Ideas to Design and Organize a Cat Room

Cats make excellent pets, especially for people who live in apartments or who have busy lives since they are independent and don’t require a lot of space. However, whether you have a single cat or multiple cats, there are many good reasons to have a room designated for your pets. Cats can be sensitive to their environments and the people in them. You may want a cat room so your pet can get away from loud noises, activities, or strangers. For example, the holidays can be very stressful for our feline friends since there may be many new noises, smells, and people visiting.

A room designed for your cat is also essential if you have multiple cats, other pets, small children, or if your cat is having behavior problems. Having a separate room means that you can manage new pet introductions, keep animals apart if there are conflicts, and give your pet space to “get away” for a bit if there is a lot of activity in your home.

Choosing the Perfect Room

Choose a space that is small and quiet. You don’t have to devote the entire room to your feline friend, but you can if you want to! Cats don’t require a lot of space, so if you have an out of the way area, like a mudroom, laundry room, or storage space, these can work well. Spare bedrooms, for example, are ideal. And don’t forget that cats love climbing, so even if you don’t have a big area, you can stack beds and climbing trees by building up rather than out.

If possible, consider a room with easy to clean flooring like vinyl, bamboo, or tile. If replacing the floor covering isn’t an option, consider mats or washable indoor-outdoor rugs that can help protect your floor from accidental spills. Rugs and mats also make for quick and easy clean up.

Maximizing the Space for your Cat

If you aren’t devoting the entire room to your cat, there are lots of dual-purpose furniture pieces you can both enjoy.

Make sure whatever you don’t clear out of the room is cat friendly. So, this may not be the room for your great grandmother’s hand-crocheted blanket, for example. Make sure that you don’t have anything in the space that is harmful to your cat. Cleaning products, electrical cords, or breakable objects should be removed or stored in a way your cat can’t get to them. And although greenery is lovely, check that your plants aren’t harmful to your pet’s health. Philodendron, Ficus, and Caladium are all common houseplants that are toxic to cats.

If you are curious about whether your plants are harmful to cats, the ASPCA has an excellent index you can use to look up your plants.

What to Consider in Your Cat Room?

Since you are creating this unique space for your cat, start by thinking about what your pet loves to do. Cats have a natural instinct to explore, climb, and hide, for example. Here are some ways you can make the perfect cat room by taking their natural behaviors into account:

Climbing

Cats love to climb, so a great cat room will have places to climb and perch. Some people install shelves for cats to climb. But these need to be heavily secured to the wall to hold your cat’s jumping weight. Did you know cats can jump up to 6 times their own length?

A better option might be a cat tree or two. A cat tree’s advantage is that many have built-in nooks for napping, attached toys, and scratching posts. So, you get a lot of utility out of one piece of furniture. Even if you have a large cat, there are lovely, sturdy cat trees available, there is full review from ThePets of the best ones.

Scratching

Cats have a normal instinct to scratch. It is how they remove cracked or dry portions of their claws. You will want multiple scratching posts since some cats like long tall scratching posts, and others prefer shorter ones. Scratching posts should be at least 3′ high, although some cats do like scratching pads. You might want to try a few different kinds to see what your cat likes best.

Having scratching posts and pads in your cat room means that your furry friend knows where to go to scratch, and won’t destroy the arms of your favorite couch.

Toys

Your cat’s room is an excellent place to store their toys. Some cats will play with toys on their own, but a fabulous way to build the bond between you is with some toys that you can play with together; many interactive toys are available that cats love.

You can also purchase puzzle toys that hold treats in them or high-tech toys that are motion activated. But cats aren’t picky. Many are very happy to play with a cardboard box or some wrinkled up paper for hours. To keep the room an exciting place, move things around regularly.

Bedding

Cats sleep 12-16 hours a day, so of course, you will need to consider cat bedding. Consider multiple cat beds to see what your pet prefers. Some cats like enclosed spaces, and others do not. Some want to hide away in quiet little places; others prefer to nap high up where they can see what is going on.

You might try putting a bed in a corner or under a bed for kitties like dark spaces. Or, placing soft bedding up on a cat-friendly shelf for those that want to look over the room.

Food and Water

If you feed your cat in the room, consider placing food bowls on a tray or a mat for easy cleanup. If you are out of your home for long hours, consider an automatic feeder that will dispense food regularly. You will also want to ensure that they have clean, freshwater available. Some cats love water fountains, and again, you will want something under it to protect your floors.

If you are keeping your cat’s food, treats, or medications in the room, make sure you have a cat-proof cabinet that you can tuck them away in. Cats are adept at getting into places they shouldn’t, so look for childproof cabinets or other furniture to keep them out.

Litter Box

If you will store the litter box in the same room, keep it away from your cat’s eating areas. Cat’s are more comfortable when those areas are separate. Most experts recommend having one more litter box than you do cats.

Grooming

Your new cat room can be a great place to store tools for grooming, like brushes and cat nail trimmers. Your cat’s claws should be trimmed every 2-3 weeks. Some long-haired cats will need to be brushed every day.

Other Considerations for Your Cat Room

Many cats love to look outside. If your room has a window, consider placing the cat tree near it so they can look out. Many kitties also love being in the warm sunshine, so this is an ideal place to have some soft bedding.

Also, remember this room is also for you. Paint and decor are a fun way to make the room work for you as well. Chose color that is easy to clean up and add a few photos of you and your cat together, or fun cat-themed decorations. Add a comfortable chair or piece of furniture so you can spend time with your buddy. After all, one of the best things you can give your cat is love. Let them come to you for pets and to snuggle on you.

Author Bio

The content was provided by Viki Smirnova, Senior Content Editor at ThePets. Viki shares pet health knowledge to help pet parents to care for their pets. ThePets is a team of pet experts who provide reliable information about keeping your animals healthy and happy. Learn more about them here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepetsnet/ , Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepetsnet/ and Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thepetsnet/