I saw hundreds–if not thousands–of cat beds at the pet expo, almost every one the same as the last. But when I passed by the FurHaven booth, this new offering caught my attention. It’s the Cat Cave, made of soft MicroSuede fabric and available in three mod color combos, cream/chocolate, light blue/chocolate, and cream/celery. The asymmetrical shape and soft faux fur edging make it irresistible for kitty to curl-up inside and take a nice toasty nap. (I know I said no faux fur, but this is tastefully done!)

The Cat Cave is so new that it is not yet on the FurHaven website, but it is currently available at various independent retailers in the U.S., including Pet Supplies Plus, Superpetz, and Petland.

There are still a few more litter-related finds from the pet expo that I have to share with you. This one is the Kitty A Go-Go designer litter box. I was excited to finally see one of these in person, and was particularly delighted by some of its innovative features. This is not just an ordinary covered litter box, the Kitty A Go-Go has a pullout drawer with a unique sifter rake for pulling waste to the front of the drawer–features that make it easy to access the litter for cleaning and refilling. The litter tray also comes with a replaceable plastic liner.

The cover has hidden handles, as well as air vents. My favorite thing about this litter box is that it comes with a matching scoop that hangs conveniently in its own little spot on the back of the box. That’s always such a problem, what to do with the scoop! Why not make it part of the design? Good thinking!

The Kitty A Go-Go comes in a variety of designer patterns. Available at Amazon.

At the expo, I visited the crew from West Paw Design who just added some cute cat toys to their eco-friendly offerings. Made from the same IntelliLoft fabric used in their Eco Nap pet beds, these toys are soft, durable, and stuffed with organic catnip. Just like everything from West Paw, the toys are made in the good old USA.

Available directly from West Paw Design.

This attractive stripy feline is the work of the folks at Wee Gallery, designers of a fun collection of graphic art made especially for babies, but cat lovers of all ages can appreciate this handsome devil.

You can have him on a shirt from the Wee Gallery CafePress Store.

Here’s another litter box innovation that stood out for me at the pet expo. Not as technologically advanced as the Litter-Robot, this is just a simple litter box, but with one really big design feature that you will love–no inside corners! Why didn’t someone think of this sooner? The Booda Swift Scoop (from the makers of the Booda Dome) has a smooth, curved shape so there are no corners to trap waste. I also think it is a beautiful form, and in glossy white, it looks great in a modern setting–it’s almost sculptural. I ran right out and bought one, and I love it, plus it is quite affordable.

It comes with it’s own scoop, which I found to be a bit flimsy. Perhaps the scoop was designed to flex when scooping the curved shape of the box, which would help to make the task a bit easier. You can decide for yourself if you like the scoop. The box is quite sturdy and does not tip, plus the front and back edges serve as handles, making it easy to pick-up.

Overall a very good value and quite attractive, in my opinion. Available at Amazon.

While at the pet expo, I had the opportunity to see, first-hand, several of the newest innovations in litter box technology. One of my particular favorites is the Litter-Robot. This automatic, self-cleaning cat litter box has a unique litter sifting system that will keep you from ever scooping litter again.

How does it work? Seven minutes after your cat leaves the box, the globe portion of the Litter-Robot begins to slowly turn. Solid waste is sifted out of the clean litter and deposited into a drawer in the base of the unit. The globe rotates back into place, leaving the clean litter ready for the next use. You can easily empty the drawer, once a week for one cat, more frequently with multiple cats.
Watch the demo here >>

Why is the Litter-Robot unique? Some of the other automatic litter boxes use a raking mechanism to sift out the clumps. This raking motion can break-up the clumps in the litter, requiring the entire box to be emptied, cleaned, and refilled with fresh litter. One of the big advantages of the Litter-Robot is that the special sifting technology gently removes the clumps without breaking them up. This results in less mess and a lot less wasted litter.

My main concern was, is it safe? I was assured that the Litter-Robot was designed with the cat’s safety as a number one priority. The unit has a safety mechanism that prevents it from moving whenever a cat is in the box. Even if they try to re-enter while it’s moving, the motor will automatically shut off. Also, there are no moving parts or sharp objects inside the globe.

Of all the automatic litter boxes, this is one that I plan to try myself. Not only do I think this is a quality product, but I was very impressed with the gentleman I spoke to at the expo and what he told me about the company. The Litter-Robot is made here in the U.S. and the company definitely stands behind the quality and craftsmanship of their products because they offer a 60-day money back guarantee and an 18-month full warranty.

The Litter-Robot comes in black or beige. Available at Amazon.

Last week at the pet expo I met the owner of Petego, a Chicago-based company that distributes a number of different lines of pet products, all designed and made in Italy, which–as should be expected–represent some of the very best designs in the pet products industry.

One item that caught my attention is this elegant little cat food bowl called Earshot from the United Pets product line. It is made from double stainless steel and is hand welded and hand polished to a mirror finish. The sleek form has just the right touch of kitty character to bring a smile to your face each time you refill the bowl.

Available in two sizes directly from Petego.

I made it through 240,000 square feet of pet products at the Global Pet Expo in San Diego this week and I found several brand new items that I am very excited to share with you. First, we have the new Craftsman Series Feline Furniture from Mr. Herzher’s. These pieces caught my eye because of the simple, clean lines inspired by the American Craftsman style. Not necessarily modern, but definitely a style that can be incorporated into a modern or contemporary interior.

Made of solid wood construction, this line of quality cat furniture will come in two finishes, the brown shown above and also a more contemporary ebony finish. There are three styles, the single seat, the double seat, and the deluxe double seat that includes a premium sisal scratching surface. The seating areas are upholstered in durable, soft micro-suede.

The Craftsman Series Feline Furniture will be available this spring. I will be posting more great finds from the Pet Expo throughout the week.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, treat your sweet cat to an ultra-mod bed in soft shades of pink from Hepper Home. Choose from four different designs including the Pod, Podium, Wave, and Nest. Your cat will know you love her!

And now through Valentine’s Day, all pink Hepper beds are on sale at Design Public.

This eerie structure — that looks like it came from the set of The Dark Crystal or something — is actually a bed for your cat. The Catcabin is from German furniture design company Homebasic. It’s hard to track down much information on this primeval-looking pod other than that it’s approximately three feet tall and looks like it would make a great scratching surface.

Thanks to Justin for spotting this one.

This is one of the most beautiful pet designs I have come across. It is the Guzel water bowl by designer Timotheos Leahy. The central bulb is filled with water and automatically refills the dish as your cat drinks. The bulb holds enough water to refill the dish two or three times. What cat wouldn’t love drinking from this elegant form?

Designed for Gaia & Gino, it appears that the Guzel bowl is not yet in production, but I hope it will be soon.

Via Apartment Therapy.

Take Red Tango with you everywhere you go with this super-cute retro-style bowling bag purse. This mini-version of a traditional bowling bag comes in a variety of ’50s color combos, my favorite is the brown and turquoise.

Available at The Cat Connection.

Check out this great article on CatChannel.com for some excellent advice on customizing your home to suit both your cat and your sense of style. Writer Stacy Mantle points our several things to keep in mind, including architectural details, flooring choices, cat-friendly outdoor enclosures, and automated home products like litter boxes, water fountains, and pet feeders. She reminds us that there are many ways to make your house cat-friendly while preserving its resale value!

Moderncat will be attending the Global Pet Expo in San Diego this week in order to bring you news on the latest and greatest cat products. Stay tuned!

It’s the year of the rat, signifying prosperity and health! To celebrate, treat your moderncat to one of these cute fortune cookie cat toys from Jake & Micah. Made with organic catnip, each “cookie” comes with a kitty-themed fortune.

I just took a look around Etsy and came across several incredibly cute (and stylish) finds!

First are these Custom Kitties by Daedra. Made of recycled fabric samples from an interior design firm, some of the kitties contain catnip. Daedra donates 10% of her proceeds to a non-profit animal rescue in Michigan.

Next I found these beautiful crocheted kitty beds by KirstenLovesDinner. You can choose the yarn colors and Kirsten will add a customized canvas tag to each bed. She also donates 10% to her local animal shelter.

Check out this set of Little Dead Things cat toys from Prairiebird. Hysterical! They are made from recycled leather and stuffed with organic catnip. The set includes one zombie, one dead bird, one human brain, and one dead mouse.

And finally we have this Desert Camo Kitty Quilt from Colorado Catnip Toys. Made of 100% cotton and filled with fluffy batting, each quilt comes with a catnip toy attached.

This is a very exciting time to be into stylish cat products! There are lots of new companies appearing and I’d like to introduce you to the latest — Cat Livin. Just launching today, this brand new company has a hip vibe and some cool looking products. One of their first releases will be a door-mounted sisal climber. It easily attaches to any door, making it a great space saver. The simple, clean design is perfect for an urban loft or modern home.

And for a little play time, Cat Livin gives you “The Rat,” a streamlined, oversized wool toy stuffed with organic catnip. Design that both you and your cat can appreciate.

Also included in the initial launch are some fun feeding and snacking items like “The Garden” organic grass and a stylish feeding mat.

Cat Livin is based in southern California and was started by Angela & Jeremy Moser. It looks like they plan to expand their offerings to include more great products for living, eating, playing and cleaning (stylish and functional litter gear I hope!) Products will start shipping in April. Pre-order now directly from Cat Livin. And when you visit their site you will be treated to some awesome music by Los Angeles artists Evolve (great stuff!)

One of my all-time favorite cat toys is the minimal, yet wildly popular, Cat Dancer. This simple little toy is made from spring steel wire with some cardboard rolls on the end. That’s it, and yet these basic materials will keep kitty entertained for hours. This is an interactive toy and requires your participation (best not to leave kitty alone with this one.) When you hold the end of the wire just right, the cardboard pieces flutter about, mimicking the motion of a bird or a bug. With my cats, this causes serious peeping and lots of jumping. I bring out the Cat Dancer when they really need some good exercise.

Pick one up next time you’re at Petsmart (they usually have them in stock) or add one to your next Amazon order.