How to Catify Your Home

Creating a cat-friendly environment is essential for your feline's happiness and wellbeing. Cats are natural climbers, hunters, and explorers with specific environmental needs that differ significantly from dogs or other pets. By "catifying" your home, you provide your cat with physical exercise, mental stimulation, and a sense of security that contributes to their overall health and reduces behavioral problems.

Understanding Your Cat's Natural Instincts

Before we dive into catification strategies, it's important to understand what drives your cat's behavior:

Vertical Territory

Cats are vertical animals who feel safer and more confident when they can survey their territory from high vantage points. In the wild, cats climb trees to escape predators, hunt prey, and rest safely. Your indoor cat retains these same instincts.

Hunting Behavior

Even well-fed domestic cats have strong hunting instincts. They need outlets for stalking, pouncing, and "capturing" prey through interactive play and environmental enrichment.

Territorial Nature

Cats are territorial creatures who need to feel that they control their space. They mark territory through scent (rubbing, scratching) and need clearly defined areas for different activities.

Need for Security

Cats require safe hiding spots where they can retreat when stressed, anxious, or simply wanting privacy. These secure spaces are crucial for their emotional wellbeing.

Essential Elements of a Catified Home

1. Vertical Spaces and Cat Trees

Why They're Important:

• Allow cats to exercise their climbing instincts
• Provide elevated observation points
• Create additional territory in limited space
• Reduce stress in multi-cat households
• Offer exercise and physical activity

Implementation Strategies:

• Install sturdy cat trees in rooms where family gathers
• Place trees near windows for outdoor viewing
• Ensure stability - wobbly structures cause anxiety
• Choose multi-level designs with platforms at different heights
• Consider ceiling-height trees for maximum vertical space

Copenhagen Tip: In smaller Copenhagen apartments, wall-mounted shelving systems maximize vertical space without taking up floor area.

2. Window Perches and Views

Benefits:

• Provide natural entertainment ("cat TV")
• Expose cats to natural light
• Allow monitoring of outdoor territory
• Reduce boredom and associated behaviors
• Support natural circadian rhythms

Setup Recommendations:

• Install sturdy window perches or hammocks
• Ensure secure mounting for safety
• Place near bird feeders for entertainment (outside window)
• Provide multiple window access points
• Consider heated perches for winter comfort

3. Scratching Posts and Surfaces

Why Scratching is Essential:

• Maintains healthy claws
• Marks territory through scent and visual markers
• Provides stretching exercise
• Releases stress and energy
• Natural and necessary behavior

Scratching Solutions:

• Provide multiple scratching posts in different areas
• Offer variety: vertical posts, horizontal boards, angled scratchers
• Use different materials: sisal, carpet, cardboard, wood
• Place near sleeping areas (cats scratch after waking)
• Position near furniture you want to protect
• Ensure posts are tall and stable enough for full-body stretching

4. Hiding Spots and Private Spaces

Importance:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Provide security during loud noises or visitors
• Allow cats to decompress
• Essential in multi-pet households
• Support territorial needs

Creating Hiding Spaces:

• Provide cat caves, covered beds, or cardboard boxes
• Create enclosed spaces under furniture
• Use cat tunnels for play and hiding
• Ensure multiple options throughout the home
• Respect your cat's need for privacy

5. Interactive Play and Enrichment

Mental Stimulation Needs: Cats require daily mental and physical stimulation to prevent boredom, obesity, and behavioral issues.

Enrichment Ideas:

• Interactive Toys: Wand toys, laser pointers (always end with catchable toy)
• Puzzle Feeders: Slow feeding and mental challenge
• Rotating Toys: Keep interest high by rotating available toys
• DIY Entertainment: Cardboard boxes, paper bags, ping pong balls
• Catnip and Silvervine: For cats that respond to them
• Indoor Grass: Safe plants for nibbling

Play Schedule:

• Minimum 15-20 minutes active play daily
• Multiple short sessions better than one long session
• Best before feeding times (mimics hunt-eat-sleep cycle)
• Engage all cats in multi-cat households

Safety Considerations

Toxic Plants

Many common houseplants are toxic to cats. Remove or make inaccessible:

• Lilies (extremely toxic)
• Pothos and Philodendron
• Sago Palm
• Azaleas
• Tulips and Daffodils

Safe Alternatives: Spider plants, cat grass, Boston ferns, African violets

Window Safety

• Ensure screens are secure (cats can fall through)
• Be cautious with open windows
• Consider "catio" enclosures for safe outdoor access
• Never assume a cat won't jump or fall

Household Hazards

• Secure electrical cords
• Remove string, rubber bands, hair ties
• Store cleaning products safely
• Keep toilet lids closed
• Secure unstable furniture that could tip

Small Objects

Cats can choke on or swallow:

• Hair ties and rubber bands
• String, ribbon, tinsel
• Small toys or parts
• Needles and thread

Multi-Cat Household Considerations

When catifying for multiple cats, consider:

Resource Multiplication

• Provide multiple of everything: litter boxes, food stations, water bowls
• Rule of thumb: Number of cats + 1 for each resource
• Distribute resources throughout the home
• Reduce competition and territorial conflicts

Separate Territories

• Ensure each cat can access all areas
• Create multiple pathways and escape routes
• Provide high and low territory options
• Allow cats to avoid each other if needed

Individual Preferences

• Some cats prefer privacy, others enjoy companionship
• Observe and accommodate individual needs
• Provide both shared and individual spaces

Litter Box Placement and Setup

Proper litter box setup is crucial for a catified home:

Golden Rules:

• One box per cat plus one extra
• Place in quiet, accessible locations
• Avoid near food and water
• Keep clean - scoop daily
• Use unscented, clumping litter
• Provide uncovered boxes (most cats prefer)
• Ensure easy entry/exit, especially for seniors

Location Tips:

• Multiple floors = boxes on each floor
• Avoid high-traffic areas
• Ensure escape routes
• Consider privacy but not isolation

Creating Cat Highways

Concept: Cat highways are elevated pathways that allow cats to move throughout the home at height, providing exercise, territory, and confidence.

Implementation:

• Install wall-mounted shelves at various heights
• Create continuous pathways around rooms
• Include rest platforms and perches
• Ensure sturdy installation for safety
• Add ramps or stairs for senior cats
• Incorporate cat doors for room access

Copenhagen-Specific Considerations

Living in Copenhagen presents unique catification opportunities:

Apartment Living

• Maximize vertical space in smaller apartments
• Use furniture creatively (bookcases as cat trees)
• Window boxes for safe outdoor viewing
• Soundproofing considerations for neighbors

Seasonal Adaptations

• Heated window perches for cold winters
• Summer sun protection for window areas
• Indoor enrichment during dark winter months
• Fresh air access during pleasant weather

Indoor-Only Cats

Most Copenhagen cats are indoor-only for safety. Enhance their environment with:

• Abundant enrichment and stimulation
• Window views of outdoor activity
• Rotating new experiences
• Consider supervised balcony access with proper safety measures

Signs of a Successfully Catified Home

Your catification efforts are working when you observe:

• Cats using provided scratching posts instead of furniture
• Active exploration and use of vertical spaces
• Confident, relaxed body language
• Reduced stress behaviors (inappropriate elimination, aggression)
• Healthy activity levels and play
• Good appetite and normal sleep patterns
• Positive interactions with household members

Conclusion

Catifying your home is an ongoing process that evolves with your cat's changing needs and preferences. By providing vertical spaces, scratching opportunities, hiding spots, and environmental enrichment, you create a stimulating and secure environment that supports your cat's physical and psychological wellbeing. A properly catified home results in a happier, healthier cat and a more harmonious household.

Ready to transform your Copenhagen home into a cat paradise? Contact MyPeterinarian for personalized catification advice and ensure your feline friend thrives in their indoor environment!