The first thing a cat owner should know about home décor is to keep it simple. Cats are completely convinced that they are in charge, that the house and its possessions belong to them, and that they have every right to break rip or shred anything they like. Even a well trained cat (a possible oxymoron) will occasionally get overzealous, and with an inadvertent sweep of their tail will knock your favorite decoration from its place to a pile on the floor.
This disregard for your possessions, overt or otherwise, requires that you use some strategy when deciding on the placement of various decorative pieces. This is going to amount basically to common sense. Any surface that a cat can reach, they will walk on. Therefore low shelves or dressers should not contain any objects that are fragile. Items should be moved towards the middle of a surface, or back against the wall, to prevent them being knocked onto the floor. Items that have a broad or sturdy base should replace other more top heavy objects. Decorative accents that can shatter, such as ceramics or stone statues, may have to be replaced by steal or wood.
One way to display fragile items is to move them up. High shelves that are isolated from cat "stepping stones" will be out of dangers way. The same may be true of tall dressers, although unfortunately some cats will take a tall isolated dresser as a personal challenge, which they simply have to climb. Your décor will have to be matched to the personality of your cat.
Mirrors can also provide a problem, as some cats tend to attack their own reflection. If your cat has a problem with this, buying velvet or satin cloth and draping it over the mirror can be a decorative way to solve this.
Plants can be one of the biggest décor problems a cat owner will face. Your pet can chew on leaves, dig in the soil, or urinate in them. Luckily, there are ways both to decorate around these problems as well as to train your cat out of them. For biting and chewing of leaves, a natural spray repellent applied to the plant will cause most cats to avoid it. To stop a cat from rooting in or excreting in your plant you have to realize that the dirt in the pot is reminiscent of the cats litter box. In order to change this, use stones or gravel to fill over the top of the dirt. This will remove the cat's fascination with the soil, and can be a lovely decorative accent to your plant
Cat grass is a special kind of plant you can grow in your home that is specifically formulated to be safe for felines, and to provide them with certain vitamins they may be lacking. Purchasing this can give your cat an acceptable alternative to messing with your plants. When you see your cat eating the cat grass, reward them lavishly. When you see them going near other plants, pick them up and place them in front of the cat grass. If they eat the offered vegetation, then reward them. In this way you can use positive reinforcement to turn one behavior into another
Cats will scratch anything which is made of cloth, including couches, drapes, and pillows. Because of this, you may want to start by spraying natural cat repellent on your more attractive pieces. A plastic couch cover may have to be used for a short time while the cat learns to behave itself. Buying your pet a scratching post and praising it for scratching that instead of your couch is a good way to positively reinforce the negative behavior out of the cat. You will have to carefully monitor their progress, and only remove protective coverings from your furniture when you are sure they are safe.
While cats are a hazard to most décor, planning ahead can minimize these problems. Cats are so difficult to train that it is often easier to simply decorate around them. Using common sense, and paying attention, should allow you to develop a setting that compliments your pet owning experience.
Joey Lewitin is one of the authors that adds home decorating and design advice to the resource section of http://pebblez.com
Congratulations on your choice to bring home a West Highland... Read More
Still remember that very moment when you first laid your... Read More
Pets are people, too. At least, that's the way they... Read More
The greatest benefits of ownership is knowing that your property... Read More
1. Accidents and medical emergencies in the home happen frequently.... Read More
Horse owners who are history buffs may recognize the name... Read More
We all know that good food, a loving home and... Read More
Your dog's health is a very important part of overall... Read More
If you are thinking of adding a feline to your... Read More
Aren't they cute? Yes, they are! A nest of meowing... Read More
Which is the noisiest species of all? Nope, not the... Read More
This is an old saying that many of us have... Read More
When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small... Read More
If you're looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, it's hard... Read More
As you likely know already, horses have at least 10... Read More
Selecting a Kitten It is best to choose your... Read More
Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can... Read More
Have you ever thought about what you need to do... Read More
Just as humans allergies can show up as a sneeze... Read More
If you are seriously considering keeping fish as pets or... Read More
Thanks to Disney's Motion Picture 'Finding Nemo,' almost everybody is... Read More
Can Your Dog Stomach This?There's an old adage that says... Read More
While a bird is an easy pet to care for,... Read More
Dogs should be living to age 20 or more. That's... Read More
Some people have horses they don't dare tie. Why? Because... Read More
In the animal kingdom there is a pecking order. Richard... Read More
If you are keeping tetras, chances are you are breeding... Read More
Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and... Read More
Which kind is your pet? The pooch who is the... Read More
Purebred dogs of all breeds can be found in shelters,... Read More
It is very important to decide whether to keep your... Read More
Have you ever been to a dog kennel and listen... Read More
Who let the dogs out?Remember this song which gave birth... Read More
Mum, dad, can we get a puppy? Its a plea... Read More
Puppy crate training is one of the most effective ways... Read More
Now that you're dog has shown you so much love... Read More
Dogs are a fantastic edition to any family but like... Read More
It is entirely normal to look for signs of intelligence... Read More
Sadly, there are several household items which we tend to... Read More
Dogs and kids, it's a combination that at it's best... Read More
Most parrot people are aware of some of the basic... Read More
It is always sad when a beloved animal family member... Read More
Cat arthritis is not a very common ailment among healthy... Read More
Flea control can be a very hard thing to do... Read More
Dogs, especially young dogs are very playful by nature.Play provides... Read More
OriginDo you know that the adorable little puppy you bought... Read More
The aim of a Westie rescue centre such as the... Read More
A pet can be as important a member of the... Read More
Aggression behavior in a dog is a normal form of... Read More
Purebred dogs of all breeds can be found in shelters,... Read More
Dog's come in all shapes and sizes ? out of... Read More
While excitement and anticipation will be at the top of... Read More
Dog arthritis is one of the most common diseases that... Read More
There is nothing more adorable than a new puppy. Large... Read More
For some 25 years I have alerted the public to... Read More
Is your dog a gentleman or lady? If so, you... Read More
You can't imagine the kind of varieties of Goldfish there... Read More
Talk to the animals?Yes.And what's more, they talk to us!If... Read More
The treatment for heartworms is different for cats and dogs.... Read More
Let me begin by saying that I am not an... Read More
Let's think about this for a minute: God did not... Read More
Dog TrainingSo, we've got a new best friend that needs... Read More
If you're like me, then you don't really have the... Read More
Adding a new member to your feline family is usually... Read More
As pets go hamsters are fairly easy to take care... Read More
A puppy wanting to chew makes you want to scream!... Read More
Pet |