{"id":2734,"date":"2021-07-12T07:00:33","date_gmt":"2021-07-12T07:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fearfree.com\/2021\/07\/how-animal-shelters-catify-to-benefit-cats-and-adopters\/"},"modified":"2024-09-04T19:58:30","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T19:58:30","slug":"how-animal-shelters-catify-to-benefit-cats-and-adopters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fearfree.com\/2021\/07\/how-animal-shelters-catify-to-benefit-cats-and-adopters\/","title":{"rendered":"How Animal Shelters “Catify” to Benefit Cats and Adopters"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jen Reeder<\/strong>For too long, a common refrain uttered by people thinking of getting a new cat was, \u201cI\u2019d go to a shelter but it\u2019s too sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, rescue advocates across America are working to change that perception by creating cat-friendly shelters that offer enrichment along with aesthetically pleasing designs.<\/p>\n

Kate Benjamin, coauthor of the bestselling books \u201cCatification\u201d and \u201cCatify to Satisfy,\u201d which she wrote with Animal Planet star Jackson Galaxy<\/a>, and founder of Hauspanther<\/a>, a company that helps people and organizations design cat-friendly spaces, said \u201ccatifying\u201d shelters benefits cats, caregivers, and potential adopters. The overarching approach is to create a space as inviting as a cat caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cIf you can see a cat being a cat \u2013 really climbing and scratching and playing and being a cat, not just hiding in a cage \u2013 you can picture that cat in your home,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can get to know their personality better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cats can feel stress in an unfamiliar environment such as a shelter, where they might not be able to engage in typical feline behavior like climbing, hiding, and scratching. So Benjamin said a top priority is creating hiding spaces, such as installing wooden, painted boxes on the ground or on walls.<\/p>\n

\u201cHiding spaces have been proven in scientific studies to help reduce stress in cats. It gives them choice and control over their environment,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is a great DIY project if a shelter has somebody who has power tools and some woodworking skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

She noted hiding spaces can be up high to allow climbing and perching, since cats feel safer with a better view of their surroundings. Other design suggestions include the following:<\/p>\n