A Cat-Friendly Home Guide: Preparing, Moving and Settling In

A cat-friendly home is about quality, not size. Plan your space based on the number of cats, ensuring each has room to eat, sleep, scratch, play, and access enough litter boxes.

Use vertical space with cat trees, shelves, or catwalks to encourage climbing and perching. A well-designed environment supports natural behaviours, reduces stress, and helps prevent behavioural problems.

The kitchen and bathroom can contain numerous safety hazards for curious cats, and every cat owner should be aware of them. Particular attention should be paid to hot stovetops and open ovens, as well as washing machines and refrigerators, which are among the most common causes of household accidents. In addition, dangerous liquids, sharp objects, and the majority of common houseplants can cause injury or poisoning.

Whenever possible, eliminate these hazards to create a safer environment. For example, if you have an electric stove, placing a pot of water on a burner that remains hot after cooking can help prevent your cat from accidentally stepping onto the hot surface.

Windows provide valuable enrichment for indoor cats but can be dangerous if left unsecured. Install window guards or safety nets to prevent falls, especially in high-rise apartments.

Tilted windows are particularly hazardous, as cats can become trapped, causing serious injury or even death.

Once your windows are cat-safe, add a windowsill perch so your cat can safely watch the outside world. If you have a balcony, ensure it is fully enclosed to create a safe outdoor space for sunbathing and explo See our guide on how you can cat-proof your balcony here.

Cats are naturally clean animals and need suitable litter boxes to feel comfortable. Provide one litter box per cat, plus one extra, and place them in quiet, accessible areas away from food and sleeping spaces. Use large litter boxes with fine, soft litter, and scoop waste daily to keep them clean.

If you have multiple litter boxes, place them in different locations rather than side by side, giving your cat a choice.

If your cat starts urinating outside the litter box, consult your veterinarian first to rule out medical conditions such as urinary tract disease. If no health problem is found, stress or changes in the home may be the cause. A qualified feline behaviourist can help identify and resolve the underlying issue.

Cats prefer to eat in a quiet, safe place where they won't be disturbed. Feed your cat in the same location each day and offer several small meals rather than one large one, reflecting their natural feeding behaviour. Provide a balanced, varied diet, and remove wet food before it spoils.

Fresh water should always be available and placed away from the food bowl, as many cats prefer to drink from a separate location. drinking fountains can also be an effective way to encourage increased water intake.

Cats that live exclusively indoors should also have access to cat grass or an anti-hairball cat paste. These help remove hair swallowed during grooming, either by passing it through the digestive tract or by allowing it to be expelled through vomiting.

Scratching is a natural behaviour that helps cats maintain their claws, mark territory, stretch their muscles, and express normal behaviour. Without suitable scratching surfaces, they may damage furniture, carpets, or other household items.

Provide sturdy scratching posts and, ideally, a multi-level cat tree that allows your cat to climb, scratch, perch, and explore. Adding shelves or other elevated spaces creates an even more enriching environment and encourages natural climbing behaviour.

Cats feel safest in high places where they can rest and observe their surroundings. Provide shelves, cat trees, or other elevated spaces, ensuring they are stable and free from breakable items.

Create comfortable perching spots on your cat's favourite shelves, leaving enough room to curl up and rest. Connecting shelves or arranging them at different heights encourages climbing, exploration, and natural behaviour while making the most of your home's vertical space.

Cats choose their own sleeping spots, so provide a variety of comfortable resting places throughout your home. Warm, quiet locations with soft bedding, such as a blanket, towel, or a resting place above a radiator, are often favourites.

Cats also feel secure in enclosed spaces, such as open drawers or covered beds, where they can hide and relax. Always check these spaces before closing drawers or moving furniture.

Offer several resting areas, including cosy spots for warmth and elevated or secluded places where your cat can retreat and sleep undisturbed.

Most indoor cats will soon become interested in what lies on the other side of the front door, since their owner keeps disappearing through it! If your cat learns to operate the door handle, we recommend replacing it with a doorknob. Many cats also like to lurk behind the door, then slip out quickly between a human’s legs. Please be ready for these sophisticated escape attempts when coming home, especially if the front door is open. Internal doors, on the other hand, should be left open as much as possible, because cats simply cannot stand confined spaces! 

In the wild, cats are natural hunters and curious explorers. Because opportunities to hunt insects or other prey are limited indoors, it is the owner's responsibility to provide play that satisfies these natural instincts.

Interactive play sessions should encourage cats to express their instinctive hunting behaviours, including stalking, chasing, pouncing, and catching their "prey." Providing these opportunities not only offers physical exercise but also helps keep cats mentally stimulated and enriched.

Before moving, make sure your cat is microchipped and their registration details are up to date. If they escape during the move, this gives them the best chance of being returned safely.

If your cat goes outdoors, keep them indoors the day before moving. While packing, leave one quiet room unchanged for as long as possible, giving your cat a familiar place to retreat until the last minute.

Introduce the cat carrier well before moving day so your cat is comfortable using it. A familiar carrier makes travelling to the new home much less stressful.

Moving day is usually very unsettling, with lots of activity and upheaval. You have two options to help manage your cat’s stress levels: 

Option 1: Keep your cat in the old home until everything else has been moved. Prepare a quiet, secure room where they can relax while boxes and furniture are removed from the rest of the house. Provide all of their essentials, including their usual bed, scratching post, toys, litter tray, food, and water. Leaving the carrier in the room also gives your cat an additional safe place to hide. Keep the door closed at all times, and if friends, family, or professional movers are helping, place a clear note on the door so no one accidentally lets your cat out.

Option 2: Place your cat in its carrier inside the car or moving van. This is often a quieter environment and prevents your cat from escaping while you and your removal team have unrestricted access to the house. If you choose this option, ensure the vehicle remains at a comfortable temperature throughout the move, avoiding both excessive heat and cold.

On arrival, prepare a quiet room for your cat before letting them out of the carrier. A bathroom, spare room, or other low-traffic area is ideal. Set up familiar items, including their bed, litter tray, food, water, scratching post, and toys, then allow them to explore the room while keeping all doors and windows securely closed.

Keep your cat in this safe room until the move is complete and there is no risk of escape. Once everything is quiet, let them explore the rest of the home gradually at their own pace. Some cats settle quickly, while others may hide for a few days. Make sure your cat continues to eat, and contact your veterinarian if they refuse food.