Mau Cat Tree Review

I can admit that I’m somewhat of a snob when it comes to decor. I like my furniture and interior design to have a certain aesthetic—and cat trees just don’t fit the vision. Between their enormous forms and cheap fabric coverings, most cat trees are an eyesore, and despite loving my cat deeply, I just don’t want to look at them every day.

Enter: Mau cat trees. This brand makes luxury cat trees that are—dare I say—actually attractive. They’re made using real wooden branches and high-end fluffy fabric, and the aesthetic definitely fits in with my modern farmhouse decor.

As soon as I found out about this brand, I wanted to find out if it was too good to be true. I brought home the Mau Cento Cat Tree and Condo (available at Chewy) for my cat, Piper, to try out, and it's safe to say we’re both obsessed with this brand. Here’s why.

Mau Cat Tree & Condo

This cat tree is stunning—and well worth the splurge.

$289 at Chewy

What we like

It looks very stylish and high-end

I’m happy to confirm that the Cento Cat Tree is every bit as stylish in real life as it looks online. The posts are made from attractive pieces of natural wood, and they have sisal wrapped around them to give your cat somewhere to scratch. The baskets look like they’d be sold at Pottery Barn, and the fabric covering the base is super soft faux fur. The whole thing looks very high-end, and I love it!

I generally tuck cat trees away in some unused area of our home so I don’t have to look at them, but I decided to put the Cento tree right in our living room. It meshes really well with the existing decor—even my partner admitted it, and he absolutely hates most cat trees! So if you’re obsessed with aesthetics like me, this cat tree is worth the price of admission for its good looks.

It’s fun and comfortable for cats

Cat trees—and any cat products, really—can be hit or miss. Sometimes your cat loves them; sometimes, they have no interest in them. I was a bit worried that Piper wouldn’t use the Mau cat tree, but she took to it extremely quickly. Even while I was setting it up, she wanted to be in the middle of the process, climbing into the condo before it was attached and clawing at the baskets.

Since I put the tree in our living room, Piper has used it daily. She loves to claw the sisal rope (a blessing for the couch), bat at the hanging pom poms, and nap in the baskets. She also uses the top basket as a perch to watch birds out the window. I’m so pleased that she likes it—because what’s worse than shelling out big bucks on a product only to have your cat turn up their nose at it?

Most components are replaceable

I didn’t realize this when I was first looking at Mau’s cat products, but almost all the components of its cat trees can be replaced. On the brand’s website, there’s a whole section dedicated to replacement parts—you can purchase new baskets, cushions, pom poms, and rope.

Basically, the brand makes it easy to replace any pieces that your cat might ruin. I love this idea, as it allows you to use the product for much longer, making it a more sustainable choice than many cheaper cat trees.

What we don’t like

Assembly is frustrating

I’m not good at assembling things to begin with, so I found the process of putting together this cat tree to be frustrating. The instructions are sparse, and the components are poorly labeled. It was annoying to try to line up the support posts inside the “condo” with their screws, which are inserted from the outside, and it was tricky to find the holes to begin with, as the fluffy fabric covered them up.

Working by myself, it took me around 40 minutes to get it all together, which is pretty long for a basic cat tree. I would have been done sooner, but I put the trunks in the wrong places the first time, as the instructions don’t make it clear that they’re not interchangeable. (Nor are they labeled in any way to help you tell them apart.) I had to backtrack and swap them, which chewed up quite a bit of time.

Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any way to avoid this. You just have to take your time and work through it. The end results are worth it, though.

It might be too small for larger cats

Piper is fairly small as cats go—she weighs around 8 pounds—and the Mau Cento cat tree is the perfect size for her. She’s able to relax comfortably in the baskets and hide in the condo, but I can see these areas being too small for bigger cats. My previous male cat was around 13 pounds, and I don’t think he would have been as comfortable using the tree—just something to keep in mind if you have a larger kitty.

Should you get a Mau cat tree?

Yes, they’re worth the splurge. If you love your cat but hate regular cat trees, the Mau Cento Cat Tree and Condo—or one of the brand’s other cat trees—is worth the splurge. They’re well-made and surprisingly stylish, and you’ll actually want to show them off instead of hiding them in an unused room. Plus, the brand prioritizes sustainability, selling replacement parts so you (and your cat) can get more use out of their products.

The Mau cat tree quickly became a favorite hang-out spot for my cat, Piper, and I’m guessing most cats will enjoy it, too. However, it’s probably not big enough for big kitties, so keep that in mind if you have a larger cat.

Mau Cat Tree & Condo

This cat tree is stunning—and well worth the splurge.

$289 at Chewy