Problem statement for the new project: My kitty does not come into the dining room or the living room when my dog is around. She WILL come in there if the dog is gone. She won’t stay there long though, even if the dog is gone. I think that she feels exposed. There are big windows and no escape, really. The living room has three enclosed walls, so if you come in one, she can’t run out another.
So… I am going to try and alter my living space to provide a nice little habitat for my kitty. If you wonder about what a bad owner I am, you can read MacNDos, where I think I prove to be an OK pet owner.
Let’s start with what I do NOT want in my living room:
1) A large cat-like replica of my cat: http://www.catsplay.com/mol_molly.php3. Let’s all just imagine if our beds were giant replicas of us. Or if our houses were giant cut outs of people, since that is what we are. Would you flop into bed comfortably? No. My cat is not an idiot, thank you.
2) I don’t want this either: http://www.acecatfurniture.com/palace_tree_5801.html. Kitty condos have their place. That place is just not in my living room. It’s small, folks, it’s odd shaped (my living room, that is) and if I had all the space in the world, I might give up a few square feet for Evil to have a condo. But this would be the friggin centerpiece, and we aren’t going there.
What I AM thinking:
1) Can it just look like furniture? http://www.acecatfurniture.com/litter_cabinet.html. I do not plan on putting her kitty litter in the living room, but I would like her home to look like it fits in mine. And, frankly, I am not sure a “home” is what we need. A tunnel, maybe. Remember, she doesn’t like not having an alternate escape route. If that cabinet on that page had TWO holes in it.. maybe we’d be talking.
2) I have 12′ ceilings, and if Olive could live in that space = RAD! She would learn that Beulah can’t touch her. http://www.sparrowsnightmare.com/living20062.jpg But how do you do that and not be the crazy cat lady? I could build some fake support beams, but uh… that’s a renovation D and I can’t handle. Unless you can think of a way to do this, in which case, I am OPEN for suggestions. I do have a high book shelf in my office room that I could replicate, and just not put anything on it… hmmm
3) I just want my living room to look like a living room, but I want my cat to be comfortable enough to come inside it. Is that too much to ask? A secret door under a couch to the bedroom would be Divine. In fact, since I have an unused chimney, I am playing with the idea, but can you really ask a chinmey sweep to come to your house and line the inside of an entire chimney pipe with textured rope for a cat to climb to the attic? It does have a vent in the attic, I belive? Maybe. 
Shit, that’s better than any fire pole any frat boy ever installed.
Step 100 of this will be building this: http://www.chindys.co.za/gallery/Cattery%202.JPG
Yes, it’s outside. It’s like a pigeon coop on the outside of your house. You don’t immediately know how to envision a pigeon coop? Well, then I can’t help you. If you are my sister, you can make fun of me now.
So, let the fun begin. That fun is You coming up with some ideas for ME!
Get started.
