How to use the cat tower and scratcher height calculator
Enter the ceiling height where the tower will go and the clearance you want left at the top, and the tool reports the tallest tower that fits. Add the jump height you have actually watched your cat make, pick a safety fraction, and it also gives the tier gap and how many tiers fit at that gap.
No official standard exists for tower height or tier spacing. As of October 2026 makers still differ on both, so the tool uses no reference chart. It works only from the ceiling height you measured and the jump height you observed, and it prints the formula it applied next to the result.
Load rating, anchoring and floor type are out of scope. This tool is for reference only and does not replace veterinary care. Contact your veterinarian right away if you notice symptoms or suspect a problem, such as limping after a landing or suddenly refusing to jump up.
Frequently asked questions
No. The tool therefore takes your ceiling height and the jump height you have actually seen, works only inside those numbers, and prints the formula it used.
Making a cat use its maximum jump on every hop raises the chance of a missed landing. Keeping the gap at the fraction you pick leaves margin.
A cat should be able to stretch out fully while scratching. There is no official spec for it, so you choose the factor yourself.