What do you get when a cat behaviorist and a cat-friendly environment designer team up to write a book? You get a colorful and informative guide to designing a happy and stylish home for your cat. Catification is written by Jackson Galaxy, the host of My Cat from Hell, and Kate Benjamin, the founder of the cat design website Hauspanther. Together they walk readers through a step-by-step process of designing an attractive home that is also an optimal environment for cats.
Catification is divided into two parts. Part one explains how cats are hard-wired with their senses honed as both predator and prey, overviews cat archetypes, breaks down what environments are most comfortable for cats based on their personalities, and introduces the concept of cat superhighways. Some content served as a review for me; the rest had me trying to define my cats and their needs. For example, based on the descriptions given of cat personalities, my one cat is a hostess, my second is a overthrower, and the third is a wallflower. When it comes to where they prefer to reside, my one is likely a beach dweller because she likes exploring and none are fridgers because they rarely hide in high places. The most important concept of Catification is that of cat superhighways or paths that allows cats to navigate rooms without touching the ground, and is the focus of the bulk of the book.
Part two provides real-life catification stories submitted from cat owners across the United States. Each example describes an original house layout, explains, why it wasn’t meeting the needs of the cats, and presents the various solutions found. Before and after photos are provided. Just as important, so are diagrams, lists of materials needed, and instructions. Finally, Jackson and Kate add their own critique, noting likes but also any concerns or suggestions of ways to extend the cat superhighway. One of my favorite stories is about a cat who guarded her window space so religiously that she attacked anyone who came near it including her owners. The owners called on Jackson and Kate for help. Simply by redesigning her space, so that it became an area of fun, they could break the cat of her pacing and help her become friendlier and more relaxed.
At first glance, Catification seemed impractical to me. I thought it would require my husband and I to alter our home to the point that it no longer functioned for us. Jackson and Kate stress that the design needs to work for the owners too. You’ll find that many redesigns build on structures already in place and are often artistic or practical. I thought the projects might cost too much or require handyman skills. Instead some projects came in under $25 and very few cost more than a couple hundred. In addition, while some of the fanciest projects were designed by those with craftsman skills, others were imagined by those with no previous Do-It-Yourself skills.
After a few peruses of Catification, I found myself eager to set aside time to try out some of the ideas in our home. For example, the barrier used to prevent the cats in one home from jumping onto a range hood might work for preventing our three from jumping into the upstairs banister. And maybe we could use glass to cover our Victrola top to protect it from scratches when the cats land on or leap off it. I love the idea of using large old flower pots for new hiding spaces and of using PVC pipes and fabric to create an activity gym. Catification is in my shopping cart; if you have cats in should be in yours too!
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November 3, 2017 at 9:52 am
I love this. What better way to make your home a fun place for your kitties. Brilliant.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. ☺
November 3, 2017 at 3:52 pm
I’ve been wanting to read Catification for a long time. Now that we have our own home, the redesign possibilities are endless. Have a purrfect weekend!