One of my favorite design blogs, Remodelista, recently posted a collection of natural fiber “poufs” which are meant to be used as footstools or low seating, but you better believe that any moderncat would take a liking to these great forms and natural materials. I actually have the banana leaf stool from IKEA, which I purchased just for the cats. I assumed they would scratch on it and that I would have to throw it out eventually, but they actually treat it like their most prized possession! They all take turns sitting on it, occasionally knocking each other off for a turn. It’s the perfect size and shape and they seem to love the texture. We call it “the tuffet.”

Shown above (clockwise from top left)

• Rattan pouf from Urban Outfitters $88.00
• Alseda banana fiber stool from IKEA $29.99
• Cotton & jute stripe rope floor cushion from West Elm
  regularly $79.00, now on sale for $39.99
• Rattan pouf from Pier 1 $99.95

Here are some of my kids enjoying their precious IKEA stool.

via Remodelista | Thanks to Moderncat reader Maia Cybelle for the tip

Simple, natural materials make the best cat trees, and that’s exactly what the folks at Mountain Cat Trees use to create their products. Made from real trees with the bark removed and natural sisal rope, these are some of the most eco-friendly cat trees and scratchers I’ve ever seen.

All products are handmade in the North Quabbin region of Central Massachusetts. The trees used for production are locally harvested from downed trees or timber cutting and forest management. Absolutely no carpet is used on any of the Mountain Cat Trees scratchers or cat trees.

If your aesthetic is more treehugger-modern, then make sure you check out these beautiful, earth-friendly and cat-friendly products.

We’ve got a fabulous giveaway this month from DKcat! One lucky winner will receive a handmade, eco-friendly Platform C cat tower! The winner will get to choose either the Platform C or the new Platform C2 with a larger rectangular top perch in a choice of chocolate wood with tan carpet, blonde wood with grey carpet, or blonde wood with multi-colored carpet (all three options shown above.) All DKcat towers are made in San Francisco. Read more about the DKcat towers here.

Make sure you sign-up to receive Moderncat email updates so you’ll be entered to win the monthly giveaway. This giveaway is open to international readers who are willing to pay the extra shipping. Thanks DKcat!

Great news for Moderncat fans Down Under. Ree-Yong’s Copenhagen Collection will be available in Australia starting on June 4, 2009. Sydneysiders will finally be able to get their paws on this gorgeous contemporary cat condo, plus if you order before June 15, you will receive FREE DELIVERY in the Sydney area for a limited time.

The Ree-Yong Pet Lifestyle collection is currently being offered in Signapore and now in Australia exclusively through Glamorpuss.

Moderncat reader Alexis sent in photos of some terrific DIY projects, all inspired by things that she read right here. First, she and her husband did an outstanding job creating this beautiful litter box hider. Due to space limitations, they needed a litter cabinet with an opening in the front, rather than on the side. They decided to build a custom wooden box (sized perfectly to fit their automatic litter box) using these directions from eHow. Then they borrowed an idea from this project on Instructables to place a grate inside the cabinet that helps reduce litter tracking. Finally, they used sticky-backed shelf paper to cut out the tree and bird silhouettes for decoration. After a little testing, Alexis noticed that the kitties were bypassing the grate and jumping straight out of the box, so she fashioned a barrier out of wood to create a passageway to the door.

I think the manufacturers of litter box hiders could learn a thing or two from this excellent design!

Alexis also made a recycled cardboard kitty pad and installed some nice climbing shelves inspired by several posts on Moderncat, including Julie’s shelves and this popular IKEA hack.

Great job!

This just showed-up in my in-box (thanks, Elbereth!) and I haven’t seen it before. It’s the Tall Egg Cat Climber Tower Condo from WhiskerStudio. It’s made of solid birch plywood finished with non-toxic water-based stain and clear lacquer. The shelves and the vertical scratchers (located above the first and second shelves) are covered with 100% natural woven sisal attached with non-toxic adhesive. The whole thing measures 72″ tall by 23″ wide by 18″ deep. It ships flat and you have to put it together, which they say will only take 30 minutes, but I guess that depends on how much IKEA assembly experience you have.

Available at Amazon.

This beautiful modern cat tower from DKcat is handmade using eco-friendly materials and reclaimed wood, perfect for your eco-conscious moderncat. The bamboo plywood structure is formaldehyde-free and the platforms are covered with low-VOC, recycled content carpet. The posts are made from reclaimed wood elegantly wrapped in natural sisal rope for scratching. The Platform C tower comes with either a square or rectangular upper platform and is available in chocolate or blonde wood with tan, grey, or multi-color carpet.

Platform C is the first product from DKcat. Additional eco-friendly modern cat products are in the works.

Check out the new Mocat, a cat bed and scratcher designed with a contemporary look and a variety of textures meant to entice moderncats and their owners.

Available from The Sophisticated Cat.

How would your moderncat feel about sinking her claws into this cardboard canine? Layers of laminated cardboard make a lovely scratching surface, but does this give kitty the wrong idea?

Available from Uncommon Goods. Thanks to Alexis for the tip.

Here are a couple of my own DIY projects that I just completed. Above are photos of an installation I did at my vet’s office (Dreamy Draw Cat Hospital in Phoenix - hi, Dr. Oyan!) I used FLOR carpet tiles to cover the front of the check-in desk, creating a vertical scratching surface. Office cat Blackie is modeling.

I used the same Lane Change striped carpet tiles to cover a shelf on my new catio. I installed the shelf to cover the litter area and plan to make a curtain to hide everything. There’s also a sisal wrapped climbing pole that goes all the way to the ceiling. Ando is demonstrating. More catio details will be posted soon over at Catio Showcase.

TIPS

On both projects I cut the carpet tiles in half to create a better looking pattern, since both areas required one full tile plus another half. Another big lesson: FLOR carpet tiles DO NOT stick to carpet tape! I tried to install the tiles on the wall using the stickiest carpet tape I could find, and they all fell down that night. The carpet tiles have a plastic backing that won’t stick to the tape. I went to buy adhesive glue and found that almost all of the super-strength adhesives that work on plastic or rubber are EXTREMELY toxic and have warnings about eye and respiratory irritation — not good for use around cats! I kept searching and found a non-toxic adhesive that worked really well. It is an all-purpose adhesive from Ace Hardware and it has almost no odor at all. This is a great product for permanently attaching carpet tiles.

Introducing the newest player in modern pet design, Urban Pet Haus. Just launching their website today, this company promises to make its mark on the world of modern pet design. With a variety of product concepts on their site, the folks behind Urban Pet Haus are planning to turn to you, the modern pet owner, for feedback on exactly which designs they should put into production. And of course they are turning to Moderncat readers first!

Current concepts include super stylish perching shelves, streamlined beds, and ultra cool scratching surfaces, all designed to complement a modern interior perfectly. They are also working on some luxe feeders as well as several enclosed cat dwellings, ideal for an afternoon cat nap. The designs that I’m most excited about are the modern pet stairs. This is something that no one else has tackled. Stay tuned to Moderncat for more information about the Urban Pet Haus stairs, coming soon! In the meantime, please leave a comment here with your feedback for the Urban Pet Haus team. They’d love to hear from you!

This new scratcher-lounger combo called the Catwheel sports some faux fur, which I know most moderncat owners try to avoid, but I think it’s tastefully done here. The cozy barrel measures 16″ long and 12″ in diameter, providing a snugly napping spot on the inside and a tough textured scratching surface on the outside. Available in champagne, black, and rose — perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Order one today from The Sophisticated Cat.

Introducing a stylish new line of contemporary pet furniture from designer Ree-Yong. The Copenhagen Collection includes several sleek, upscale pieces suitable for the hippest modern urban interiors. Featuring clean lines and durable, low-maintenance materials, these are definitely items you would be happy to have on display.

The Copenhagen Cat Condo consists of three stackable faux leather boxes. The top box is meant for storing toys and other accessories, the middle box is fitted with a washable mock suede cushion for luxury napping, and the bottom box houses a hidden litter box with disposable cardboard tray liner.

Coordinating with the cat condo is a faux leather Cat Scratch-bar with refillable cardboard insert and a beautiful Cat Dinnerware Set including a faux leather tray and two chunky square ceramic bowls.

The Copenhagen Collection comes in white or brown and is available at a handful of boutiques in Hong Kong or if you are in Singapore, please visit Glamorpuss where you can shop online or find a store. For orders outside Hong Kong and Singapore, you’ll have to contact Ree-Yong directly and they will be happy to assist you.

An excellent way to be thrifty and eco-conscious is to use old cardboard boxes to make your own scratching pad. Here’s a great design for a homemade kitty scratching pad found over at Design*Sponge.

I think I’m going to have a heart attack, this is the coolest thing I have ever seen! As you may be aware, the Japanese treat their pets like children, and since they are also masters of good design, it’s no surprise that some Japanese housing builders are now designing homes featuring special features for pets. These amazing images are from Asahi Kasei’s Plus-Nyan house. Obviously a great deal of research went into the design of these beautiful spaces, from the perspective of both the cats and the homeowners.

Features include open air cat walks, climbing steps, nooks throughout the house for cat hide-outs, cat doors in every door, extra space in the bathroom designed especially for a litter box, an enclosed deck area, and special fences to prevent cats from escaping.

They have even gone so far as to use pet-friendly construction materials that resist scratching and are easy to clean.

Thank you to Sachie at My Cat Goma for finding this and for translating the Japanese descriptions for us!

I want to live in Japan!

These two beautiful new climbing towers are the latest designs from The Refined Feline. The first is The Everest, made from bent plywood with FLOR carpet tiles covering the shelves and large sisal scratching pads on the sides. Standing 7 feet tall, this gorgeous tower will make quite a statement in any modern interior. The second contemporary tower fits in the corner, taking up minimal floor space. Matching wall shelves can be added to extend the climbing area. Both will be available from The Refined Feline soon.

Brand new and beautiful, this sleek modern scratcher is the latest design from one of my favorite companies, Cat Livin’. This scratcher is so new that it’s not even on their website yet. It’s being debuted at the SuperZoo pet expo in Las Vegas this week and this is the first peek that anyone is getting. The Wedge scratcher features a durable sisal scratching pad paired with one of a variety of wood veneers. American plantation grown walnut is shown above.

Stay tuned this week for more exciting new finds from the SuperZoo show.

New from designer Elizabeth Paige Smith, comes the Kittypod Mini, an adorable cardboard scratcher/lounger with a tunnel cutout in the shape of her signature cat silhouette. EPS was one of the first designers to embrace good design for our feline friends and she is still creating wonderful new items like this, in addition to her classic designs.

Finally, the major pet product retailers are starting to stock some more stylish options, like the Dream Curl from Petlinks System. The Dream Curl is a stylish scratcher that provides a variety of surfaces for scratching, playing, and lounging. It incorporates both carpet and sisal, allowing kitty to choose her favorite. The curved form creates areas for napping and perching, plus there is even a little toy that hangs underneath the curve for a fun surprise every time kitty walks by.

I purchased one of these the very first time I saw it and I have to say, it is one of the cats’ most favorite objects. Everyone takes turns lounging, jumping, and scratching on it. (At this very moment, Dazzler and Flora are both kicking the heck out of it.) The little toy came off right away, but it was a good idea. The cats absolutely love their Dream Curl, plus it is quite durable (except for the toy). There is almost always someone playing in it, on it, or under it. This is an extremely well-designed product with a very affordable price tag.

Available at PetSmart

New from the U.K. comes a unique approach to indoor climbing — the Hicat climbing system. Designed with a cat’s natural climbing instincts in mind, this system of products includes vertical climbing elements that extend from floor to ceiling.

The clean contemporary forms are available in a variety of configurations and textures. The larger vertical element can include access holes and internal shelves, kind of like a tree hole for napping or surveying the living room.

Hicat is not yet available, but it can be pre-ordered now and is expected to ship in the U.K. sometime around August 2008. The manufacturer is currently seeking U.S. distribution.