If, like me, you’re the proud owner of a pampered pet, you’ll probably have faced this issue. Cat beds and scratching posts are mostly pretty ugly and hardly ever fit into the décor of a room. But, it’s just not very sociable to leave kitty’s bed tucked away where you can’t see him, and your cat loves being in the same warm lounge as you.
So, do you submit to the shaggy faux fur monstrosity in a choice of electric blue or magenta? Or perhaps the paw-print fleece? Fear not, while pet shops might tend to stick to the same old choices, there are thankfully some funky designers out there who’ve thought about modern style on a small scale.
If you want to splash out and treat your cat to a good-looking contemporary cocoon or a walnut Eames-inspired lounger (or rather, yourself, as your kitty won’t really care what his bed looks like, just how cosy it feels) these items of feline furniture will look as good in your home as the human-size pieces do.
Suite by Forma Italia, POA
pEi Kitty, $129 (£80). pEi Pods are sleek egg-shaped cocoons made from durable, safe and recyclable plastic.
Handmade wool cat cave in orange, £34.88 from Grazim on Etsy
The ‘Cat Capsule’ by Christian Ghion
The Canopy Lounge in orange, $550 (£348.79) by CANOPYstudio on Etsy
Buddha Perch (from $70) and Itch Step (from $50) by Square Cat Habitat
Upcycled suitcase bed with pedestal base, $129 (£81.81) from AtomicAttic on Etsy
CatCase, €1249 (£1015), CatCube, €349 (£284), and CatLedge, €129 (£105), from UrbanCatDesign
Day bed ($595) and Series Two Feeder ($130), available in bamboo, maple, douglas fir, cherry or black walnut, by Vurv Design
Unfortunately, it appears most stylish pet furniture has to be shipped over from sellers in the USA. It makes sense, as their cat nutter population must outnumber ours in the UK, but there are plenty of EU sellers creating some cool furniture for cats, too. Keep an eye on moderncat.net to find the best pet pressies worldwide.
When it comes to it, you’re not really spending hundreds of pounds on classy cat furniture for your pet. All he wants is some shelves, a cardboard box and a fleece, and he’ll still be happy as Larry. If you don’t have a big budget, you can make a creative space for cats just by arranging some (sturdily supported!) short shelves at various heights, and leaving them clear. They’ll soon have some live ornamentation! Plus, moderncat.net has some great DIY projects for cat furniture if you fancy getting creative…
