Cat Furniture: Fun and Healthy

When I got my cats their first piece of cat furniture, years ago,it was a simple pole with three rather small platforms on it. They enjoyed it but it was rather limited. cat furniture has come a long way since then and there are so many terrific styles to choose from now. They have so many added features, like attached toys, scratching posts, cubicles, and many other things, that they are truly wonderful .The addition of sisal scratching posts has been great because cats love sisal. I heard a long time ago that we use carpeted scratching posts for our cats, encourage them to scratch on it, and then get mad because they scratch the carpet on the floor. As smart as we think our cats are (and of course they really are that smart...haha) they don’t know the difference between the carpet on the post and the floor. Poor things are totally confused! The sisal however makes it clear what to scratch on and they like it much better. It makes their cat furniture so much more fun for them and so much easier on our carpets.

The fun that cats have playing on this furniture is a riot to watch. It’s honestly just as much fun for us and I have spent many hours just watching their antics on the cat towers and condos they have. I have noticed that some of my cats that were not exactly friends became very close after a good romp on the tower. They also like to claim their own level for napping and never seem to argue over it. It is very important for cats to know they have their own space, their own territory. They love to sleep with us on our beds and curl up on the couch, but once they know their cat furniture is just for them, they love that sense of it being all theirs. The taller towers, trees and condos are heaven for a cat. They can get up high and survey all that’s going on. I personally think they also enjoy being "above us" and who can blame them. When your that little and always have these tall humans looming over you, well...it must be nice to be taller for a change! The cubicles are a perfect place for them to get in, and still be able to see out, making them feel cozy and safe. The fun of cat furniture never ends.

The other benefit is very important, and one I didn’t really think about at first. Cat furniture keeps our pets healthier. The climbing, jumping and stretching keeps them not only limber, but helps to control their weight. I have had several slightly overweight cats that slimmed down noticeably after playing for a couple of weeks on their tower. I’ve tried putting them on diets,without much success, but the towers and condos worked much better. Like us, the more they move, the better. I think it helps so much for them to stay limber and might keep them from getting arthritic as they age. My older cats certainly seem to be more energetic than they used to be. I can’t say enough about the benefits of cat furniture. It’s not just for fun, but also for the health of your cat. There are so many styles, colors, sizes and options available now that you will be sure to find just the right one for your cat or cats.

By: Sheila Bergquist