How do you choose your cat house and is it important?

Of course, you can't always be there to entertain your cat! For cats who stay at home, providing a cat-friendly environment is essential so that they can express natural cat behaviors. There are many ways you can achieve this, with plenty of easy and affordable options on the market to turn your home into an oasis for your cat.

Keeping your cat indoors at all times may be an option that works for you and your cat. There are also different ways to provide the best conditions for indoor and outdoor life for your cat at the same time.

A cat house will enhance your cat's quality of life in more ways than one. You should have an idea about the benefits of a cat house, which will help you choose a good house. At the same time, getting some tips on how to choose a good cat house will also ensure you get the right type for your cat.

Kennels give cats the opportunity to have a place where they can hide and sleep. All cats love to sleep, with the average sleep time for an adult cat being around 16-18 hours a day. This type of furniture will help the cat enjoy sleep at any time. Secondly, cat houses provide a great place for your cat to play.

Purchasing a cat house will help you avoid damage that your cat may cause to your home furniture and other accessories. Some of them come with their own toys and you also have the option to install toys that your cat seems to prefer.

Now that you know the benefits of a cat house, it is important to take a look at some tips that will ensure you buy the right cat house.

There are four main tips to keep in mind when purchasing these types of cat houses. Which:

1. A cat house should have several parts to provide variety for your cat. If you have more than one cat, the house must be large and contain several parts to ensure that there is enough space for the cats to move freely.

Villa cat house for cats, size 90X60X120 CM from Petaholic

2. Dimensions: The dimensions of the cat house should be ideal for your home. If you have a small house, you should get a small cat house that can be used for one cat. On the other hand, if you have a large house and several cats, you should consider a large cat house. The cat house should have some places for the cat to lie down after boarding. The cat house is usually installed on a cat tree.

cat tree Huge cat tree 60*60*170cm from Petaholic

3. Accessories: The apartment should have an outdoor scratching room and some toys inside. If you can't find one that has these items, you can put your cat's existing toys in it. A shingle can be made from marine fiber or sisal and installed on the outside of the apartment.

Petaholic Bear House with Outdoor Scratch

4. Quality: Cat houses must be of high quality in order to last long. You should try shaking it a little to evaluate its hardness before purchasing it. Make sure it also matches your home decor. This way, your cat will feel like she's still at home when she's inside the apartment.

Cat house Italian Virabella tent 42cm H 52cm from Petaholic

Following these tips will help you get a cat house that's right for your cat's needs. Try to remember that if you have more than one cat, you may need to consider each cat's preferences. In the end, choosing cat houses should be very easy when you implement tips like these.

If you own your home or have permission from your homeowner, these modifications can be a simple and very effective way to keep your cat safe and happy. No matter which option you choose to keep your cat indoors, it's important to make your indoor space a cat-friendly environment.

In addition to providing toys to play, giving your cat in the house special places where they can go to rest and feel safe is important. Cats love to hide in closets, closets, and under beds, but they also enjoy having high places where they can view their surroundings from above and be safe out of reach.

Star-shaped cat house from Vera Bella, 40X40X30cm, Italian, from Betaholic

Providing cat trees, scratching posts, climbing stakes, and even removable platforms that you can attach to walls or windows as a place for your cat to perch on, give cats a wider range of movement – places to hunker down when they need alone time and exciting vantage points to watch the world go by.

Cat toys, 9-piece hanging furniture set for cats from Petaholic

Watch your cat closely for signs of stress or boredom, as these signs can appear in many ways such as urinating outside the litter box, scratching the furniture, increased food intake or excessive grooming. If you're worried about your cat, consult your vet – there may be simple changes you can make to help your cat or bring some excitement into her life.

Petaholic cat tree 48*34*138cm

How can I keep my cat at home?

Option 1: Provide access to a fortified courtyard:

You can give your cat the opportunity to enjoy indoor and outdoor life by making your yard fortified.

Option 2: Access to a fortified outdoor space – “Catios”:

It gives your cat access to a protected outdoor space connected to the interior space of the house.

1. Make sure the space is safe from other dogs and cats.

2. The space should include platforms of varying heights, hiding places, sources of food and water, sand trays, and protection from the weather.

Option 3: Enrich your inner life:

You can meet your cat's needs indoors by providing adequate space and areas for urinating, sleeping, hiding, scratching, and playing, as well as access to food and water .

Providing a suitable environment for your cat at home enhances its well-being and ensures its safety.

Why keep a cat at home?

There are many compelling reasons to keep your cat indoors, with the main concern being its safety. Cats that stay indoors live longer, healthier lives, and are less exposed to various dangers, including car accidents, toxins, parasites, diseases, and cross-breeding with other animals that might attack them. By keeping your cat at home, you reduce the risk of it becoming lost, getting stuck in tight spaces, or getting injured, allowing you to closely monitor its behavior and health.

Adapting cats to the “stay at home” pattern:

1. Early start: The secret to success in keeping a cat indoors is often an early start. Most kittens adapt well to life at home if they are introduced to them at an early age.

2. Gradual introduction: If your cat is accustomed to roaming, the best way to help him adapt to the stay-at-home lifestyle is gradual introduction. Start by keeping her at home at night, then gradually increase the time she stays at home during the day. If she has everything she needs, and is used to this routine, you might be surprised at how well she adapts to “stay at home” mode.

To ensure a stay-at-home cat is happy and healthy, he must feel that the house is his home as well, and it is important to fill his environment with opportunities to meet his physical, health and behavioral needs.

In the first place, as you are likely already doing, you will need to provide basic resources: food and water , sand storage trays , resting and hiding places, as well as places to scratch and mark by rubbing their face. Provide more than one option for each resource - your cat will need at least two litter trays, two feeding stations, two water bowls, three different types of scratching posts and three different resting and hiding places. For each additional cat, you will need to provide additional resources.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when keeping your cat at home is how to ensure they get all the play, exercise and fun they need. Although cats often seem content to nap and relax all day, all cats need to improve to ensure an active, full life – and cats need to be kept in rotation so your cat doesn't get bored.