Room-by-Room Setups That Cater to Cattitude: Create Apartment-Friendly Setups, Organize the Home for Safety and Fun, and Improve People Watching for Indoor Cats by Tanya Smith
After having owned a half-dozen cats over the course of my adult life, I can say with confidence: cats rule the roost. If you’ve ever found yourself sleeping on a foot-wide edge of the mattress, putting litter boxes in locations where you’d rather have, say, a potted plant, or picked cat hair out of your oatmeal because Ms. Puffypants was on the counter again last night, you know what I’m talking about. We make all kinds of accommodations and forgive so many inconveniences because it’s all part of the bargain when a furry ball of demands enters your life.
At least, that’s the kind of cat mom I happen to be. And if this describes you, too, you’ll get a kick out of Tanya Smith’s, erm, design tips in her how-to guide, Room-by-Room Setups That Cater to Cattitude: Create Apartment-Friendly Setups, Organize the Home for Safety and Fun, and Improve People Watching for Indoor Cats.
REALISTIC WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR CAT
If you are expecting Instagram-perfect interior design from this book, you haven’t been paying attention so far. Cattitude isn’t about clever ways to hide the fact you have a cat. (Tuck the litterbox away inside a side table!) Nor is it about posh accessories. (Custom-upholster a matching mini-sofa they’ll immediately rip to shreds!)
No, it’s about accommodation and forgiveness served with a side of good humor. It’s about leaning into being a home for people with cats.
Smith’s ideas range from jury-rigged DIY hacks to common-sense advice for choosing furniture both human and feline. She takes a cats-eye view of the home. Where are the hiding spots? Where are the observation points? What are the potential dangers? She then leads us room by room with the help of her two fur babies, Phoebe and Smokey, who play the role of a fussy focus group in Smith’s quest to make her home the most stimulating and safe environment possible.
As the subtitle suggests, most of Smith’s offerings are apartment-friendly (take that Bob Walker!) and can be done inexpensively with furniture and supplies you may already own — plus a cat tree or three.
KEEPING FURRY FRIENDS HAPPY AND SAFE
In Smith’s home, no room or surface is off-limits. She shows us how to keep kitties safe from stove burners, appliance cords and under-sink cleaning supplies (think toddler-proofing). There are also diversion tactics to keeping kitties occupied when you are doing other things that require your attention (say, for example, working on a book review). This includes providing places for cats to perch and simply watch as you go about your daily activities — along with ways to provide easy access to these perches.
Special attention is given to windows, as these are an indoor cat’s only connection to the outside world. Smith provides several ways to make sills accessible, comfortable and safe for nosy neighborhood watching — as well as tips to keep your curtains from becoming Cirque du Soleil props.
As if the book itself isn’t already chock-full of good ideas, Smith also provides a wealth of bonus information in the appendices, including links to recommended products, instructional videos and even a Facebook group to nerd out over hacks you and your kitties come up with. You can also visit her website to get a flavor of what “cattitude” is all about.
Whether you are new to cat ownership or are already a proverbial “cat lady,” there are a plethora of practical ideas in Room-by-Room Setups That Cater to Cattitude to inspire your very own feline-friendly home — cat hair and all.
About Tanya Smith:
Tanya Smith enjoys letting animals play the role of silent teacher. She grew up in a rural area where she learned the importance of providing help to various animals while respecting their boundaries to keep them comfortable in their natural setting.
After completing college with Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Chemistry, she worked in the medical research field during her graduate studies. During this time, she became the cat mom of Smokey who provided lots of guidance and entertainment while Tanya learned to improve basic routines for indoor cats. She later became certified in Reiki and holistic health and applied this knowledge to help family, friends and Smokey. Smokey’s easygoing personality provided a simple way for her to learn how complementary therapies can be beneficial to cats, especially during their senior years.
After being accepted as Phoebe’s human, Tanya continuously modified her apartment to cater to Phoebe’s energetically playful personality. Phoebe’s enthusiasm for checking out new products and setups throughout the home have allowed Tanya to refine improvement ideas and add new features that get Phoebe’s approval. This process helped Tanya organize fun, convenient setups that cater to curious cats who love to play and explore. The combination of Smokey’s laid-back behavior and Phoebe’s athletic mannerisms have created a diverse learning experience when finding ways to make the cat life fun and easy, leading to the tips found at Catering to Cattitude.
