How to Add Feline Enrichment to Your Home Decor
Published about 1 month ago by Leah de Roy
Image: Emi Suzuki, Unsplash
Cats are naturally curious, and they thrive in environments with plenty of opportunities to play and explore. Providing your cat with ample sources of enrichment isn’t just important for their health and happiness: it curbs the urge to alleviate their boredom in less-than-ideal ways, like knocking over objects, meowing excessively, or scratching your furniture.
Here are some ways to seamlessly integrate feline enrichment with the interior design of your living space, so you and kitty both can feel purrfectly at home!
Utilize vertical space
Floating shelves conserve floor space and can make a room feel larger and more open. A cat wall provides kitty multiple vantage points to exercise their natural climbing instincts and comfortably observe their surroundings. This setup by Catastrophic Creations combines style and practicality.
If mounting shelves in your home isn’t an option or you don’t have an empty wall to spare, a cat tower like this sleek option from Agile Designs is a great alternative.
Make bookshelves cat-friendly
Image and DIY by Serena from Beautylab
Let’s face it: our cats are probably going to climb our bookshelves whether we want them to or not, so we might as well make them cat-friendly! As shown by Serena from Beautylab, you can combine storage with cat shelves and nooks using modular shelving units like the EKET or KALLAX series from IKEA.
Add cat-friendly plants
Senses 2.0 cat grass kit, Catit
Unfortunately, many common houseplants like pothos and snake plants are fatally toxic to cats. If you have a serial houseplant muncher on your hands and are hesitant to invest in a cat-safe indoor jungle just to see it immediately destroyed, you can incorporate greenery into your living space with plants specifically for your cat, like cat grass or fresh catnip. Who knows—maybe these plants will divert kitty’s attention enough that they’ll let you enjoy a few of your own!
Incorporate scratching surfaces
LURVIG scratch mat, IKEA
Scratching is an important outlet for cats to mark their territory, relieve stress, and get a good stretch. Compact options such as wall-mounted or hanging scratchers, as well as sisal mats like this one from IKEA that can be attached to furniture, blend into any room and provide your cat with a variety of scratching surfaces to choose from.
Add texture with blankets and cat beds
Throw blankets and cat beds give kitty tactile surfaces to knead, burrow, and sleep on, while adding touches of colour and inviting texture to any room.
Don't be afraid to DIY
If you can’t find exactly the right cat furniture to complement your space, why not try getting crafty and making it yourself? For inspiration, check out our roundup of budget-friendly DIY ideas for cats!
Monthly or bi-monthly cat box subscription, meowbox
A monthly or bi-monthly meowbox subscription brings novelty to your cat’s playtime routine, providing regular enrichment with fun themed toys and delicious treats. Let your cat try their paw at interior decorating with the Ameowzing Home Makeovers box, available for a limited time.
Tag us @meowbox on social media to share how you’ve integrated feline enrichment into your home decor!
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