Cat Furniture
With all the nuances that come with owning a cat, cat furniture may seem like the most straightforward variable in the mix. However, the right cat condo/cat tower, or scratcher may mean the difference between a calm and content household and a cat that prefers scratching your furniture and climbing where you don’t want them to. So how do you choose the right item without buying and returning everything in sight? First, observe your cat – his or her size, personality, behavior, and favorite sleeping spot - it can tell you a lot, and save you a lot of time and money!
Cat Towers & Condos:
Most cats will benefit from a cat tree of some sort, and this should be one of your first purchases when you bring a cat home. There are endless designs, sizes, materials, and shapes for a reason; evaluating before you buy is key. Is your cat lazy? Do they tend to avoid jumping up on your shelves, your counters, your tables, etc.? Then you can probably avoid getting a complicated cat condo with towering steps and poles that your cat likely won’t show any interest in. Instead, a shorter tower with wide steps, perhaps window-height for gazing outside at the birds would be ideal. However, if your cat is a bit more rambunctious and interested in climbing on everything in sight, investing in a taller, more complicated condo is a great choice.
Does your cat like to snuggle into small, dark spaces? Then look for trees that have cozy boxes incorporated in the design. Do they love sisal scratching posts? Then look for some that incorporate long scratching posts so they can climb up, exercising those climbing instincts. If they’re not particularly nimble at climbing however, pay close attention to how the tree is designed. Many trees are complicated for larger cats or older cats and lack landing platforms of adequate size and shape for our bigger companions.
Lastly, pay attention to the quality of the material and build. While the price point may be great, if the tree isn’t solid wood, real carpet, and sisal scratching posts, it may not last a long time in your home. An inadequately sized and weighted base of a tree may not support the weight of zooming youngin’s, multiple cats, or larger breeds. A cat tree tipping over could be catastrophic in your home, so check the materials, measurements, weight, and do your research for the breed and size of the cat you own as well as their interests.
Scratching Options:
The truth is – ALL cats scratch. It’s good for stretching their muscles, caring for their claws, marking their territory, and reducing stress. A few great scratching posts or cardboard furniture options are key for your furry companion to help save your furniture from falling victim to the claws. Scratchers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price points from something as simple as corrugated cardboard on the floor, to tall elaborate climbing posts. Before you splurge on a fancy post or two, try out a couple small pieces to see what texture your cat prefers. Do they like sisal rope, carpet, jute, or cardboard best? Once you know, place multiple scratchers of their preferred texture throughout your home – particularly in places you see unwanted scratching. It may also be a good idea to consider mixing it up from a couple scratching posts, flat scratchers on the floor, and slanted scratchers, to keep these posts exciting and enticing – more so than your furniture. Ultimately, providing multiple options of good quality in their preferred texture in multiple locations is the best way to keep unwanted scratching to a minimum.
Hopefully these tips help you furnish your house for your furry companion! However, these two items are just scratching the surface for what you need to have on-hand when you bring a cat home. Stay tuned to Chicagoland Animal Rescue for more tips & information on how to best care for your furry friends!
contributed by Mattie Jensen
