# Cat Friendly Dream House



## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

I play the lotto and keep a Dream House file in my favorites of the furnishings and fittings I'd have in my home if I ever won (I know I have a better chance of being struck by lightning).
$4 a week is a cheap fantasy.
I ran a custom cabinet shop for an Interior Design firm for 21 years before I moved to Sacramento during the housing boom.

What element would you incorporate in your cat friendly dream home.
Some that I can thing of are.
Hardwood floors and area rugs instead of carpeting.
Large outdoor inclosure attach to a window with a chute.
Window coverings is more difficult, I don't like blind for several reason.
I don't like the cords and once the slates are bent they look like heck.
I don't like transverse rods with all their complicated cords.
What I currently have that's okay is a large diameter rod with rings and a wand to open the drapes.
I also have a some what coarse fabric on my couch and chair that doesn't show cat hair.
What works or doesn't work with your cats.


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## love.my.cats (Jan 29, 2009)

We're renovating underneath my mum and stepdad's place so we'll have a two bedroom unit type thing down there to live in for a few years while we get set up to buy our own place so over the next 6 months or so, we'll be choosing how to fit it out. One of the main things I'm stressing is I don't want carpet, anywhere. The place we rent now is tiled throughout and I LOVE it. We'll probably have floating floor boards in all the rooms - including bedrooms. Another thing I've asked is if I can have an enclosure that attaches to the house so the cats can go in and out as they please - there's already an aviary there from when I lived there before with my bunnies so we may just modify that one and put a second window in the bathroom/laundry for the cats to access it  They're pretty much my only requirements. Oh and I've told hubby that the cat tree goes up when we move there too - we don't have it up here cos we're not technically supposed to have cats and it's impossible to hide/cover if the real estate come for an inspection.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Outdoor enclosure and hard wood/tile floors definitely, but I want more than one outside enclosure. I'd like them to be able to follow the sun during the day and be outside with it as much as they like.

Also, wide window sills. Something that they can sit on comfortably and turn around without falling off.

Extra sturdy and secure screens so I don't have to worry about them falling out.

A tasteful and integrated climbing ...system... around the inside of the place. Something that looks artistic and like it belongs but also allows them to have their own above ground space.

On each floor (or two on each floor depending how much I win and how big my house is) a cat 'room' for their litter boxes with it's own large sink so I can soak the boxes in hot water/disinfectant and rinse them out without tracking them through the house. That would probably the be same room that would have the dog's indoor 'kennel' (that leads to it's large outdoor enclosure(s) and a high tub for bathing said dog.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Not just any old hardwood - 1/2" or more tounge and goove hardwood that can be refinished or a permanent budget for ongoing partial laminate hardwood replacement. Living with pets and prefinished hardwood for the last three years after previous experience with only old fashioned hardwood, tile or carpet has really highlighted the poor durability of what I currently have - old style solid wood with multiple polyurethane coats was awesome and didn't absorb pet accidents - pre-finished - ugh


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Laminate floors (I have hardwood in some rooms - one room had a wet spot on the floor for several hours... floor is wrecked), large widows with vertical blinds or pull up blinds, yard with high fence that's secure... large open rooms, a couple of large cat condo-type things... my cats don't like them, but maybe future cats would!


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

I've done some research on Hardwood flooring and there's a wood called Jatoba or 
Brazilian Cherry (even though it's not a cherry) it's harder and denser then ash, maple or hickory and makes a beautiful hard wearing floor.
In the last several years there's been a lot of advancements with water based wood finishes that surpass the durability of tradition oil based finishes.
I would want a solid 3/4 inch tongue and groove floor, worst case these floors can be refinished many times.


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

This is a fun thread ! 

I agree on wood floors and area rugs - for aesthetic reasons but also from the standpoint of reducing chemical exposure for cats (and humans, too). Carpeting and padding are just loaded with chemicals. Ditto for furniture - stay away from fire retardants, petroleum-based or synthetic fabrics, and so on. Leather is an option that wears well and doesn't off-gas. 

In our family, we have a lot of allergies, so changing our house over to some of these options helped us reduce our problems with sinuses, colds and so forth. For windows, we're pretty happy with closed-cell shades - there is still a pull string, but there are no slats as in mini-blinds. 

I love the suggestion of wide window sills  and a wall system of cat-friendly shelves. I am sure you've all seen the photos of the famous 'cat house' that has fantastic shelves and tunnels and all? I would love to do even one wall like that someday. 

Fran


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

I like the idea of wide window sills too, kitties love to look out the windows and catch some rays.
That's a pretty easy retrofit that can be done to almost any window and if done right can be easily removed when you move.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

How about heated floors? WOuldn't the kitties just love that?

As many windows as possible that get direct sunlight.

A high effecient HEPA filtering HVAC.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Wide window sills would be in my dream home too. 

When I replaced my patio door a couple years ago, I got the kind that has blinds inside the glass. I really love it - no cords. If you aren't in a condo, you can get windows that have blinds inside too.


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Nan said:


> Wide window sills would be in my dream home too.
> 
> When I replaced my patio door a couple years ago, I got the kind that has blinds inside the glass. I really love it - no cords. If you aren't in a condo, you can get windows that have blinds inside too.


I believe window coverings are one of the more difficult aspect for the cat friendly home.
The inside the window bind are interesting but I've read that they aren't very energy efficient and the enclosure aren't sealed against dust.
I've never had blinds in my home but the office cat where I worked wrecked the mini-blinds in the front windows, once the slats were bent they looked terrible.
Also if the rest of your home has a more traditional design blinds might look out of place.
I had a friend and he made a wide window sill over lay out of stained birch plywood trimmed with solid wood it was made to fit right over the existing sill and attached with countersunk screws, you could not tell it wasn't built with the house.
He made 2 of these in windows on opposite sides of the house where his cats like to catch rays and watch the world go by.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Oh yes, and tons of bay windows with soft cushions so MowMow could admire the outdoors in comfort.


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## Milky's Mammy (Oct 17, 2011)

I would love an outdoor enclosure if I ever move into an actual house. It's difficult to do that living in a city like Hong Kong. Milky could roam about without me worrying about where he is or what he's doing.

In my dream house, Milky (and other future playmates) would have a large playroom all to themselves with plenty of cat trees/furniture for them to climb and hundreds of toys scattered all over the wooden floors. I'd have a huge scratching post area right in the middle of the room with posts of all different sizes, textures and shapes so they can scratch to their heart's content! Their room would have huge windows with wide window sills that are cushioned so they can lay there comfortably. I would also like to paint the walls with bright colours of the sun, sky, rainbow, birds in the sky, grass, trees, flowers and ladybirds. I would like to put a little kiddie slide for them to play on too!

At the moment, our apt has wide window sills (not cushioned though) so he likes jumping up there for a snooze and sometimes he pushes a gap in the curtains so he can watch the night lights from high above! Until my dream really comes true, I'll just keep dreaming for now!!


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Once upon a time Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame) ran a contest on his dream house: Somebody came up with a cat room with all hard surfaces, a power washer with a floor drain, and a high powered exhaust fan for the multiple litter boxes. This is the room I want for my dream house.


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

What are peoples options on upholstered furniture like sofas and chair.
Right now I have a coarse heavy fabric, the cat doesn't scratch it and the hair doesn't show up on it.
While I like leather, seems a cat could ruin the finish in short order.


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## Milky's Mammy (Oct 17, 2011)

I have a fabric sofa and Milky has taken a good few threads out of place which I trim and hope that it's unnoticeable. One good thing is that it's cream coloured so Milky's hair doesn't show on it much, unless it's a big ball of hair.

Imo, I would rather have furniture that I like and clean it constantly rather than something not comfy/I don't like just bcos it's resistant to damage/dirt...


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Milky's Mammy said:


> I have a fabric sofa and Milky has taken a good few threads out of place which I trim and hope that it's unnoticeable. One good thing is that it's cream coloured so Milky's hair doesn't show on it much, unless it's a big ball of hair.
> 
> Imo, I would rather have furniture that I like and clean it constantly rather than something not comfy/I don't like just bcos it's resistant to damage/dirt...


I like my fabric sofa and the fact that it doesn't show the cat hair is a plus.
I started this topic so it could a collection of information of peoples experiences with house hold furniture and fittings.
What works and why and what doesn't stand up to day to day wear by our furry friends.
I worked for an interior design firm and one of the rooms had burlap wallpaper, can you say wall to wall scratching post, Riley the office cat just shredded large section of it.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

That would be awesome for a wall or two in a cat room. An entire wall made of SISAL!! Of course it would have to be replaced as they destroyed it but the kitties would LOVE it.


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

MowMow said:


> That would be awesome for a wall or two in a cat room. An entire wall made of SISAL!! Of course it would have to be replaced as they destroyed it but the kitties would LOVE it.


That would be doable, they actually make sisal wallpaper.
Just put smooth sealed plywood on the wall first so when the cats shred the wall paper it can be easliy removed and reapplied.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

As far as the window coverings go, it depends on whether your cat climbs curtains or not. My current two don't bother the curtains. My last cat, Sophie was a climber. I started out with cafe sheers in the bedroom.(& mini blinds) They were the first casualty. Kept the mini blinds and replaced the shears with a valance. My living room is the only room with traditional curtains.

Sophie would climb the living room curtains and then sit on top of the valance board. It was cute for a while, but in order to get her down,I would have to get out my ladder and coax her to step onto my shoulder. (It's a tall window). I suppose in a real cat friendly house, I would have little steps built into the wall, so they could go sit on top of the valance board and get down by themselves.


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## Lenkolas (Jan 18, 2011)

I've had a lotta fun reading your posts. And I am seriously considering getting a lottery ticket this Wednesday.... 8-O

I always daydream about an outside enclosure. Something nice with grass and a water fountain...So my dream house would have this:

...it is not too much to ask, is it? 


















(taken from this website Cat Runs - Outdoor Cat Run Pictures)


This looks cool too


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## wondercat (Oct 11, 2011)

I googled for this cause it got me thinking I may put cat shelves in the den and came up with some cool stuff to add to your list 
Cat-Friendly House Design.
Another Amazing Cat-friendly House Design from Japan|moderncat :: cat products, cat toys, cat furniture, and more…all with modern style


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

That outdoor enclosure looks wonderful! I definately want one of those...along with an attached greenhouse for me!


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## wondercat (Oct 11, 2011)

yeah these are amazing, looks like I'm starting to buy a lotto ticked once a week too!!!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I love the wrap around cat walk. THat would great for BBQs and stuff outdoors. The kittehs could join us safely without being watched constantly.


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