Buying Guide
Budget, space & functionality will be the main factors when deciding on which Hicat® is right thing for you, your home & most importantly, your cat - the Thumbs-Up section has some amazing feedback on how much cats love our products but even after you've decided to make a purchase there's still lots to consider
Decisions, Decisions
Being bespoke there’s a lot to consider so we’ve done our best to help customers with their Hicat® purchase across the Hicat® Overview, Customer Notes & FAQs sections along with detailed Product Pages.
This makes for a lot of reading so we've also put together this Buying Guide to share our recommendations to help you with decision making when it comes to specifying your Hicat®.
Happy & Healthy Cats
We all want our cats to have a stimulating indoor environment & our Hicat® products take care of a large part of their needs, but not all - we also try to keep our cats on their toes as much as possible with games & activities as shown in our Instagram Training Videos.
Variety is very important so we make sure we mix things up & change things around for our cats - cat beds, feeders, toys all get rotated on a regular basis & we even supply a spare ceiling fixing for our floor-to-ceiling units so you can swap Hicat® positions periodically.
There are also species specific needs to be fulfilled - we have a short guide on happy & healthy cats penned by a practising vet based in New York, USA, who is also a Hicat® customer.
Pricing
Our units start at £278 for a floor-to-ceiling post, our floor-to-ceiling tubes start at £736 & our wide tubes at £908 - the pricing page has a list of our pieces & bespoke options but please get in touch if you would like a quote.
Coir or Wool or Something Else
We’ve used both Coir & Wool finishes extensively on our products along with various synthetic & natural sisal, seagrass & jute finishes - Boucle Coir & our AVM Wool are the best in terms of climbing as both have a open but deep looped style weave so that your cat is sure footed & confident when climbing with coir having a rougher fibrous feel compared to the softer AVM Wool yarn.
It’s also worth noting that Boucle Coir is more irregular in terms of weave & colour when compared to AVM Wool - the coir finishes can sometimes have kinks, knots, thread pulls & weave distortion along with colour variation between batches & the strands making up the material itself whereas AVM Wool is very regular in terms of weave & colour.
Internal compartments are finished in a deep twist pile carpet to give your cat a soft & cosy space to curl up & there is a bespoke option of having coir as an internal finish as well but we recommend opting for Twist Pile comfort unless you want a unit that is specifically set up for full height internal climbing.
We are happy to send out samples of finishes if you are struggling to make a choice from the website images as the colour won’t necessarily be spot because of device, browser & settings - another way of gauging finishes is to look through our Instagram photos as most of what we make ends up being photographed for reference.
Longer Lasting
We don’t think there is a lot in it in terms of durability between AVM Wool & Boucle Coir finishes but the units’ life span is obviously closely linked to how the unit is used - we have a very extreme comparison on our Chat Blog between a 13 year old unit that’s just climbed by a single cat with a 5 year old unit that’s been scratched daily by up to 30 cats so as the pictures show it all so it’s all down to scratching in these examples.
Coir is made from the husk of coconuts & will shed fibres & become worn looking over time, AVM Wool is made from wool, yak hair & man made fibres & will eventually become felted - if we had to choose we would say that the AVM Wool is slightly more forgiving to wear & tear based on the units that we’ve had at home.
As mentioned in our Google reviews customers have commented that they’ve owned units for 6, 8, 10 years & they're still going strong but if your cat is a serial scratcher to help keep your Hicat® looking like new for as long as possible it’s best to have additional scratching options available - this will take some of the day-to-day scratching away from the unit so help prolong the life of your Hicat® even further.
Positioning Your Hicat®
There are no set rules on where best to site your Hicat® but we think they work really well in the room you spend most of your time in - interaction & playing are a big part of your cat's well being so being close to you is important, especially if your cat is your only pet.
Using your Hicat® to exploit as yet untapped vertical spaces in your home is a really good way to broaden your cat’s climbing & playing activity - using a unit to get to the top of kitchen units, span bookcases, reach a mezzanine or to make a jump to a wardrobe should all be weighed up as far as your cat’s concerned.
You do need to think about how your Hicat® is positioned in relation to building features that you don’t want your cat to get to like windows, beams, high level cills, even suspended lights as your cat might want to take that leap into places that they can't normally get to.
The Line-Up
Hicat® cat climbers are made-to-measure & available in floor-to-ceiling, wall mounted & freestanding versions - there’s also a podium unit available & all can customised to suit your cat’s climbing, playing, lounging & sleeping habits so deciding on the type of unit is the starting point.
Floor-to-ceiling units are the pinnacle in climbing in terms of scale & will seamlessly integrate into your home but like all made-to-measure furniture, could be limited in terms of future relocation but you will still have the option of moving the unit around your existing home, same ceiling heights permitting.
Wall mounted units can be specified in height options & do need to be installed but offer a great compromise between floor-to-ceiling & freestanding units as the are very easy to relocate.
Freestanding & Podium units are constrained in height but are obviously best for customers that don’t want to install a wall mounted or floor-to-ceiling Hicat® & who want the option to reposition their unit more freely.
Made-To-Measure & Bespoke
Polecat is our floor-to-ceiling cat climbing post that’s also available as a wall mounted version - Polecat measures 180mm in diameter & is available in heights of up to 3040mm & taller.
Tomcat is our floor-to-ceiling cat climbing tube with 1, 2, 3 or 4 compartments that’s also available as a wall mounted & freestanding versions with recessed platform feature on top of the unit - Tomcat measures 337mm in diameter & is available in heights of up to 3040mm & taller.
Fatcat is our wide floor-to-ceiling cat climbing tube with 1, 2, 3 or 4 compartments that’s also available as a wall mounted & freestanding versions with recessed platform feature on top of the unit - Fatcat measures 434mm in diameter & is available in heights of up to 3040mm & taller.
Bobcat is our wide podium with a single compartment & recessed platform feature on top of the unit - Bobcat measures 434mm in diameter & is available in heights up to 1820mm with the addition of ballast.
Compartment Customisation
Once you’ve chosen the unit type things get easier as we’ve applied some cat common sense rules to our recommended Compartment positioning but customers also have the option to fully customised these features.
Having Compartments set above head height will give your cat a great climbing experience but they will obviously be out of reach when lounging & sleeping - climbing down from high level Access Holes will be fine but jumping down from a Recessed Top above 2000mm high does take some agility so please bear this in mind when specifying unit heights with this feature.
Interacting with your cat is most comfortable between waist & head height (that’s your waist & head height, not theirs) so having Compartments & Recessed Tops set around 600mm-1800mm will allow you to play & interact with your cat when they are lounging at these heights.
Compartments are shown in their recommended configuration in the diagram above & on product pages - they are positioned at 400mm centres & you have the option of specifying a Climb-Through Compartment if you want to allow your cat to climb between Compartments that are centred within 800mm of each other.
Customers also have the option of being able to customise Compartments as shown in the example diagram above - tweaking a Compartments position is the most popular adaptation but resizing the Compartment along with creating a Chamber under a Climb-Through Compartment to split up the bottom Extended Compartment is also common.
Other popular Bespoke Features include deeper Recessed Tops for freestanding & wall mounted units - Bespoke Units include Freestanding Fatcat without Base, +3040mm units & taller Bobcats, units with two piece joins to allow Access Holes to be rotated in different directions along with contrasting external finishes.
There’s also a useful Shelf Help blog that explains how the internal compartments can be specified - please feel free to get in touch if you need help with designing a bespoke Hicat®.
In addition to the above there are also Bespoke Finishes & OOAKs to mull over if you want to take your design even further.
Polecat
Polecat can be specified as a floor-to-ceiling or wall mounted unit - it's commonly used as a cat ladder providing a way of reaching high vantage points on top of furniture, building features & shelves to provide that extra playing space and vertical territory that's so important to cats.
Polecat is basically an up & down climber but still lots of fun especially when you can spend time interacting with your cat while it climbs - adding a Cat's Cradle gives another dimension to playing & gives your cat that all important raised level to play & rest on.
If your cat likes throw & chase play you can purchase a Hicatch Toy when you order, or even after from our Accessories page, which will help keep them climbing - the Stick Thingy is a must have toy as far as our cats are concerned for chasing up & around our units.
Installing a Polecat is usually a one person job & it comes with all of the necessary fixings & bits - all you will need is a step ladder & drill.
Tomcat
Tomcat can be specified as a floor-to-ceiling, wall mounted or freestanding unit with 1, 2, 3 or 4 Compartments.
Tomcat suits small to medium size cats (up to 4-5kg) & will allow them to curl up inside the unit as well as play, lounge & climb - if your cat is on the larger side & you think they will want to sleep in the unit or have cats that like sleeping together then a Fatcat will be a better choice.
Apart from the difference in diameter between Tomcat & Fatcat units, the climbing experience is very similar inside & out as these units have the same size Access Holes & Climb-Through Compartment apertures.
Lounging & sleeping in Compartments is a feature of our products so having one at each cat’s disposal is nice to have & if you have a cat that enjoys sleeping in low level enclosures or an elderly cat that needs somewhere to relax then a Compartment at the bottom of the unit should be a consideration.
Climb-Through Compartments work really well as an alternative route up & down the inside of the unit but you do loose the seclusion between compartments - lounging space also becomes a bit limited so we recommend keeping a Compartment at mid height without this option so your cat has at least one level where they can curl up comfortably or you can place a Twist Pile with MDF insert over the Climb-Through Shelf to cover the hole.
In terms of prioritising the number & position of Compartments we would recommend having the first Compartment at waist-to-shoulder height as this encourages climbing but also allows you to stay in touch with your cat.
Your cat would then probably choose a Compartment at the top of the unit then additional levels at the middle of the unit - based on our experience the low level Compartments towards the bottom are the least used.
Adding Peep Holes between waist-to-shoulder height is also a good move as again this is a comfortable height for you & your cat to play.
The standard Twist Pile finishes on the inside makes for a really cosy & soft interior but if you want an even softer lounging area for your cat then you can add Pad cushions inside the Compartments - Pads can also be placed over Climb-Through Compartments.
Tomcat installation can be a one person job but it's easier with two - like Polecat it comes with all of the necessary fixings & bits - all you will need is a step ladder & drill.
Fatcat
Fatcat can be specified as a floor-to-ceiling, wall mounted or freestanding unit.
Fatcat is the the unit of choice for bigger cats (5kg+) that want to curl up & sleep in their Hicat® or for cats that love sleeping together.
The same basic Tomcat principles apply to Fatcat in terms of specification & functionality noting that the larger diameter Fat Pads cushions replace Pads & Climb-Through Compartments work best on this size unit because of the larger diameter area in relation to climb-through aperture.
Again, finish options are the same as Tomcat so the only other thing to note is that Fatcat units can weigh up to 50kg so installation is definitely a two person job.
Bobcat
Bobcat is 434mm in diameter & makes for a great day bed & petting platform on its own but as noted above it also complements taller units when used as a landing pad when jumping down - it can also be customised with a bespoke Storage Compartment in place of the Access Hole Compartment.
Adding a Peep hole to encourage play & a Fat Pad cushion finishes off the unit nicely.
There's no installation with these podium units but you will need to add some sand as ballast - 10kg of play or fire sand should do the job for the standard height unit.
This podium design has developed over the years & with the inclusion of a large ballast chamber we now offer units up to 1000mm tall as a bespoke option - if you are looking at this type of extra tall unit then our SixToo™ page is worth visiting.
Wall Mounted Units
If you are planning on moving in the near future rather than purchase a floor-to-ceiling Hicat® you may want to consider a wall mounted version - Tomcat & Fatcat units are usually specified between 1820mm-2220mm with 1, 2, 3 or 4 Compartments & Polecat slightly taller at around 2400mm.
Choosing a wall mounted Polecat, Tomcat or Fatcat unit means that you'll never need to worry about your Hicat® not fitting into your new home - also, it gives you the flexibility to move it around your existing home as you won't need to worry about differing ceiling heights.
Lounging on top of a Hicat in the Recessed Top is a great way to relax & take in the view - Fatcat is the preferred choice for doing this because of its larger diameter but if you are set on a Tomcat specifying a Deep Recessed Top is also a good option as it creates an open top Compartment with more volume for sleeping in but this option will impact slightly on the internal height of the Compartment below.
We recommend specifying Tomcat & Fatcat units 300-400mm shorter than your ceiling height for head, tail & ear clearance & you also have the option of specifying a floor-to-ceiling Tomcat or Fatcat that wall mounts if you don’t want to drill into your ceiling - if specifying a Polecat your cat will also try to perch on top of the unit so please bear this in mind when deciding on the height.
Going above head height will mean that you will be missing out on some contact when your cat is on top of the unit & you may choose to position your unit next to furniture to give your cat a way of jumping down more easily - a Cat’s Cradle is a great way to create a platform on a Polecat to help your cat jump down from the top if they don’t have the luxury of jumping down onto furniture or are comfortable climbing down.
You also have the option of specifying a floor-to-ceiling Tomcat or Fatcat that wall mounts if you don’t want to drill into your ceiling - you may want to consider having the top of a wall mounted floor-to-ceiling unit specified with a Recessed Top so that in the event that you move the unit to a space with a taller ceiling then perching on top of the unit can come into play.
If you are specifically deliberating over a freestanding or wall mounted Fatcat but reluctantly leaning towards a wall mounted unit because of your present situation you can future proof your purchase by having the unit fabricated with a freestanding collar in the base but wall mount it then purchase a base when required to turn it into a freestanding Fatcat.
Wall Mounted Polecat units have a special collar installed in them to attach the Wall Fixing Kit so if you are looking for a floor-to-ceiling unit that can also be used as a Wall Mounted unit this needs to be specified when ordering.
Freestanding Fatcat & Tomcat
As an option to a wall mounted unit we also make a freestanding Fatcat & Tomcat - units can be specified up to 1830mm high & with 1, 2, 3 or 4 Compartments.
NB in addition to the standard 1830mm tall Fatcat we have also now made a bespoke 2230mm Freestanding Fatcat - we also have a stock Fatcat sized unit called SixToo™ that’s made to a standard specification & Magic Freestanding Fatcat that’s made to a bespoke specification.
As with Wall Mounted units lounging on top of a Hicat® is best on a Fatcat Fatcat because of the larger diameter Recessed Top but if you are set on a Tomcat then specifying a Deep Recessed Top is worth considering.
If you are interested in a freestanding unit then you should definitely check out our Catapilla™ range of cat furniture with a twist - there’s also a short Catapilla™ vs. Fatcat ready reckoner in the FAQs section that might be helpful in deciding between these two products.
More Bespoke Options
There are a variety of bespoke features, units, finishes to enhance your Hicat® even further & even fabricating a one-of-a-kind Hicat® for your cat so it is worth flicking through these pages - here are some of most popular enhancements.
Peep Holes can be repositioned around the unit up to 80º to the left or to the right of their standard position opposite the Access Hole - you can advise on any adjustments in the Makers Notes section when placing an order.
Additional Compartments & Shelves can be added to your unit - a popular option is to add a Division in between an Extended & Climb-Through Compartment to create a private chamber.
A popular adaption for our Bobcat unit is increasing the height to 1000mm as this will allow two Compartments to be specified along with a Climb-Through Compartments.
Bobcat, Wall Mounted & Freestanding units can also have a Deep Recessed Top that increases the standard 60mm depth to 120mm - Compartment layout permitting you can also increase a Deep Recessed Top to a Double Deep Recessed Top to give another 60mm of depth.
There’s a Magic Freestanding Fatcat that can be used without a Base by filling the unit with ballast.
+3040mm tall units & Hicat® units with an angled top cap to install under a sloping ceilings have been fabricated - floating Wall Shelves & integrated shelves for Polecat have also been produced as specials.
Our Cat Nap Bed & Rings are becoming must have loungers to pair with our climbers or even just as a stand alone-purchase.
AVM Wool (formerly Tibet Wool) is a very popular bespoke option & adds another level of exclusivity to our products.
Sets
Combining Hicat® units works really well in multi-cat households & can be set up in lots of different ways but the more obvious combos are multiple Polecat units, Polecat-Tomcat/Fatcat-Bobcat combos & Polecat-Wall Mounted Tomcat-Fatcat combos.
Adding a Polecat alongside a Tomcat or Fatcat makes for some great unit-to-unit jumping & gives your cats an alternative way to climb down from the higher Compartments on Tomcat or Fatcat. As already mentioned Bobcat can also be a useful platform to land on from the higher Compartments as well as being a great place to sleep in & on.
A Polecat & Bobcat alongside a Wall Mounted Tomcat or Fatcat gives your cat the ultimate set-up for play, lounging & sleeping.
More Affordable
If you want to give your cat the opportunity to climb & have that all important raised level then a Polecat with Cat's Cradle or a wall mounted Tomcat or Fatcat with Recessed Platform Top & single Compartment are well worth looking at.
Also, remember if you don't mind rolling your sleeves up you can also make your own DIY Polecat - we also have SixToo™ as an option to the Wall Mounted Tomcat & Fatcat units shown above.
SixToo™ Scraaatch™ Catapilla™ & Cat Wall™
Our SixToo™ unit was designed to be the most affordable way to get your hands on a Fatcat sized unit if you’re not interested in a bespoke piece - it only comes in one 6’ size & Natural Coir as standard plus you have to purchase sand for the assembly but we still think it’s a great all round performer & why we refer to it as the best value pound-for-pound Hicat®.
As noted at the beginning of this page having a scratcher for your cat to use will help prolong the life of your Hicat® & your other home furnishings - our Scraaatch™ range is made using superior quality sisal rope, which is more durable than standard coir rope plus they’re strong, stable & oversized compared to other products out there & available in floor, wall, freestanding & stool versions.
If you are interested in our Freestanding Fatcat our Catapilla™ range is also worth a look at if you don’t want to customise Access Hole positions with Climb-Through features & want to have Access Holes facing in different directions, which is not possible with our Fatcat unless you specify a unit as a Bespoke two piece unit - customers that opt for this unit generally place these units in positions where they want to give their cat different Access Hole views, say adjacent to a window, mix up finishes or have access issues into their home & need a unit that can be delivered in modules as opposed to one piece. It can also be installed as a Wall Mounted unit with the addition of a Wall Fixing Kit.
If floor space is tight then our Cat Wall™ is the obvious answer to give your cat some climbing activity - the coir finishes are the same but it’s a slightly different climbing experience being a flat surface, as opposed to curved when compared to our other units, but still easy to climb & lots of fun when used as a climbing wall or back drop to our other Hicat® products.
Our Cats' Set-Up
Our cats have had their fair share of Hicat® units but the current set-up seems to be their favourite to date.
Centre stage is a 222cm Wall Mounted Fatcat 4 finished in bespoke AVM Wool - it's specified with Climb-Through Compartments & Recessed Platform Top along with Peep Holes & provides them with a large play/exercise area along with Compartments to relax & sleep in.
The Recessed Platform Top gives them a great high lounging & sleeping level (just within stroking/petting height) & is also used to jump across to our kitchen wall cupboards.
A bespoke 70cm high Bobcat with built in storage for toys sits adjacent to the Fatcat 4 & is used as a landing platform to jump down on to when it's not being slept on.
As mentioned above we think it's important to give your cat options for scratching so we also have a collection of Scraaatch™ units around our home - we have a Stool with bespoke special shaggy pile carpet top (handy for sitting on while putting on shoes & socks) & bespoke scratching deck finished in a sisal-coir mix.
The latest addition to our cats' set-up is a Bespoke Wool Polecat with two Cat's Cradles, located next to our home office area & used as a stage by our cats for playing with their Stick Thingy.
Our home R&D area is currently made up of a Cat Nap Bed & Cat Nap Rings, which have been set up over our underfloor radiators for a extra cosy install during the winter months.