Mau Cat Tree Dupe! Full comparison + review

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. This website is largely reader-funded through making purchases using affiliate links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

About Mau Pets

When looking for a cat tree for our new cats, we were immediately drawn to the modern cat trees made by Mau Pets. We love the aesthetic of these cat trees and just couldn’t get away from them, as they were were filling our social media feeds.

Here’s some more about the company:

Mission: Mau‘s mission is to provide customers with sustainable, high-quality cat furniture that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional, aimed at enhancing the well-being and happiness of cats and their owners.

Story: Founded by animal lovers who recognized a lack of stylish and durable cat furniture, Mau set out to create premium cat furniture that would be a lasting and integral part of home decor. The founders were motivated by their dissatisfaction with existing cat furniture options that were either unsightly, poorly made, or both. Mau was established to fill this gap in the market, offering contemporary designs that customers would be proud to display.

Products: Mau specializes in high-end modern cat furniture that considers both the comfort of cats and the design preferences of their owners. Their range includes luxury cat trees, caves, and beds that are made with high-quality materials to ensure durability and comfort. They emphasize that their products meet human-grade standards and joke about the only complaint being the lack of human-sized versions.

Commitment to Social Good: Mau demonstrates a strong commitment to social responsibility through various initiatives:

They donate 5% of all proceeds to animal welfare and environmental conservation organizations.
They plant a tree for every purchase made.
They subsidize 50% of the cost for product donations to shelters.
They use sustainably sourced wood from non-fruit-bearing trees for their cat trees, highlighting their dedication to environmental sustainability.

Tall Mau Cat Tree Options

We originally fell in love with the Mau cat trees with the exposed wood. However, in doing research, we noted only the shorter Mau cat trees had the exposed wood, while the taller Mau cat tree branches were covered in sisal rope.

Why get a taller cat tree? We wanted a cat tree on the taller side since we were bringing kittens into a home with dogs. We read that it’s very important to have high spaces for cats to retreat to, especially if you have dogs (like we do).

Based on our height requirement, that left us with these 2 Mau cat tree options:

Mau IVY 3: 53 inches tall, with 3 baskets ($319)
Mau IVY: 73 inches tall, with 4 baskets ($389)

Alternative to the Mau IVY cat trees

We love the look and height of of the Mau Ivy cat trees, as well as the ethics and background of the company. But we don’t love the price tag, so we wanted to shop around. That’s when we found this cat tree: the “70 Inch Tall Cat Tree 4-Layer Cat Tower with 3 Perches and Dangling Balls” from Costway.

This cat tree is very similar to the Mau Ivy cat trees, but significantly cheaper. We compare and contrast the Costway tree. vs. Mau cat trees below. {Then scroll to the end to see our full review of the Costway cat tree.}

Mau IVY vs. Costway 70 inch Cat Tower

Here’s the major similarities and differences between the Mau Ivy cat tower vs. Costway 70″ cat tower:

Price:
- Mau Ivy: $389
- Costway: $223 (but often goes on sale!)
- The Costway cat tree is significantly cheaper than the Mau Ivy.

Height:
- Mau Ivy: 73″
- Costway: 70″
- The Costway cat tree is slightly shorter than the Mau Ivy.
Number of Perches:
- Mau Ivy: 4
- Costway: 3
Both cat trees have:
- Removable, washable bedding
- Dangling pom-poms under the perches
- Sisal rope covered branches
- Square base
- Comes in 2 color options (beige/white and gray)

Here’s the pros and cons of the Mau Ivy cat tree we considered when comparing to Costway cat tree:

Pros of the Mau Ivy (compared to the Costway):

We like the overall look of the Mau Ivy compared to the Costway – specifically the whicker baskets (made with natural materials)
Mau Pets has sustainability and social initiatives
The pom-poms are removable and replaceable
“Wear-and-tear” parts of the tree can be bought separately and replaced.

Pros of the Costway cat tree (compared to the Mau Ivy):

The Costway cat tree is significantly cheaper
The base of the Costway cat tree is carpeted and roped, which is great for horizontal scratching (the Mau Ivy is a smooth wooden base)
The bedding comes with some variety, as one of the beds is covered (like a cubby)
Although we like the look of the baskets of the Mau cat trees, we figured the bedding of the Costway cat tree would age better (we read several reviews that the Mau baskets did not maintain their look, as cats would claw them)

Mau IVY 3 vs. Costway 70 inch Cat Tower

Here’s the major similarities and differences between the Mau Ivy 3 cat tower vs. Costway 70″ cat tower:

Price:
- Mau Ivy 3: $319
- Costway: $223 (but often goes on sale!)
- The Costway cat tree is significantly cheaper than the Mau Ivy 3.

Height:
- Mau Ivy 3: 53″
- Costway: 70″
- The Costway cat tree is significantly taller than the Mau Ivy 3.
Number of Perches:
- Mau Ivy 3: 3
- Costway: 3
Both cat trees have:
- Removable, washable bedding
- Dangling pom-poms under the perches
- Sisal rope covered branches
- Square base
- Comes in 2 color options (beige/white and gray)

Here’s the pros and cons of the Mau Ivy 3 cat tree we considered when comparing to Costway cat tree:

Pros of the Mau Ivy 3 (compared to the Costway):

We like the overall look of the Mau Ivy 3 compared to the Costway – specifically the whicker baskets (made with natural materials)
Mau Pets has sustainability and social initiatives
The pom-poms are removable and replaceable
“Wear-and-tear” parts of the tree can be bought separately and replaced.

Pros of the Costway cat tree (compared to the Mau Ivy 3):

The Costway cat tree is significantly cheaper
The base of the Costway cat tree is carpeted and roped, which is great for horizontal scratching (the Mau Ivy is a smooth wooden base)
The bedding comes with some variety, as one of the beds is covered (like a cubby)
Although we like the look of the baskets of the Mau cat trees, we figured the bedding of the Costway cat tree would age better (we read several reviews that the Mau baskets did not maintain their look, as cats would claw them)

Costway 70 inch Cat Tower Review

After comparing and contrasting the Costway cat tree vs. the Mau cat trees, we ultimately decided to buy the Costway cat tree.

Here’s why:

Better bang for the buck.
We like the modern and simple design of the Costway cat tree compared to most traditional cat trees and towers.
We liked the idea of having a taller cat tree (70″ or more) since we were bringing cats into a home of dogs. We’ve read that having high spots for cats to feel safe in can be instrumental in creating a good relationship between cats and dogs in the home.
We liked that the base of the tree doubles as another place for cats to scratch. In researching, we learned that it’s important to offer a variety of places for cats to scratch if you want to avoid them clawing at your furniture (which is a priority for us!). We learned that some cats may prefer vertical scratching surfaces, while some may prefer horizontal. This tree gives you both!
We liked that the bedding is removable and washable.
We liked that the Costway cat tree offered a variety of bedding options – it comes with 2 “open” beds and one “covered” bed. The covered bed/cubby offers a safe haven for the cats and will make them feel extra cozy!

So the Costway 70″ cat tree looks great on paper, but how is it in person? And perhaps more importantly, how do the cats like it?

The set-up: This tree is heavy. This is a good thing – it means it’s sturdy and well-made. But, it took two people to put together. And the box was nearly impossible to move. Just something to keep in mind!

How the cats like it: The kittens took to the Costway cat tree right away! They were curious and trying to climb all over it while we were building it! At first they favored the middle perch, but eventually ventured to the top perch. The bottom perch is rarely used, and we’re so glad we went for a taller cat tree, as the cats definitely seem to prefer being up high! We put the bed with the cubby on the top, but the cats didn’t use it like it was intended. More often than not, they squish down the cover and sit on it instead of under it. Overall, the cats love it! They climb and jump with ease. It’s easily their favorite place in the house. So far it’s held up fairly well. The biggest mishap is that within the 1st week, the cats chewed the string of one of the hanging pom-poms – so much so it completely fell off.

How we like it: We love this Costway cat tree! We love the clean and modern look. It isn’t an eyesore in our home, in fact it adds to the decor and ambience. Overall, we are very happy with this purchase. It’s serving our cats very. Not only does it act as a playground for fun, it’s a place for them to sleep, scratch and feel safe in our home, up from the dogs!

If you’re looking for a cheaper dupe for the MAU IVY or Mau Ivy 3, then this cat tree from Costway is definitely one to consider!