Two cats: one cat tree or two?
With two cats, do you need one cat tree or two? The short answer: a single large tree is enough as long as each cat gets its own elevated platform, but two trees remain the safest option when the cats merely tolerate each other. The real criterion is not the number of pieces of furniture — it is the number of resting spots that nobody has to defend.
Why does the number of platforms matter more than the number of trees?
For a cat, height is a resource. Two cats who get along happily share a 1.60 m to 1.80 m tree with three or four levels, because each can settle in without meeting the other’s gaze. If the tree has only one comfortable platform, the dominant cat monopolises it and the second one ends up on the sofa — or in the other’s litter box, the first sign of tension.
One cat tree or two: how to decide based on your duo?
- Bonded cats (mutual grooming, sleeping curled up together): one large multi-level tree is enough — budget 90 to 180 €.
- Neutral cohabitation: one large tree plus a small extra perch (30 to 50 €) in another room.
- Regular tension (blocking doorways, hissing): two trees in two different rooms, with no direct line of sight between them.
- Small home: one floor-standing tree plus wall shelves to multiply the heights without eating floor space.
Where should you place the tree — or trees — for two cats?
Avoid putting two trees side by side: you create a single territory to defend instead of two retreat zones. Place the main tree near a window in the living area and the second in a quiet room. This logic of separated resources applies to all the equipment, as detailed in our guide to introducing a second cat: the gear you need.
What budget should you plan to get it right?
A tree stable enough for two adults needs a heavy base and thick sisal posts: hard to find below 90 €. One solid tree beats two wobbly 40 € models — an unstable tree ends up ignored. Round things out with beds placed up high (cabinet top, windowsill) and find our other advice in the cat bedding and habitat category.
Frequently asked questions
My two cats fight over the same level — what should I do?
Add an elevated bed elsewhere (shelf, hammock) rather than an identical tree next to it: it is usually the spot that is coveted, not the furniture.
Does a corner tree count as two spots?
Yes, if two platforms sit at different heights and face opposite directions: the cats can politely ignore each other.
Should you double up on scratching posts too?
Ideally yes: one scratcher per cat plus a shared one, because scratch marking is individual. See our comparison cardboard or sisal scratcher.
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Cats universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.