Are modern wooden floors cat unfriendly? If they are, rugs are certainly the opposite. Cats love ’em.
In Britain a lot of people have ripped up their carpets and put down artificial wood flooring. You have that sheer, spacious, modern look. It can also be a cold look and I say that cats don’t like it because cats have an affinity towards the humble rug. Especially a rug that is near a fire and well used by your cat or cats and a dog. Rugs are going to retain a cat’s scent and hair. When hard floors are hoovered and cleaned all remnants of a cat’s presence are removed.
I realise that wooden floors are more hygienic and also, incidentally, much better with respect to the dreaded flea. Fleas love carpets. They sit at the bottom of them and wait for a cat to walk on by at which point they jump on. But you have got to have that rug if you have a cat.
If you had a fitted carpet and put down wooden flooring, I’d be fairly sure that your cat would be upset! This is mainly because cats are very sensitive to a change in the appearance of a home and, of course, they love rugs, carpets etc.
Perhaps the best combination is a hard floor with some judiciously placed rugs for your cat to lounge on. Rugs can be cleaned more easily than fitted carpets to remove fleas etc.
Smallish rugs are probably best because cats can also play in, under and around a small rug. Underneath a rug is a nice place to hide and cats like that.
There are lots of cat toys around. The rug is a nice, instant cat toy, a place for a cat to migrate to and sleep on and it is useful for humans too. Cats aren’t fussy either. It doesn’t have to be anything special. In fact the more used and beat up it is the better.
Update: This is a little video of Lilly who lives with Marc in Switzerland playing with a cat mat. It just backs ups what the post says. Cats think rugs and mats are toys, places to play around and on, and places to sleep on:
I agree Rose – I sometimes worry with all the skidding around. It certainly makes it hard for them. I have hardwood floors with rugs so it works out ook in the end.
We’ve got wood with carpets/rugs – a big one in the living room, then smaller ones that the cats love to play with. Chatri especially has a thing about the one by the front door. He likes to roll around with it, wrestle with it and grab it and kick it. So it is often crumpled up after yet again being defeated in “battle”.
Here too it gets hot in summer and then they like to lie right on the wood floors.
Cats on light rugs in Bedouin tent http://www.mobypicture.com/user/tartqueen1/view/9999653
Good point about danger. I reckon the best combo is rugs on wood but there is no clear winner. I am buying a flat and I fancy putting down carpet tiles! They are more industrial and I hope don’t harbour fleas so well.
Cats and rugs,yes they go together well.
I like the old fashioned carpets in our house,wooden or tiled floors can be a bit dangerous for pets skidding on them when having a mad half hour.
We have a fitted carpet in our living room and a rug by the fire where Jozef loves to lie and toast his tummy and toes. Walter never lies on a rug, he prefers the carpet which is nice and soft and cosy with a thick underlay.
When we had Bryan he loved to go under the furry rug by the fire, he’d lie flat and many a time frightened visitors when the rug moved lol
Great, I’ll add it now.