Creating a safe and comfortable home environment for your cat is one of the most important things you can do as a pet parent. There are several key steps to take in order to create an optimal environment for your cat's physical and emotional well-being, including providing places where they can climb and jump, promoting regular exercise and playtime, limiting access to potential hazards such as electrical cords or toxic plants, and ensuring there are enough litter boxes available.
Cats Need Their Space
When it comes to creating an interesting place for your feline friend, you have plenty of options. To begin with, cats love having space that they can use to explore and climb. Cat trees are an excellent way to achieve this - they provide places where cats can perch up high without having to worry about being disturbed or knocked down.
Scratching posts also help fulfill their need to scratch and stretch their muscles. In addition, they save your furniture from damage done by sharp claws! When sourcing these items, make sure you select ones that match the size of your cat. Something too tall or small won’t be very useful (or fun!) for them. Check out our review about the best cat tree for large cats. This information is valuable and applicable to any size cat tree or scratching post.
Cats Need Some Form of Exercise
It’s essential that cats get adequate exercise regularly in order to stay healthy both physically and mentally. A great way to encourage them is by setting up some toys that allow them to jump around and play. Whether it’s dangling feather toys or wand toys that they can chase around the house, these types of activities will help keep them active throughout the day while providing stimulation in an enjoyable way.
And don't forget about interactive toys like puzzle feeders—these will give them mental stimulation when food is involved! With our cats, we love to use one of these laser pointer toys - they love chasing it and it stimulates them!
Watch Out for Common Household Hazards
In addition to making sure there are plenty of stimulating activities in the home environment for your kitty, it’s essential that you also limit access to potential hazards. This includes things like electric cords which pose a huge threat if chewed on or tangled around limbs - cords should be placed out of the way as much as possible to discourage cats from chewing on them. It is a very good idea to inspect all visible cords periodically for evidence of chewing or other damage.
Also, ensure any houseplants you may have are non-toxic; there are many plants that are poisonous if ingested by cats so research this thoroughly before bringing anything new into the house. Some common house plants that can be harmful to cats (if chewed) include:
- Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
- Ficus
- Rubber Plants
- Philodendron
- Poinsettia
- Oleander
Check out this article from Hill's Pet Nutrition about poisonous plants.
All About Litter Boxes
Finally, don’t forget about those litter boxes! A good rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one extra box. Thus, if you have two cats in the home then three litter boxes would be ideal. They should be placed in quiet yet easily accessible locations so they aren’t too out-of-the-way but at the same time not somewhere too busy or noisy as this could deter usage entirely.
Cleaning out litter boxes regularly (at least once a day) is also imperative for keeping odors at bay as well as promoting healthy habits amongst cats who tend not to use dirty litter much due to their instinctive tendencies towards cleanliness!
Check out a few of our articles pertaining to cat litter:
Best Litter Box for Messy Cats
How to Eliminate Cat Litter Box Odor
Overall, creating a safe home environment for your cat involves consideration of potential hazards plus additions such as cat trees that can provide your kitties with a place to jump and play (and sleep!). With some research (and perhaps a few creative ideas) you will find yourself with an optimal living space tailored specifically for your feline companion in no time - just remember - safety first!
