I’m hyperventilating a little because I think this concept for a wall-mounted cat scratcher by designer Steven Mattern is so incredibly brilliant! This is not in production, as far as I can tell, it’s just a concept, but I’d love to see this available on the market. At first glance, it appears to be just a large, cool looking cardboard sculpture attached to the wall for kitty to scratch on, but look closely at the drawing below. There is a hidden chamber inside that contains a ball. Kitty can poke her paw through the opening to move the ball around, but it won’t fall out. What I like so much about this concept is that the ball feature will attract the cat to the scratcher, enticing them to scratch. Love it!

The other thing I love about this design is how it mounts to the wall. It looks like there is an angled piece that attaches to the wall, then the whole scratcher slides onto the anchored piece, staying securely in place.

I truly hope that Mr. Mattern tries his hand at some other cat products! (psst, Steven, give me a call!)

See more of Steven’s work at stevenmattern.com.

Here are some wonderful artisan-made cat products from an organization that is making a difference. SERRV is a nonprofit organization that supports artisans and farmers worldwide by marketing their crafts and goods through an alternative trade outlet. The program helps these artisans to build their businesses, providing them with a sustainable income.

The SERRV website offers all kinds of goods, including a few interesting cat products. The Double-Decker Cat House, shown above, is a collaboration between two different groups. Dhaka Handicrafts from Bangladesh makes the frame and the cushion is made by a different group in Nepal. The frame has a wire base that is wrapped with fibers from the Holga plant, a renewable resource found along the riverbanks in Bangladesh. The Holga Scratching Post, also shown above, is made from the same material.

One more kitty-related find on the SERRV website comes from The Community Crafts Association in the Philippines. This set of two cat toys is woven from lukmoy vine and each has a metal jingle bell inside.

Keep an eye on the Pets  & Animals section of the SERRV website for new products being added all the time. Thank you to Moderncat reader Jennifer for the find!

Cat Scratchers no longer have to be ugly monstrosities sitting in the middle of your living room floor! Check out some of these sculptural cat scratchers that both you and your cat will love.

CARDBOARD CAT SCRATCHERS

The Big Sleeky Comfort Lounge
Another Scratch’n Slumber® Cat Scratch Lounger from Brawny Cat
BrawnyCat.com

The Original Catpods
Eco-friendly furniture designed for the feline mind.™
Catpods.com

The Sky Scratcher: Chicago
Let your cats terrorize Chicago, not your couch!
TheSkyScratcher.com

PetFusion Cat Scratcher Lounge
Both a scratcher and a lounge, reversible for twice the use!
PetFusion Cat Scratcher Lounge

X-Tetra Cat Scratcher Lounge
Four sided scratch lounge! FREE shipping with every order!
KarmaProductsLLC.com

Hepper Itch Scratcher
Itch Scratcher from Hepper
Hepper.com

Kittyblock
Best-In-Class Cat Scratcher
mykittyblock.com

Moderncat Studio
Eco-friendly modern cardboard cat scratchers
Moderncat.etsy.com

Catpods Kitty Speed Bumps
Eco-friendly furniture designed for the feline mind.™
Catpods.com

Infinity Cat Scratcher Lounge
Spacious reversable scratch lounge FREE shipping with every order!
KarmaProductsLLC.com

The Original Scratch Lounge- World’s Best Cat Scratcher
Scratch Lounge Holiday Special: Free Shipping + Complimentary Catnip Tin
ScratchLounge.com

Stretch & Scratch
Exercise for caged cats. Donate to your favorite shelter!
StretchAndScratch.com

CARPET, SISAL AND OTHER CAT SCRATCHERS

35 Inch Vertical Scratching Post & Perch
Extra large scratching post designed to handle big cats.
MountainCatTrees.com

Itch Wall Scratcher
Does your cat have an Itch to scratch?
SquareCatHabitat.com

Calypso Cat Scratcher from The Refined Feline
Makes a great cat scratching post as well as a beautiful accent piece
TheRefinedFeline.com

The Company of Pets
Neo-pop Canine Cat Scratcher
TheCompanyOfPets.com

Mountain Cat Trees
All natural wood and sisal scratching post.
MountainCatTrees.com

The Five Pet Place Scratching Post
Made in America to a standard instead of a price
FivePetPlace.com

* * *

Make sure to check out all the other fabulous finds in our Holiday Gift Guide!

Check it out! The X-Tetra Lounge Holiday Bundle is here, but only for a limited time! This perfect holiday package includes the awesome X-Tetra Lounge plus FOUR Scratch Logs. That’s a lot of happy holiday scratching!

Get it now because it will only be available through Black Friday! $49.95 on Amazon

* * *

UPDATE: Sale extended through Nov 30!

The Hepper Hi-Lo Scratcher is back in stock, just in time for the holiday shopping season! This awesome scratcher is designed to satisfy all kitties, with two positions, one for taller scratching and another with a lower incline. Two and a half inches of high-quality cardboard will stand up to years of scratching.

Available now from hepper.com for $79.

The Sky Scratcher is coming to the East Coast! Check out the newest addition to the Sky Scratcher collection — The Sky Scratcher New York City! This tribute to the Big Apple takes the form of The Empire State Building, allowing kitties to pretend they are King Kong. Measuring a full 3 feet tall, this colossal cardboard structure will keep kitty happy for a long time.

The new Sky Scratcher NYC can be pre-ordered now and will ship at the end of November. Plus, a portion of all pre-orders placed before midnight on Cyber Monday, November 26, 2012 will be donated to help pets that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Pre-order now from the Sky Scratcher Etsy shop for $149 plus $25 shipping to US addresses.

Here’s a new line of luxury cat furniture from UK-based company KoogaTree that’s bringing some originality to the cat product market. Company founders Helena and Simon were inspired to create a unique climbing tower for their cat Kooga using a branch of bonfire wood. Since then, they have added several other pieces to the line, all incorporating unique, natural materials. The KoogaTree products are all handcrafted with great attention to detail.

The Vantage Platforms are made from thick pieces of Scottish timber, giving them a natural and elegant look. KoogaTree also offers a line of climbing trees and scratching posts that are unique and attractive.

The newest addition to the KoogaTree catalog is a line of floor scratchers featuring limited edition original art from various artists and designers. The ScARTch line will be revealed over the coming weeks. Each design features a wipe-clean, scratch-resistant piece of limited edition artwork recessed into a solid oak handcrafted base.

Visit koogatree.com for more information and pricing.

Polish kitties now have some very nice options for scratching and lounging. Introducing myKitty, a new company that focuses on design for cats. Their current offerings include two large scratch lounges that are beautifully designed with a modern aesthetic.

Such beautiful photos and models! It looks like they are only shipping to Poland at the moment. Visit myKitty.pl for more info.

Sleepy cow cat…

We’ve been testing the X-tetra Scratch Lounge from Karma Products and it’s a new favorite! Everyone love this thing! The little cats fit perfectly in the scooped out nest on top, and the bigger cats, well, they don’t fit as well but that never matters, does it? Even my biggest cats love to squeeze themselves into the concave form and play King of the X. What is it about cats and cozy spots?

Karma Products is running another special. Order on their website, karmaproductsllc.com, and receive a free Scratch Log with an X-tetra Lounge and free shipping. As you can see in the photo at the top, Andy is a little possessive of his Scratch Log.

ENTER TO WIN!

Here’s your chance to win an X-tetra Scratch Lounge plus a free Scratch Log! To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be selected in a random drawing and announced on October 10, 2012. One entry per person. This giveaway is limited to addresses in the continental US.

I love the Annual Design Showcase on Apartment Therapy, and I love it even more when they include cat products! This year, The Sky Scratcher has the honor of being included in this prestigious showcase. There are only 30 finalists in the showcase, and four of them will win prizes. Please lend your support for The Sky Scracther by visiting their Design Showcase post on Apartment Therapy and Pinning, Liking and Tweeting to show your support! (Scroll to the bottom for links, then take the survey to cast your vote of support.)

I’m always looking for a fresh approach to cat furniture design, and this scratching/climbing system from German company Profeline is truly inspirational. The line integrates some very innovative features and uses natural materials for a simple, clean look.

Profeline makes free standing cat trees/scratchers, plus they have a line of wall mounted trees that I think are just brilliant. The sisal wrapped columns come in different lengths that can be combined in any configuration with hammocks, shelves, and hideaways to create a custom tree for your cat. That also means that you can easily replace single segments of the post as they become worn, instead of throwing the whole thing out. That is game changing!

They also make several wall-mounted scratching products that can be configured in endless ways.

In addition to the wall-mounted and free-standing trees, there are some larger cat trees that are anchored between the floor and ceiling with a tension pole. Other designs rest on the floor, but are anchored to the wall at the top. Both very smart solutions for creating a stable cat tree that takes advantage of the full floor-to-ceiling space, without requiring a gigantic base.

There is also a full range of cat walks, all featuring the same simple, clean design, plus several models of wall-mounted perches with beautifully upholstered pads on top.

Sadly, for those of us here in the US, Profeline is only shipping to the EU at the moment, but I’ll be sure to let you know if that changes. In the meantime, visit the Profeline website to do some window shopping.

Here’s a fun looking new corrugated cardboard cat scratcher and lounge. It’s the new X-Tetra from Karma Products. It measures 15″ x 15″ x 15″ and weighs a solid 7.5 lbs. The concave sides look like they’d be ideal for curling up inside. And it has lots of scritchy surfaces for kitty manicures.

The X-Tetra is currently available in a special introductory bundle along with four Karma Scratch Logs, which look like they are the leftover pieces from making the X shape. Pretty smart!

Get the whole package, one X-Tetra Lounge plus four Scratch Logs for $68.95 on Amazon.

The incredibly popular Kitty Speed Bumps from the folks at Catpods, now come in an extra large size for BIG kitties who really need to slow down! The new XL Kitty Speed Bumps measure a full 18″ long and weight 2.5 lbs, making them perfect for a good scratch or for flopping across, yoga style. Every kitty needs a speed bump!

15% off Sale at Catpods.com!

Catpods.com is offering 15% off store wide, now through Sept 30, 2012! Take advantage of this awesome discount to stock up on Speed Bumps, Catpods, and Kitty Pucks. It’s not too early to start your holiday shopping! Use coupon code September15 to get the discount.

This is a completely new approach to cat climbing furniture, and I’m pretty excited about it. It’s the Kitty’scape from Solvit Products. It’s a modular climbing system, kind of like Tinker Toys for cats! It comes with a kit of parts and you put it together any number of ways. That means you can continuously re-configure it to keep kitty interested, and you can order different components and expansion kits to keep building on, as your budget allows.

To start, choose from one of three kits:

• Basic Kit for $79.95, which includes a base platform, 1 oval platform, a penthouse perch, 5 long columns, including 1 seagrass scratching column, 2 short columns, a teaser toy, and multiple connectors. Can reach up to 33” high.
• Intermediate Kit for $119.95, which includes a base platform, 1 oval platform, 1 carpeted half-oval platform, a penthouse perch, 7 long columns, including 2 seagrass scratching columns, 4 short columns, a teaser toy, and multiple connectors. Reaches up to 48” high.
• Deluxe Kit for $145.95, which includes a base platform, 2 oval platforms, 1 carpeted half-oval platform, a penthouse perch, 10 long columns, including 3 seagrass scratching columns, 4 short columns, the penthouse canopy, a hammock hideaway, a teaser toy, and multiple connectors. Can reach up to 71” high.

You can add on to your structure with a number of different accessory packages including an adjustable scratching tray, the penthouse canopy, or the platform and column expansion kit. It looks like Solvit will be adding more accessories to the line soon.

So they sent us a deluxe kit to test and I have to say, I had so much fun putting this thing together! Also, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall look and quality of the structure. The colors are not hideous and the finishes are decent for the price. The support columns are plastic, so it doesn’t have the same look and feel as one of the high-end cat trees like those from Square Cat Habitat or The Refined Feline, but this is in a different price range.

You do have to be careful about how you assemble your structure, because there can be stability issues, so you’ll have to experiment with the right configuration that gives you the levels you want, plus adequate stability. The instructions are easy to follow and assembly is a breeze. The only tool required is a little plastic wrench that comes with the kit. As you can see, everyone loves it. Andy especially loves the seagrass wrapped columns and the hammock hideaway. He got right in there before I was even done assembling the whole thing.

The Solvit Kitty’scape is available from a number of different online retailers including ThePetOnline.com and Amazon.

This fun new cardboard creation is from Hong Kong-based design company Starfruit. It’s the MEOW Play House and it looks like kitty heaven!

The MEOW Play House will apparently come in four different colors. The structure includes hideaways, a rooftop perch and a scratching ramp. I love it and I can’t wait to get my hands on one, but there isn’t any purchasing info on the site at the moment. You can follow Starfruit on Facebook, where they might post info about when and where it’s available.

via Dog-Milk

Of course, I wish that all rescued cats awaiting adoption in a shelter could spend their days in open, cage-free cat rooms, but unfortunately, we’re not quite there yet. There are still lots of shelters that, due to space and budget limitations, still have to keep cats in cages. Plus, some kitties need to stay in isolation because of health or behavior issues. Luckily, there are companies out there making products specifically for these kitties, because they need exercise and entertainment so they can stay healthy and shine when potential adopters come by to visit them.

One really great product I’ve been meaning to share with you for a while now is Stretch and Scratch. These simple little cardboard scratchers are designed to meet the needs of cats and kittens staying temporarily in caged environments. The Stretch and Scratch cardboard cat scratcher is just the right size to fit in the cage, plus it’s sturdy, easy to install, and most importantly, it’s affordable.

The scratcher attaches to the bars of the cage with twist ties. Attaching it to the side of the cage keeps it out of the way for easy cleaning. Place it up high for older cats to get a good stretch when scratching, or hang it down low for kittens. Shelters are also encouraged to send the scratchers home with cats when they are adopted so they will have something familiar in their new surroundings.

Stretch and Scratch scratchers are available in quantities or 6, 12, 25 or 50. A full case of 50 scratchers is just $58.95, just a little over $1 per scratcher! And shipping is always just $4.95 per case. This is a great item to donate to your local shelter, or if you work at a shelter, consider putting Stretch and Scratch on your wishlist so your supporters will know to purchase them.

We’re so excited about our August monthly giveaway! One lucky reader is going to win the brand new Sky Scratcher: Chicago cardboard cat scratcher! This is one of the largest cardboard cat scratchers on the market, and it’s cool architectural design makes it the perfect accent piece for a modern home. Not to mention that kitty will go nuts scratching and climbing the three-foot tall structure.

After a very successful Kickstarter campaign, The Sky Scratcher recently launched and is now available for sale on Etsy. Regularly priced at $199, it’s on sale now for $175, including free shipping to US addresses.

EXTRA CHANCE TO WIN!

To enter the monthly giveaway, make sure you’re signed-up to receive Moderncat updates via email. If you’re already getting the updates but you’d like an EXTRA chance to win this month, please leave a comment on this post. Complete details on the monthly giveaway here. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on August 31, 2012 and contacted via email. Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is limited to addresses in the US.

I’m very excited to finally share this brand new cat product with you! You might have spotted it in the Catification Lounge, or if you’ve been following the Moderncat Facebook page, you could have seen some Instagram pix of my cats giving it a test drive (they sent us one a while ago as an early introduction). Well, the time has finally come to make the official announcement! Introducing the Kittyblock, and I have two words for you — CAT MAGNET!

This sturdy 15″ cube of corrugated cardboard is kitty’s dream come true! It’s great for perching on top or hiding inside. The inside opening measures 10″ x 10″ x 15″, perfect for napping or scratching on all four interior surfaces. The Kittyblocks can be stacked two high for more climbing possibilities (the manufacturer doesn’t recommend going any higher than that.) Once one side starts to show wear, flip it over for more scratching action. When it’s really finished, the whole thing can be recycled.

Kittyblocks are made in America from corrugated fiberboard and starch-based adhesives. Each one is hand cut, so there might be slight variations. The simple form is perfect in a modern home and shows off the material beautifully. Kittyblocks are now available for pre-order at myKittyblock.com for $34.95 plus shipping. The first Kittyblocks will ship August 1, 2012. (Kittyblocks will only be shipping to US addresses in August.)

Ratso and Andy checking out the Kittyblock immediately after it was removed from the box.

ENTER TO WIN!

You might not have to wait until August to get your hands on a Kittyblock! One lucky reader is going to receive a Kittyblock for free! To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on July 16, 2012. One entry per person. This giveaway is open to readers everywhere!

Some of the most beautiful design for cats comes from The Netherlands. Kenzi is one Dutch company that offers very stylish, modern cat furniture, including litter boxes, scratchers, and beds.

I first spotted some of these pieces in the incredible PurrfectDesign retail store in Antwerp. Each piece is simple and elegant and appears to be made with the highest quality standards.

Kenzi offers sisal replacements for all their scratchers, as well as extra cushions and litter trays to extend the life of their products. See the whole collection at kenzi.nl.

Thank you to Moderncat reader Els for the link.

Kitties everywhere, rejoice! The Original Brawny Cat Scratch’n Slumber Comfort Lounge is back! This fabulous cat lounge is a favorite with my cats, and we were sad to see that Brawny Cat had discontinued it, but due to demand, it’s back in stock.

The original Scratch’n Slumber Comfort Lounge is one of the largest cat scratcher/lounges on the market. It comes with a solid cardboard Comfort Padlet measuring 23″ wide by 22″ deep. The Comfort Padlet rests on a handcrafted natural cedar frame, raising kitty 10″ off the floor. My cats love this thing, so I’m glad to see that it’s available again.

With the re-release of the original Comfort Lounge, Brawny Cat has added two new finishes, dark mocha and dark cherry. The original lounge still has the hidden storage compartment under the Comfort Padlet and the padlet is reversible for extend wear. The original Comfort Lounge is available from BrawnyCat.com for $198 US.

Introducing the New Big Sleeky Lounge

Brawny Cat has a new design made for really loooong kitties. It’s the new Big Sleeky Scratch’n Slumber Comfort Lounge measuring a whopping 26″ wide by 17″ deep. This streamlined version of the original has a sleek frame with a lower profile, raising kitty 8″ off the floor. There’s no hidden storage compartment but the Comfort Padlet is still reversible. Available in natural cedar, dark mocha, or dark cherry finishes for a special introductory pre-order price of $149 US. Expected to ship in 3 to 4 weeks. Pre-order now at brawnycat.com.

This month’s big giveaway is for one of the coolest modern cat scratchers ever! It’s the CatScratch from Urban Cat Design. This unique wall-mounted scratcher gives kitties a corner surface to sink their claws into. You know how much they love the corner of the sofa? Well, here’s a corner that they are free to go-to-town on, plus the carpet insert can be replaced when it’s worn, or if you just want to try a different color.

The CatScratch is hand spray painted with three layers of “catnail resistant” finish in crisp modern white. There are nine different carapet colors to choose from. The scratcher measures about 19.5″ tall and can be positioned at any height on the wall. The CatScratch sells for €269, or about $333 US.

EXTRA CHANCE TO WIN!

To enter the monthly giveaway, make sure you’re signed-up to receive Moderncat updates via email. The winner will get to choose the carpet color. If you’re already getting the updates but you’d like an EXTRA chance to win this month, please leave a comment on this post. Complete details on the monthly giveaway here. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on June 30, 2012 and contacted via email.

PLEASE NOTE: This giveaway includes free shipping to addresses in the EU. Readers outside the EU will need to pay the extra shipping charges, which would be about $50 to the US.

There’s a new player in the high-end luxury cat furniture world and they have quite a lineup of beautiful items. Introducing Five Pet Place. More traditional than modern, these designs are made with fancy crown molding and high-quality craftsmanship to create the look and feel of fine furniture.

The founder of Five Pet Place, Michael Ostrofsky, was inspired to design the product line for his five cats. All products are made in the USA, because Five Pet Place refuses to support countries where cats and dogs are thought of as food.

The product line includes a 32.5″ sisal wrapped scratching post that can be easily refilled when worn, and an elegant raised scratch pad, also with replaceable sisal rope.

Litter items include a covered litter cabinet and a stylish open litter tray.

For the kitchen, they offer a 2-bowl or 3-bowl food & water server with raised ceramic dishes.

And finally, a deluxe window bed can be placed under kitty’s favorite lookout to give her a soft spot to rest. It even has an optional electric heater.

All of the Five Pet Place products can be ordered in walnut, white or honey finishes and many have options for designer accents including quartz inlays or painted panels. You can also purchase an engraved nameplate for each piece. Visit their design studio to create your own custom design.

Read all about Five Pet Place and their new products at fivepetplace.com.

What’s new at Moderncat Studio? Check out our limited edition A-frame Modern Cat Scratcher and Play Station. These fun little sculptures combine both art and function for you and your cat. The A-frame provides cats and kittens with a vertical scratching surface and a fun place to hide under and around. Our popular ModShaker catnip filled rattle toy hangs inside on an elastic cord, enticing kitty to play.

The A-frame scratcher measures 12″ wide, 13″ deep and 15″ tall, so it’s great for kittens, but even my bigger cats like to play under and around it. Our model, Andy, is still pretty small at 8 months.

These really are limited edition, so when they’re gone, they’re gone. We’re experimenting with the design to see what people (and cats!) think. The A-frame scratchers are all made with formaldehyde-free MDF. Designs include plain MDF with the circle pattern, plus red and white laminate with the circle pattern or mid-century modern architectural block patterns.

Choose from a variety of colorful carpet or striped sisal scratching surfaces with a coordinating ModShaker catnip rattle toy dangling inside. Each one of our A-frame scratchers is unique.

The A-frame scratchers are currently available only from the Moderncat Studio Etsy shop. The plain MDF is $65 and the laminate finishes are $80. The A-frame scratcher is a design collaboration with Juggernaut Design, exclusively for Moderncat Studio.

For this month’s giveaway, we’re offering the extra large 35″ vertical scratching post from Mountain Cat Trees! This super-sized scratching post is designed to handle the biggest and tallest cats out there. The base, measuring 20″ square and 4″ high, ensures that this scratcher will not tip over. The top has a space just big enough to allow for perching, as the beautiful tabby below is demonstrating.

This scratching post is made with untreated sisal rope, a natural pine base and cypress perch. The base is trimmed with natural manila rope. Rubber feet ensure no-slip on hard floors or carpet.

EXTRA CHANCE TO WIN!

To enter the monthly giveaway, make sure you’re signed-up to receive Moderncat updates via email. If you’re already getting the updates but you’d like an EXTRA chance to win this month, please leave a comment on this post. Complete details on the monthly giveaway here. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on May 31, 2012 and contacted via email. This giveaway includes free shipping to addresses in the US, but international winners are welcome to enter if they would like to pay the extra shipping charges.

Here’s just the thing to slow down that speedy creature racing through your living room! It’s a Kitty Speed Bump from Catpods.com. We absolutely love the one they sent us to test. As you can see below, the Kitty Speed Bumps have multiple functions: resting spot, scratching surface, bolster, and meeting place. The Speed Bumps are much heavier than you might think, so they stay in place easily, especially on carpet.

Kitty Speed Bumps are just the right size to give your cat a little place to mark as her own. By scratching, rubbing, and lying on the Speed Bump, kitty will leave her scent and scratch marks to claim her territory. Wouldn’t you rather her do that on a Speed Bump than on your furniture?

Kitty Speed Bumps are available directly form Catpods.com for $19.95. Use coupon code MODERNCAT and get 5% off all products, plus, right now, receive a free bag of Kitty Pucks toys with every order!

ENTER TO WIN! THREE WINNERS!

Three lucky readers are each going to receive a Kitty Speed Bump! To enter, please leave a comment on this post telling us why your kitty needs a Speed Bump. The winners will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on May 7, 2012. One entry per person. This giveaway is limited to addresses in the continental US.