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Beautiful homes and majestic cats have a certain
symmetry that can't be ignored.
There was once a cat called Friend, a Silver
Chinchilla/Persian, who lived in a house where she was
miserable. Being a cat, she looked around at her options and
decided the neighbour's place would suit her far better. And so
she moved. The previous owners seemed relieved and eventually
moved away from the area leaving Friend to live out her life in
peace and harmony.
In her new-found home, Friend became famous for
her Mae West descent down the stairs in true 1940s Hollywood
fashion. Her routine involved a catwalk along the balustrade, a
gentle leap onto the French polished coffee table and dainty
tiptoe through a clutter of Copenhagan china. The goal, each
time, was to reach her favourite Lalique crystal bowl bordered
in little fat birds surrounding blue hydrangeas. Friend would
give a final sweeping stare at her captive audience before
sipping from the crystal bowl. It was all about timing.
Of course, for cat lovers there's not much
surprise in this very true story. My own cat, Bear, being a
Libran (if you believe in astrology), had a penchant for stylish
and clean surroundings. Every Saturday morning following my
designated 'clean time', Bear would emerge from the garden to
provide his presence in some majestic pose suitable to the level
of satisfaction which he deemed I deserved. Naturally, any
spring cleaning activity would elicit the best poses and for
longer periods of time. Being the charmer, he would give me a
wink too, but that's getting rather personal.
Although I'm not suggesting that all cats have a
penchant for palatial environments, it would be fair to say that
a cat's contentment resides in its home, preferably one that is
serene and comfortable and where true dignity is appreciated.
Room with a view
 Cats
love to view the world from a safe, elevated and comfortable
spot. Providing cat-cosy arrangements like these around the home
will keep your cat relaxed and content to stay at home. Window
areas are the best. From these integral locations your cat can
view the passing world and watch the birds, yet be completely
secure. Keep these areas free of any valuable items or
breakables, but not completely bare to be void of interest and
challenge.
Hot property for feline tastes also includes
those much-underused tops of cupboards. Clearing these areas of
clutter will provide puss with the ultimate viewing platform
when it's had enough of watching the world go by. Arranging
furniture in a way that provides acceptable leaping distances
means your cat can get to the top and back down again without
risking daredevil tactics.
Hidey-holes and time out
My old mate Eckles, a Burmese cross, was a
true believer in hidey-holes. From these strategic locations she
could enjoy time out and hide herself from strange guests and
visitors (she was the shy type). They also gave her instant
relief from the dogs when her patience ran short.
Budding interior decorators would have a field
day coming up with inspiring pieces of decorative furnishings
that also double for interesting hidey-holes. We all know how
much cats love to jump in boxes and sneak into the linen
cupboard when no ones looking, but rather than attract your
feline friend into places where shedded hair is not welcome,
providing interesting alternatives could be the answer.
If you have a stairwell in your house, building
an inner sanctum with cat access (and doors for human access and
cleaning) is a perfect hidey-hole. Lining these inside walls
with carpet provide ideal scratching pads as well as warmth
during the cooler months.
Using second hand materials I once made what was
meant to be a work of art. Admittedly, it would never rank with
the likes of Rodin, but the cats thought I was exceptionally
talented because it was both an excellent hidey-hole and viewing
platform in one. Using three antique suitcases stacked one on
top of the other, I cut out portions of the lids and underside
to create 'access holes' from one suitcase to the next. The
suitcases were then joined securely together to create one unit.
The cats could access this fine piece of work from the ground
floor case and work their way up via the holes to the very top,
which was left ajar. Inside the top suitcase, which was the
smallest in size, was a comfy mattress for lazing away those
long afternoons. Because the suitcases were kept empty, the
piece could be moved around the home depending on the season and
I could also access them for spring cleaning by simply undoing
the joins.
Play time
Using durable, safe items you can very easily
create mobiles to titillate your cat into some leisure time.
Scratching posts are easy to construct and when it comes to
design options, there is no limit to what you can create. I've
seen scratching posts that an architect would be proud of,
complete with hidey-holes, mobiles and viewing platforms.
If you have a playful cat and like to spend time
in the evenings playing with toys, an antique hat box in the
lounge room makes a great storage container and is always in
easy reach.
In the garden
 Creating
cat-friendly gardens will not only bring you hours of backyard
enjoyment, but your cat will be in feline heaven. Garden ponds
will provide hours of viewing pleasure and well-placed rocks
will offer ideal sunbaking platforms.
Plant lots of trees and dense shrubs for cats.
This will not only allow wildlife a greater chance of
escape, but it will give the cats a sense of prospect and refuge
(the ability to see everything without being seen).
Many weeds and grasses are herbs for cats and
provide all manner of benefits. Plantain, for example, is an
insect preventative and acts as an expectorant, soothing
irritated mucous membranes. Cats require long grasses to eat to
help their digestive juices and to assist with missing minerals
and vitamins in their diet. As cats eat few vegetables, grass
grazing provides vitamin A and is an ideal parasite cleanser.
(For more information on plants, refer to Issue 18, pages 28 and
29).
Hanging mobiles and chimes will add interest and
interactive activities for puss when it's out and about getting
some exercise.
Accessorising the home
My friend Liz has the decorator's touch and,
being a cat lover, she has created a feline heaven of sorts.
Walking through her garden you chance upon various bright and
colourful ceramic bowls that catch rainwater providing plenty of
watering holes for those hot days during summer. Homemade
mobiles sway in the breeze and the pond is home to a variety of
fish. The cats love the pond and gaze into the waters,
transfixed and obviously content.
Inside the home, sheepskin rugs surround the
wood-fire heater providing the ultimate lounge for those cold
winter nights.
Cats simply love lounge rooms. If you're worried
about furniture, utilising throw overs and rugs on couches will
keep them relatively hair-free although there are a range of
products now on the market that are highly effective when it
comes to hair removal. To complete the cat-friendly home, don't
forget to install a cat door. Cats appreciate quick and easy
access into their own home.
Quirky cats
No two cats are the same. Each breed and
every mixed-breed feline has its own personality and quirky
characteristics. Sometimes, your house will reflect the
personality of your cat. Like Friend, the Mae West of the cat
world, it was obvious she enjoyed her dainty manoeuvres through
classic and often expensive ornaments while another cat may be
less likely to show any respect towards such precious objects.
My Eckles had a dislike of walking on the floor,
so she determined her routine of travel through a series of
leaps and bounds that saw her move from one end of the house to
the other while only touching the ground for several seconds at
a time. This meant that we had to keep the benches and coffee
tables relatively free of clutter because as she worked her way
through the home she would often pick up speed.
No matter what sort of living arrangement you
have, cats are incredibly adaptable and will usually have no
problem finding a favourite lounging position. Felines, however,
are equally good at being frank about their displeasure, so if
your cat is disappearing for longer periods of time, be warned!
He or she may have found something better just around the
corner! |
