This month Dr. Jacqui writes about Feline Friendly Decorating

While a full remodel is not necessary for your furry feline companion, some simple decorating ideas can make your home a more comfortable abode for your cat and more resistant to feline wear and tear.

Creating a Comfortable Home for your Indoor Cat:
The Basic Necessities

Cats need resource stations for eating/drinking, resting, scratching and elimination.

• Provide an adequate number of resources: for each resource, minimally provide as many stations as you have cats, plus one additional station; so if you have 2 cats provide 3 litterboxes, 3 water/food stations, 3 scratching posts and 3 cat perches for resting.
• Avoid clustering the resources in one location; not only should the different resources be spread out (food /water should not be next to the litterbox) but resources in each category should be dispersed throughout the home. So three litterboxes should be placed in three separate stations throughout the home. Multi-level homes should attempt to offer the basic necessities on every level.

Specific tips for the resource stations:

• Eating/Drinking Stations: Make sure the bowls are well designed for your cat. Avoid narrow/deep bowls that squash the cat's whiskers with every sip. A great way to spread out feeding stations is to use the vertical space in your home. By elevating a bowl onto a shelf or counter, you can adequately spread out the food/water while keeping it in the same room (e.g. kitchen).
• Resting Stations: Ideally the resting perches should be elevated off the ground and just large enough for one cat to rest comfortably. Creative use of the vertical space in the home can result in lots of great perches to keep your cat happy, such as installing small shelves with soft covers at various heights or investing in cat trees with multi-level perches.
• Scratching: Cats are likely to stretch and scratch upon awakening from a nap. Therefore placing scratching posts near a cat's preferred resting station and well-traveled pathway is a good way to maximize your cat's use. Cats have individual preferences for scratching substrates and orientation (vertical/horizontal) so you may need to experiment with different options before you find your cat's personal favorite. Most cats prefer a sturdy scratching post that is tall enough for a full stretch.
• Elimination: Providing an attractive litterbox can help to prevent house-soiling. Litterboxes should be placed in easily accessible locations throughout the home. I suggest you use a large, uncovered litterbox with a high quality clumping litter, such as Fresh Step® with Odor-Eliminating Carbon. Daily scooping to remove solid waste and periodic complete box changes will help keep the box attractive.

Decorating to Prevent Damage:

Wise choices in furniture, flooring and window treatments can help to minimize cat damage to your home.

• Furniture often becomes a substitute scratching post for cats, creating unsightly damage to sofas and chairs made of fabric or upholstery. Therefore, if you get a material that doesn't allow the cat to dig its nails in, it is less likely to be used as a scratching target. Leather/suede or their manmade equivalents are good choices.
• Slick flooring surfaces such as hardwood, tile or linoleum make clean up of accidents easier. If you do have carpet, avoid light colored monotone styles. Patterned rugs hide stains well and always opt for the Scotchguard® protection, if offered.
• Avoid floor length window coverings, especially those that pool on the ground, as cats may scratch or rub up against them. Curtains often accumulate hair and are a chore to clean. Blinds make a good window covering alternative for households with pets.