Level Up Your Cat's Life with a Cat Wall Superhighway
Join Isabel and Hayley Wiliams of Cat Therapy as she shares her expertise on creating the ultimate cat wall. Learn how to design a safe, stimulating, and aesthetically pleasing space for your feline friend. Discover the importance of stability, texture, traffic flow, and pathways to ensure your cat has a happy and healthy climbing experience.
Cat Therapy is your one-stop shop for stylish living with your cat. Whether you're looking to design a cat shelf wall that complements your home decor or searching for aesthetically pleasing cat products, Hayley is here to help make life with your cat more enjoyable.
Listen to Episode #114 Now:
BIO:
Hayley is a cat shelf layout designer and has over 9 years of experience working with cats. She enjoys helping cat guardians design aesthetic homes full of enrichment for cats.
Transcript:
00:00:02.220 --> 00:00:03.960
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:05.060
Announcer: >Let's talk pets.
00:00:22.613 --> 00:00:26.813
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome to Covered In Pet Hair, a boozy show for pet lovers on Pet Life Radio.
00:00:26.813 --> 00:00:43.633
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with a cat expert who helps cat parents create functional spaces that help the whole family enjoy cat time and solo cat time together.
00:00:43.633 --> 00:00:48.253
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I will tell you all about her and introduce you as soon as we come back from these messages from our sponsors.
00:00:51.653 --> 00:00:55.673
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Hi, I'm Isabel Alvarez Arata, the host of Covered In Pet Hair.
00:00:55.673 --> 00:00:58.593
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You know the expression, cats have nine lives?
00:00:58.593 --> 00:01:01.613
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, what if you could give them one more?
00:01:01.613 --> 00:01:06.533
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The Give Them Ten movement is on a mission to help give cats an extra life.
00:01:06.533 --> 00:01:07.253
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How?
00:01:07.253 --> 00:01:08.773
Isabel Alvarez Arata: With spay and neuter.
00:01:08.773 --> 00:01:17.173
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Spaying and neutering your cat helps them live a longer, healthier life, and it helps control re-roaming cat populations too.
00:01:17.173 --> 00:01:24.053
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Learn more about the benefits of spay and neuter and meet Scooter, the neutered cat, at givethemten.org.
00:01:24.053 --> 00:01:25.473
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's givethemten.org.
00:01:31.173 --> 00:01:34.313
Announcer: Let's talk pets on petliferadio.com.
00:01:44.683 --> 00:01:46.123
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
00:01:46.123 --> 00:01:53.503
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with a cat parent, an entrepreneur.
00:01:53.503 --> 00:01:56.503
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a tea drinker, a graphic designer.
00:01:56.503 --> 00:01:59.423
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She calls herself a stay-at-home cat mom.
00:01:59.423 --> 00:02:05.043
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's originally from Tyler, Texas, currently lives in the DFW area.
00:02:05.043 --> 00:02:11.943
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's wife to Connor, cat mom to Luna and Leon, and she's the founder of Cat therapy.co.
00:02:13.223 --> 00:02:15.143
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Her name is Hayley Wiliams.
00:02:15.143 --> 00:02:15.903
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome, Hayley.
00:02:15.903 --> 00:02:16.403
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And who is that?
00:02:16.403 --> 00:02:18.503
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is that Luna joining us today?
00:02:18.503 --> 00:02:19.943
Hayley Wiliams: Yeah, it was Luna.
00:02:19.943 --> 00:02:21.923
Hayley Wiliams: I figured she'd make an appearance.
00:02:23.463 --> 00:02:25.703
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Luna, you are stunning.
00:02:25.703 --> 00:02:27.483
Hayley Wiliams: She is definitely the star of the show.
00:02:27.483 --> 00:02:28.343
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh my gosh.
00:02:28.343 --> 00:02:29.363
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's so pretty.
00:02:29.363 --> 00:02:30.523
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How old is Luna?
00:02:30.523 --> 00:02:32.403
Hayley Wiliams: Luna is about eight years old.
00:02:32.403 --> 00:02:33.003
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh wow.
00:02:33.003 --> 00:02:40.103
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And she uses her cat walk runway, I guess, or super highway or whatever it is people call them.
00:02:40.103 --> 00:02:41.103
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Does she use them often?
00:02:41.363 --> 00:02:42.323
Hayley Wiliams: Oh yes.
00:02:42.323 --> 00:02:47.683
Hayley Wiliams: Her and Rheon both use them basically every day, most of the day.
00:02:47.683 --> 00:02:48.643
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's amazing.
00:02:48.643 --> 00:02:49.943
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can't wait to dig in.
00:02:49.943 --> 00:03:12.483
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Today's episode is all about those cat super highways, cat floating shelves, cat walls, whatever you want to call them, we're going to dig in because my friend Hayley here is an expert that helps people design them for their own purposes and in their own decor style, which is so important to me because I love interior design and we can't just add eyesores for the cats to the house.
00:03:12.483 --> 00:03:16.923
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So before we get into all of that, which I'm super excited about, can you tell?
00:03:16.923 --> 00:03:18.583
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want to introduce our drinking game today.
00:03:18.583 --> 00:03:26.603
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So anybody participating in our drinking game at home, anytime you hear this word... the secret word is wall.
00:03:26.603 --> 00:03:34.383
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Take a drink of whatever you're enjoying, but please be over 21 in the US to partake, never drink and drive and always drink responsibly.
00:03:34.383 --> 00:03:35.763
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So you are a tea drinker.
00:03:36.323 --> 00:03:39.883
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are you joining us with tea because you inspired my drink today?
00:03:39.883 --> 00:03:41.383
Hayley Wiliams: I'm not actually.
00:03:41.383 --> 00:03:43.783
Hayley Wiliams: I'm also a soda drinker.
00:03:43.783 --> 00:03:46.103
Hayley Wiliams: So today is soda.
00:03:46.103 --> 00:03:47.543
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, nice.
00:03:47.543 --> 00:03:49.003
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm a diet coke girl.
00:03:49.003 --> 00:03:50.163
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I totally hear that.
00:03:50.163 --> 00:03:54.083
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There are some days that a soda is the only thing that will hit the spot.
00:03:54.083 --> 00:03:59.403
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So today, I'm actually having a sweet tea in honor of both of us being from Texas.
00:03:59.403 --> 00:04:00.903
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But this is a boozy sweet tea.
00:04:00.903 --> 00:04:03.103
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's got vodka and it's got peach schnapps in it.
00:04:03.543 --> 00:04:03.943
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cheers.
00:04:03.943 --> 00:04:06.143
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm so excited to have you on the show.
00:04:06.143 --> 00:04:07.023
Hayley Wiliams: Thank you.
00:04:07.043 --> 00:04:08.483
Hayley Wiliams: I'm so happy to be here.
00:04:08.483 --> 00:04:08.823
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Awesome.
00:04:08.823 --> 00:04:10.883
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, I cannot wait to dig in.
00:04:10.883 --> 00:04:13.943
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love the name of your business, Cat Therapy.
00:04:13.943 --> 00:04:28.323
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I want to start the show with a game that is actually all about your business and some of the blogs that I found online so that my audience can get intrigued by what you have to offer, which is a lot on your website, cattherapy.co.
00:04:28.323 --> 00:04:36.703
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So if you're game, I'm going to invite you to play Cat Therapy Quickfire, where I ask you some random facts that you shared on your blog.
00:04:36.703 --> 00:04:37.783
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are you ready to play?
00:04:37.783 --> 00:04:38.323
Hayley Wiliams: I think so.
00:04:38.323 --> 00:04:39.163
Hayley Wiliams: Are you ready?
00:04:39.163 --> 00:04:40.503
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are you ready, Luna?
00:04:40.503 --> 00:04:43.923
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She looks like she's ready for you to keep petting her the whole episode.
00:04:43.923 --> 00:04:45.523
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's what I think she's ready for.
00:04:45.523 --> 00:04:46.323
Hayley Wiliams: That's all right.
00:04:46.323 --> 00:04:48.543
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We can do that.
00:04:48.543 --> 00:04:50.203
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's there for moral support.
00:04:50.203 --> 00:04:53.863
Isabel Alvarez Arata: If you forget how important these shelves are, she's going to remind you.
00:04:53.863 --> 00:04:55.623
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She might even give us a demo back there.
00:04:55.623 --> 00:04:58.983
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I see some cat shelves in the background at your house.
00:04:59.223 --> 00:05:02.183
Hayley Wiliams: Yes.
00:05:02.183 --> 00:05:02.543
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
00:05:02.543 --> 00:05:11.663
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, the first question I have for you in Cat Therapy Quick Fire is, does somewhat neurodivergence affect their cat parenting way of life?
00:05:11.663 --> 00:05:13.243
Hayley Wiliams: I would say yes.
00:05:13.243 --> 00:05:14.163
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think so too.
00:05:14.163 --> 00:05:22.163
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can you give me one example about how neurodivergence can affect the day-to-day routines that are involved in cat parenting?
00:05:22.163 --> 00:05:22.743
Hayley Wiliams: Sure.
00:05:22.783 --> 00:05:25.463
Hayley Wiliams: One example I would get is the litter box.
00:05:26.183 --> 00:05:33.203
Hayley Wiliams: For me, if it's out of sight, it's out of my mind, so I have to have it in a spot that I will see it daily.
00:05:33.203 --> 00:05:41.303
Hayley Wiliams: So it's in my office so that I remember to clean it, whereas most people would probably want to hide it in a closet or something.
00:05:41.303 --> 00:05:42.343
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, I agree.
00:05:42.343 --> 00:05:47.803
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I need it to be somewhere that I see it, that it's not upstairs in a room where I never go.
00:05:47.803 --> 00:05:49.283
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I completely agree with you.
00:05:49.283 --> 00:05:55.643
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Then you also mentioned on your website that mental health impacts cat care chores like litter scooping.
00:05:55.643 --> 00:05:59.483
Isabel Alvarez Arata: In which ways do you see that happening?
00:05:59.623 --> 00:06:01.483
Hayley Wiliams: There's quite a few ways.
00:06:01.483 --> 00:06:07.543
Hayley Wiliams: A lot of it can be remembering to do it frequently enough for the cat.
00:06:07.543 --> 00:06:16.263
Hayley Wiliams: I know a bit for one of my cats, Leon, if I don't scoop his box at least once a day, he will find somewhere else to go.
00:06:16.263 --> 00:06:17.123
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:06:17.123 --> 00:06:18.203
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's super important.
00:06:18.203 --> 00:06:26.343
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I actually was just watching something and this was not about cats or it was about humans specifically taking care of ourselves.
00:06:26.343 --> 00:06:31.583
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It was that a lot of times when we're having the hardest time, self-care is the first thing we give up.
00:06:31.583 --> 00:06:35.483
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We stop maybe brushing our teeth, maybe we stop showering.
00:06:35.483 --> 00:06:43.223
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Those things just feel super overwhelming to do even though somebody who's not struggling finds them completely simple.
00:06:43.903 --> 00:06:50.723
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It could be really hard to get yourself motivated to scoop a litter box, even though your cat is obviously demanding it.
00:06:51.203 --> 00:07:01.623
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, it can definitely be a challenge, even though cats can be so good for those who struggle with mental health because they are, they give such unconditional love and so much support.
00:07:01.623 --> 00:07:04.783
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, it's just kind of like finding that balance.
00:07:04.783 --> 00:07:14.783
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, speaking of balance, why do you think it's important for cats and their humans and even other pets in the home, maybe other species, to find harmony living together?
00:07:14.783 --> 00:07:15.883
Hayley Wiliams: Why do I think it's important?
00:07:16.423 --> 00:07:24.963
Hayley Wiliams: Yes, well, there's a lot of returns and that's part of why I try to find that balance for humans and cats.
00:07:24.963 --> 00:07:43.543
Hayley Wiliams: And so, when you add like a dog to a situation, maybe the cat needs to get higher with cat shelves away from the dog, or you have guests come over and the cat needs a place to kind of be able to be in the action without being underfoot where they feel maybe more vulnerable.
00:07:43.803 --> 00:07:47.123
Hayley Wiliams: So, super important and beneficial.
00:07:47.123 --> 00:07:47.883
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Absolutely.
00:07:48.743 --> 00:07:55.563
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like like you said, when there's a change, there's something that's not working for the cat, for the dog, for the human.
00:07:55.563 --> 00:08:10.623
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There could be also behaviors that we don't want, like urinating outside the litter box, scratching inappropriately, vocalization, like what Bango does to me when he is ready to get up at 4 a.m.
00:08:10.623 --> 00:08:11.563
Isabel Alvarez Arata: and I'm not.
00:08:11.563 --> 00:08:35.183
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, these kinds of things, when something is off, we can end up finding them pop up in bad behaviors, bad behaviors, because they're just unwanted behaviors, but they're super natural for a cat who's out of harmony, for a dog and a cat that are not getting along, for two cats that I saw on your blog that you have two cats, that you have to plan your space accordingly, so that they could be in harmony.
00:08:35.183 --> 00:08:41.563
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So it's so important so that everybody kind of gets their needs met and lives together peacefully.
00:08:41.563 --> 00:08:54.483
Isabel Alvarez Arata: When it comes to litter boxes, what is the biggest challenge design-wise that people encounter when they are like you and I, big on interior design, but then they need a litter box?
00:08:54.483 --> 00:09:00.283
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like what is the biggest challenge in that making the decision on what litter box to buy or where to put it?
00:09:00.283 --> 00:09:01.663
Hayley Wiliams: That's a difficult question.
00:09:01.943 --> 00:09:06.923
Hayley Wiliams: So, for me, it's something that I feel comfortable having out all the time.
00:09:06.923 --> 00:09:13.243
Hayley Wiliams: And that's why so many people will hide it away because they don't want to look at it.
00:09:13.243 --> 00:09:20.143
Hayley Wiliams: And I would say, yeah, for me and maybe a lot of others, it's seeing it in plain sight.
00:09:20.143 --> 00:09:28.303
Hayley Wiliams: So having to choose something maybe that is aesthetic but also like something that the cats will use.
00:09:28.843 --> 00:09:29.703
Hayley Wiliams: Yes.
00:09:29.703 --> 00:09:35.563
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Such a challenge because a lot of times, what we like as humans, the cats do not approve of.
00:09:35.563 --> 00:09:39.203
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How do you feel about that furniture that hides litter boxes?
00:09:39.203 --> 00:09:46.743
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you find those are great for humans, not so great for cats or do you find that some cats are into those because they have enough space in there?
00:09:46.743 --> 00:09:59.483
Hayley Wiliams: It depends on the cat for sure because mine use a covered litter box and most cats, the first thing when they're having issues, you try an uncovered to see if it's the issue.
00:09:59.483 --> 00:10:08.603
Hayley Wiliams: So I love the idea, especially if it's well-ventilated in the covered furniture with the litter box.
00:10:08.603 --> 00:10:18.443
Hayley Wiliams: There's so many different ones out there and different ways to do it, which is why I try and find those things and talk about them on my blog.
00:10:18.443 --> 00:10:19.103
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:10:19.103 --> 00:10:38.323
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, what's interesting is you make a good point about ventilation because I always imagine that being better for the smell in the home because it's contained, but then when you think about it from the cat's perspective, it's just contained in that square, wooden structure that may not really be appealing for them to go in there, and I don't blame them.
00:10:38.323 --> 00:10:41.623
Isabel Alvarez Arata: If my bathroom smelled, I wouldn't want to go use it either.
00:10:41.623 --> 00:10:42.603
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I totally hear that.
00:10:42.603 --> 00:10:45.023
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's like finding the perfect middle ground.
00:10:45.023 --> 00:10:54.783
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I do have one of those open litter boxes that looks like a planter, and I love those because I only have one cat, and he does not really use the walls of it.
00:10:54.903 --> 00:11:04.443
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So he uses it really nicely, and it looks like a fake plant, and I kind of can turn the opening a little bit, and it works really well for us, but we have multiple litter boxes.
00:11:04.443 --> 00:11:10.723
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We have three for one cat, because we have a bigger home, so that might not be ideal for every cat or every situation.
00:11:10.723 --> 00:11:20.583
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's why people like you are so helpful, because you can kind of help troubleshoot, and I know you do some shopping, and you know some brands, which is super important, because most of us don't have the time to spend on all that.
00:11:20.583 --> 00:11:21.763
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, last question.
00:11:22.263 --> 00:11:30.883
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What can every day cat parents do in their home, just around the home, that will probably make their cat's life just a little bit more positive?
00:11:30.883 --> 00:11:39.143
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Just one thing, not a huge investment, that everybody can walk away this from this episode doing, that will make a big difference.
00:11:39.143 --> 00:11:55.483
Hayley Wiliams: I'm biased, but I think most people would benefit, and their cats would benefit from a cat shelf, whether that's a section cup window, cat shelf or something, just one shelf on a wall.
00:11:55.483 --> 00:12:04.043
Hayley Wiliams: Cats just really like heights, and it makes them feel secure, so that would be the one thing in your house that I would consider.
00:12:04.043 --> 00:12:05.123
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that so much.
00:12:05.123 --> 00:12:09.183
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So a shelf somewhere high where they can have their own little sanctuary.
00:12:09.183 --> 00:12:13.063
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So do you have background in interior design?
00:12:13.063 --> 00:12:20.163
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know graphic design, but graphic design and home interiors don't always go together, so tell me about your background in interior design.
00:12:20.643 --> 00:12:24.303
Hayley Wiliams: So I do not have any formal training in interior design.
00:12:24.303 --> 00:12:27.663
Hayley Wiliams: It's all through trial and error.
00:12:27.663 --> 00:12:32.503
Hayley Wiliams: But I have a natural eye for it, coming from the graphic design background.
00:12:32.983 --> 00:12:36.403
Hayley Wiliams: It's in the 3D space versus the 2D space.
00:12:36.683 --> 00:12:37.183
Hayley Wiliams: Right.
00:12:37.183 --> 00:12:45.123
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And how long have you been using these talents to build custom, like not build, but design custom cat walls?
00:12:45.123 --> 00:12:48.943
Hayley Wiliams: It's a rather recent endeavor.
00:12:48.943 --> 00:12:53.603
Hayley Wiliams: I started in the summer of last year.
00:12:53.623 --> 00:12:54.803
Hayley Wiliams: Oh, cool.
00:12:54.803 --> 00:12:56.083
Hayley Wiliams: 2023.
00:12:56.083 --> 00:12:56.543
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Awesome.
00:12:56.543 --> 00:12:56.763
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:12:56.763 --> 00:12:58.183
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, I'm going to engage you.
00:12:58.183 --> 00:13:01.503
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I already saw your website, I saw your consultation, I saw your fee.
00:13:01.503 --> 00:13:08.223
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm going to engage you because I want to build a cat wall somewhere in my house.
00:13:08.223 --> 00:13:09.603
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm not sure where.
00:13:09.603 --> 00:13:10.443
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We haven't decided.
00:13:10.923 --> 00:13:16.583
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I wanted to ask you if there's a room in the house that you think is best for a setup like this.
00:13:16.583 --> 00:13:23.023
Hayley Wiliams: I would say that it's the space that you and your cat spend the most time in.
00:13:23.023 --> 00:13:26.383
Hayley Wiliams: Because cats want to be where you are.
00:13:26.383 --> 00:13:32.783
Hayley Wiliams: In my case, I'm in my office the majority of the day, and that's where my cats want to be.
00:13:32.783 --> 00:13:43.583
Hayley Wiliams: It's a small space, so giving them things to do even if it's asleep near me, but not be on top with me and my keyboard and things like that, that's a huge benefit.
00:13:43.583 --> 00:13:47.623
Hayley Wiliams: It really depends on where you're spending the most time with your cats.
00:13:47.623 --> 00:13:48.243
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:13:48.243 --> 00:13:49.323
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What are the benefits?
00:13:49.323 --> 00:13:51.383
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Obviously, it gives them something to do.
00:13:51.383 --> 00:13:54.043
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It might give them somewhere to take a nap.
00:13:54.043 --> 00:14:01.783
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But what other benefits are there to creating a cat wall, more than just a shelf, maybe a few shelves in a space in your home?
00:14:01.783 --> 00:14:02.883
Hayley Wiliams: Definitely.
00:14:02.883 --> 00:14:12.323
Hayley Wiliams: Essentially, what a cat shelf wall is, is a playground for your cat, both mental and physical exercise.
00:14:12.323 --> 00:14:21.303
Hayley Wiliams: It may seem like they're just sleeping or whatnot, but my cats will run up and down the shelves and scratch the shelves.
00:14:21.303 --> 00:14:36.723
Hayley Wiliams: I have some scratchers behind me on the wall, and they will just use that to get their energy, the zoomies out so that they're not waking up at 3 AM in the morning.
00:14:36.823 --> 00:14:38.723
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm serious, I'm already signing up.
00:14:38.723 --> 00:14:40.063
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Sign me up, please.
00:14:40.063 --> 00:14:40.623
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Sign me up.
00:14:40.623 --> 00:14:54.543
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so we gotta take a break here, but when we come back, we're actually gonna dig in a little bit deeper into these cat shelves, these cat walls, these cat super highways that we all see on Instagram, and maybe we're gonna get some inspiration to do them in our homes.
00:14:54.543 --> 00:14:55.363
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Don't go anywhere.
00:14:55.363 --> 00:14:58.523
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I will be right back with Hayley from Cat therapy.co.
00:15:01.823 --> 00:15:04.083
Announcer: Ready for the biggest cat celebration in the world?
00:15:04.863 --> 00:15:11.563
Announcer: Come to the CFA International Cat Show & Expo in Cleveland, Ohio on October 12th and 13th.
00:15:11.563 --> 00:15:20.123
Announcer: The Expo is the world's grandest cat celebration, seamlessly blending pedigree cat exhibitions with feline welfare and rescue initiatives.
00:15:20.123 --> 00:15:30.383
Announcer: It captivates over 10,000 feline enthusiasts each year, celebrating all cats, whether rescue or pedigree, in a shared spirit of love and unity.
00:15:30.843 --> 00:15:44.083
Announcer: Dive into cat-themed activations and enlightening educational sessions, marvel at 1,000 non-pedigree and pedigree cats, adoptable felines and explore over 100 cat-themed vendors.
00:15:44.083 --> 00:15:49.023
Announcer: It's an event dedicated to honoring our beloved felines and their admirers.
00:15:49.023 --> 00:15:52.103
Announcer: And guess what feline influencers are coming to meet and greet?
00:15:52.423 --> 00:16:01.403
Announcer: YouTube cat video sensation Aaron's Animals, as well as Nathan the Cat Lady, Lambo, Leesha, Chupy and many, many more.
00:16:01.403 --> 00:16:06.203
Announcer: Gather your cat crew and do whatever it takes to head to the CFA Cat Expo.
00:16:06.203 --> 00:16:10.863
Announcer: It's a whisker-wiggling, tail-twirling extravaganza you won't want to miss.
00:16:10.863 --> 00:16:15.703
Announcer: Get your tickets at cfacatexpo.com, cfacatexpo.com.
00:16:19.183 --> 00:16:23.543
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on Pet Life Radio.
00:16:23.543 --> 00:16:25.763
Announcer: petliferadio.com.
00:16:35.339 --> 00:16:37.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
00:16:37.219 --> 00:17:03.859
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with Hayley from pattherapy.co, who is a graphic designer turned interior cat wall designer, who makes custom designs for homes that have cats, that have dogs, that have families, that need to enrich their cat's lives with something to do on a wall, maybe a few shelves, maybe a lot of shelves.
00:17:03.979 --> 00:17:11.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We're going to dig in with Hayley on all of the ins and outs of planning and executing one of these amazing walls.
00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:16.019
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, Hayley, if you're ready to play, we're going to play Cat Wall 101.
00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:19.719
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Don't worry, I took all of these facts again from your website.
00:17:19.719 --> 00:17:30.519
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because you have such a wealth of knowledge for anybody who wants to DIY this, please go check out www.cattherapy.co because she gives you all the tips, all the good information that you can do this by yourself.
00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:40.459
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But she also offers design services so you can actually get the most out of this design and she even reviews some of the manufacturers to give you the best options out there.
00:17:40.459 --> 00:17:45.939
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because if we're going to invest in a cat wall, Hayley, how long do you think that that cat wall is going to last?
00:17:45.939 --> 00:17:48.819
Hayley Wiliams: The hope would be until you take it down.
00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:49.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So this is a long term.
00:17:50.659 --> 00:17:56.499
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I have Bingo who's a year old more or less, and this will be with us until he's 20, hopefully.
00:17:56.499 --> 00:17:57.739
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Fingers crossed.
00:17:57.739 --> 00:17:58.679
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, fingers crossed.
00:17:58.679 --> 00:17:59.759
Hayley Wiliams: All of the things.
00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.699
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, exactly.
00:18:00.699 --> 00:18:01.539
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, awesome.
00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:06.779
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Assuming we stay here, assuming he's healthy enough, assuming all those things, it should last a really good time.
00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:09.579
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, that's good because it is an investment, right?
00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:18.459
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How long do you think it would take for somebody to design and execute one of these cat walls assuming it's like a medium, I guess, elaborate setup?
00:18:18.459 --> 00:18:22.339
Hayley Wiliams: So to install one, it could just take a weekend.
00:18:22.339 --> 00:18:22.959
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:18:22.959 --> 00:18:34.019
Hayley Wiliams: However, planning and choosing the shelves and where you're going to put them on the wall, that can take a bit more time, and I think that's why a lot of people struggle with where to start with it.
00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:34.959
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, I do.
00:18:34.959 --> 00:18:35.499
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know.
00:18:35.499 --> 00:18:37.899
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I mean, we've talked about it since we got Vango a year ago.
00:18:37.899 --> 00:18:49.099
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My husband's pretty handy, but I don't know where to put it, and I don't know what it's going to look like, and I don't know what company is best and what different types of textures and functions they all serve.
00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:52.139
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So it is really learning a new skill.
00:18:52.139 --> 00:18:52.679
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So here we go.
00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:56.139
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is called, again, Cat Wall 101.
00:18:56.139 --> 00:19:03.419
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The first question I have for you is, Cat Wall Designs in multiple cat homes need multiple on and off ramps.
00:19:03.419 --> 00:19:04.399
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:19:04.419 --> 00:19:13.179
Hayley Wiliams: Definitely true, especially because you don't want a cat to get stuck by another cat blocking them up high.
00:19:13.179 --> 00:19:15.399
Hayley Wiliams: That's just a recipe for disaster.
00:19:16.379 --> 00:19:17.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:19:17.219 --> 00:19:18.039
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:25.339
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cat Wall Designs should incorporate various types of wall shelves, such as scratchers and different types of lounging areas.
00:19:25.339 --> 00:19:26.339
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:19:26.339 --> 00:19:27.499
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
00:19:27.499 --> 00:19:28.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:30.459
Hayley Wiliams: Now, it's not just for the cats.
00:19:30.459 --> 00:19:33.459
Hayley Wiliams: You could put their bowls, you could put planters.
00:19:33.459 --> 00:19:37.279
Hayley Wiliams: It can be multi-purpose for the cat and yourself.
00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:38.679
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, I love that idea.
00:19:38.679 --> 00:19:39.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, very cool.
00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:40.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:46.039
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is possible for wall furniture for cats to seamlessly blend in with a home's existing décor.
00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:47.019
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:19:47.019 --> 00:19:48.439
Hayley Wiliams: True.
00:19:48.439 --> 00:19:50.279
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There's a lot out there right now, right?
00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:52.199
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I feel like more is even coming.
00:19:52.199 --> 00:19:56.179
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like as people start doing this more in their homes, we're going to get different styles.
00:19:56.179 --> 00:19:57.259
Hayley Wiliams: Definitely.
00:19:57.259 --> 00:20:06.719
Hayley Wiliams: I'm already seeing it happen in the world of product for cat shelves and DIY and off-the-shelf sort of product.
00:20:06.719 --> 00:20:07.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Very, very cool.
00:20:07.659 --> 00:20:07.919
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:20:08.419 --> 00:20:15.379
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cat wall design should include lounge areas as well as superhighways where they can run really quickly.
00:20:15.499 --> 00:20:22.279
Hayley Wiliams: And that's more of a depends on the cat and what you're trying to achieve.
00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:25.639
Hayley Wiliams: So that's more of a maybe.
00:20:25.639 --> 00:20:26.119
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Maybe.
00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:26.459
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:20:26.459 --> 00:20:36.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So would you help your clients figure out the balance between lounge areas, superhighways and maybe scratchers based on their age or their activity levels?
00:20:36.899 --> 00:20:37.519
Hayley Wiliams: Definitely.
00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:38.159
Hayley Wiliams: Yes.
00:20:38.159 --> 00:20:46.279
Hayley Wiliams: And that's both that and other things or things I take into account when building a cat shelf that they want and for their cat.
00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:46.839
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Perfect.
00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:48.319
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, because I need a superhighway.
00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:51.439
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I need, he has plenty of places to lounge.
00:20:51.439 --> 00:20:54.099
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I need Van Gogh to get some steps in during the day.
00:20:55.479 --> 00:20:56.399
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
00:20:56.399 --> 00:21:01.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Most floating shelves are not very secure or easy to install, true or false?
00:21:01.659 --> 00:21:15.079
Hayley Wiliams: So floating shelves are, it's more about what you use to fasten them to the wall and where you fasten them to the wall and the kind of material that you're drilling into.
00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:16.319
Hayley Wiliams: So that gives a fall.
00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:17.179
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's true, right?
00:21:17.179 --> 00:21:18.119
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's true.
00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:21.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, it's true because it can be a little bit difficult.
00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:26.919
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's not just buy it at the store and just put it up on the wall, right?
00:21:26.919 --> 00:21:28.239
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There's a little more to it.
00:21:28.239 --> 00:21:32.539
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think that's what people don't understand sometimes going into these things.
00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:36.259
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's like, yeah, you find this product on Wayfair, for example.
00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:39.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm just going to say Wayfair because there's so many of them on there.
00:21:39.219 --> 00:21:41.339
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They have great pet products, honestly.
00:21:41.699 --> 00:21:45.999
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They've really upgraded their stuff when it comes to pets, especially cats.
00:21:45.999 --> 00:21:46.899
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They have great stuff.
00:21:46.899 --> 00:21:55.279
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But it's not just about getting it delivered and putting it up, because if your cat, if it's not installed properly, your cat can fall, can get hurt.
00:21:55.279 --> 00:22:01.719
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Somebody else can get hurt because the cat falls and scratches them on the way down or gets hit by something.
00:22:01.719 --> 00:22:07.999
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There's a lot more to it than just like, I'm just going to hammer this in and move on with my life.
00:22:07.999 --> 00:22:12.859
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This one I know you're going to know for sure because this one I took from your website directly.
00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:18.319
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Two critical initial steps in planning a cat wall are measuring your room and finding the studs.
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:18.839
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:20.739
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
00:22:20.739 --> 00:22:22.559
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Why are studs so important?
00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:25.339
Hayley Wiliams: Kind of back to what we were just talking about.
00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:29.539
Hayley Wiliams: If it's not stable, it's not going to stay on the wall.
00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:38.819
Hayley Wiliams: Studs are the most secure besides maybe a brick wall for putting in your cat shelves on a drywall.
00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:39.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, perfect.
00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:43.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And so we would, I'm not super handy, but I know what a stud finder is.
00:22:43.219 --> 00:22:52.299
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We find a stud finder and we would choose to drill directly into the stud and then if there's drywall then we would need an anchor to make sure that it's steady.
00:22:52.299 --> 00:23:01.379
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Have you ever seen and obviously not in your designs, but have you ever seen where a cat actually does fall from one of these kind of setups?
00:23:01.379 --> 00:23:07.579
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can you tell us if you know what kind of consequences that might cause?
00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:14.839
Hayley Wiliams: So I've definitely seen drywall fail and I've seen the shelf itself fail as far as like pulling out of the wall.
00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:16.419
Hayley Wiliams: So yes, I can imagine.
00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:21.179
Hayley Wiliams: And the cat's not going to be very likely to want to use it again.
00:23:21.179 --> 00:23:23.899
Hayley Wiliams: We'll be a little bit more suspicious of that.
00:23:23.899 --> 00:23:24.859
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:23:24.859 --> 00:23:34.259
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's the thing that I would be most worried about is that some cats, a lot of cats, are like a try at one time and never again kind of personality.
00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:36.339
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So they'll be like, oh, this sounds cool.
00:23:36.339 --> 00:23:36.859
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is cool.
00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:42.199
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm sniffing, I'm walking, I'm doing my thing and boom, it comes falling down and I'm done.
00:23:42.199 --> 00:23:43.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Never again.
00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:45.139
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So thank you for that game.
00:23:45.379 --> 00:23:45.639
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you.
00:23:45.639 --> 00:23:46.619
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You did a great job.
00:23:46.619 --> 00:24:03.179
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But assuming that they don't have any traumatic incidents with this new setup, how long do you think it would take a pet like Vengo, who's never had any kind of setup like this, like a cat wall, how long would it take him to use it to its optimum potential?
00:24:03.179 --> 00:24:05.519
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Would it take weeks, months, days?
00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:12.439
Hayley Wiliams: So when I set up my current cat wall in my office, they were pretty much immediately on the shelves.
00:24:12.679 --> 00:24:15.599
Hayley Wiliams: However, they did not start running.
00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:24.139
Hayley Wiliams: They did not start using certain shelves until maybe one to two weeks into having them all up on the wall.
00:24:24.139 --> 00:24:33.419
Hayley Wiliams: So it does take time for your cat to feel confident enough to try something new or to just start running without abandon on these shelves.
00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:38.759
Hayley Wiliams: Yes, and especially if big shelves don't have traction.
00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:44.399
Hayley Wiliams: I've had a cat fall, so we had to add more grip to these shelves.
00:24:44.399 --> 00:24:50.759
Hayley Wiliams: So it's just a whole process for sure for both the human and the cat.
00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:53.619
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, that's a perfect segue to my next question.
00:24:53.619 --> 00:24:59.199
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I know that some shelves are more challenging than others, but we don't want them to be unsafe.
00:24:59.199 --> 00:25:01.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So what is like the basic shelf we're looking for?
00:25:02.059 --> 00:25:05.279
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Something that obviously has some kind of traction, what else would it be?
00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:12.759
Hayley Wiliams: So traction, we talked about stability earlier, and so and that kind of falls in line with safety too.
00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:19.459
Hayley Wiliams: If you, you know, don't install the gym equipment, if you will, properly, it can injure them.
00:25:19.459 --> 00:25:20.139
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:25:20.139 --> 00:25:25.859
Hayley Wiliams: And then, like I said earlier, there are multiple escape routes, especially for a multi-cat household.
00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:34.939
Hayley Wiliams: If you have one cow, it's a little less important, but definitely if they feel unsafe in one way, they want to be able to escape another way.
00:25:34.939 --> 00:25:40.479
Hayley Wiliams: I feel like cats are just playing chess in their head all the time, like, where do I move next?
00:25:40.479 --> 00:25:46.719
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, yeah, they're both prey and predators, so they have, like, way more going on in their heads than most dogs.
00:25:46.719 --> 00:25:54.979
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Even the chihuahuas are like, I am the predator, but like the cats are like, I'm the predator sometimes, I'm the prey sometimes, I need a backup plan wherever I go.
00:25:54.979 --> 00:25:59.139
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I totally agree with that, that they're usually on the defensive a little bit.
00:25:59.139 --> 00:26:07.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Even when they're kind of relaxing and purring, they're kind of looking over their shoulder being like, there's not a sound coming from there, there's no new person coming in the room.
00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:09.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's just part of being cats.
00:26:09.219 --> 00:26:17.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so really we need to know, like, the measurements of the room, the height of the ceilings, that kind of thing, or is there anything more that we should be planning for?
00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:25.699
Hayley Wiliams: More so, I need to understand what you need and what your cats need, and the measurements and, like, where everything is kind of comes later.
00:26:25.699 --> 00:26:26.119
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Awesome.
00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:26.639
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Perfect.
00:26:26.639 --> 00:26:28.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can't wait to get started.
00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:33.299
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What kind of things would we opt for if we have, like, a young, agile cat?
00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:36.479
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What would make them want to run up and down these shelves?
00:26:36.479 --> 00:26:39.299
Hayley Wiliams: That's definitely going to be a grip thing.
00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:47.319
Hayley Wiliams: And so, like, things like carpet or the carpet you put on boats, which is kind of more like a belt type.
00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:48.919
Hayley Wiliams: And you can even use cork.
00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:51.999
Hayley Wiliams: Just anything that they can get their...
00:26:51.999 --> 00:26:52.479
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cicil?
00:26:52.479 --> 00:26:52.979
Hayley Wiliams: No.
00:26:52.999 --> 00:26:54.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cicil.
00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:55.079
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:57.199
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I never knew how to say that, so thank you.
00:26:57.199 --> 00:26:58.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you for saying it.
00:26:58.219 --> 00:27:00.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I've never known how to pronounce that word.
00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:01.519
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I see it on rugs all the time.
00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.859
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm like, Cicil, Cicil.
00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:04.099
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so the Cicil?
00:27:04.099 --> 00:27:05.459
Hayley Wiliams: I'm pretty sure it's Cicil.
00:27:05.479 --> 00:27:06.099
Hayley Wiliams: Okay, cool, cool.
00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:06.839
Hayley Wiliams: Don't quote me on that.
00:27:06.879 --> 00:27:08.379
Hayley Wiliams: I am from Texas.
00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:11.799
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We'll have to Google it.
00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:15.759
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so those kinds of textures will encourage them to run more.
00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:21.379
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's not really about, like, the set up so much as it is, the texture that will get them more comfortable.
00:27:21.379 --> 00:27:37.739
Hayley Wiliams: The other thing, I'm glad you asked, because the other thing that will allow them to run more is a path all the way around the room or, like, this is why we think about traffic flow and pathways with cats.
00:27:37.739 --> 00:27:42.599
Hayley Wiliams: When designing a shelf, a wall is, where is the cat going to go next?
00:27:42.599 --> 00:27:55.419
Hayley Wiliams: So if you build a wall where you just have it go to the ceiling, then the cat will run all the way up and then have to run all the way back down.
00:27:55.419 --> 00:28:09.539
Hayley Wiliams: If there's an obstacle the way, then that's where we get kind of hung up and maybe a cat bite or they try to do something like jump from that high spot and they shouldn't accidentally injure themselves.
00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:13.759
Hayley Wiliams: So it does take a lot of thought, I suppose.
00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:14.639
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, exactly.
00:28:14.639 --> 00:28:15.299
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And that's the thing.
00:28:15.299 --> 00:28:19.559
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's why I think that delegating the planning process is so much better.
00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:33.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And you do talk on your blog about specific companies that you've purchased from that have something that you consider a quality product, because I feel like there's a lot of copycats out there that are going to make some kind of cat shelf.
00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:44.699
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's going to be mass produced, low quality, maybe covered in toxins, and the cat's not going to respond to it as well as something that you might have paid a little bit more for and put a little more thought into.
00:28:44.699 --> 00:28:50.299
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The biggest question I have for you, and this is actually pretty much my last question, is how about renters?
00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:55.619
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because obviously, I own my home, I can put holes all over my walls if I wanted to.
00:28:55.619 --> 00:29:02.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But is there a way for people to create these cat walls in a rental?
00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:03.379
Hayley Wiliams: I believe so.
00:29:03.739 --> 00:29:13.339
Hayley Wiliams: You still have to drill into the wall with most cat shelf.
00:29:13.339 --> 00:29:19.059
Hayley Wiliams: I did mention earlier, there's the section cup, window, wall mount, cat shelves.
00:29:20.479 --> 00:29:33.739
Hayley Wiliams: There's also cat trees that can act as cat shelves or be a part of your wall if you don't want to put as many shelves in the wall.
00:29:33.739 --> 00:29:38.599
Hayley Wiliams: But the biggest thing when renting is just learning to do a good patch on your drywall.
00:29:39.379 --> 00:29:40.319
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, yes.
00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:52.879
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Asking your landlord what color they put on the wall right when you move in, and the finish so that you can already have the paint on hand in case it gets discontinued.
00:29:52.879 --> 00:29:57.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then you can make all the holes you want and before you move out, you just patch it up.
00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:59.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You can even pay a handyman if you're not very handy.
00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:01.559
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then you have the paint.
00:30:01.559 --> 00:30:10.119
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And honestly, you don't want to lose your deposit for this, but if you're going to be in a place for a while, let's just say somebody has a three-year assignment.
00:30:10.119 --> 00:30:13.619
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm military, so a lot of us get a three-year assignment somewhere.
00:30:13.619 --> 00:30:18.459
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Go to Louisiana and move into this on-post housing.
00:30:18.479 --> 00:30:20.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want my cat to be comfortable.
00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:30.819
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like the cats that are moving most often are going to be the ones that need these walls the most because they're the ones who are going to be most in need of enrichment and stress relief.
00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:35.419
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Finding out a way to make that happen is so important.
00:30:35.419 --> 00:30:37.399
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They do sell cat condos.
00:30:37.399 --> 00:30:47.839
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you feel like cat condos that are maybe a few shelves and one space, do you think that is a good alternative if somebody doesn't feel comfortable drilling all over the room?
00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:48.719
Hayley Wiliams: I think so.
00:30:48.719 --> 00:30:57.319
Hayley Wiliams: There's also cat shelves I've just seen on the market where you drill four spots and it's modular, so you move it around.
00:30:59.179 --> 00:31:05.239
Hayley Wiliams: Like we were saying earlier, there's always new things coming on the market for renters.
00:31:05.239 --> 00:31:15.759
Hayley Wiliams: Even if you aren't in a space for very long, I feel like you should not worry about, well, I'm going to move in two months or a year.
00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:19.739
Hayley Wiliams: Enjoy your space and have your cats enjoy their space.
00:31:19.739 --> 00:31:21.339
Hayley Wiliams: It's my mentality.
00:31:21.339 --> 00:31:23.339
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Especially indoor cats.
00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:30.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, it's indoor cats, that is their environment, that is their wild, that is their territory.
00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:39.979
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And do you actually, in your guest information sheet, shared about a book you like, which is, you want to tell us about that book so that those who are interested can learn more?
00:31:39.979 --> 00:31:43.439
Hayley Wiliams: Yes, I can't remember the whole title off the top of my head.
00:31:43.439 --> 00:31:49.479
Hayley Wiliams: It was called Indoor Cats, though, and it talked about enrichment for indoor only cats.
00:31:49.479 --> 00:31:52.519
Hayley Wiliams: Because not every cat is an adventure cat.
00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:56.299
Hayley Wiliams: I'll tell you that my two are giggling on adventure cats.
00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:58.219
Hayley Wiliams: Their whole world is my apartment.
00:31:58.219 --> 00:31:58.939
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:32:00.239 --> 00:32:01.659
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You really said it better than I did.
00:32:01.659 --> 00:32:05.979
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's their whole world because they don't get to leave these four walls.
00:32:05.979 --> 00:32:11.639
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's called Indoor Cat, How to Enrich Their Lives and Expand Their Worlds.
00:32:11.639 --> 00:32:15.439
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is the book that you were recommending or that you were talking about.
00:32:15.439 --> 00:32:18.179
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's so important because we forget that.
00:32:18.179 --> 00:32:19.819
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We think cats are low maintenance.
00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:22.799
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We think cats are easier pets than dogs.
00:32:23.199 --> 00:32:29.839
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I beg to differ because cats are very often not welcome in pet-friendly spaces.
00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:35.479
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cats are very often not comfortable outside of their environment, whatever that may be.
00:32:35.479 --> 00:32:38.419
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You live in an RV or you live in an apartment or a big house.
00:32:38.419 --> 00:32:39.759
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's just whatever it is.
00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:43.599
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Wherever it is that you live, that's their house and they're happy to stay there.
00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:49.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: With cats, it's really important to create that inside, bring the outside into them.
00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:52.759
Isabel Alvarez Arata: A lot of the two crazy cat ladies talk about the cat grass.
00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:56.919
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Lots of people talk about herbs and self-selection.
00:32:56.959 --> 00:33:00.739
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I like to do enrichment for my cat because he's younger.
00:33:00.739 --> 00:33:03.319
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I said it was the last question last time, but I always do this.
00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:04.779
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm going to ask one more question.
00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:14.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you think that somebody who's listening, who loves cats, who's been a cat parent their whole life, but has only senior cats, do you think that their senior cats would get anything out of this?
00:33:14.239 --> 00:33:14.679
Hayley Wiliams: Yes, 100%.
00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:18.019
Hayley Wiliams: My cats are both 8 and 10.
00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:27.919
Hayley Wiliams: And I know that's not incredibly senior, but I think they act younger because they have that exercise both mentally and physically.
00:33:27.919 --> 00:33:29.359
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that so much.
00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:31.999
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have a soft spot in my heart for senior pets.
00:33:31.999 --> 00:33:38.299
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So to see a senior pet kind of get a new lease on life, start trying new things.
00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:41.519
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Everybody who knows me knows that I don't believe in the old adage.
00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:43.519
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.679
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like you can.
00:33:44.679 --> 00:33:47.699
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It just has to be the right treat to reward the behavior.
00:33:47.699 --> 00:33:51.319
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So your old dog, your old cat, they can love these things.
00:33:51.319 --> 00:34:00.299
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you ever use positive reinforcement to get the cats to kind of explore or do they naturally just kind of see a new shelf and head on that way?
00:34:00.299 --> 00:34:03.139
Hayley Wiliams: I'm sure it depends on the cat's confidence level.
00:34:03.139 --> 00:34:10.959
Hayley Wiliams: If you're having trouble getting them to try it, treats and catnip or silver vine can encourage them or even a toy.
00:34:10.959 --> 00:34:11.699
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, that's true.
00:34:11.699 --> 00:34:16.519
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Get them to play the wand toy or a little, the bird or whatever it is that your cat likes.
00:34:16.519 --> 00:34:17.219
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Bring it up there.
00:34:17.219 --> 00:34:18.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that idea.
00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:21.839
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, I want to thank you for taking the time to educate on such a fun topic.
00:34:21.839 --> 00:34:25.859
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Something that I think we're going to see a lot more of moving forward.
00:34:25.859 --> 00:34:34.639
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The other day I was on Instagram and I don't remember what the topic was, but one of the comments was, remember when having an indoor dog was considered spoiling them?
00:34:34.799 --> 00:34:45.499
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And now, not only are our pets indoors, not only are our pets on our beds, not only are our pets traveling with us, but now we're creating full playgrounds for our cats.
00:34:45.499 --> 00:34:49.159
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I am one to believe that that is exactly as it should be.
00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:59.419
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Before we wrap up, I want to ask you, how can my audience learn more about what you offer them as a service and what you need from us in order to plan our species?
00:34:59.419 --> 00:35:04.999
Hayley Wiliams: So to find out more about me, you can go to my website at therapy.co.
00:35:04.999 --> 00:35:14.559
Hayley Wiliams: And I have a services page that kind of walks you through what is needed to get started with my services.
00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:15.419
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Perfect.
00:35:15.419 --> 00:35:16.619
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So cheers to you.
00:35:16.619 --> 00:35:18.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you for being my guest.
00:35:18.059 --> 00:35:22.259
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's been so fun getting to know you and like learning your expertise from you.
00:35:22.259 --> 00:35:23.719
Hayley Wiliams: Thank you so much.
00:35:23.719 --> 00:35:24.419
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, no, my pleasure.
00:35:24.419 --> 00:35:25.539
Hayley Wiliams: I really appreciate it.
00:35:25.539 --> 00:35:27.719
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Of course, my pleasure has been so fun.
00:35:27.719 --> 00:35:30.979
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I also want to propose a toast to my executive producer, Mark Winter.
00:35:30.979 --> 00:35:31.999
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you, Mark.
00:35:31.999 --> 00:35:35.399
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And to my audience for joining us for these awesome conversations.
00:35:35.399 --> 00:35:49.559
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Whether you join on YouTube or on Pet Life Radio and any of the podcasting platforms, please be sure to like and subscribe so that we can get more of these awesome head experts out to everybody sharing their such important knowledge.
00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:54.639
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's sharing this because she wants more cats to enjoy cat walls and I couldn't be happier.
00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:55.959
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So thank you again.
00:35:55.959 --> 00:35:59.719
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Here's to a life covered in pet hair because there's no better way to live.
00:35:59.719 --> 00:36:00.059
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cheers.
00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:06.779
Isabel Alvarez Arata: To learn more about Covered In Pet Hair, please visit coveredinpethair.com or petliferadio.com.
00:36:06.779 --> 00:36:08.739
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.
00:36:09.259 --> 00:36:15.199
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets, every week on demand, only on petliferadio.com.