When California-based architect and woodworker Franz Goebel was commissioned by a client to design a cat tree that worked well with modern furniture, he obviously had some inspiration. That inspiration came from his own four Bengals. Goebel’s new ZcaT modern cat tree is the result and it’s a perfect fit for the Moderncat aesthetic. This sturdy structure is handmade from hardwood with a durable non-toxic finish. It includes two patches of artificial grass and a replaceable corrugated cardboard scratch-and-climb panel.
ZcaT is available in White Oak for $439 or American Walnut for $494. I can’t wait to see what else they have in the works!
November 5th, 2009 at 7:10 am
So coolâ€â€but doubly cool if you could grow real cat grass in it!
November 5th, 2009 at 7:22 am
I love this design, especially since it’s for a different kind of climbing exercise that indoor cats don’t usually get to do and is fairly tall.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:47 am
really nice, clean ,practical and yes, perfect for bengals;-)
November 5th, 2009 at 9:23 am
LOVE IT !!! So Green !!!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:37 am
This is fantastic. I’m so glad there there are more options for people who love cats but also love great design.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:05 am
That’s awesome! I wish I could afford it for my cats
November 5th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Now I understand that the reason Kush and I have never won a Moderncat giveaway is because we’re waiting for the Zcat. Me-WOW!
November 5th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Wow that is a fantastic piece of cat furniture. It will fit right in with all of our ripped up chairs that we destroyed. It would be the nicest thing in the house. Love the grass deal.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
This is pretty, but ABSURDLY overpriced! I’m all for attractive cat furniture, but good grief! I see no reason for it to cost this much.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Beautiful and original design — my only concern (apart from the steep price) is that it doesn’t look like it’d be topple-proof if active cat(s) leap suddenly on or off.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Very creative design but I don’t like the cardboard scratching surface it looks neat for one day then you have shredded pieces of it all over your floor. I think sisal would last longer and look better longer. But I really love the look of this.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I agree it’s a cool design. It would be great if the maker could find a way to get the price down yet still make a profit.
November 9th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Say goodbye to those carpeted, hair collecting monstrosities! They are very similar in pricing (re: above comment about getting the price down), and are so ugly!)
All of us fashionable , green , cat loving, home furnishing loving , people have been waiting for something like this! Love it!
November 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
What i love about these designs is they can soooo easily become a DIY project. The price is OBSCENE, and those carpeted monstrosities don’t cost that much unless they are about 4x the size as this thing but yes they are ugly….
In any case with 6 cats calling our house home there’s no way we’re paying that much for a few boards with a scratching surface.. it’s off to borrow a friend’s workship.. I’m guessing $40 to make it.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Hello. I appreciate the comments and would like to just set the record straight on the difference between this product and a typical DIY project or cheap import. The wood on this piece of furniture is select grade white oak (or select grade walnut) and is planed (by hand) and jointed to create perfect joints and smooth lines. High quality wood alone, before planing, cutting, and sanding costs more than $40 wholesale. The joints are under extreme stress and are mortise and tenon joinery, reinforced with steel (hidden) so they don’t fail under ongoing use. The panels are attached with twist expansion screws and again hidden, which allow the unit to flatten for shipping. The finish is done in multiple steps after fine sanding. First the wood is sealed with a natural shellac for depth of luster. Then three coats of pre-cat urethane (water-based, extremely tough, and non-toxic) are applied. This piece is designed as fine furniture and when compared to hand-made woodworking, is quite a deal. There is approximately 8 hours of skilled labor from start to finish in this piece, and it truly shows in the final product.
Most of us are guilty of underestimated what is required in making a product or providing a service with which we are unfamiliar, especially if the end product looks quite simple. Often the best, simplest, and most functional design has had far more work put into it than one would imagine.
As a culture, we are also bombarded with cheap items built of cheap materials in Chinese sweatshops, in a country which artificially suppresses the value of it’s money. The particle board they use is full of formaldehyde, the carpeting made in polluting plants, the work conditions unsafe.
So I applaud someone’s ability to make products themselves but would ask that people think before coming to quick judgement on what others do. There are a variety of products available, a variety in levels of quality and design. People make choices, and take cultural and economic stances every day with what they purchase, whether they realize it or not.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Franz,
I appreciate the explanation. I’m willing to pay more for a quality cat tree. I was going to purchase the Lotus or Little Lotus Cat Tree but I’ve been in touch with an Amazon reviewer who has one and said the quality is terrible, it’s not sturdy, only one cat can be on the top shelf at a time and the other shelves aren’t big or comfortable enough for a cat to lie on. He said it’s very tough to put together and that he’s going to have to do a lot of work on it to make it work. I find that very discouraging because the initial reviews of it I read were good. I can’t imagine someone like me ordering it, getting it home and not being able to put it together.
It would also be nice if there was an option to have the piece put together. Animal Connection II on Chestnut Street in San Francisco sells other cat trees. This is a very upscale neighborhood and I would think that there would be people who would be very interested in purchasing something like the ZCA T design.
I’ve been looking for months trying to find a stylish cat tree for my big tabby & Siamese kitten (who will also be a big cat). I just want to make sure that it’s also enjoyable for the kitties!