In the article “Good Design, Happy Cats?” published on October 11, 2007, The New York Times reviews several pieces of modern cat furniture and discusses the merits of good design for cats and their owners. Writer Chris Colin, and his two cats Sam and Bobby, personally tested the Buddha cat shelves by Square Cat Habitat, the Cat Cocoon by One Form Design, Pounce from Everyday Studio, and several other modernist-inspired products. He describes Sam and Bobby’s reactions to the new items, including Sam’s regard for “expensive cardboard as his birthright.” Great article!

One of the newest companies making modern furniture specifically for cats is Portland, Oregon-based Square Cat Habitat. Not only do they seem passionate about creating beautifully designed pieces, but they are committed to reducing their impact on the environment by using earth-friendly materials whenever possible. So far they have incorporated sustainable bamboo plywood, water-based finishes, and recycled packaging materials into their products.

The product line includes Bastet (pictured above) a multi-use piece combining perch, bed, scratching surface, and play station. Additional pieces are the Buddha wall-mounted shelf perch and Itch, an attractive scratching surface that can be mounted on the wall or used on the floor. All three items make use of removable carpet inserts that are easy to clean and replace, plus they offer an alternative to cardboard scratchers, which can make such a mess.

All products are made in the USA and can be purchased at the Square Cat Habitat web site. This company seems to be off to a good start. I look forward to seeing what they come out with next.

Itch and Buddha are both currently available at Amazon.