Have you seen the articles about homes designed especially for cats? Frances Walker and Bob Mooney wrote a book about their remodeling activities. They installed catwalks, climbing posts and doors in the walls for cats to move through the house at the ceiling level.

Many of us adore our pets, even we don’t necessarily want to redesign our entire homes for them. We want to keep them safe and live in harmony with them. Here are a few tips for making your furry friends welcome in your home.

Use Cordless Window Treatments

Pets and children can become tangled in window blind cords. Those cords kill an average of 12 children a year and an unknown number of pets. It’s not hard to imagine your kitten getting himself tangled in a loose cord or your puppy chewing and swallowing it. Hunter Douglas has been the leader in child and pet safety. They have all sorts of products that your pet can’t get in trouble with, from motorized blinds to shades that a cat can push up himself!

Use Straight Drapery Trim

Dogs and especially cats love dangly things. Just look at the design of cat toys to see that it’s true. Dangly trim on your drapes will be too tempting for your furry friend to resist.

Use Fabrics and Products that are Easy to Clean

Some types of fabrics hold pet hair and never let it go. Microfiber felt is notoriously difficult to clean. Something like Hunter Douglas Silhouette sheer shades will collect fur and be easily torn by a claw.  Consider products made of tougher, more easily cleaned material, such as shutters or drapes.

Put in Wood or Tile Floors

Dander and hair is easily trapped in carpet, making allergies worse. Even the best behaved animals sometimes have accidents or leave food on the floor. Tile floors hold up well to dog nails and wood floors can be easily cleaned. Besides, have you ever seen a young cat play on a wood floor? Your little friend won’t mind being stuck inside.

Consider Leather or Suede Furniture

Fabric upholstery collects fur and can be difficult to clean. It’s also susceptible to the same collection of dander as carpet. Leather can be scratched by a playful cat and it’s not easy to fix. Consider leather furniture if you have dogs and suede furniture if you have cats.

Remember to make sure your pets get plenty of exercise and to provide special toys and furniture just for them. They are less likely to play with your things if they have their own.

Call us if you’d like our designer, Theresa Guthals, to come out for an interior design or window treatment consultation. We’re pretty sure she won’t recommend building catwalks.