The designers at Square Cat Habitat have done it again! Check out their brand new Baobab climbing tree. This sleek structure provides four branches for climbing and playing and a treetop for napping and observing. As with all of the other Square Cat Habitat products, the Baobab is made from the finest eco-friendly materials. You can choose from either 100% renewable bamboo plywood in amber or natural finish or, for a less expensive option, choose black or white low-pressure laminate over Arreis® Sustainable Design Fiberboard, made from 100% recycled wood fiber and formaldehyde-free adhesive. Great for the environment and healthy for your cat!

The climbing shelves are topped with Square Cat’s special low VOC inserts in a wide variety of colors. The overall size of Baobab is 60″H x 23″W x 23″D. It’s also made in the USA.

Square Cat Habitat always comes up with creative names for their products, too. A Baobab is a very large tree that is native to Madagascar, Africa and Australia. Apparently these trees are so large that people have even hollowed out the tree to live inside. This one is not quite as large, but your cat will be happy to call it home.

Your customized Baobab can be ordered directly from Square Cat Habitat.

Last week I cruised thorugh 1,000 exhibitors at the annual SuperZoo Pet Expo in Las Vegas. I saw a few new companies and stopped by to visit some familiar faces, including the folks at West Paw Design. It’s always fun to see what this hip, young company has going on. They have a great eye for design plus they are a leader in creating environmentally-friendly pet gear.

One of their newest products is a customizable bumper bed. You get to choose from 9 different colors and patterns for the outer bumper and the inner cushion. Altogether there are 81 different combinations to choose from, so there’s sure to be one to match your decor. The durable, super-soft twill covers can be removed for easy cleaning. Or for a deep cleaning, you can wash all the parts of the bed separately, including the cushions.

The beds are filled with West Paw’s own special IntelliLoft filling. This stuffing is created from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. A small cat bed diverts 6.6 plastic bottles from going into the landfill and a large cat bed diverts 18.75 bottles.

As always, everything from West Paw is made in Montana.

This month, we are thrilled to be giving away the newly designed cat tree from the folks at TrendyCat. This beautiful and practical cat tree is like nothing you’ve seen before. It has two levels with large 16″ by 18″ cushioned perching shelves. The shelf supports are sisal covered scratching posts, with the tallest one measuring 30″ for maximum kitty stretching. It has a solid base for stability and is constructed with high quality bolts–no staples!

Like all the other TrendyCat products, the new cat tree is made of sustainable bamboo and birch hardwoods, and is finished with a durable, non-toxic satin finish. TrendyCat products never contain particle board or MDF and each one is handcrafted in the USA.

The winner will get to choose either the natural or the caramel finish. Sign-up now for your chance to win this terrific giveaway! (This giveaway can only be shipped to the US or Canada.)

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.

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.

Introducing the brand new modern cat scratcher from moderncritter. This elegant bent plywood form stands three feet tall and can be configured in a variety of ways — hang it on the wall to create a raised perching shelf, lean it against the wall requiring minimal floor space, or lay it on the floor for cats who prefer horizontal scratching. Made of molded plywood with walnut veneer and finished with a clear matte lacquer, the moderncritter scratcher is designed using FLOR carpet tiles as the scratching surface. Carpet tiles are easy to change when carpet becomes worn or just to customize your scratcher to match your decor.

Completely made and assembled in the USA. Available directly from moderncritter.

If you’re looking for eco-friendly options in cat towers as well as clean, contemporary design, then these models from TrendyCat may be just the thing for you. Handmade in the USA from solid bamboo with absolutely no particle board or MDF, the TrendyCat towers are some of the greenest cat furniture I’ve come across. The towers are available in three sizes ranging from 3 feet to 5 feet tall, and come in two finishes, the lighter natural color and a darker caramel color, which is actually produced by caramelizing the bamboo during the manufacturing process, not simply by staining it. The bamboo is finished with non-toxic satin polyurethane.

The medium and tall towers shown above both include two cantilevered sisal-covered shelves, perfect for perching or scratching. Replacement shelves can be purchased separately if the sisal becomes worn over time. All three models, including the small tower, have padded cushions, which are also replaceable.

These towers are a bit of an investment, but they offer the kind of quality that is sure to last for many years.

Available directly from TrendyCat.

The moderncat household just received a Cheeky Chaise lounger from our friends at Marmalade Pet Care. As these photos show, everyone absolutely loves it. And I have to say, it is exquisite. First of all, the packaging it comes in is beautiful. The plain brown cardboard box, simply printed with black ink, is wonderfully designed with great graphics and typography. When you take the lounger out of the box it is immediately obvious that this is a handcrafted, high-quality piece–not just another cardboard scratcher. It truly is a work of art. And the cats were instantly drawn to it, rubbing and sniffing and generally checking it out. We are very happy with this new addition to our home.

This is Ando. He’s in charge.

I received the following message from Brandon at Marmalade Pets and wanted to share it:

“There are some really poetic qualities of the bed that we have enjoyed: The bed will first start off as a rich and generous scratching surface, an especially tempting starting point is the coved area of the chaise bed. In a span of about 1-2 years, the scratched surfaces of the bed will begin to soften and the bed will begin a ‘life cycle’ of its own. The hardboard end panels will insure the overall clean lines and curves of the bed will be retained and its use as a sculptural furniture piece will last indefinitely. At the end of the bed’s life cycle, the entire piece is 100% recyclable, returning itself into the overall life cycle of materials!”

A fun gift for the minimalist cat lover, these sterling silver and enamel earrings by artist and jewelry designer Mark Poulin certainly represent kitty by his most basic elements. Handmade by the designer in the USA, these are just one of Poulin’s many whimsical jewelry designs.

Mark Poulin’s jewelry can be found at SFMOMA, at his Etsy store, or you can purchase this pair of earrings from The Clay Pot via Amazon.

Brand new from Marmalade Pets, introducing the Wall Flower cardboard scratcher. This sleek design can be used on the floor, or purchase the wall clips (sold separately) for mounting to a vertical surface. The elegant curves give the Wall Flower a sculptural form while also providing a sturdy scratching surface. Made with recyclable cardboard and non-toxic adhesives, just like the scratcher beds, also from Marmalade Pets, the Wall Flower comes in blue, orange, or green. Available at Muttropolis.

The designers at Compressed Pattern–the folks behind the chic Kattbank litter box concealing bench–partnered with glass blowing studio esque to create a line of hand-blown glass cat accessories. These exquisite pieces are part art object and part functional item for cats (and their owners) who have the most discerning taste.

Solo (pictured above) is a hand-blown glass cat house. The form provides a comfortable private space while the transparency allows kitty to see her surroundings. With a sheepskin throw on the bottom, it could quickly become her favorite napping spot.

My personal favorite is Ciambella, a blown glass cat bed lined with sheepskin, resting on a walnut base. Shown above in white, it is also available in opaque light blue. This piece would look amazing in any modern home.

To go with your Kattbank, consider Vaso, a blown glass cat litter storage container with a walnut top. Fresh litter doesn’t have to hide in an ugly plastic bin. Make it a natural decorative element by placing it in this beautiful vessel and displaying it as a design object.

All three pieces can be purchased from the Kattbank online store.

We all know that every cat is unique. Doesn’t yours deserve a one-of-a-kind bed? Brooklyn-based designers Katherine and Elaine Kin are behind KEPT Pets, offering a line of handmade pet pillows. Made from fabrics that are printed with a combination of three original screened designs, each pillow is different from the next. For added comfort and durability, these large pillows are stuffed with poly-fill and a foam insert. Visit the KEPT Pets Etsy store and select one to suit your moderncat.

Another find at the SuperZoo pet expo, was the Eco Nap pet mat from West Paw Design. These earth-friendly pet mats are handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana and made from fabric milled in the U.S. using 85% post-consumer recycled plastic. In other words, soda bottles. Even the inside filling uses recycled content. Each one of these beds actually keeps up to 40 soda bottles from going into the landfill. The fabric is extremely soft, but also durable and machine washable.

Buy the Eco Nap Mat now at Amazon

The smooth curves and irresistible textures of these cardboard scratcher beds from Marmalade Pet Care will be sure to please even the finickiest moderncat. Made from heavy-weight corrugated cardboard with hardboard outer walls, these beds come in two different styles. The swooping slide of the Cheeky Chaise and the continuous form of the Sweet Lounge both provide plenty of scratching surface, plus they create concave resting spots, perfect for a cat nap. These beds are handcrafted in the US and are made from renewable and recyclable materials.

Buy the Cheeky Chaise and the Sweet Lounge now at Amazon

Litter box placement is always a challenge, especially in a modern or minimalist interior. One excellent solution is kattbank, a sleek contemporary bench designed to completely conceal the cat litter box. Keeping both human and feline needs in mind, the team at Compressed Pattern (the design firm behind kattbank) went above and beyond when working out the details of this piece.

Features include ventilation to provide adequate airflow inside the bench, soft-close hinges on the bench lid, a plastic grid on the interior floor of the bench to remove litter from paws before cats exit the bench, adjustable interior dividers, and easily removable interior parts to make cleaning a snap. The inside of the bench is finished with high-quality lacquer that prevents odor absorption.

Kattbank can be ordered in a wide variety of finishes including fourteen different lacquer colors and four wood veneers. It is available in 48 and 60 inch lengths. Order online directly from Kattbank.