Cat Views

Like the rest of the world, I decided Doofie needed to have a Lotus cat tree. Honestly, it wasn’t like she really needed it, but oh well such is the extravagance of love. I got it last week, assembled it and put it out onto our back patio replacing the old tired carpet & sisal tree she’s had since she was young. The old tree was very large, heavy, quite ugly and tattered which is why I hid it outside! I dragged the old nearby out of the way, laying it on its side which was probably my first mistake. Lying down near it, she lamented its new posture while the Lotus cat tree stood proudly in its place ready for use. I got a dolly assist to dismantle the old one and she found me working on it in the garage! Oh dread, caught! She laid-down on the parts like wishing it to stay! We’re now into a week with the new Lotus. I put a cookie treat on the first level, then the next, then the next, and finally on top. Altogether, she gets about 6 cookies out of it! I decided today, she’s figured out if she hold outs, she can finagle the whole package of cookies! She probably will… she’s so smart!

We received a great email today from one of our customers who just got their new Couchette by Kittypod. “Do you have any advice on how to clean it when the kitty barfs up a hairball on it?” It makes me laugh every time I read it, but Shannon’s question is a good one since she has a significant investment in “cardboard” cat furniture. We emailed the designer, Elizabeth Page Smith to ask her advice, suggesting perhaps vegetable oil could be used as a natural coating. Elizabeth promptly provided a very complete explanation which included wonderful insights about her design.

“Hi Nancy, Ha ha…yes, an issue I have personally addressed.  The best thing to do is to with a paper towel pick up the larger mess if there is any, in case of food regurgitation, and then allow it to dry. Once the spot is dry take a broom or brush and sweep the remainder of the mess away.  If there are still particles just use a vacuum cleaner with brush attachment.  This will clean the cardboard well.  No need to worry about sealing, the cardboard is sturdy and when dry will dry similar color to its original state.  This is all part of the use. Definitely no vegetable oil to be put on the material that will soggy the paper and give a really horrible smell.  It is best in natural state.  I say this also because the cats tend to also want to bite/chew on the cardboard so we don’t want to flavor the paper with something yuck.

In general, the couchette will receive ‘personalization’ by her cat.  This is the purpose of the couchette and is to be expected that there will be some wear and tear.  Every cat has their own way of interacting, some more aggressive than others, so the wear and tear will vary from cat to cat.

If you have something more to ask please do.

Best of luck and glad Shannon’s cat is finding pleasure and use of the couchette. +eps”

Inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Architectura is a pet house designed for cats – the ultimate cat condo designed by Pre-Fab Pets! Slatted walls on two sides provide excellent ventilation and a fun place for pets to hide but still see what’s going on around them. Or, perch top for premium high-rise snoozing!

Up to this point, we’ve taken the position to boycott Made In China cat furniture. Not that I’m a particularly political person, but it seems every time I go to the store I’m barraged with “made in China” products. Is it unpatriotic to sell products made outside of the U.S.? We’re have a wonderful line made in Germany by Cat Interiors; a uniquely modern-style design which so far, we haven’t found any company in the U.S. that even compares. As such, I don’t think we’re jeopardizing a U.S. niche by offering products made out-of-country. Even so, Made in China has created a dilemma. About 3 months ago, I found a new design of cat furniture made of chrome and padded surfaces – a nice design. In talking with them, I’m convinced that quality has been maintained which is important to us. Now, too we found a very unique simple cat tree, again Made in China. It seems we’re destined to go with it. Is that a problem for our consumer? 

Discover a wonderful new line of multi-functional designer dog & cat furniture. There are 2 distinctive designs; Classic & Modern Zen Hideaways.The Classic is made of solid hardwoods, available in 4 sizes from small for cats and dogs under 25 pounds up to extra-large for dogs under 150 pounds. Choose from 3 beautiful finishes; Mahogany, Espresso & Natural.

Made of fiberglass, the sleek curves of the Zen Modern will complement a more progressive home design, both inside and outdoors! The clear top provides a fun “viewing port” for owners above and pets below. Available in 2 sizes; small for cats & medium for dogs up to 55 pounds.

Twas the night before Christmas still all through the house,
Doofie was napping on her cat perch with mouse.
She got a Lazy Mouse Laser by CMI Pets,
Voted “#1 Cat Toy” – a mouse it projects.
But she didn’t even swat, ‘cause it doesn’t smell or taste,
Like anything natural and no tail to chase.
And even though it touts pet wellness & play,
Only time will tell but perhaps one day it may.
Funny! It’s covered by a 5-year warranty,
Rather only to collect dust next to her Lotus cat tree.

Sledging out to see who gets first dibs on top! Meet Zeek & Nicodemus, a couple of very spoiled male Ragdolls battling over trying to be king cat on the top perch of their new Lotus cat tree! That’s 30-40lbs of cat & fur! I bet they don’t even care that the mahogany finish matches their beautiful coats! Pretty classy, though. Thanks to Constance, their human who has a keen eye for clean modern cat furniture.

Spring has finally here in Arizona! Better late than never! Yep, the little goldenrod desert flowers are in bloom, birds have migrated back from their winter retreat and the grass is starting turn green again. I turned on my fountain this morning – a real joy as it’s right outside my kitchen window. But those events aren’t why I’m saying its spring. Instead, it’s because Doofie brought home her first baby bunny; a Cottontail proabably about 2 weeks old. It was very cute, but young to release. So, I dragged out my “critter rescue box” along with the heating pad for overnight stays. My critter box is nothing fancy, not like our snazzy modern cat beds, but well suited for its task. This morning, I dropped off Hoppy at Mrs. Beebe’s house filled with critter stuff other than cat furniture. She’s our local wildlife rehabilitator. I’m one of her best customers. Mrs. Beebe is known statewide for her dedication and expertise in rescuing all kinds of critters. So yes, Spring has sprung!

Burr… it’s chilly in Alaska! But, what the heck it’s always chilly in Alaska, especially for pampered felines right? For a special treat, one of our customers just bought a luxury modern cat bed, custom ordered with special foam filling along with an opening in the back seam for the electric cord for a comfy pet warming pad. As a bonus, we were able to offer it at no extra charge, however since the bed is RONDO cat furniture custom made Germany; 220 volts would certainly create a worrisome situation. Instead, we suggested she buy a pad designed for U.S. use (110 volts), just to be on the safe side! Don’t want any crispy critters!

A few years ago I finally broke down and replaced my old mattress with a Sleep-By-Number bed. I decided on it over a foamy kind because I liked the idea of customizing the firmness on my side of the bed. O.K., o.k…. so I’m big on control!! A few weeks ago I noticed my side was loosing air. I found the phone number for customer service on their About Us page who advised me I needed to figure out whether the leak was caused by the pump or the mattress. So, following their directions, I disconnected the air hose from the pump and jammed a AA battery to plug the hose. It’s a slow leak, so it’s taken about 2 weeks to realize the mattress is the problem. Doofie, my cat loves to do that kneading thing. I suspect that’s the cause. If she had just kneaded in one of our luxury cat beds, instead! Do you suppose one of those tire tube repair kits will fix my mattress?