A cat moves in – and suddenly the question arises: How can one make their own apartment cat-friendly? Cats need more than food, water, and a cozy sleeping spot. They want to climb, play, observe, sharpen their claws, and retreat when needed.

With a few simple adjustments, a normal apartment can become a varied and safe home for your cat. In this article, you will learn what should not be missing in a cat-friendly apartment and what you should pay attention to when furnishing it.

Why should you make an apartment cat-friendly?

Cats are naturally curious and active animals. Even indoor cats want to pursue their natural behaviors. These include climbing, scratching, hunting, playing, and observing their surroundings.

A cat-friendly apartment therefore offers various opportunities for activity and at the same time provides sufficient retreats and security. Especially for indoor cats, a varied environment is important to prevent boredom.

A cat-friendly setup doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Often, a few targeted changes are enough.

1. A sturdy scratching post is essential equipment

A cat scratching post is almost indispensable in an apartment. Cats use it not only to groom their claws. Scratching also serves to mark their territory and express natural behaviors.

When choosing a scratching post, you should ensure that it:

• stands stably and cannot tip over
• offers sufficiently high scratching surfaces for stretching
• has various lying surfaces
• ideally has caves or retreats
• is placed in a location interesting for the cat

Scratching posts near a window are particularly popular. From there, your cat can observe its surroundings and at the same time have an elevated resting place.

2. Create several cozy retreats

Even if cats like to be in the middle of the action, they need regular rest. Therefore, several retreats should be available in a cat-friendly apartment.

Suitable options include:

• a cat cave
• a cozy cat bed
• a cardboard box
• an elevated lying surface
• a quiet spot on a shelf

It is important that the cat can decide for itself when it wants peace and quiet. Retreats should therefore ideally not be located directly in heavily trafficked areas of the apartment.

3. Utilize the height of the apartment

Cats don't exclusively live on the floor. Many animals love elevated spots from which they can survey their surroundings.

Those who want to furnish their apartment in a cat-friendly way should therefore also utilize the walls and the available room height. Wall shelves, climbing elements, or special cat walls create additional movement areas.

The individual elements must be securely fastened and arranged in such a way that the cat can safely get from one platform to the next.

Especially in small apartments, utilizing height is practical because it creates additional space for movement without occupying valuable floor space.

4. Set up a safe window perch

A window is like a personal entertainment program for many cats. Birds, people, cars, or leaves in the wind can provide exciting observations.

A safe window perch for cats should therefore not be missing in any cat-friendly apartment. A cushion on a wide windowsill can be enough. Alternatively, there are special window perches and cat hammocks.

Safety is particularly important here. Windows should be secured so that the cat cannot fall out or climb out. Tilted windows can also be dangerous for cats and should be secured accordingly.

5. Cat toys for exercise and entertainment

Even indoor cats need sufficient exercise and mental stimulation. Therefore, a varied selection of cat toys should be available.

Suitable examples include:

• teaser wands
• balls
• fabric mice
• crinkle tunnels
• puzzle toys
• food puzzles
• toys with different textures

Not all toys need to be constantly available. Often, cats find them more interesting if different toys are rotated regularly.

Shared playtime is also particularly valuable. Several short play sessions spread throughout the day provide exercise, entertainment, and shared time.

6. Set up a suitable feeding and drinking area

Food and water are, of course, basic necessities in a cat apartment. Nevertheless, the location of the bowls should be chosen consciously.

The feeding area should be:

• quiet and clean
• sufficiently far from the litter box
• easily accessible for the cat at all times
• cleaned regularly

Many cats enjoy drinking in different places in the apartment. Additional water bowls or a drinking fountain can therefore be a sensible addition.

If there are multiple cats in the household, there should be enough food, water, and retreat options so that the animals can use the available resources as stress-free as possible.

7. Properly place the litter box

The litter box is one of the most important components of a cat-friendly apartment. It should be placed in a quiet, easily accessible location and not directly next to the feeding area.

Cats want to be undisturbed when doing their business. A location in a heavily trafficked hallway or directly next to a noisy washing machine is therefore often less suitable.

A common rule of thumb for the number of litter boxes is: number of cats plus one additional litter box. For one cat, two litter boxes can therefore be useful.

Regular cleaning is also crucial. Cats are very clean animals and may avoid a heavily soiled litter box.

8. Check plants and potential hazards

An apartment can seem completely safe for humans and yet contain dangers for cats. Special attention should be paid to houseplants, as some popular plant species can be toxic to cats.

Before buying a new plant, it should therefore be checked whether it is suitable for cats.

Other potential hazards should also be checked:

• freely accessible cables
• small ingestible objects
• cleaning products
• medications
• sharp objects
• foods unsuitable for cats
• unsecured windows and balcony doors

Especially before a new cat moves in, a thorough safety check of the entire apartment is worthwhile.

9. Make the balcony cat-safe

If you have a balcony, you can make it a particularly interesting area for your cat. However, this requires that the balcony is made cat-safe.

A suitable cat net can prevent the cat from falling off the balcony or escaping. The attachment should be stable and suit the respective living situation.

Additionally, a sheltered resting place, elevated seating options, and cat-friendly plants can make the balcony even more attractive.

10. Create a small climbing and adventure area

A cat-friendly apartment does not have to look like a complete cat park. Even a few cleverly combined elements provide significantly more variety.

A possible combination is, for example:

Scratching post + wall perch + tunnel + window perch + cat toys.

This creates different areas for climbing, sleeping, observing, and playing.

The apartment becomes particularly interesting for cats if they can use different levels. However, care should always be taken to ensure that the jumping paths are safe and no objects can fall down.

11. Don't forget hidden retreats

Sometimes it's the inconspicuous places that cats particularly enjoy using. Under a bed, behind a sofa, or in a suitable open cupboard, popular retreats can emerge.

Of course, not every corner of the apartment has to be accessible. However, your cat should have some safe areas where it can retreat and sleep undisturbed.

Such retreats can be important, especially when visitors are present, unfamiliar noises occur, or changes happen in the apartment.

12. Regularly check safety

When it comes to cat-friendly apartment furnishing, it's not just about activity and comfort. Safety also plays a crucial role.

Therefore, regularly check:

• Are the scratching post and climbing elements still securely fastened?
• Are there freely accessible or damaged cables?
• Are windows and the balcony sufficiently secured?
• Are toxic plants within reach?
• Could small objects be swallowed?
• Are there places where the cat could get trapped?
• Are medications and cleaning products stored safely?

Ultimately, a cat-friendly apartment should not only be exciting but also, and above all, a safe living environment.

What should not be missing in a cat-friendly apartment?

Area	Useful Equipment
Sleeping	Cat bed, cave, and quiet retreats
Scratching	Sturdy scratching post and scratching board
Playing	Teaser wand, balls, tunnel, and puzzle toys
Climbing	Scratching post, wall shelves, and elevated lying surfaces
Observing	Secured window perch
Eating and Drinking	Suitable food and water bowls
Litter box	Litter box in a quiet location
Balcony	Cat net and safe lying areas
Safety	Secured windows and removed hazards

Conclusion: A cat-friendly apartment doesn't have to be complicated

Making an apartment cat-friendly does not mean turning the entire furnishing upside down. It is crucial that your cat has various opportunities for sleeping, playing, scratching, climbing, observing, and retreating.

Particularly important are a sturdy scratching post, cozy retreats, safe windows, varied cat toys, and suitable food, water, and litter box areas. Those who also utilize the height of the apartment and offer a safe balcony or window perch create even more variety.

Always observe your cat's individual preferences. While one cat enthusiastically climbs the highest scratching post, another may prefer a cozy cardboard box near the floor.

A truly cat-friendly apartment is therefore primarily an apartment in which your cat feels safe and can live out its natural needs as well as possible.