Is your apartment big enough for a cat?

If you live in a small apartment or condo, your kitty can adapt to your digs and thrive in cozy living quarters. Here are some tips to help you position your litter box and keep kitty happy in smaller living spaces.

“Cats can be perfectly happy in small spaces,’’ says cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy. “It’s not about the size of the space. It’s what you do with it.”

Your home's square footage is not at all the key to the question of pet housing. What is important is that you as a cat parent take the time to dish out copious amounts of love and attention while creating an enriching environment for your furry friend at the same time.

That means making a cat’s living space bigger than just the floor by taking advantage of your apartment’s vertical and cubic space, including areas behind and around furniture. Equipping that valuable real estate with items such as cat trees and other accessories and using engaging cat toys can help you create a fascinating feline playground in your tiny apartment. 

Galaxy calls it "catifying' the house." 

For example, a 680-square-foot apartment with eight-foot ceilings offers 5,440 square feet of cubic space that, if used creatively, can be transformed into a safe and entertaining territory for your cat.

Cats are curious creatures and need adequate stimulation to keep them happy and healthy indoors. Typically, cats get that much-needed stimulation while outdoors climbing trees, chasing bugs, and scampering under bushes. 

Since your cats will be spending most of their time indoors in your apartment, however, you’ll need to find ways to mimic outdoor stimuli to satisfy your cat’s instinctive predatory behaviors and keep them content, the experts say. 

To create a feline-friendly environment in your small space, try these ideas:

• Find the ideal spot for your cat’s litter box.

   With so many styles and sizes available, you can find the perfect box to suit your apartment and blend with your décor. Whatever box you and your cat love, be sure to put it in a quiet-but-accessible spot away from other pets, food, or laundry machines. And keep it clean to avoid offensive odors in a small space.

• Mount a cat hammock 

  in a window or place a cat tree near a sliding glass door. Your cat will appreciate the abundance of sunshine and enjoy having a front-row seat to the outdoors—especially if a bird feeder hangs enticingly nearby.

• Provide your kitty with scratching posts. 

  Not only do scratching posts enable your cat to sharpen his claws, but they also entice him to exercise in a way that’s similar to the activity he would get if he were outside scaling trees. Modkat's Scratcher Lounge lets your cat alternate between safe clawing activities and resting on an inviting surface.

• Give them a small dose of the outdoors

   by providing access to an enclosed balcony if you have one. If it’s not enclosed, be sure to harness the cat to prevent escape or injury.

• Use toys that stir excitement

   and motivate your cat to employ her hunting instincts. Laser pointers can mimic a skittering bug and a wire with cardboard attachments on either end—called a Cat Dancer—simulates flying insects or birds. Both require little more than your time and playful skills.

• Install shelving on the walls

   with bridges and landings that allow your cat to explore, dangle, and perch for a bird's-eye view of his surroundings.

• Try a cat exercise wheel.

   Similar in shape to the small wire wheels that entertain pocket pets for hours, a cat exercise wheel is like a treadmill for the four-footed athlete. OneFastCat.Com sells one of the most affordable and elegant of these devices, and with some patient training, your cat can enjoy a high-energy workout.

• Place food and water bowls away

   from high foot-traffic areas so your cat can eat and drink in a place where he feels safe and secure.

• Create a private space

   for your cat to retreat. Although cats in the wild are social creatures, they do on occasion desire a confined space to be alone. Cardboard boxes with cut-outs make great hideaways even in small apartments.

Don’t let the fear of sharing a cramped space keep you from reaping the benefits of cat companionship. With patience and creative thinking, you can create a home that allows you and your feline friend to live happily and harmoniously! 

Shop the Modkat litter boxes and accessories to freshen up your cat litter area today!