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Cat Facts: Bringing Up Kitty: Cat Habitat Designing The Ideal cat house By Marcella Durand for Cat Facts |
 This April, one happy cat experienced the room of his dreams. The Friskies Cat Habitat was unveiled at the Atlanta Home Show on April 24th, with a live run-through by Friskies the Cat, a four-year-old Maine Coon cat. The Habitat was specially designed by an all-star team of feline and home decorating experts, including Frank Bielec, a designer for the hit television show Trading Spaces, and owner of two Manx cats, Sadie and Owen; feline behaviorist and Cat Facts expert Pam Johnson-Bennett; and America's "Mr. Fix-It," Lou Manfredini.
Sure to induce feline bliss, the Habitat, a made-over family room, features state-of-the-art design elements such as a kitchen "Cat-fé," an indoor garden with a five-foot tree, an agility course, a water fountain and kitty television, and a computer workstation with a special eye-level shelf intended to keep both owner and cat happy. While not everyone can makeover their home into a cat heaven, the Friskies team hopes the Habitat will inspire cat owners across the country to learn more about how they can make their own cats' lives happier and healthier. Earlier this month, Bielec took some time out from his busy schedule of filming and designing to talk about the Friskies Cat Habitat and how it changed his and his cats' lives. Cat Facts: Have you ever designed anything like this before? Frank Bielec: No, and I'm very glad for this opportunity from Friskies. It's one thing to do something for people and another thing to do something for animals. Cat Facts: What are some of the differences? Bielec: With people, it's visual. With cats it's a little more cerebral-you have to think about what you're going to do to make them happy. Cat Facts: Did you make any discoveries about cats? Bielec: I'll be honest with you, I thought I was the top-notch, head honcho cat knowledge person. We've had cats forever. But I learned a ton of stuff about what stimulates them visually and also how to acclimate them to other animals. It was during the process of [building] the cat habitat that we got a dog. That was a real psychological thriller, because the puppy we got was a Wirehaired Fox "Terrorist." Cat Facts: Tell me about the "Cat-fè." Bielec: It is very important for cat owners to interact with their cats at mealtime. One station is more interactive, while the other is more personal for the cat because it involves punching down a lever and getting food. Cats are hunters and predators, so they really enjoy earning their food. The breakfast bar is an illustration of interaction with animals, so the cat can feel like a productive member of the family. Cat Facts: Did you take any ideas home for your own cats? Bielec: We learned that we need to alternate the environment more and make more surprises. I thought I was such a good cat owner, and I really was to some degree, but I didn't push it to the nth degree of responsibility. I would let certain things slide because I was tired and I had been on a plane. We learned that owning an animal is a really heavy responsibility. You don't get them because they're decorative and you don't get them because you're lonely. You get them because you can give them a home and you can give them a nice, happy life. The other thing that I learned is how we really don't provide for our animals [after we're gone]. What would happen if Judy and I had some freak accident or something? People think they're going to live forever. We need to provide in writing who is going to take these animals if something should suddenly happen to us. Cat Facts: How long did the whole project take? Bielec: It seemed like two hours. Gosh, January was our first actual meeting. Everyone jelled immediately. It was just this incredible explosion of enthusiasm and passion. Everybody just got it. We knew exactly where we were going. Everybody in the group had cats. There was an amazing oneness over this project. Cat Facts: Were there any times you had to redo something? Bielec: What works for a cat sometimes doesn't work for a person, and what works for a person sometimes doesn't work for a cat. It wasn't like we took it apart -- just little issues. Is it safe? Is it really for the well-being for the cat or just a decoration? How am I going to work accessories into this? It's like a huge audiovisual aid -- it helps people grasp the concept and then take certain elements of it and adapt it into their own homes. You could spend $3,000 to make your house into a cat-friendly environment, or you can spend as little as $30. There are materials you can buy just about anywhere -- even if you're in a small town -- and make one element of the Habitat your own. Cat Facts: I love the idea of building a shelf over your computer. Bielec: How much does your cat lounge on your desk? There's something about a lamp on your computer desk that they love. They come in there and extend themselves the entire length of the table. It's very odd to see a very small, compact animal all of a sudden become stretch-cat. They'll put their paw on the paper you need the most. Cat Facts: I can't wait to get my husband to build some of the features. Bielec: It's not about the room, it's about the life of a cat. We have to make people realize it's all about the cat. The cat habitat is great, but it's an audiovisual tool to get the message across to make it a long and happy life for that cat. People have got to realize that just because their cat is independent, it doesn't mean that he doesn't need to be stimulated. When you shut that door and go to work, that cat is stuck in the same dreary apartment with that same ratty little mouse and that same ratty little scratching post and that same litter box right next to those bowls. Get over it and provide something for that cat! That cat needs a cat decorator -- you're the cat decorator. You get in there and you change his environment and you make him happy. Cat Facts: My cat's looking at me right now saying, "Yes, listen to him!" Bielec: The man is not lying to you. Give him a break. Take your cat out to lunch. Be good to your cat. Cat Facts: Is Friskies the Cat is seeing the habitat for the first time at the Atlanta Home Show? Bielec: Yes. I'm kind of anxious! If he clutches his chest and goes, "Oh my God, I hate it," I'm going to fall on the floor and die right there. I'm anxious to see how it really flies. Cat Facts: What is Friskies the Cat doing right now? Bielec: He's gone into a training session/mental preparation thing. It's all about the cat now. You have to see this in action. People will just be blown away by how a cat can interact with a house. What would your cat do during the day in a perfect habitat that stimulates him and makes him happy? I have really blown dinner parties by saying, "I can't believe you're feeding your cat right next to their litter box." But people are not educated. It's not their fault. Now there'll be no excuse. No matter how many people look at this project, everybody's going to have a different reaction. This goes beyond flash and product and packaging, into a whole new area -- it's fun, it's educational, it makes you a responsible pet owner. It's probably one of the most exciting things I've ever been involved with. |
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