Conference misery::feline_v1

    I have several cat trees myself and two of my girls fall asleep on the
    top perch together all the time.  Once I saw one of them fall off and
    catch themselves with their front claws.  They didn't fall to the
    ground or get hurt.  The only thing I have heard is that you don't want
    a high one for kittens or pregnant queens.  If you have a really high
    one and you are worried about it you could probably exchange it.  Did
    you buy from Arthur Mitchell of Arubacats or someone else??  If you
    bought from Arty I would guess he would be more than willing to
    exchange it for possibly a shorter one or even two shorter ones.  Give
    the person a call you bought from and see what they think.  I am sure
    they wouldn't want to see one of your cats get injured.
    
    Nancy

    I bought it from a place in Chicago that was just out here for a cat
    show.  They have an exchange policy, but due to the shipping
    problems what they do is donate the tree to a local shelter in the
    person's area and refund your money.
    
    I wish I'd thought of this problem before I bought it, sigh.  It
    doesn't feel right asking them to absorb the cost of a refund when the
    tree itself isn't defective.
    
    I think I'll write them a letter.  Perhaps they'll be back in this 
    area and we can swap or they can supply end pieces  or something.
                                

    Karen,

    I've got 2 5.5 foot trees and a seven foot tree. The two shorter trees
    have the same type of perch you are talking about, the taller one has a
    simple platform. I've had this taller tree for about 6 years, and I've
    purchased the other two in the past year.

    I've also got some VERY large cats, aka Argus in the formerly over 20
    LB mark, Niky, Alex and Spiro in the 12-15 LB category.

    All of the cats like to sleep on the top platforms and NO ONE has ever
    fell off while sleeping. The only problem we've had is when someone
    else decides that they want to be on top. Basically, the things are
    designed so that if anyone falls (i.e., gets pushed off), they wind up
    on the platform on the next level down (which isn't any more than a
    foot and a half).

    I hope your kitties enjoy their new toy.

    Deb

    Karen,
    
    I don't think that you should worry about them.  The cats will be
    okay. I have a 6 ft tree and a 9 foot tree, and I have never had
    anyone fall off.  I have had them jump off though, Limoges loves
    to jump from the top of the 6 foot tree to the ground.  One of my
    trees has a swinging triangle on it, and no one has fallen off of
    that either (they sleep inside it).
    
    I know the trees that you bought, they are terrific.  I would have
    gotten one myself, many times, but have not had the money or the
    room to put one.  I once had one in my house for a bit, it was a
    donated raffle item for our show.  The cats went nuts, even though
    it was all covered in heavy plastic.  They kept trying to dig there
    way into the tree.
    
    I got my 6 foot try by selling a kitten to the guy who builds the
    trees.  Maybe I will offer a kitten to the guy who builds the trees
    with the limbs! :^)
    
    Jo (it was nice to finally meet you, even if it was a brief meeting)
    :^)
    
    

    I don't think Sweetie could handle a six foot jump;  he is really 
    hampered by his old injuries (he climbs in stages to the top).  
    Unfortunately, the lower level platforms stuck out a little so that a
    normal cat could catch them, but not Sweetie, I think.  I've left
    a message on the folks answering machine, so I'll see if we can 
    come up with something.
    
    Holly wouldn't let anyone else on the tree the first day.  Finally she
    let Sweetie share it.  In the middle of the night, when Holly and
    Sweetie were asleep on my bed (Holly doesn't let Little Bit share the
    bed yet), I went into the kitchen, and Little Bit was perched on the
    very top.
    
         

    Gosh, Jo, I missed seeing all the babies you talked about in the
    show note?  I thought you only had the one soooooo gorgeous baby
    with you.
    
    Maybe a kitten would work with the tree people;  anyone who answers
    the phone "meow" sounds suseptible to that kind of a bribe :-)
    
    It occurred to me last night that my babies have been sleeping on
    the living room mantelpiece for quite awhile, and that's as
    high as the tree platform.  Maybe I'm just being a worrywart....
    
    

      I had a "Simonized" cat(thet's "Siamese" for you purists..) who used
    to sleep on the narrow edge of a two-by-four that was a part of the
    structure of our screened-in-porch.....and this two-by-four was so high
    off the ground that I could just barely touch it with the tips of my
    fingers when I stood on tiptoes!!(I'm 6 feet even..) I don't even know
    how he got up there, but I expect he climbed up the screen...
     He never fell off of it, and he used to sleep there almost anytime
    that the sun was shining on that area..
    JM

    Karen,
    
    The kittens that I talked about are from another breeder's litter,
    but my cat is their father.  I take an interest in his offspring,
    especially since the owner is very new at this, this was her first
    litter.  She had three show kittens out of a litter of four, and
    when she first told me that three were show quality, I didn't believe
    her.  Had to go and look for myself, and you know what?  She was
    right! :^)  
    
    The other cat I mentioned was Westie.  He is a neutered male seal
    point Grand Premier.  He was probably asleep in his cage when you
    walked up.  His cage was on the other side of my grooming space.
    He did very well at the show, brougth home two rosettes and two
    sterling silver bowls for his mom.
    
    But, at least you got to see the "Moo Man" (AKA Moody Blue). :^)
    
    Jo
    
    PS - Sweetie will be fine.  I would think that he would be very
    sad if you sent the tree back as I am sure that he loves it.
    

    
    my dynamic duo have a 4-tier cat condo that is over 6-feet high.  they
    are both declawed in front, yet they can negotiate that thing like
    nobody's business.  stanley loves the very top, which is a
    scoop-looking hammock thing.  he thinks he is king kong sitting up
    there. he loves to hang his front paws over the edge of the high part
    and look down as "master of all he surveys".  stella prefers the 2nd
    highest level, which is round in the shape of a kitty-kup cat bed. 
    neither cat has ever fallen off the top bunk...
    
    diane, stanley & stella
    
    p.s.  when are joui & moody's babies due???
                                               

    Well, it seems that Moody wasn't quite experienced to impregnate
    Joui, though he did make her go out of season and have a false
    pregancy.  She came out of that, and then came into season again,
    and was rebred to Kalliste, Moody's father.  Kalliste was starting
    to get a little uptight about Moody going around breeding all his
    women before he had the chance.  So, Joui is hopefully pregnant
    by Kalliste, but it is too soon to tell.
    
    Thanks for remembering though, I still have the list of N names
    handy.
    
    Jo

    
    it seems like moody has been practising safe s*x; he has the fun, but
    doesn't have to worry about kitten support.  ;-)
    
    i have been packing stuf in preparation for my move to the new house in
    april; soon i should come across my french dictionary/thesaurus.  then
    we'll come up with some *great* names!
    
    diane