Creating a More Cat-Friendly Home

The happiness of your cat can be influenced quite heavily by how you are with them, but also the kind of environment that you create for them. They are a territorial species and what surrounds them makes a big difference. One of the areas that can be impacted is the kind of space that you create for them in the home and the kind of cat-specific facilities and equipment that are there for them. You could choose to have an indoor cat only, or one that can enjoy a mixture of both, but either way, what you provide for them will make a difference in their life.

Having said all of this, it is important that there is still an element of choice for your cat. You don’t want to make all of the decisions for them, as this can hinder their overall wellbeing and happiness. So with that in mind, here are some ways to create a cat-friendly home that still offers them fun and choice with what they do.

Cat flap

For any cat that you want to allow to freely roam both indoors and outdoors, you need to think about getting a cat flap. You can get them installed in doors, as well as get a cat door for windows. One consideration with a cat flap is that a territorial cat can see the cat flap as a point of weakness where another creature could gain access. So although they are good to have in a home, you should set up your cat’s cozy area, litter tray, and other toys and comforts in a separate place to the cat flap. This can help to increase their happiness and make them feel safer.

Food and water

You might not have thought about how cat food can be presented in a more cat-friendly way, but it certainly can. The bowl of choice can make a difference. For example a plastic bowl can give off an odor that might be off-putting to a cat, and a stainless steel bowl can be noisy, especially for cats wearing a collar that it can hit against. The best choices will tend to be glass or ceramic bowls for food. The shape of the bowl or plate can vary from cat to cat, but some breeds with a flatter face will benefit from having a shallow feeding bowl or plate.

As for water, you might not realize that having a water bowl right next to the food bowl can actually be detrimental to the cat. Cats do like to hunt out for water, so it can be beneficial to have a water bowl in a separate space to where they eat, as finding it can be especially rewarding for cats. 

Bedding

Cats can spend a lot of their time asleep, which is why it is important to have an area focused on their comfort. Cats will prefer to have warm places to rest and sleep, as well as a place with a strong smell of their owners. Choosing a range of beds suitable for places that are sunny and warm will make a difference, as well as in quite communal areas. They don’t have to be specific cat beds unless you want them to be; you’d just need to be fine with them using chairs, beds, rugs, and sofas as their resting place.