather than replacing the whole tree.

Assembly

It arrives flat-packed and needs building. Go Pet Club include step-by-step instructions and the tools, usually an Allen key. Expect to spend a while on the larger units, and do it in the room it is going to live in -- a built cat tree is awkward to carry through a doorway.

Keeping It Clean

• Vacuum the faux fur with a brush attachment. It holds hair and dander like a carpet does.
• Wipe marks off with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, then let it dry fully.
• Do not soak it. Water gets into pressed wood and swells it, and it does not recover.
• Trim snagged threads rather than pulling them.

Good To Know

• Flat-packed, so it needs assembling. Instructions and tools are included.
• Re-tighten the bolts every few months -- they loosen as a cat uses it.
• Fraying sisal is normal wear, not a defect. The posts can be re-wrapped with new rope.
• Indoor furniture. Pressed wood and faux fur do not survive damp or outdoor use.
• A cat recovering from surgery, or one with arthritis, should not be jumping down from the higher perches. Keep them to the lower levels until the vet says otherwise.
• Keep the packaging, staples and plastic ties away from pets while you build it.