Cats Going Off-Grid

Why not build a sustainable AND cat-friendly home?

Solo: Cuddly Puddle

I’d like to introduce you to our companions in this journey to a more sustainable lifestyle: meet Boca & Solo!  These two cats are best friends and opposites: Solo is calm and quiet, while Boca is outgoing and energetic. But they share a mutual love of watching songbirds while making cute noises, and dream of stalking in their sleep.

Which could be a problem if they were outdoor cats – the American Bird Conservancy has a great fact sheet on cats & wildlife that any cat owner or wildlife lover might be interested in reading.

The most feline-friendly house (click)

But besides the trouble for outdoor cats, the trouble for indoor cats (and their owners) is mostly boredom and obesity.  So Ryan & I decided that if we’re building a sustainable home, it should be the cats’ home too!  We’ve been having fun studying ways to design our off-grid space that incorporates cat-friendly tunnels, climbing steps, play areas and outdoor enclosures in ways that don’t interfere with the structural integrity or aesthetic appeal of the house.

How to Entertain Your Indoor Pet

Our cat Boca has ridiculous amounts of energy and needs to be played with frequently in order to be happy and not yodel incessantly.  Designing the house with her in mind will certainly allow her more freedom. Currently, we’ve set up a prism in the window so she can chase the rainbows around the apartment.  Another great suggestion we’ve heard about is a safe Outdoor Enclosure for pets to enjoy nature without eating it or being eaten.  For more ideas, check out this guide on How to Make Your Outdoor Cat a Happy Indoor Cat.  We’re using these resources even though our cats have always been indoors, since we want to increase their quality of life in a small living space like ours.

Boca: the Mouth

Someday, we could even be like Dorothy and carry our pets in a Wicker Cruiser basket attached to any size bicycle! (and the dog in this ad is ridiculously cute)  Our main goal is to use recycled or sustainable materials while building this cat version of Chuck E. Cheese.  I wonder if our cats would thank this mousy mascot for giving us the idea of a feline playground? Hm…for now, Solo just sleeps near the computer and makes chomping sounds. 🙂