10 Ideas for Organizing & Designing a Cat Room

Designing a cat room can be a lot of fun. You'll want to pick the cutest decor and put together a place that will give your cat fun exercise opportunities while also stimulating his mind, so he's not bored. Your cat playroom should be the "purrrfect" mix of practical and stylish, with a lot of toys and spaces your cat won't get tired of exploring. Here are 10 ideas for creating an a-meow-zing cat room.

1. Choose the Perfect Room or Nook

If you have space, consider dedicating an entire room to your cat. But it's okay if you don't have the extra space. You can turn part of a guest bedroom or office into your cat's playroom. Or consider the space under the stairs or a walk-in closet. An enclosed patio could also make an ideal cat room. You can even turn a corner of your living room into a playroom for your kitty.

2. Keep a Mix of Interactive and Traditional Toys

Interactive toys are a great way to keep your cat's mind stimulated even when you're not at home. Try the EZ Mount Track n' Roll or the Creative Kitty Roller Toy to get started. Some cats love motion-activated fish that wriggle when touched. Others enjoy catnip tunnels or mats that are shaped with ripples to entice them. You can even try a treadmill designed especially for cats.¹ (Active breeds like Bengals are more likely to take to a cat treadmill.)

Some cats also love feeder and puzzle toys. This might be a small ball that dispenses toys as it rolls or a puzzle toy that requires your cat to reach in and pull out little kibbles.

In addition to interactive toys, set out traditional toys too. Some cats are especially fond of toys filled with catnip. You might want to store the toys in a storage bin and only leave two or three out at a time, switching them out periodically. Cats can get tired of toys they see every day, but the toys will feel brand new if cats have a break from them.

Don't forget to put toys that require your participation in those bins too, like feather wands and cat laser toys. Your kitty gets a lot of joy from playing with you, and even the best-decorated cat room can't replace that.

3. Place a Variety of Cat Scratchers and Trees in the Room

Your cat loves to scratch and climb; it's an instinct that needs to be met. Try setting up a variety of cat trees she can climb and scratchers she can scratch. You might even want to hang up a cat condo for more variety.

You should try both horizontal and vertical cat scratchers made of different materials to figure out which she prefers. Some cats love to stretch up high when scratching, and others prefer the feeling of "pawing at the floor" when they scratch. Try something like the Kitty Tippy Scratch n' Track Cardboard Toy for a horizontal scratcher and the Creative Kitty A-Frame Playhouse for a more vertical scratcher. You can also attach an EZ Mount Scratcher to a window for extreme vertical scratching.

4. Get Creative with Climbing Stations

If you want to get really creative, put together some shelves and climbing nooks on the walls all around your cat room. Make sure they're sufficiently anchored to handle your cat's weight. Some people install just a few cat shelves for climbing, while others put together a shelf that extends around the entire perimeter of the room.

5. Set up Litter Boxes

You want at least one litter box in your cat's playroom. Try putting it in a quiet corner of the room, and pay attention to whether your kitty prefers a covered box, an open box, or a specific depth or type of litter. If your cat likes enclosed boxes, you can even conceal the litter box as part of the furniture to reduce odors.

Ideally, a multi-cat household has one litter box per cat, plus one additional box. So you'll likely have a litter box set up in at least one other area of your home too.

6. Give Your Kitty a "Cat TV"

If your cat room has a window, then this can be your cat's "TV." Attach a perch to the window so he can relax while watching the world. Try the Kitty Sill - EZ Window Mount or the EZ Mount Window Pod. You might make things even more entertaining by putting a bird or squirrel feeder outside the window.

If you don't have a window in your cat playroom, try a tablet or TV set to show nature programs. Some cats love these and find them quite intriguing.

7. Set up Food and Water Dishes

Of course, no cat room would be complete without food and water dishes. Try out the K&H CleanFlow Filtered Water Bowl for Cats with the 90-ounce reservoir.

You might want to consider an automated feeder, so your cat receives her meals at the same time every day. Or you can store her food and treats in sealed containers that she can't break into and affix cute cat-themed labels on them that are easy for you to read.

8. Give Your Cat a Comfy Bed or Tiny House

Cats love to lounge around and sleep, so be sure and set up a few comfy beds for when your kitty needs to relax. Try to have at least one set up near a window, where a sunbeam will fall during part of the day. The Amazin' Kitty Lounge Sleeper would be great for this. If the room gets a little cold sometimes, try the Self-Warming Nuzzle Nest or the Thermo-Kitty Bed Deluxe Hooded that plugs in.

Some cats prefer enclosed beds because they feel safer. If this is your cat, the Mod Dream Pod could be a great choice. A K&H Kitty Bunkhouse might fit right in with the decor, while the Indoor Pet House is shaped just like a tiny house.

If you have a kitten, consider the Mother's Heartbeat Heated Kitty Pet Bed with Heart Pillow. It helps kittens transition to their new home, and the soothing heartbeat can reduce anxiety and stress. Consider plugging a Comfort Zone Calming Diffuser into your playroom to help reduce stress even more.

You can even use multi-purpose furniture that doubles as a cat bed. For example, a table might have a cat hammock attached beneath it, or a nightstand might have a little kitty bed installed inside.

9. Grow Some Cat-Safe Plants

If you really want to make the room special, grow some cat-safe plants. Almost every pet store has cat grass that's designed especially for your cat to eat.² Why not invest in a number of these and set them up throughout your cat's playroom?

10. Create an Obstacle Course

If you've never clicker-trained your cat, now is a great time to start.³ Set up a portion of the room specifically for cat training. Once your cat has learned basic commands like "come" and "jump," you can train him to run through a miniature obstacle course that includes jumping through hoops, over ropes, and onto stools.

A cat playroom is meant for more than just looking cute. It's a great opportunity to mentally stimulate your cat's mind and keep her entertained even when you aren't home. The only limit to your cat's room is your imagination.

1. Anderson, Karen. "Taking the Cat Exercise Wheel for a Spin: Will Your Kitty Be Obsessed or Unimpressed?" Rover.com, 30 October 2020, https://www.rover.com/blog/cat-exercise-wheel/.

2. PetMD. "What Is Cat Grass? Learn How to Grow Cat Grass for Your Pet." PetMD.com, 23 February, 2016, https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/evr_ct_how-to-grow-cat-grass.

3. Karen Pryor Clicker Training. "Cat Training." ClickerTraining.com, https://www.clickertraining.com/cat-training.