Cats have a reputation for being easy pets (even though that probably isn’t actually the case) so when you have a cat that is highly energetic, doing something you don’t like, or requires you to keep a litter box somewhere you’d rather there wasn’t a litter box, it can feel like a boxing match between your needs and that of your cat.
So who wins in the fight for control of your home: you or your cat? Put down the boxing gloves (even the cute cat sized boxing gloves) and let’s think about this rationally for a moment. It may not be a competition after all.
Needs Vs. Wants
Many things that humans or cats enjoy can be sorted into needs and wants. Needs are things that are absolutely necessary such as food, a warm home, and things to do. Those needs are common between humans and cats. Wants are things that bring us joy, but we’ll objectively survive without them. Examples of wants for humans may be:
- Living in a particular part of town
- Getting a robotic lawn mower (though it would make your life WAY easier…)
- Taking a vacation to an island filled with cats
For cats, wants might include:
- Having another Catit Creamy treat
- Napping in a particular sunbeam vs. another less enjoyable sunbeam
- Getting a fun new catnip filled toy
If you or your cat doesn’t get any of these, you’ll still be able to live your life… despite what your cat may say about those extra treats! Your life might be somewhat less enjoyable, but you’ll survive.
Is It A Want Or A Need?
Let’s think about our wants and needs and those of our cats using a common example of a conflict that occurs between cats and humans: putting in enough cat furniture.
The environment a cat lives in is incredibly important to them as many of their behavioral needs are tied to the environment: scratching things, climbing, hiding when scared, pooping in a substrate they like… You get the idea. These are all needs for cats. They may not seem like it to us, but we’re not cats. If cats don’t do these things, they’ll end up frustrated which often results in behaviors people don’t like.
It Gets More Complicated
To throw a complication into the mix, your cat also needs those critical parts of their environment to meet other needs such as where they are located and being something they actually want to use. A cat bed in a dark corner of a cold room? Your cat won’t use it (unless it’s a heated bed, but even then…). A well placed elevated cat bed like the favorite napping spot of both my dudes, the Desk Nest, placed in a location near your where they can look out the window? Your cat might use it all the time!
In other words, you can’t just think of what you’re giving your cat but where you set it up. This may clash with your desire to keep all of your cat’s stuff in one room or not having a litter box on the main floor. It may mean your home may need to look like you live with cats. Having stuff in the right place is a behavioral need for cats.
To be blunt, having your home look a certain way is a want. You will survive if it doesn’t look perfect. Your cat will develop behavior concerns, extreme stress, and may even develop health issues if you don’t meet their needs.
Needs And Wants Don’t Need To Compete
All that said, when you have a need of your cat clashing with your wants (or even your needs) they don’t have to be in competition. Yes, you’ll have to adjust your expectations and make changes to your home, but it will be worth it. Plus, your wants can be taken into account.
Let’s think of an example and say you don’t want to have your home look like cats live there. Well, cats do live there so you will need to add in cat things. The core desire that goes unspoken is usually something like you want a clean or aesthetically pleasing home. That doesn’t mean your home has to look bad! It just means you may need to make it look different than how you were thinking to work with your cat.
Pick Cat Furniture That Looks Good
Rather than focusing on how you can avoid having cat furniture, focus instead on how you can make your cat furniture look good. Ask yourself:
- What colors, wood stains, or materials do I enjoy looking at?
- What types of shapes and other objects are aesthetically pleasing to me?
- Where have I been thinking about redecorating anyway?
- Are you a minimalist or a maximalist?
No need to pick a cat tree that looks like a giant tree… even if it is pretty freakin’ sweet. Instead, go with cat furniture that is modern and sleek. Consider brands like the Refined Feline or Furr and Co. Furr and Co. happens to be a recent discovery of mine and I really like their items for clients who don’t want traditional cat furniture. I’ve especially enjoyed this stylish cat tree that has a swing and the Helix cat tree. They’re actually nice to look at and I’d argue that the Helix in particular actually enhances your decor because it looks like a wooden sculpture.
The same goes with the Lotus Branch Cat Shelf from the Refined Feline. It actually looks nice even when your cat isn’t being a work of art napping on it.
Blend Furniture Into Your Home
I’m not a huge fan of hiding things like litter boxes in furniture because cats often don’t like using covered litter boxes, but for other pieces of furniture you can combine them with your own furniture or repurpose furniture meant for humans. For example, covering your couch with a self adhesive scratching carpet can protect your furniture while allowing your cat to have a place to scratch. You can also turn a bookshelf into a cat tree or get a bookshelf that’s already part cat tree.
Regardless, there are ways to meet a need for you and your cat in the same space.
Whose Needs Matter More?
Let’s get to answering our original question: whose needs matter more?
Neither. Both of your needs matter equally. Your needs aren’t in competition. What’s often in competition is your wants because, let’s be honest, many of the things people have as reasons for not meeting the environmental and behavioral needs of their cats are wants. You can find interesting looking furniture your cat will love and you’ll love looking at.
More importantly, though, your needs (and often times your wants) are not directly in competition with the needs of your cat. You can achieve both. You may need to adjust your expectations and envision a beautiful home that looks like cats live there (yes, it’s possible). The core of your want, a home that looks nice, is achievable.
