How I "Catified" My Small, Rented Apartment | Lola The Rescued Cat
Monday, December 14, 2020

How I "Catified" My Small, Rented Apartment

I have always been envious of people who can create the ultimate catifed environment, complete with perches, shelves, and superhighways. I always thought Lola and Lexy could not have a catified home because I live in a rental and I'm not able to make any permanent changes. Well, I was wrong! When I was at Cat Camp NYC last year, I attended a presentation given by the fabulous Kate Benjamin of Hauspanther entitled "Catification Challenge: How to Catify When You Rent."

Kate's presentation inspired me to write a post about catifying small, rented spaces. After drafting the post, I decided to take it a step further and make changes to my own apartment to show our readers that it can be done. Read on to see how I catified my rented apartment.

Catify small rented spaces


When you catify your home, you are making changes that meet your cat's needs but that are also aesthetically pleasing to you. As I delved into this project, I realized I really did need to make some changes for Lola and Lexy's needs to be met.

Disclaimer: I'm going to be getting real here and taking you behind the scenes. Some things will be embarrassing, but so be it. Please be nice!


How I Cafitied My Small, Rented Apartment


Before


This was our litter box situation. Years ago the box was in the bathroom, but because that didn't work out very well I had to place it in a corner in the living room. 

Catify small rented spaces


This set up was not ideal for any of us. When I needed to get into that bookcase (which I often do), I had to move the box. This situation also led to some litter box stalking. If one of the girls approached the other in the box, they were "boxed" in (no pun intended) and had nowhere to go because the cat tree blocked an escape route. 

Catify small rented spaces


This corner on the other side of the room was not very functional, and we had that ratty scratcher that drove me crazy.  


Catify small rented spaces


This side of the love seat was also blocked as an escape route because I was using it for storage. (Apartment dwellers utilize every inch of available space possible!) 


Catify small rented spaces


Lexy did not approve, that's for sure. 


Catify small rented spaces


One of Lola's favorite places has always been on top of the curio. She loves to sit up there and watch what Lexy and I are up to. Before I bought the cabinet that is curretly next to it, I had a smaller one which was easier for Lola to jump up on and then make her way to the curio. This new cabinet is higher, and a little bit of a struggle for both her and Lexy to get up on. I didn't want them to get hurt, so I had to figure something out. 

Catify small rented spaces


After


The first thing I addressed was the cabinet area. I created my own superhighway for the girls by first placing the Feline Meow House by Petique next to the cabinet. This created an additional area they could use to jump up onto the cabinet without struggling. 

Catify small rented spaces

 
The Meow House is great because it is multifunctional. In addition to being a staple in our modified superhighway, it also serves as a scratcher and a hideaway. Lexy loves it!

Catify small rented spaces


I placed a sisal remnant on the cabinet to add another scratching surface, and to prevent the girls from sliding when running and jumping. 


Catify small rented spaces


The next problem to tackle was the litter box area. I moved the box to the other side of the room and created a litter box privacy zone with some great PetFusion Products. 

Catify small rented spaces


This is much better for all of us. The girls have plenty of room, they can get out of the box quickly if the other decides to stalk, and if I need to get into the bookcase I only have to move the screen to the side. 

Catify small rented spaces


Visitors don't even know there is a litter box hiding back there! 

I replaced the ratty old scratcher with a MaxScratch Post & Perch by Hauspanther. Everything in that corner matches nicely, and the girls love their new scratcher. 

Catify small rented spaces


The item that was the most difficult to replace was the cat tree.  I needed a tree that was open on the bottom so I could create a clear passageway from one side of the room to the other behind the love seat. The other requirement was that the shelves needed to be about the same height as the existing tree because they were at the exact spots that gave the girls an optimal view from the window. 

I measured and re-measured, and looked at the specs of probably 100 scratchers online. I went back to the notes I took at Kate's presentation and realized that my best bet would be a floor to ceiling cat tree. I fell in love with the Contempo Cat Elevation-II, but it was a little out of my price range. That didn't stop me from wishing, though. 

This fall I had the good fortune of winning the Fear Free Pets Special Award in the Cat Writers' Association's Annual Communications Contest, which came with a monetary prize. Now the girls and I were able to get the cat tree of our dreams! 

Catify small rented spaces


I cleared out the junk from behind the loveseat and the girls now have a clear passageway from one side to the other. (I decluttered a lot of that stuff and was able to consolidate it to one bin that fits in the closet.)

Catify small rented spaces


The Elevation-II is totally customizable, and I was able to place perches at almost the exact same heights as the old cat tree. 


Catify small rented spaces



Lola and Lexy love sitting there and watching the world. 


Catify small rented spaces



I love having a sleek and stylish cat tree that the girls love. I've played around with different configurations, and I think I finally have the one that works the best. 

Note: Lola The Rescued Cat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

A Few Additional Things


Once the major changes were out of the way, I added a couple of extra fun things. I brought a little bit of the outdoors in by buying a cat grass planter


Catify small rented spaces


This Cat Crib makes the empty space under my end table a fun cat hang out. 


Catify small rented spaces



I'm very happy with the end result of my catification project. My living space is much more functional for Lola and Lexy, meeting their needs in a better way and making them happier. And my apartment doesn't scream "crazy cat lady" when you walk in. It's stylish and pleasing, and overall very comfortable. It's a win for all three of us! 

Catification doesn't have to be a major, fancy project with lots of shelves and bridges drilled into your walls. Out of the box thinking, mixed with a little creativity, can make any environment catified (while still being stylish) in no time. 


Catify small rented spaces
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If you'd like some additional ideas for making your home exciting for your cat, check out my posts on enrichment

Have you catified your home? Tell us about it in the comments. And we'd love it if you'd share your photos on our Facebook page. 

Dawn

Would you like to comment?

  1. That is such a thoughtful design and so pretty! Every time I try to catify, I get overwhelmed just thinking about it - this post helped, a little at a time, think it through and test it out with the kittes. Thanks!

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  2. You did such a wonderful job and everything looks purrfect!

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  3. Meow! That looks like a great apartment for two kitties indeed. Excellent!

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  4. That worked out beautifully for your kitties! They look like they are really happy with it, too!

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  5. You did a pawsome job in your apartment, paws up ! Purrs

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  6. I hope this post becomes an award winner. You did a great job catfying. Your girls are lucky. XO

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  7. Amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it. Things I hadn't thought of here. . . .

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  8. We love how you made "your" apartment the cats' apartment too!

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  9. You did a really great job and the girls obviously love it.

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  10. What a great job you did on Catification of a small space! We purrticularly like the cat tree! That would have been purrfect for the Apartment we had in Richmond. We are glad we don't have that problem now..however we do need a new cat tree and one like that would be perfect!
    Purrs
    Marv, Jo Jo, Kozmo, Cnnamon and Barb

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  11. I like what Shelter Cats said and I will say the same. You thought like a cat!

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  12. We really like your set up. Dad has been promising to get us more fun stuff. We can run in a big circle around the big fire place but he says he wants more for us. I see some boxes and he has ordered a second cat tree

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  13. Great job! Maybe you've lit a fire under Mom Paula to get her home office cleaned out and catify the room.

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  14. Great ideas!
    Thought about a screen for Sweetie's litter box today, since it's in my 'office'.

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  15. What a great transformation! That is some thoughtful and grade-A catification!

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  16. I LOVE this so much, great job! Happy Cats, Happy Life!

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  17. It looks great. Love the new tree....we are going to suggest it to people who ask about our ladder.

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  18. These are great tips and can even be applied to bigger spaces. I love that cat tree too!

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