Making a room for cats .. any ideas ?

Question

I am going to foster cats and kittens for the humane society .
i'm fixing up our extra room for them . I put in words like designing a room for cats .. etc . Need more ideas ..
anyone got any ?????

If you find pictures etc on the internet it would be aawsome to .

Need some fun ideas as well as practical ideas for huge dog cages for ones that are ill or have kittens.

I want to make it a fun cat room for them .

Answer 1

There are several inexpensive things you can make for your kitty foster children. For amusement, cardboard boxes with doors and windows cut out. Don't cut the windows right out, leave one side attached so that it will bend out or in. These can be spray painted for looks if you like. You can be very creative with these.
Make sure any play toys such as hanging pieces of material are made from natural material such as cotton. Man made fabrics are not digestible and can cause the cats to become sick.
Those milk crates(they measure about a foot square) can be lined with a pillow or pieces of carpet and stacked a couple high in different areas of the room for sleeping places.
If you have all adult cats, you can rub some catnip into a mat. Just sprinkle it over the mat and then gently brush over it so that it goes down inside. The cats will enjoy rubbing over it and or digging at it.
Hanging toys or material pieces on elastic is a great idea. It can give the cats hours of amusement. Some cats would also enjoy rolling around large bells. The round kind that is too large to fit in the cats mouth.
Pompoms made from cotton yarn are also great. The will bat them around, chase them, toss them...
Paper bags can also be great fun for a cat. Just open the bag and lay it on the floor and they are likely to end up in it rolling it around or playing peekaboo with the other cats.

Answer 2

I have always wanted to make this for my sisters cat..

Create a walk way around the room up high with some platforms to lounge on. That way another cat could pass by. I would use sturdy "L" brackets and boards that are at least 12" wide. Start at the floor with a ramp, put some little 1x1/4" strips for traction. Don't you know they would love it. At least I think so. I've seen this at a cat hotel, one of those really pricey places.

Have a TV with animal planet going. my calico loved to watch the bird specials.

Plenty of hanging stuff to bat around. A fabric tunnel to dart through. My small dogs loved their old tunnel. I got the childrens one at IKEA.

Of course the walls must be covered up to a chair rail with commercial grade carpet for their delight in scratching any where the mood catches them.

Have I gone on too long.. ha ha I love animals.


ADDED NOTE: I would screen in the upper walk way so that no one takes a dive. Some bird netting from the nursuery will hold back a large cat.

Answer 3

Thanks for donating your time and energy to help the animals!!!

Some shelters, or their counterparts, offer cages for the foster parents; you might ask; a lot of times people bring them to drop off with the animal. If not, go to second hand stores, garage sales or look in the paper for used kennels. Carpet stores, a lot of times, have left over scraps and samples to give out, ask for remnants and use them to build kitty condos or staple them to 4x4 poles for them to climb. I've also seen the carpet half way up the wall since they LOVE to scratch. Go to pet stores and get some ideas on styles of kitty condos you like and are able to copy, buy some lumber and build it yourself. IT'S A LOT CHEAPER! Build shelves by the windows so they can keep warm in the sun or just look outside. My cats LOVE large, squishy, stuffed animals (my daughters large duck) to sleep on, as well as pillows and blankets with faux fir. You can purchase some at your local fabric store and/or go to the goodwill store and maybe find some stuff there. With foster's you never know how they behave so you might not want to spend a lot of money since some have a habit of not being too well potty trained (boys spray) or they spit up, etc. If it's cheap, you can just throw it away. I have seen people building shelves near the ceiling so they can climb and look down on the world but the problem with that is, again, they might make a mess up there that you may not find for quit a while. My cats also like to chase things: flashlites, fish in the fishtank, wands with fuzzy's on the end. I've tied rubber bands together and attached toys to one end and the other end to the ceiling or door knob, it keeps them occupied for a long time. Use krinkly paper (like the potato chip bags) to make toys with fabric scraps.
The best investment for your money is the electric cat boxes!!! After each use it will scoop it into a box (which can be emptied and reused a few times before it falls apart) If you are fostering a number of cats it will be a lot easier on you so you won't have to empty the litter box two times a day or more (depending on your load) When cleaning it MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET IT WET!

Cats are EASY to please. The most important thing with foster cats is to give them love and attention. If they are feral kittens, they need the most hands on loving; to break the hissy modes and to prepare them for their next home. It takes time for these little ones but they do break down eventually if you're consistant.

Thanks for helping out the little (and big) ones. Good luck and remember, you have to let them go...that's always my hardest part.