Picked up a used cat tree on Facebook marketplace last Tuesday

Got this massive cat tree for $20 from a lady in Oak Park. My cat Mochi has been obsessed with the top level but won't go near the bottom cubby. I think the previous owner's cat must have marked it or something. Has anyone else had a pet reject part of a new piece of furniture like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley3851mo ago

Why wouldn't he just need time to warm up to it?

stellachen1mo ago

Oh man, YES, absolutely this. I totally get what you're saying because I'm the same way with pretty much anything new. It takes me forever to feel comfortable with a new hobby or even a new video game, I have to just sit with it and let it sink in. My friends think I'm crazy when I don't instantly love something they recommend, but that's just how I work. Give me a week or two and suddenly I'm all in, obsessed even. So yeah, I think some people just need that warm-up period before they can really get into something.

emery1991mo ago

Fair question, but I've seen this play out before and it's usually not just about warming up. @stellachen mentioned the "sitting with it" part which is key, you gotta give space but also nudge a little. What worked for my buddy was setting a low stakes deadline, like "try it for 15 minutes every day this week and then decide." No pressure, just a small habit to break the ice without forcing it.