A cat, like a baby, needs lots of accessories to make it feel really comfortable. Apartment cats especially need opportunities to exercise, act out their urge to hunt, and satisfy their innate needs.
The right food bowl for the cat
The range of feeding bowls for cats is wide: metal, ceramic, plastic round or square with no rim or with a low rim, with and without a stand. What should you consider when buying and how should a food bowl be? The food bowl should be large enough, in addition to all aesthetic and design criteria. The whiskers of the cat should not hit the edge, otherwise the cat may not eat from it, because it is unpleasant for him when the whiskers hit the edge. Keeping it clean is also a problem. Stainless steel and ceramic can even be cleaned in the dishwasher. Plastic can take on the taste of the cat food and is therefore less recommended. Also, it has proven to be useful if the food bowl has a certain weight and can not be pushed around the apartment. A feeding bowl with a stand is recommended especially for cats that have problems with their joints, because it allows a more ergonomic posture while eating. More detailed information on buying a cat food bowl can be found in our guide on food bowls for cats. But where do I put the food bowl. For most cat owners, the food bowl is located in the kitchen, because it is not sure whether even once a crumb of food falls on the floor. This can be removed faster in the kitchen than on the carpet in the living room. Place the food bowl a little away from the water bowl, so that the drinking water is not contaminated when eating. You should place the litter box in a completely different place, neither next to the food bowl nor the drinking bowl.
Do I need a cat drinking fountain?
A cat water fountain for cats can help cats drink more for the benefit of their health. Cats prefer to drink moving water rather than standing water. This is due to the fact that standing water has become ingrained in the cat’s memory from its time as a wild cat as a carrier of germs. Drinking fountains have another positive feature. They moisten the air in the room, which is very dry especially in the cold season due to the heating and thus irritates the mucous membranes. Last but not least, a cat fountain is a decorative object for the apartment. It provides with its quiet splashing for a relaxing atmosphere. Drinking fountains for cats are designed in many ways. In addition to the external form, it also depends on the technical equipment of the cat fountain. The operating noise must not be too loud. The fountain must be easy to disassemble for cleaning.
How do I find the best cat tree?
Choose from the large number of scratching posts a cat tree, which fits your interior and your cat. The scratching post is always visible in the living room. It is not as easy to hide as a litter box or the cat play area. A cat scratching post is present at first sight. Therefore, it should match the interior, especially in color and pattern, and harmoniously fit the ambience. Alternatively, choose a scratching board or a scratching garbage can if the cat tree is too present. The main thing is that the cat finds a way to sharpen its claws. If this is missing, it will sharpen its claws on the furniture, because the behavior is innate and is difficult to break the habit even with clicker training. So create a scratching opportunity made of resistant sisal to protect the furniture. But a cat tree offers much more: possibilities for playing and hiding, cat caves for sleeping, climbing possibilities and viewing platforms. The body size of the cat also plays a role in the selection of the cat tree. Kittens need a different scratching post than large cats, for which it depends not only on the size of the cat cave and viewing platform, but also on the stability of the scratching post. If space in the living room is limited, it may be worthwhile to purchase a scratching post for the wall or a cat lounger for the heater, combined with a scratching board.
A scratching post for cats
The scratching post is an alternative to the scratching post. It combines several needs of the cat in a single piece of furniture. The scratching bucket as a scratching bucket round, scratching bucket square or scratching cube is a scratching furniture by the use of sisal, agave fibers or banana leaf, it is cat cave and plush padded viewing platform for the cat. It provides retreat and climbing opportunities for shy cats. You can find a cat garbage can for cats as a small scratching garbage can up to the XXL scratching garbage can for large cats. Do you have an unused corner, you can place the scratching garbage can angular well in it. Is for a Kratztonen no place vorahnden, you can switch to a scratching board, which is placed directly on the floor or attached to the wall.
Why do cats like caves?
Every cat likes to crawl into a box or cave, even if the cave is so small. On the one hand, hiding in a cave accommodates the cat’s natural behavior. Cats often respond to threats by retreating. The cave provides such a retreat. On the other hand, cats like to be snug and warm. The living rooms of people feel cats as too cold, the their comfort temperature is for cats between 30 and 36 degrees Celsius. Therefore, in addition to caves, cardboard boxes, heating couches are very popular with cats. A cave or a cardboard box is a closed space. The cat warms it up faster than an open cuddle place on the scratching post. Therefore, cats feel visibly comfortable in caves.
Does my cat need its own cat pillow?
Yes, if you want to spare your upholstered furniture. With a cat pillow, you provide the cat with its own little sleeping space, which, unlike the sofa, belongs only to it. Also, a cat pillow can provide security if the cat once has to go to the vet and as a cushion for a cat basket bike or cat carrier bag is suitable the cat pillow also. Also for outdoor use, an appropriately equipped cat cushion Outdoor is suitable, because cats love fresh air. In any case, buy the cat pillow large enough for the cat to stretch out on it. In stores you can find cat pillows made of cotton fabrics, warming fleece or cooling linen. Water-repellent surfaces are suitable for outdoor use. The soft filling of the cat pillow ensures that the cat feels comfortable on the pillow.
Buying the right cat basket
A cat basket made of wicker, rattan, felt or water hyacinth is very versatile. The cat basket is a place of retreat, sleeping place and yes according to the equipment cat cave and transport box. Therefore, it is important to select the cat basket according to the intended function. In the case of several cats, different lying surfaces are advantageous. How large the cat basket should be, is based on the size of the cat. Cat baskets, which resemble a cat cave in a hemispherical shape, offer the cat a place of retreat with the greatest possible security. Raised walls accommodate the cat’s need for security, and curled-up lying, which promotes deep sleep, is also more feasible with a high rim.
Does my cat need a cat bed?
Cats always find a place to lie down to sleep, snooze and relax: if possible in a quiet corner, away from the human bustle. With a cat bed you always have the cat in view. A cat bed is considered a soft and warm place to sleep and the cat is less likely to use the sofa or the armchair. What equipment is important in a cat bed? Only cats with problems in the joints or spine need an orthopedic cat bed. The cat bed should have possibilities to snuggle on the sides and it should be thickly padded to make the cat feel comfortable. Cat beds with nubs on the bottom will not slide around on the floor in the best case.
Does a cat need a running wheel?
Free-roaming cats definitely don’t need a running wheel. However, house cats with fewer opportunities for exercise could benefit from a running wheel. Daily use increases fitness, reduces excess weight and increases vitality. Clicker training can also be done in a running wheel. Running reduces frustration or the running wheel is used for the pure joy of movement. There are cats that use the running wheel several times a day and cats that only rock back and forth in it. Above all, however, a running wheel for cats needs space to set it up. It should be at least large enough so that the cat’s back does not bend while running.