Last updated: August 15, 2026
A new cat tree smells because of off-gassing: adhesives, particleboard, foam, fabric dye, and packaging materials all release odor for a period after manufacturing, and that smell is usually strongest right out of the box. In most cases it fades within a few days to a couple of weeks of airing out, and it’s a different issue entirely from a tree that smells like urine, which points to your cat rather than the furniture.
Below is how to tell a normal new-furniture smell from a chemical smell worth taking seriously, what to do to speed up airing it out, and how to handle a tree that smells like pee instead.
Quick Answer
Why does my new cat tree smell, and is it safe?
- Off-gassing is normal. Adhesives, particleboard, and fabric treatments release odor for days to a couple of weeks after unboxing.
- Air it out before use. A well-ventilated room, away from your cat, speeds up the fade considerably.
- A smell that’s strong, chemical, and not fading after a couple of weeks is worth contacting the manufacturer about rather than waiting indefinitely.
New Cat Tree Smell: What’s Normal vs. What’s Not
Use this to figure out whether what you’re smelling is expected or worth a closer look.
| What you’re noticing | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Faint “new furniture” or cardboard smell | Normal packaging and material off-gassing | Air out for a few days; it typically fades on its own |
| Strong chemical or glue smell | Adhesive or particleboard off-gassing, more pronounced on budget builds | Ventilate well for one to two weeks before letting your cat spend long periods on it |
| Smell persists beyond two to three weeks | Poor ventilation, or a manufacturing issue with the finish or adhesive | Contact the manufacturer or retailer about the specific product |
| Smells like urine, not chemicals | A cat (yours or, if used, a previous owner’s) has marked or had an accident on it | Clean with an enzymatic cleaner made for pet odor, not a general household cleaner |
If stability or material safety is a broader concern for you beyond just the smell, our guide to cat furniture safety covers finishes, off-gassing, and what to check on any new piece before your cat spends hours on it.
Why New Cat Trees Smell Like Chemicals
Most cat trees are built on composite board (particleboard or MDF) held together and finished with adhesives, and both the board and the glue release volatile compounds for a period after manufacturing, which is what produces that sharp, new-furniture smell. Fabric-covered platforms and sisal treatments can add to it, since dyes and any stain-resistant or anti-fray treatments applied during manufacturing also off-gas initially. This is common across furniture generally, not specific to cat trees, and it’s the same reason a new couch or a new bookshelf often smells strong for the first few days too.
Budget-built trees on thinner composite board with more adhesive per piece tend to have a more noticeable smell than trees built with less glue or higher-grade materials, though that difference is about degree, not really about whether off-gassing happens at all.
How to Get Rid of Cat Tree Smell
Airing it out is the main and most reliable fix. Set the tree up in a well-ventilated room, ideally with a window open or air moving through, and give it several days before your cat spends extended time on it. Wiping down hard, sealed surfaces with a damp cloth can help remove surface residue, but avoid soaking sisal-wrapped posts or fabric platforms, since excess moisture creates its own problems without meaningfully speeding up off-gassing.
Baking soda sprinkled on fabric surfaces and vacuumed off after a few hours can help pull out some residual odor, though it works better for musty smells than for genuine chemical off-gassing, which mostly just needs time and airflow. Avoid scented sprays or air fresheners directly on the tree; strong artificial scents can be as off-putting to a cat as the original smell, sometimes more so, and may discourage use rather than encourage it.
When a New Cat Tree Smells Like Urine
This is a genuinely different problem from off-gassing, and it points to a cat rather than to manufacturing. If a brand-new tree already smells like urine out of the box, it’s worth checking that it wasn’t returned and resold as new, or contacting the retailer about it. If the smell appears after your cat has had time with it, it usually means the tree has been marked or had an accident on it, which calls for an enzymatic cleaner formulated specifically for pet odor rather than a general surface cleaner, since standard cleaners often mask the smell to human noses without fully breaking down what a cat can still detect.
A cat marking or having accidents on new furniture can also be a signal worth paying attention to beyond the smell itself, particularly if it’s a change from established litter box habits. If that’s happening repeatedly, it’s worth a conversation with your veterinarian rather than treating it as purely a cleaning problem.
Common Mistakes When Dealing With a Smelly Tree
- Letting a cat use it heavily before airing it out. Give a strongly scented tree several days of ventilation before expecting your cat to spend hours on it.
- Soaking sisal or fabric to remove smell. This risks weakening the material without actually resolving off-gassing, which fades with air, not water.
- Using scented sprays to cover the smell. Strong added fragrance can put a cat off the furniture entirely.
- Assuming a urine smell will fade on its own. Unlike off-gassing, odor from an accident needs an enzymatic cleaner to actually break it down.
- Waiting indefinitely on a smell that isn’t fading. If two to three weeks of ventilation hasn’t helped, contact the manufacturer rather than continuing to wait.
Where to Go From Here
Off-gassing tends to be less noticeable on trees built with solid wood rather than composite board and heavy adhesive use; see our guide to solid wood cat trees if a strong new-furniture smell is something you’d like to avoid on your next purchase. If odor turns out to be an ongoing maintenance issue rather than a one-time new-furniture smell, how often to clean and replace cat furniture covers the regular cleaning routine that keeps it from building up again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for a new cat tree to smell? Yes, a faint to moderate new-furniture smell from adhesives, particleboard, and fabric treatments is normal and typically fades within a few days to two weeks of airing out.
How long does new cat tree smell last? Usually a few days to two weeks with decent ventilation. If it hasn’t faded noticeably after two to three weeks, that’s worth contacting the manufacturer about.
Is the smell from a new cat tree harmful to my cat? Ordinary off-gassing from furniture-grade materials is generally considered a temporary nuisance rather than a hazard, and airing the piece out before extended use is a reasonable precaution. If you have specific health concerns about a particular product’s materials, contact the manufacturer directly.
Why does my cat tree smell like pee? That’s a different issue from off-gassing and almost always means a cat has marked or had an accident on it. Clean with an enzymatic pet-odor cleaner rather than a general household cleaner.
How can I make my cat tree smell better faster? Ventilate the room well, wipe sealed surfaces with a damp cloth, and use baking soda on fabric areas rather than scented sprays, which can discourage your cat from using the tree at all.
The Bottom Line
A new cat tree smelling like glue, cardboard, or chemicals is normal off-gassing that fades within a few days to two weeks with good ventilation. A urine smell is a different problem entirely and needs an enzymatic cleaner, not just time. If a chemical smell hasn’t faded after two to three weeks of airing out, that’s worth raising with the manufacturer rather than waiting indefinitely.
See what’s normal vs. what’s not