Not Your Mom’s Cat Furniture

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Not so long ago, cat furniture consisted of cardboard boxes and poles wrapped in remnants of carpet.

These days, cat furniture can be found in a wide variety of shapes, styles and colors. From luxurious indoor tree houses fashioned from dragon wood and sprouting green silk leaves to heavy-duty compressed cardboard cutouts in the shape of tigers – the range of cat furniture knows no bounds.

No matter your customer’s taste or budget, you are likely to find a style that suits them and their pet.

Companies like Ware Manufacturing make innovative cat furniture that inspires the kitten in a cat. From the Kitty Skyscraper to the Kitty Popup Condo, there is plenty of inspiration in their wide range of furniture. The Cat Tower Hideout is 20.25 inches wide and reaches a height of 84 inches. Scratch resistant, high quality nylon makes for easy cleaning, and the unit can be hung from any location.

The Earthly Elements line of cat furniture uses a combination of elements that appeal to a cat’s senses. Sea grass and mahogany wood construction makes for cat furniture that is appealing to cats as well as to their owners’ pocketbook. It’s contemporary furniture with a natural look and feel.

Another group focused on natural elements is Pet Tree Houses in Sanford, Fla.

“Our focus is on bringing the outdoors in,” Joe DelRocco, founder of Pet Tree Houses, said. “We understand the instinctive nature in cats and focus on creating a habitat that is organic.”
While the pricing tends to be higher for many of their pieces, it’s indeed like having a living tree in your home. If your customer’s budgets don’t allow for higher-priced habitat, other options abound.

Affordable Prices

The Refined Feline has designed the Catemporary Cat Cover, which can be placed over a litter box. Constructed of a durable, waterproof, easy to clean corrugated plastic, this cover is designed to fit a large variety of litter trays and priced at a reasonable $24.99.

“Open litter trays are unattractive, odorous, and do not contain litter well when cats exit,” Josh Feinkind of The Refined Feline, said. “We designed the Catemporary Cat Cover to be both functional and appealing. Cat owners can hide litter trays inside this enclosure to contain odor and stray litter. By adorning the outside of the box with a choice of high quality decals, each can be personalized to an individual’s taste.”

Catty Stacks hit the stage last year with the simplest of designs that can be turned into the most complex. These simple cubes fashioned from high density cardboard are a hit among the most modern.

Pet Pals has created a line of cat furniture known as the “Black and White” line. This exotic looking lounging area is made from recycled paper products, merging environmentally conscious with practical.

This set of furniture comes with a wood frame, microsuede bed, and special color sisal to match any home. They can pick up a banana leaf hutch and scratcher fashioned from sea grass.

Not only is indoor furniture the new “in thing,” outdoor furniture is making its way onto the pet product stage with innovative designs from companies like Feline Furniture, who has designed a line of cat furniture specifically for outdoor cat enclosures.

Making an Evaluation

No matter which line of furniture you believe would work in your store, there are certain considerations that must be evaluated.

WorldWise has spent years studying the needs of cats and make selection of any of their products, including furniture, as easy as consulting their PetLinks System, which addresses a cats’ specific needs.

“All of our furniture and toys fall under one of 12 categories,” Shannon McWilliams, vice president of product development, Worldwise, said. “Each product has to sit under one of the basic needs, which include rest, privacy, hygiene, scratch, or exercise, etc. This helps educate consumers on the multiple needs of cats and assists the retailer in fueling additional sales.”