A cat furniture condo is a very popular item among the feline set, especially for those cats who spend their time indoors. Since a kitty condo is a large investment, it's important for an owner to choose the best kitty cat furniture possible for the money. Quality and safety issues are important.
What Humans Want In Kitty Cat Furniture
Stability is probably what most cat owners are looking for. A quality cat furniture condo won't tip over or collapse when a kitty leaps on it while running at full speed. It will also hold up if a toddler or small child decides to join in the fun with Kitty.
It's important to know how much the piece weighs, and what the maximum weight load is. The safest cat furniture condo is strong enough to support the weight of a full-grown adult.
Ease of assembly is important, too. What happens if a move is in the offing? The kitty cat furniture should be easy to assemble and disassemble. It should put together with long wood screws, or even better, lag bolts. Avoid any furniture that's nailed together. It's not possible to take it apart, and the nails pull out much more easily than do long wood screws.
Avoid cat furniture condos that are manufactured from treated wood, landscape posts, particle board, oriented strand board (OSB) or cardboard. Kitty cat furniture constructed from these products doesn't hold up as well as cat furniture built from wooden plywood and kiln-dried, milled lumber. Treated wood is toxic to cats, while landscape timbers can warp, crack, or twist within a few months. Particle board and OSB sometimes give off formaldehyde fumes, which are unsafe for both felines and their owners.
Check on what glue, if any, has been used to glue joints together. Some glues are toxic, so it's important that only glues that are non-toxic to cats be used. Avoid kitty condos that are glued together, as the joints can loosen, and pop apart over time. Using glue along with long wood screws results in a much more durable joint.
Eye appeal is another point to consider. Choose kitty cat furniture that blends in with the existing couch and chairs. It would be a shame to have to replace the kitty condo in a year because the owner is tired of looking at it. Cats don't really care what color it is, so avoid a bright red castle, and choose something that's easier on the eyes.
Which Kitty Condo Would the Cat Choose?
Cats love to climb, so a floor-to-ceiling kitty jungle gym would be heaven to a feline. A kitty perch up high is essential so that feline royalty can survey the kingdom from a lofty vantage point. Cats are also attracted to small, dark hiding places, so a cave-like enclosure that Kitty can peep out of, while still thinking she's hidden, would be a big hit.
One or more cat scratching posts are a great addition to a kitty condo. Sisal scratching posts seem to be the standard. Only unoiled sisal should be used, as it contains no toxins. A catnip scratching post would definitely get Kitty's attention, but catnip spray is a good substitute if one isn't available.
Kitty would appreciate batting at toys dangling from different locations on the kitty condo. Be sure the strings are short enough that the feline can't get tangled up in them, with potentially deadly consequences. A cat has about the same intelligence level as a two- or three-year-old child, so it's important to protect a feline from hazards in the environment.
Keeping these tips in mind when choosing a kitty condo will result in both Kitty and her owner being satisfied with the cat furniture condo for a long time.
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Choosing Quality Cat Furniture - 6 Important Factors
Darlene Norris - Darlene Norris is a cat-lover who has been owned by many kitties over the years. She was employed as an assistant manager at an animal ...
