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Creating a Comfortable Home for your Indoor Cat:
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This month Dr. Jacqui writes about Feline Friendly Decorating
While a full remodel is not necessary for your furry feline
companion, some simple decorating ideas can make your home
a more comfortable abode for your cat and more resistant to
feline wear and tear.
Creating a Comfortable Home for your Indoor Cat:
The Basic Necessities
Cats need resource stations for eating/drinking, resting,
scratching and elimination.
Provide an adequate number of resources: for each resource,
minimally provide as many stations as you have cats, plus one
additional station; so if you have 2 cats provide 3 litterboxes,
3 water/food stations, 3 scratching posts and 3 cat perches
for resting.
Avoid clustering the resources in one location; not only should
the different resources be spread out (food /water should not
be next to the litterbox) but resources in each category should
be dispersed throughout the home. So three litterboxes should
be placed in three separate stations throughout the home. Multi-
level homes should attempt to offer the basic necessities on
every level.
Specific tips for the resource stations:
Eating/Drinking Stations: Make sure the bowls are well
designed for your cat. Avoid narrow/deep bowls that squash
the cat's whiskers with every sip. A great way to spread out
feeding stations is to use the vertical space in your home. By
elevating a bowl onto a shelf or counter, you can adequately
spread out the food/water while keeping it in the same room
(e.g. kitchen).
Resting Stations: Ideally the resting perches should be elevated
off the ground and just large enough for one cat to rest comfortably.
Creative use of the vertical space in the home can result in lots
of great perches to keep your cat happy, such as installing small
shelves with soft covers at various heights or investing in cat
trees with multi-level perches.
Scratching: Cats are likely to stretch and scratch upon awakening
from a nap. Therefore placing scratching posts near a cat's
preferred resting station and well-traveled pathway is a good way
to maximize your cat's use. Cats have individual preferences for
scratching substrates and orientation (vertical/horizontal) so you
may need to experiment with different options before you find
your cat's personal favorite. Most cats prefer a sturdy scratching
post that is tall enough for a full stretch.
Elimination: Providing an attractive litterbox can help to prevent
house-soiling. Litterboxes should be placed in easily accessible
locations throughout the home. I suggest you use a large,
uncovered litterbox with a high quality clumping litter, such as
Fresh Step® with Odor-Eliminating Carbon. Daily scooping to
remove solid waste and periodic complete box changes will help
keep the box attractive.
Decorating to Prevent Damage:
Wise choices in furniture, flooring and window treatments can
help to minimize cat damage to your home.
Furniture often becomes a substitute scratching post for cats,
creating unsightly damage to sofas and chairs made of fabric or
upholstery. Therefore, if you get a material that doesn't allow the
cat to dig its nails in, it is less likely to be used as a scratching
target. Leather/suede or their manmade equivalents are good choices.
Slick flooring surfaces such as hardwood, tile or linoleum make
clean up of accidents easier. If you do have carpet, avoid light
colored monotone styles. Patterned rugs hide stains well and
always opt for the Scotchguard® protection, if offered.
Avoid floor length window coverings, especially those that pool
on the ground, as cats may scratch or rub up against them.
Curtains often accumulate hair and are a chore to clean. Blinds
make a good window covering alternative for households with
pets.
Posted on SHARE Yahoo group - Dec. 5, 2008