Do you want to offer your cat a safe and comfortable place to sleep, eat, play and curl up? If you have an extra room in the house, you can turn it into his home / refuge by following a few simple steps. These felines love to climb, hide, observe and play, so be sure to keep these needs in mind when arranging the room for them.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating a Safe Place
Step 1. Make it a space for him
The kitty will feel very comfortable in its new habitat if it does not have to worry about the constant entry of intruders. When choosing the room, make sure that it is not very frequented by the other members of the family, but especially by the guests.
- If you have dogs, you need to make sure they don't get a chance to enter, as the cat is very likely to use the room just as a hiding place to escape from them. To do this, install a small cat flap that is the right size for him, but too small for dogs; you must also block the space with a fence that only the cat is able to climb over.
- If you don't have a room to leave completely at your little friend's disposal, try sharing a quiet one with him; it is good that you can spend time with him in his abode from time to time. A laundry room or studio that is rarely used is perfect.
Step 2. Make it a safe place
Remove from the room anything that could pose a potential danger to the domestic cat; this includes ropes, cables, toxic plants, and any other items you don't want him to put in his mouth.
- If you need to store cleaning products or other potentially toxic substances in the room, store them in a securely closed cabinet to prevent your pet from accessing them.
- You should also remove any things the cat might drop or at least secure them. If you want to keep trinkets or knick-knacks on the shelves or tables in the room, consider attaching them to the surface with adhesive putty, so that the animal cannot overturn them.
Step 3. Get him some perches and places to hide
The cat feels safer when it can "perch" on a high perch and observe its surroundings from there; many cats also like to curl up out of sight in a cozy hiding place.
- You can purchase a scratching post from pet stores to give your furry friend a high place to climb, or you can build your own with pieces of wood and some scraps of carpet.
- Tall furniture can also act as a perch as long as the cat is able to climb far enough to reach the surface. If your specimen isn't much of a jumper, place a lower piece of furniture (such as a side table) next to the taller one so it has some help getting up.
- Good hiding places can be behind or under furniture, inside the den of a commercial scratching post, or even in a cardboard box. If you also add some soft fabric to provide a comfortable bed, your cat will appreciate it a lot.
- The ideal is to provide him with several places to place the perches and hiding places.
Step 4. Add the items he needs
If you have other pets, this is even more important; the cat will feel much safer if it can meet its every need within this protected place. Get him food, water, and a litter box.
- Some cats don't like having their food, water, and litter box close together; therefore try to space them in different corners of the environment as much as possible
- If you can, let your little friend choose the different places to place the food bowls, water bowls, and litter box. The best thing to do is to offer him these services both inside the room / shelter and outside; in general, it is better to provide a water bowl and a litter box for each cat in the house plus another extra.
- If you spend a lot of time out of the house, you should consider automating the room. You can buy vending machines that release a certain amount of kibble at specific times of the day, water fountains that offer recirculation of filtered water, and even a self-cleaning litter box.
- It is also a good idea to get him at least one scratching post, in the hope that this will avoid filing his nails on objects in the house.
Part 2 of 3: Making the Room Pleasant
Step 1. Allow him to look out the window
Observing the outside world can be very stimulating for the cat; make sure there is a window in the room and that the animal is able to reach the windowsill.
- If the windowsill isn't big enough for him, put a piece of furniture or a shelf right under the window so he can sit down; you can also buy perches specially made to hang on windows.
- Cats love to be in the windows because they let the sunlight through; tries to satisfy his desire for the sun by providing him with soft surfaces to sleep on in areas illuminated by the sun at different times of the day.
- Large windows, especially French doors and glass doors, could be very uncomfortable for him in his habitat if there are other cats or animals outside. You can make him feel safe by applying an opaque film to the bottom of the glass and providing a perch so that the little cat can peek out the top of the window; alternatively, you can place other elements, such as plants or furniture, in front of the glass so that the cat can remain hidden if necessary.
Step 2. Allow him to get out
You should try to give him a chance to enjoy the outdoors safely by letting him go to a fenced and protected area. Place the fence directly outside his room and install a cat flap to allow him to come and go as he pleases.
- You can buy or build a cage to keep in the garden, but you need to be absolutely sure that it is safe enough to prevent other animals from entering.
- If you can't make an enclosure, you can always put some plants to help your kitty feel like outdoors. Cats love to chew them, so you need to be totally sure you choose varieties that are harmless to these little cats; catnip is perhaps the best option and is the easiest to grow.
Step 3. Get him games and obstacles
Indoor cats get bored if they don't engage in stimulating activities; to distract and keep your four-legged friend in action, make sure he has a variety of different things to do.
- Make climbing a challenging activity by installing various perches and shelves at different heights a bit throughout the room; if possible, create a climbing path that allows him to move around the entire perimeter of the room without having to touch the floor.
- Put small toys, such as plastic mice, anywhere, or store them in an easily accessible basket for the animal.
- Kong-type toys are a perfect way to keep him busy; you can hide inside tidbits or other toys and the cat has to figure out how to get them.
- You can also buy tech toys that activate with movement or that move randomly to keep the cat's hunting instinct active.
- To keep him stimulated, alternate and change toys and add new challenges on a regular basis.
- Remember that there is no need to buy expensive items to distract cats; an intricate tunnel made of simply a series of cardboard boxes is more than enough to give him hours of fun. Just a little creativity is enough!
Part 3 of 3: Decorating the Room
Step 1. Paint it
As long as he has a variety of elements suitable for him to have fun, the kitty doesn't really care about the look of the room, so this detail is more for your personal taste. Paint it with fun colors and decorate the walls with hearts, fish, mice or natural landscapes.
Wall decals, removable wallpaper, and stencils are all inexpensive ways to add an interesting look to otherwise dull walls
Step 2. Consider the floor
The one already present may be fine, but if you want to install a new one, make sure it is suitable for the cat; you have to choose something that is durable and easy to clean.
- If your cat is prone to littering outside the litter box, you should probably avoid carpet or parquet, but instead choose tile, vinyl, or linoleum, which are much easier to clean. If you are adapting a room for him that has concrete flooring, such as the laundry room in the basement, you can apply an epoxy finish.
- If the floor you choose is hard and cold, like tile, you can add some inexpensive, machine washable mats.
Step 3. Hang pictures of the cat
Stick them on a bulletin board, frame them, or put poster-sized prints on the walls.
To reinforce the feline theme, add more posters and various objects with pictures of cats, prints of their footprints or fish. If there are shelves in the room, you can fill them with books about these felines
Step 4. Set up a space for yourself to be with the cat
In addition to the cat, the room should also be comfortable for people, as you will probably want to spend time cuddling and playing with it; to do this, put a comfortable sofa or chair.
- If you plan to spend a lot of time in the room, you can also put a television.
- Remember that it must be a quiet and peaceful place; it's okay if you decide to come in every now and then to be with the cat, but you shouldn't invite too many friends.
- When in this room, let the animal approach you instead of grabbing it from a perch or hiding place.
Step 5. Hide the litter box
If other activities are planned in the room and you don't want the litter box to be seen, find a creative way to keep it out of sight. You can put it behind a decorative panel or create a special fence; you can also disguise it as if it were a cabinet.
Advice
- If the pet has never used a cat flap before, it may take some time to learn; show him how and give him the opportunity to try it.
- Your cat may feel more comfortable in the new room if there are objects inside that smell like you. You can leave a t-shirt or blanket with your scent in it for him to curl up.
- Don't try to force him into the room or play with his new toys; he must discover them for himself.
