Life is easier when you have a feline by your side. If you’ve been a long-time cat parent, then you’ll agree. So if cats enhance the quality of life, it only makes sense to try and make life easier for them, right?
If you’re planning to renovate your house to suit your cat’s lifestyle, it pays to know a little more about your cat’s needs and wants.
What is a Feline-Friendly Environment?
The simplest answer would be “a place that will make your cat purr happily in satisfaction”. Feline-friendly environments don’t necessarily need to be built with modern cat-friendly home features. An in-depth understanding of why those features matter for your cat, however, is what actually matters.
A feline-friendly environment has…
Vertical spaces
It really doesn’t matter whether your space is big or small, if you have a cat, install vertical spaces and make your feline friend happy. Structures like cat towers can especially be helpful if you have two or more cats. Vertical spaces encourage physical activity, especially for indoor cats. For example, if your adorable friend is of the ragdoll breed, you might want to make sure that big cats like these get enough exercise aside from just following you around. Climbing up and down and jumping from tower to tower will also ease them of their boredom.
Aside from having your own specially built cat towers, cat parents can also install additional wall shelves that are wide enough for cats to roam around. For book lovers, you can also consider having the top of your bookshelves as a personalized cat walkway to make both you and your cat happy.
Window Perches
If you haven’t noticed it yet, cats like to be on top of the world. This is why you would often see groups of stray cats hanging on rooftops. Sheltered cats would like that freedom, too. Cats generally like gazing outside so installing window perches for your cats to do their “watching” hours is a great idea. Window perches could give the feel of outdoor fun while being safe and secure indoors. Share your reading nook with your feline friend if it’s reasonably high enough or widens the windowsill so they can have their own place to lounge and gaze at the great outdoors.
“Secret” hideaway
Like some adorable humans, cats love to tuck themselves in and curl up in someplace where they think you can’t find them. Predictability and stability rank third in a cat’s basic hierarchy of needs. These entail a cat’s need for a calming environment somewhere in the house.
Just letting your cat crawl underneath the bed when it feels like hiding just wouldn’t do. Especially if your bed isn’t as clean as your cat would have preferred. Instead, designate a corner space that’s really snug, warm, and away from all the bustling noises and activity inside the house as your cat’s personal hideaway.
You can also allot an unused cabinet space as your cat’s “private bedroom”. Place a low basket big enough for them to lie on and throw in a blanket for added comfort. Make sure this space is open at all times so your cat can come and go as it pleases. Did this article help you understand your cat a little bit more? We sure hope so! For cats, there’s no place like renovated and DIY areas in your house. Here’s to a better home for you and your feline friend!
