apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

you become more conscious of your environment when you have a pet, from how furniture is arranged to the type of cleansers you may use in your home. I have two cockatiels and they are given free range of the home. their wings are clipped for their own safety and lets me have peace of mind to know they won't be flying into something that would hurt them, such as on the stove or in the toilet. I have become more conscious of my cleaning products as well since their respiratory system is sensitive to most chemicals. and it has made me reconsider some of the products I had been using before. I have also become more practical in my design of the house, untreated wood and non-stain resistant fabric have proven to be a hassle to deal w/. I've switched most of my items to that which is simpler to keep clean. I've learned to have furniture that is practical and beautiful rather than just beautiful. I guess this would be the same concept as if you had kids. you are now looking out for someone besides yourself. and like having kids, they bring joy, noise, mess, frustration, but overall love into the home that you live in.

I don't decorate around my cats, but I do keep in mind that they have to live there also. I try not to buy furniture or sheets that would easily snag should a claw get caught. I also roll up my favorite white rug - the kitties would track litter all over it.

I guess I do decorate around them.

I have no problem decorating around my cats, or integrating their stuff into our house. What bugs me is when people give me UGLY cat toys! We're talking rainbow tunnels and floral beds. Then when they visit they are offended the crap isn't all over the place. I donate the stuff to cat rescue societies.

I don't decorate around my pets but that doesn't stop them from thinking that I am a living piece of furniture that occasionally feeds them.

lol- you better believe its their house. :P

My recycling is different now. If there's a piece of paper, before it goes in the bin, it gets wadded up for the cat to bat around for a few days (until it gets boring) and _then_ recycled. If there's a ribbon, it gets tied to her ribbon toy until it's shredded beyond recognition. If there's a box, we leave it in a new place for her to hide in, for a few days, until too many humans have tripped over it. So I guess having her has made me a lot more tolerant of having trash on the floor in the name of "toys."

I can't have cloth lampshades. Roger will sink his claws in them and pull the lamp down.

I can't have a chair or sofa without a cloth covering the arms. Claws.

I can't have breakable knick-knacks in 'reach'. Roger will knock them off the surface.

And yet I can have all the houseplants I want because he ignores 100% of them.

I'm about to rip up all my carpet and continue the hardwood throughout the rest of my home...my dogs shead, and although it is a pain to constantly sweep the floor, it grosses me out that the hair is in the carpet and I can't see it!!

I once had a gift card to Pottery Barn, and I was really excited to discover they had throw pillows the color of my dog. When I told the employee who rang me up, he sneered at me and said, "You decorate around your dog?" I was tempted to throw this pillows in his face.

Now we have dog-proof cushion covers for the couch, Flor carpet tiles, and dog crates hidden in the TV cabinet. I don't see a problem. We have currently five dogs in a tiny house, and my place still looks better than a lot of other people's houses.

I'm the fool that provides and cares for the dogs of the house....LOL

when it comes to decorating - the dogs - are of course the first on mind and I love it!

It certainly has helped me being organized, meaning if I leave something where it doesn't belong - my loss, my fault and it could be dangerous anyway....I have a chewer!

for years I couldn't bare the idea of having white linens - but I got over it and I am happy to report that I do now - and it's okay they got to be washed more than often but that's a small price to pay~

I have a senior dog and keep cushions or rugs over my hardwood floors so when he jumps off the bed or sofa both low he has a landing spot and does not hurt himself.

I did find a beautiful donut bed that does match my new colors in my living room, blues and greens stripes it looks great.

I happen to be looking for a very reliable cat sitter. We live in Topanga, any one have a referral?
celeste@kellerhouse.com
Thanks!

Some things I've had to take down because of my cats...one in particular.

No more counter-top herb garden - both cats chew the plants down to the roots.

No more mosquito netting over the bed (hey, it's a warm climate) - Z. tried to climb it, repeatedly, when he was a tiny kitten. For the same reason, I don't put up holiday decorations (especially Christmas trees).

Vintage or antique furniture, which I love, can be a gamble. If the upholstery retains any old pet odors Z. will rip it to shreds.

I also have to tie up the vertical-blind cords so Z. won't chew them.

Anchoring breakables with Quake Hold is also a must, but I live in earthquake territory anyway :)

when I reupholstered my chair and couch, I specifically picked a fabric with a tight, smooth weave so as not to tempt my roommate's cat with a deliciously clawable texture like tweed.

I've been searching for the perfect flat-bottom shallow wood bowl that I can add a round cushion to for him to use as a cat bed. He loves to sleep in the bathroom sink, so why not something similar in diameter for the living room?

so flowers on the coffee table, but they are fine in other places.

if all of that constitutes decorating around the cat, then yes, I'm guilty.

My cat likes to sit at the dinner table with us, especially if there is company. If there isn't a chair for her, she just waits until someone gets up and then steals theirs. Then she fights them for it when they come back! So we just pull up a chair for her. She also has her own ottoman by the living room couch.

Since I graduated from college, my rabbit rules everything because she chews. Carpet is out. I've lost one deposit because she ate the carpet. At one place I covered the carpet with a remnant and pulled it up when I moved out. I've also used baby gates and avoided places with carpet. All my cords have black plastic around them, and anything on the floor is fair game. (I close the bedroom door, so that's safe.) I won't even get into bunny poop and bunny fur.

The Cats and Their Servants live in my house. I want to return as one of my cats.

Of course. But my mother takes the cake - she told me she just painted her living room "poop brown" and got brown and taupe carpet tile because she has several dogs and cats and fosters kittens and puppies all the time and why fight it. Ew. But I sympathize.