Is This $300+ Cat Tree Worth It? Mau Cento Setup and First Impressions

I got a new kitten, and we needed a place for her and my big Siberian, Zeus, to both sleep in the bedroom. Our old cat tree is actually really good, so it's moving somewhere else. This is the Mau Cento in white.

Unboxing

Apparently every part of this is replaceable, which is really nice. It also comes with a little kitty card with a certificate inside: one tree planted. That's pretty cool. There's catnip in the box too.

You get two baskets, one for each cat. They're pretty big, which is good because my 4-year-old Siberian is a huge boy and the girl is going to be huge too. The pieces are solid wood and very good quality. There's a very soft tunnel, a heavy base (I think it's plywood, but it's very solid), the scratching posts, and a small box of tools.

Putting it together

There aren't many parts, and it comes with assembly instructions.

• Step 1, the cat house: three poles go in, then three big screws hold the top and bottom together. Use the white screws for the top so they blend in, and the silver ones for the bottom.
• Step 2, the poles and legs: flip it upside down. Each one is a single big bolt and washer. Way easier than step 1. The short leg goes on its own side, so check which leg goes where.
• Step 3, the baskets: each one gets a double-sided thread. Screw it in, set the basket on and twist until it's on.

Honest assessment: lining up the screws on the cat house is not easy, because you can't really see where the holes are. You have to move it around until you find them. It wasn't really hard, just a little difficult. You can reach in the side to make adjustments.

The result

It's tall. It goes all the way up to our little fireplace. It looks really nice and feels really solid. Zeus climbed right in, and he seems to like it.

What I liked

• Solid wood pieces and very good quality
• Every part is replaceable
• Two big baskets that fit a huge Siberian
• Steps 2 and 3 are quick, one bolt at a time

Heads up

• The cat house screws in step 1 are hard to line up.
• The baskets just sit in place. There's no Velcro or lock holding them, which surprised me. I'm guessing it'll be okay.
• I ended up with extra small washers and I'm not sure what they're for.

Key specs

• Solid wood frame with a plywood base
• Two baskets, a soft tunnel and scratching posts
• Replaceable parts
• Mau says it supports cats up to 23 lbs and plants a tree for every purchase

Who it's for

Homes with a big cat, or two cats that want their own spots, and anyone who wants a cat tree that looks like furniture instead of carpet.

My take

It looks really nice, it's really solid, and Zeus gave it his stamp of approval. What a win.

What's in the video

• 0:00 Why we needed a new cat tree
• 0:25 Unboxing and first impressions
• 0:50 The baskets, tunnel and solid wood base
• 1:50 Zeus joins the unboxing
• 2:18 Step 1: the cat house
• 3:08 Attaching the top of the cat house
• 4:02 Step 2: the poles and legs
• 7:22 Does the cat like it?