If your Kitten Were a Puppy: Why Your Cat Needs Furniture
When a person adopts a puppy, they know there will be a period of time when that puppy will need training and time to learn how to become a great dog. Sacrifice is made in an area (usually the kitchen) where potty training will be done and your puppy will do his "duty" inside your home as you teach him to go outside. You will buy chew toys to aid in teething, but a table leg might get chewed on in the process. Through this period, you have patience and the understanding that you're teaching your puppy the rules and expectations needed for that pup to become a great dog.
Have you ever thought of it the same way with your kitten? It seems the thinking is as long as the little guy knows where the litter box is, there’s not much more you can do. After all, cats are independent right? Wrong!
Why your cat needs a cat tree
While cats are more independent than dogs, they are still dependent on you. A dog will greet you at the door when you come home and always try to find a way to sit next to you as close as possible. A cat will come out of his slumber, casually walk over and say "hello."
Much like a dog, a cat is trainable and can be shown what is right and what is wrong. The consistent attention you give to a puppy in its first year is just as effective for a kitten. From using the litter box properly, to not scratching up the furniture and staying off the countertops and tables, these are all behaviors that can be easily taught.
In the first few weeks most pet owners keep the cat box out in the open to help guide the kitten’s usage, but what about feline enrichment? Is there a cat tree for scratching that is placed in the right area? Most times a couch or chair will get damaged because the cat furniture is too far away from where you sit. Despite their aloofness, cats do want to be by you. When you are sitting on that couch or chair, scratching it is a cat saying that you belong to them. Purrniture’s Basic Pedestal placed by where you hang out alleviates this problem.
Cat towers are necessary
Cat furniture must be large enough and stable for a cat to "want" to use it. The Basic Pedestal is enough to satisfy a kitten's need to scratch and perch, but it needs to be close to you and where you are. Sometimes more than one is needed. As your kitten grows into a cat their furniture can be consolidated into one larger piece, but it must always be in the areas where his people dwell.
Purrniture is unique cat furniture
A properly sized, properly placed piece of Purrniture will also stop your kitten’s "need" to jump on the countertops and tables. I have an Orbitor next to my kitchen table and my cat, Mr. Black, loves sitting on it while we all sit around the table. Thanks to training, he also knows the table itself is off limits.
Cat furniture should be a unique jungle gym for cats. A place that is theirs to do what they wish. A place up off the floor so they can keep a watchful eye on their territory.
As puppies go outside every day, kittens do not. With the dangers outdoors, felines should be "indoor" cats. That is another reason to stress the importance of an adequate piece of cat furniture. Cat furniture is the "outdoors" for a kitty, providing the exercise, excitement, and enjoyment that will keep them fit and happy. The more you engage your kitten, the more engaging your cat will be. Purrniture properly placed in your home, will mean less damage to your home and furniture.
While dogs are known as man’s best friend, there’s no question cats are as well. Give them what they need, so you can both live a stress-free life that strengthens your bond.
