Having a cat in your home is a wonderful thing! They bring a lot of joy and comfort to the humans in the household. In our domestication of cats, we have taken them out of the wild and made them human-friendly. They now use a litter box and eat out of dishes we provide. However, there is give and take in every relationship. Making your home a cat-friendly environment isn’t difficult and can help keep your cat healthy and happy!
Cat-Friendly Environment Tip #1: High Perches and Hiding Places
Cinco in one of his hiding spots.
Domestic cats are in the unique situation of being both predators and prey. They like to have high places where they can watch an entire room in just one glance. From these perches, they can watch for the movement of prey (mostly toys in our indoor world), potential danger, and the comings and goings of their favorite humans and other pets. The ability to take in their surroundings in this way can help a cat to feel calm and in control. Cat trees and shelves that are firmly secured to the wall can help provide the high places a cat needs.
Good hiding places are important too! These should be small, cozy places where the cat can be alone. Having a secure place to disappear to can help diffuse anxious situations for cats and help them to feel safe to take a nap. Often cats choose places under furniture as their hiding places. These can also be provided by purchasing or creating cat furniture that is small, enclosed, and has a small entrance/exit.
Cat-Friendly Environment Tip #2: Multiple Scratchers
Scratchers are a very important part of a cat-friendly environment. Scratching is a natural behavior in cats that helps them to stretch completely, mark territory, and defend themselves when necessary. Each cat has a different preference when it comes to scratching posts, so you will need to do some experimenting to find out what your cat prefers. There are options regarding the angle of the scratcher: horizontal, vertical, on an angle, etc. There are also options regarding the material that is being scratched: different types of rope, carpet, fabric, etc.
Since scratching is a method of marking territory for cats, it is important to have more than one scratcher. Some cats will be happy sharing scratchers while others will want certain ones all to themselves. Cats will also want to mark multiple areas in your home since it now their territory. Places where your scent is heavy (the couch, the bed, a favorite chair) will be prime locations for scratchers. Cats show that they are a part of a social group (or family) with you by adding their scent to yours.
Cat-Friendly Environment Tip #3: Lots of Fun Cat Toys
Manna on her favorite scracher playing a feather game with me.
Cats may sleep a lot, but they can get bored. Just like in humans, boredom in cats can lead to bad behavior and depression. An empty room doesn’t give them a way to engage their natural instinct for stalking and hunting prey. Adding some fun cat toys may be just what your home needs to be a cat-friendly environment! You will want cat toys that your cat can play with on his/her own and toys that you can play with together. Interactive play is a must! There is no amount of electronic wizardry that can reproduce the benefits of actual interaction with another creature.
The best cat toys are the ones that imitate a cat’s natural prey such as mice, lizards, birds, and bugs. This is another area where you will need to experiment and find out what it is that really gets your cat excited. If your cat is a catnip addict, then a catnip treated toy may be perfect! Electronic cat toys are very hit or miss. They can be too predictable, make strange sounds, or be too complicated for a cat. Cats tend to prefer toys that are very simple.
Cat-Friendly Environment Tip #4: Outdoor Enclosures
Manna hanging out on the balcony.
Everyone could use a breath of fresh air now and again! Having an area where your cat can safely go outside and relax in the sun is a great idea. It could be a balcony area, a commercially made outdoor cat enclosure (they are kind of like enclosed playpens), or something you erect yourself. These allow cats to get some sun, watch nature up close, and get some fresh, uncirculated air.
Allowing your cat to roam freely outside is not a great idea. Cats can get lost, get in fights with other animals, catch diseases and parasites, and potentially even be stolen for use as bait for fighting dogs. Keeping your cat in an enclosure allows you to make sure that your stays safe and healthy.
Our vet, Dr.Neel, always says our house is cat heaven. We’ve got lots of trees/condos and scratchers and toys and a catio and other goodies. We are very lucky kitties, and we do try to help kitties that don’t have all those things. As always, excellent info. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Great post. Our kitties have it pretty good with lots of high places, hiding places, scratchers, heated blankets and toys. They would probably disagree 🙂
I love all these tips! Paws up!
Great tips ! Purrs
We have lots of high places – great post
Dang, we’re 3 outta 4. With ferals there is no outside anything. They might have fleas and Sister Zoe is allergic…sigh.
Someday maybe we’ll have an outside area but probably not anytime soon, our Mom says. We might trade all our toys for one, though.
TW wanted a condo with a patio or balcony when they were last looking for a place. She didn’t get one and still wishes she’d come into money. She even said she’d give up the NYC view to have a patio where she could sit outside and read and I could sit with her.
People here have been really into “catios” lately. There’s even a catio tour!
I have seen some amazing cat walks in people’s homes and I am a huge fan of the catio! It allows cats to enjoy the outdoors without all of the dangers.
Great tips. Carmine and Lita have many scratching posts, beds, cubes, toys, fountains….yes, they are spoiled, just as they should be!
Great tips. We have all these things except the outdoor enclosures – though we do have big sunny windows.
I’ve seen some incredible and very elaborate indoor and outdoor (enclosed) play areas for cats with multiple cat walks, scratching posts, steps and more. Some of them have nicer furniture for the cats than I have 😉
We have everything except for an outdoor enclosure. We sure would like to have one.
Nala always loved roaming around outside and then had different sofas and spots she perched on, and places she relaxed in the sun or hidden. She preferred chasing mice and squirrels but she did have a few toys. She lived to nearly 18 very happily until the end when she got kidney issues.
Great tips for cat parents and a great story for local rescues to post as well!
It is important to have multiple scratchers
We’ve had to adapt having a feline and canines. Very important for the Rooster to have his space and be entertained as well as Ricky and Reese.
Our cat is shy, so when people come over, he finds a good place to hide. He isn’t into toys or scratchers though. He has been an inside cat since we’ve had him, but I think he would appreciate a safe outside sanctuary.
Excellent post! Callie the Cat loves having lots of windows to hang out in! 🙂
Great post! Definitely something to keep in mind if I decide to add a cat to our family.
That’s how my neighbors cat got lost – letting him roam free and then one day, he just never came back. I would be quite devastated if that ever happened so no, not on my watch letting my cats roam free without proper fencing.
Hello Robin
I like your website, I’m not cat behavior expert like you, but I learned few things and I want to share it with you and your readers. How to create a cat friendly environment is a great question. The list can become quite long when it comes to what you should do to make a new kitten feel at home. Cat will need a good place to sleep that is private and where it can feel safe. The area that your kitten will be needs to be free from drafts, warm and as comfortable as possible while it is sleeping. Cleanliness is the most important factor with kittens feeding, any utensils, or feeding dishes that are used with its food. They must be thoroughly cleaned after each and every meal. There is a wide range of suitable products on the market to make feeding your kitten or cat more convenient.
I wish you and your readers all the success today and always!
This is indeed a wonderful post and i will definitely have to say kudos for this informative post. Thanks so much