myKotty Manicure done on the scratcher, fur styled neatly – how are your cat’s spring preparations going? Since napping by the radiator will soon be substituted for a sweet chillout on the balcony, observing the outdoor life will get some extra sound effects and catching bugs will be a much greater fun than throwing baubles off of the Christmas tree, we’re not losing any time and already getting to work on our spring cleaning tasks. How can you help your furry friends prepare for the spring even better? We have some ideas so fasten your seatbelts, fabCat – it’s time to tame the unruly fur, refresh some cat accessories and start the most fluffy spring cleaning the world has ever seen.
Cleaning the cat bedroom
The first one to go, and the most important, of course, is the cat bedroom. If cats were to clean after themselves, they would surely pick it as their first as well. But why do something by yourself if you can lounge on the scratcher and direct the hooman to do things for you? And there will be a lot to do, believe us – after all, one can sleep anywhere and the cat bedroom does not end on one bed, in one room. Our bedroom spring cleaning thus starts with the cat beds themselves – those official and less official ones.
Cat beds like the OTI, EMI or PADI deserve a good hoovering and washing which will help remove excess fur and dust that may have collected on them during the winter. All myKotty cat beds have a removable cover made with 100% cotton, which makes them easy to wash and refresh. You can also wash the pillow insert itself – you can find instructions on how to do it on the tags inside our covers and on the pillows. All that is left now is drying them and you’re set – the cat throne is fresh and ready to support the fur during the long hours of observing nature coming back to life.
As for the less official cat beds, meaning all the cardboard boxes, paper bags and piles of long forgotten clothes that need to be washed, they all deserve some spring cleaning tlc as well. If you get rid of the most destroyed ones, you can make space for new ones and it’s no news that a fresh cardboard is what makes a cat happy! Maybe you can even find some hidden cat treasures while clearing everything out? Remember also that if living among a pile of cardboard boxes is too much for you, we have a cardboard MIA cat house in our store and it’s like your cat’s own M1 – stylish, yet allows them to do their spring cleaning at any time of day and night 🙂
When you’re letting the spring spirit into your home, don’t forget to add a splash of colour in! We’ve recently added changeable cat bed covers to our store – available in 6 classic colourways which will allow you to completely change the style of your cat’s bedroom without having to invest in a brand new cat bed all together. Now it’s even easier to match cat furniture to your interiors.
Time for some spring pawdicure
Let’s leave naps behind us for a moment and fly on our brooms to the next, key cat accessory. We’re talking about cat scratchers, of course! Every cat would love to get some fresh pawdicure for spring, which is why we recommend:
- hoovering – it’s the easiest way to get rid of excess fur, cat nail sheds and loose pieces of cardboard (we like to call them the cardboard confetti, though with myKotty scratchers, the amount of it is minimal) from the surface of your scratchers. A hoovered scratcher looks better immediatelly!
- cleaning – the front pieces of the scratchers can benefit from being gently cleaned from time to time. Use a dry or lightly damp cloth to remove all dirt and dust that can be visible and get a fresh start for spring.
- airing out – corrugated cardboard is a fantastic scent soaker, which is why it’s a good idea to air out the scratchers on the balcony and refresh them a little that way. Just remember to do that on a day where the weather is nice – we’re saying a hard NO to dampness! 🙂
- servicing – springtime is obviously a good time to give everything a thorough check up and decide which things need to be replaced for new ones, especially if the surface of the scratcher looks very beaten up. Or maybe it will be enough this time to just turn your LUI or VIGO upside down to give your cat a brand new scratching surface? One thing’s for sure – digging one’s claws into a fresh piece of corrugated cardboard is the best way to get a purrfect pawdicure.
Litter box aromatherapy
Cats are really clean by nature – the litter box is their sanctuary which should remain spotlessly clean regardless of the circumstances or the season. But we know very well, fabCats, that sometimes putting a little bit more litter in is much easier than actually dismantling everything and cleaning the entire litter box. We know it from experience. But for the sake of welcoming spring, we do stand with the cats and ask you to give some love to the cat toilet – the benefits of it being clean and disinfected will be noticeable not just for the feline users 🙂
If you’re using a standard, open litter box, all you need to do is to throw out all the litter from it and take the box for a shower. Don’t use any harsh chemicals, bleach and other products that may be harmful for cats – though it’s good to disinfect the litter box, it’s better to do it in a way that won’t do any harm to your feline friends. There are dedicated products available on the market, but if you’re only using what you have at home, a gentle washing-up liquid and hot water are quite enough.
Clearing out the kitchen
Let’s head from the cat toilet straight into the kitchen which, in the context of cats, is often forgotten. But not with us! In the spirit of spring cleaning, we encourage you, fabCats, to look closely into your cat’s food cans, snacks, supplements and the food bowls themselves.
What are we looking for? If you have some extra cat food that your cat is not really happy for – stop hoarding it for no reason. We regularly get rid of any excess cat food by giving it out to shelters or cat charities who take care of the neighbourhood cats or cats in need. If the cat food connoisseur at home can’t appreciate their taste, other cats will gladly take on the responsibility to empty the cans out 🙂 Just remember to check the expiration date on the packaging (for both wet and dry food) and if you are using dry kibble, regularly check if it’s fresh and if there’s no mold growing on it.
Spring cleaning is a good time to look through cat bowls. Remember that bowls made with plastic can get easily scratched and the tiny scratch marks are a great place for bacteria to grow. The safest option is to go for ceramic or glass bowls all together – they can be washed easily after every meal and stay clean for longer. What’s obvious here, if the bowls are in any way damaged and can be potentially harmful to cats – it’s time for a change.
The interior design revolution
Ok, fabCats – the spring cleaning is behind us and it’s time for some fun. Spring is, after all, the time of new ideas and interior design fun and it goes for cat furniture as well. However, seeing how important routine is for cats, all revolutionary ideas are ok as long as they are introduced gradually and with the cat’s needs in mind.
What could work?
- Switching places of cat beds and scratchers, especially for those which are not quite as popular with your cat as the others may be. Taking out a long forgotten cat scratcher from the bedroom and placing it by the balcony can be a huge success if the scratcher hasn’t experienced cat adoration for quite some time. Napping in the first rays of spring sunshine is just what a cat needs to give into the magic of corrugated cardboard once again 🙂
- Making a cat superhighway. If you like DIY projects and your cats are full of energy, mounting shelves, bridges and cat beds on the wall to let your cat walk around above the ground is a fantastic spring idea! One of the pieces that will do great being placed high up is our TOBI scratcher which can easily be set up on a shelf, your desk or on a window sill. We spoke more about cat superhighway ideas with myKotty products in one of our top articles on the blog, so go ahead and give it a read too:
What we don’t recommend?
- Constantly changing up the setup for cat beds and scratchers without the cat’s permission. Even the most loved cat bed can lose its magic if it’s taken off of the desk and set up on the floor in the bedroom. If your cats have their “golden” spots around the house, treat them as immovable.
- A sudden exchange of every cat accessory for a new one. Cats don’t like changes, which is why we don’t recommend getting rid of the old cat furniture all at once. Even if the scratcher is broken and needs to be replaced, leave both at home for the first few days. Why?
The new scratcher will have to get your cat’s approval and trust, showing your feline friend that it’s just as fantastic as its older brother. The old, very used up accessories are like heavily-loaded scent bombs and, as we know, familiar scents are what gives our cats a sense of security and self-confidence. When we suddenly remove all the old furniture from the cat’s home, where are they supposed to find their safe haven?
Now, how is your spring cleaning going, fabCats? Are the jobs actually getting done or are you just now building your list of tasks for the next few weeks? Share your experiences with us and hey – don’t forget to get your cats to work with you. They will happily join the crew as the head supurrvisors 🙂
