Choosing Kitty Furniture For Fluffy

Does your cat have a kitty tower? Our feline friends are really good at relaxing, if you hadn’t noticed. Fluffy isn’t exactly shy about stretching out or curling up on your bed, chair, sofa, table, laptop, lap, floor, or whatever else she can fit on. This is one reason that kitties are so easy to care for: they are perfectly pleased to make do with whatever you have. However, these charming balls of fur both enjoy and benefit from having a few objects that they do not have to share with their people. Continue reading as a Plano, IL veterinarian discusses how to select furniture for your feline companion.

Why Should I Get My Kitty Some Cat Furniture?

You don’t need to fill your home with Fluffy’s purrsonal pieces. However, we recommend that she have a few possessions of her own.

Everyone needs a private, peaceful spot to retreat to. This also applies to cats! Fluffy may need a break from your child, the dog, the vacuum cleaner, or simply the bustle of people moving back and forth.

Elevation is another reason. As you may have noticed, many of our feline friends enjoy heights. Your pet will not have a good view from ground level. This is one reason that kitties have an instinctive ability to climb. Fluffy’s claws are angled in such a way that she can easily scale things. (Going down is a little more challenging and needs to be learned, but that’s another tale.) Fluffy doesn’t only like heights because she enjoys having humans gaze up at her with affection, though that may be a perk. It’s a survival instinct. In the wild, cats are both hunters and prey. They must be constantly vigilant for predators and other threats. That is, of course, much easier to do from an elevated position.

Towers also give kitties a spot to do their nails. One of the few drawbacks to having a cat is that Fluffy may decide to do her nails on your furniture. Your pet is not seeking to be destructive; she is merely fulfilling her innate desire to keep her nails sharp. This is a clear example of ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. You won’t have much luck convincing your furry little diva to stop doing her nails on your belongings, and you should never chastise her for it. This will only confuse your pet and potentially make her fearful of you. It’s far preferable to simply provide an excellent kitty manicure area. This protects your furniture while also fulfilling your pet’s natural scratching instincts.

Security is important as well. Trees serve multiple purposes for wild cats. They give Fluffy a safe sanctuary from predators, a good vantage point, and offer her manicure stations. Cat towers are the closest things to indoor trees, and can make Fluffy feel much more secure. 

Resting spots are another perk. We probably don’t need to explain this too much. Kitties are continuously on the lookout for new napping spots! (Fluffy frequently thinks her humans are napping spots, but that is beside the point.)

Is Fluffy Really in Need of Beds?

Given Fluffy’s ability to sleep for up to 20 hours a day, it’s no surprise that beds are among her favorite things. (Fluffy will fall asleep in a shoebox, casserole dish, or plant pot, but that’s another story.) Store-bought beds are ideal, but you can also build your own. For extra purrs, arrange folded blankets on a chest or ottoman.

Why Are Cats So Obsessed With Boxes?

We can’t talk about kitty furniture without including boxes. According to the official hypothesis, Fluffy feels safest in tiny, enclosed spaces. This appears logical at a glance. After all, nothing can sneak up on your kitty if she’s safe and sound inside a box. However, that reasoning crumbles when you see images of our feline friends shoving themselves into enclosures that are either too big, too small, or nothing more than a square tape outline.

Choosing Fluffy’s Cat Tower

When it comes to cat furniture, the cat tower is the gold standard. Choosing a scratching post or tower isn’t difficult, but there are a few factors to consider.

Safety: Of course, safety is the primary concern here, but there is another factor to consider. If your pet’s tower wobbles when she tries to use it, she may become anxious about it, and may stop using it. This is likely also instinctual. (It’s simple to see why our feline friends would have learned that using an unsteady tree as a nail-care station was not a good idea.) The tower should also be able to bear your pet’s weight easily.

Height: As previously said, our canine companions adore climbing to high spots.

Space: If you have more than one cat, make sure you buy something that can accommodate all of them at once.

Sturdiness: You will need something sturdy. Fluffy’s tower should be able to withstand a range of high-octane kitty antics, such as your cat leaping onto the tower or launching herself up it at feline speed.

Accessibility: Keep your furry friend’s age in mind. While kittens may easily scramble to the top of a tower, an older cat will probably prefer something that’s a bit easier to get on and off.

How Many Towers Do Kitties Require?

There is no clear upper limit here. If you want to buy your furry little diva a dozen or more cat towers or trees, go ahead! There is a minimum, though. We recommend at least one tree or tower per cat.

Other Options

Cat towers and beds are probably Fluffy’s favorite types of furniture, but they are far from the only ones. In reality, you may find a wide range of lovely and fun cat furniture.

Here are a few examples:

Window Seats: Does Fluffy have a favorite window spot? While your furry friend will of course appreciate a luxury kitty window seat, she will also be content with a comfyview from an ottoman or the top of a recliner. Kitties love looking out windows, sunbathing, and spying on wildlife!

Cat Wheels: You’ve probably seen the wheels used by small animals like hamsters and gerbils. They come in cat-sized variants as well. This is a wonderful option for a boisterous, energetic pet.

Kitty Shelves: If you genuinely want to spoil your pet, consider getting her some shelves. Cats love running at high altitudes!

Litterbox Concealment: This one is about concealing functionality behind a form. You can purchase accessories specifically designed to conceal Fluffy’s purrsonal powder room. You can also try upcycling something. For example, you may hide the litterbox in an old dresser or desk. This would also apply to a trunk. The most important thing is that your furry buddy can easily enter and exit. You would also need access to clean it. There are plenty of great examples and suggestions for this online.

Schedule an Appointment at Our Plano, IL Pet Clinic

Is it time to take your pet in for a checkup? Have you recently gotten a new pet? Please call us at your Plano, IL pet hospital, for all of your pet’s veterinary care requirements. We are always glad to help!