Catifying Your Home

5 Things to Note When Catifying Your Home

As a cat owner, you probably know by now that when it comes to your home… well, the cats are the ones who own it (you’re actually just paying mortgage). Being the loving humans we are, we would do our utmost to make our cats comfortable in their domain, especially when we are at work or away on vacation. Hence, you may have considered catifying your home for a bit to keep them happily occupied.

But your taste of what’s good may not be your cats’ taste (Maybe because they can’t taste very much. But don’t tell them they have no taste; that’s writing a death sentence). So, before you excitedly trawl through Pinterest for ideas and splurge (only to cry buckets because your cats hate your work) we offer you five things to note before you catify your home.

1. Note Your Cat’s Behaviour

cat perches cat trees cat condos things to note when catifying home

When you have a creature that is light-bodied, extremely agile and is born from a class of hunters, you know that you need to make a “jungle” in your home. Smaller cats especially are as much prey as they are predator. Hence, they feel equally vulnerable as they are powerful. Jackson Galaxy, world-famous cat behavior expert, tells it best: “Cats don’t define floor space like we do. They define space floor to ceiling.”

Once you understand their nature, you will understand how they see things. Any nook and cranny in your home is a potential place for either themselves or their “prey” to hunt and/or hide. Part of your planning should include getting down (or up) to the level your cat sees. Spend a few minutes looking around your home from all vantage points and write any noteworthy areas that may attract your cats.

2. Note Your Space

living space things to note when catifying home

It is one thing to think about their needs. However, we got to remember how to live too! With HDB flats being smaller than they were 20 to 30 years ago, it is all the more important to think creatively about how to co-habitat with our felines. Thankfully, many cats have a preference for height, so that gives us floor space that us humans have decent reign over.

Another thing to consider is the kind of overall look you are trying to create for your home. Is catification going to affect it? If it is, you would then have to stretch your imagination a little more forget about it because cats have the final say.

3. Note The Dangers

electrical danger things to note when catifying homeOpen windows, tall and unstable furnishing, small fragile items at high places, electrical sources… these are just some of the dangers that we sometimes don’t realise. But to catify your home means to be extra aware of them. So your first immediate effort and expense should be about removing those dangers (for example, meshing all open windows). And as much as you love that expensive antique vase or need that essential oil burner at your yoga corner, those are still ‘no-no’s.

I know, I know. But it’s not our home, remember? (Please re-read first paragraph.)

4. Note Your Budget

budget things to note when catifying homeAh yes… the all important question. We are more then willing to spend on our lovelies, no doubt. Apart from renovation contractors and interior designers, there are also professional experts who can help advice and plan out your (cats) home. All that, however, could cost you your kidney and liver.

Thankfully, our cats don’t require so much as a throne (and if you think otherwise, you know nothing, John Snow!). Cats are perfectly happy squeezing in the tiniest boxes. Hence, catifying your home can be a budget friendly affair. Get some ideas online, pick up some workshop/crafting skills on Youtube and make IKEA and Carousell your friend!

5. Note The Maintenance Needed

vacuum cleaner things to note when catifying homeSo you’re done catifying your home and your cats love it — well done! Now you’ve just built yourself an extra fur and dust magnet! That’s right, additional furnishing means additional surfaces for your next spring cleaning. Also, wall mounted cat scratchers, although attractive, would still require replacement once the sisal rope or fabric, or cardboard becomes ragged. This additional maintenance sometimes comes at additional costs that you may not have considered earlier in your budget-planning.

Catifying Your Home Planning

The easiest way to plan your catification is when you first get your home. At that point, your furniture (and your cats) have not yet moved in to occupy their respective spaces. Hence, the home planning, moving and installing can be much easier for you (and less traumatic for your cats).

Home owners who have already stayed in for quite sometime and is bringing a new cat home would need extra work. But it is still not impossible. In fact, you may have the extra bit of advantage, considering that you can play around with the furnishing you already have.

black and white filter cat things to note when catifying home

But remember, everything you put in your home eventually is no longer yours. Because ultimately your cats own the home.


At Nekoya Cat Boarding Hotel, it is important to us to explain the thought process that we put ourselves through when we designed our premises, because that makes for informed decisions and happy guests that we can fully dedicate ourselves to caring for. This article offers insight of that thought process, so you can apply to your home as well!

Of course, we still welcome you to have your cats with us during your much needed break. Get in touch with us for more details on our services!

Read More: Why Holistic Cat Care Is so Important to Us

Image Sources:

https://pixabay.com/en/cat-kitty-kitten-cute-home-lying-1512652/

https://pixabay.com/en/black-cat-scratching-posts-pet-1636901/

https://pixabay.com/en/persian-cats-persian-chinchilla-1720336/

https://pixabay.com/en/chairs-contemporary-furniture-2181960/

https://pixabay.com/en/socket-current-electricity-energy-1794616/

https://pixabay.com/en/credit-squeeze-taxation-purse-tax-522549/

https://pixabay.com/en/vacuum-cleaner-vacuuming-cleaning-268161/