Where Your Cat Rests: Shelves, Cat Houses, and Sunny Spots
A cat sleeps most of the day, and what matters to her is not so much a soft spot as a well-chosen one. How to set up resting places in an ordinary apartment.
A cat sleeps most of the day, so she chooses her spot carefully and may ignore an expensive cat house in favor of a cardboard box. Her logic is simple: high, warm, safe.
What a cat looks for
Height. From a top shelf she can see the whole room; from the floor she cannot. This is especially important when there are other cats, a dog, or small children in the home.
Shelter. A cat needs to know no one can approach her from behind. A box, a bed with high sides, a cat house with two exits, or a quiet corner behind the sofa will all work.
Warmth. A cat's body temperature is higher than a human's, so she is drawn to the sun and to radiators. Put her bed where the patch of sunlight lasts longest.
How to set it up
- Create several spots at different heights so they form a staircase-like path: a chair, a dresser, a shelf.
- Place at least one spot by a window, but make sure the window is secured.
- Mount shelves firmly to the wall, at least 25 centimeters wide. Add a step for older cats.
- Keep beds away from the litter box and food bowl.
- Wash bedding without strongly scented fabric softeners.
If you have several cats
There should be more beds than animals, and in different rooms. If the cats share a high spot and there is no fighting, all is well. If one constantly chases the other away, add a second shelf at the same height.
