How to Set Up a Cat-Friendly Home Office: 5 Must-Haves

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Ah, yes…that work from home life. Wake up, pour yourself a nice cup of coffee, maybe throw on a comfy sweat outfit, and start your ten-second commute to your home office. What could possibly make this any better? Oh yeah, you have a cat! BONUS. Now you have a cute, fluffy coworker who you can snuggle up with between meetings.

If you’re here, I’m guessing you’re curious about how you can make your home office more cat-friendly. Don’t worry, I got you. I’ve been working from home for over three years now with my kitty cats and have got this down to a science. Keep reading for some tips and tricks for making your home office the perfect place for your kitty to hang out so you don’t get lonely during your shift!

Note: I am not a medical professional, and this article is not to be taken as medical or veterinary advice. Always contact a veterinarian regarding concerns about your pet’s health or behavior. Additionally, Caitycat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.

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Why You Should Make Your Home Office Cat-Friendly

Owning a cat humbles you reallllll quick. You realize this is no longer your home. It’s your cat’s. And that’s totally fine!

The same goes for your home office. It’s inevitably going to be a place your cat wants to hang out in once they realize you’re in there most of the day. Cats are also very drawn to keyboards (if you know, you know). So, it stands to reason that you should probably make your office a comfy place for kitty if they’re going to be spending a lot of time in there.

Let’s get into how you can make this happen for your fur baby.

Must-Haves for a Cat-Friendly Home Office

Here are 5 essential steps for making your home office, well, your cat’s. (LOL)

1. Add some comfy spaces for your cat to sleep (besides your keyboard)

If you have a lovey cat, odds are they are going to want to sleep on your desk, your keyboard, or in your lap. Which is totally fine, unless you actually want to get some work done!

In my home office, I have a cat tower by my window which is located right behind my desk chair. This gives my kitties a place to lay that’s near me but still allows me to get my work done. I also have a recliner that was supposed to be for me to use on my breaks, but has now become my cats’ second favorite place to sleep while I’m working (it’s fine, it’s totally fine).

Some other ideas for having places for your kitty to sleep include laying lots of blankets around your office, putting some fluffy kitty beds on the floor, or investing in a cat bed that attaches to your desk.

Check this one out from Amazon that supports up to 50 pounds, has a protective pad for your furniture, and is machine washable!: https://amzn.to/4loKxaq.

Another option is adding a perch bed that attaches to a window. While I don’t have this in my office due to limited space, I have one in my living room, and let me tell you…my girl Luna LOVES this bed. I swear she only leaves it to eat and to use the litter box.

Here’s the exact one I have from Amazon: https://amzn.to/44ScMbw.

I don’t have a single complaint about the bed, and the suction cups have held up beautifully. I’ve owned this for over 6 months now and not once have the suction cups come off (and my cats are regularly jumping up on this!)

2. Have a litter box available

I know it might sound a little gross having a litter box so close to where you work. But if you want your kitty to be comfortable hanging out with you all day in your office, you’re going to want to have one available for them to use.

Litter boxes should always be placed in rooms where your cat spends a lot of time. This will reduce the chance of any accidents happening if they…erm…get the urge to go all of a sudden!

3. Keep lots of toys in your office

This goes without saying, but cats love to play! They get bored very quickly if they don’t have things in their environment to stimulate them.

I recommend keeping a little basket of cat toys in your home office so your kitty can play whenever they feel like it. If you’re worried about noise while you’re taking a work call, you can put toys in there that don’t have loud crinkle or jingle noises.

4. Add some scratching posts

Scratching posts are very important for cats for a variety of reasons. According to Catster, scratching posts provide entertainment for your cat, keep your cat’s claws groomed, and help fulfill cats’ territorial instincts.

You don’t need anything fancy. You can find affordable scratching posts at your local home store, or you can even make your own! All you really need is some wood and rope (along with tools to build it!). Check out this article for making your own cat scratching post from the Dream a Little Bigger blog.

One scratching post will suffice, but I’m a little extra and spoil my cats, so I have a few scratching posts available in my office.

5. Make sure any plants you have in your home office are non-toxic

Common pieces of decor many people like to add to their home offices are plants, whether they are real or artificial. If you do have any real plants in your office, make sure they are cat-safe. You can check the ASPCA’s website for a list of toxic and non-toxic plants for cats.

You may think it’s totally safe to have a toxic plant in your home if you keep it out of reach of your cat, but this isn’t entirely true. Plants will often drop older leaves, and you may not always be around to pick up any leaves that fall before your cat can get to them. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

In Conclusion

Setting up a cat-friendly home office isn’t terribly difficult. You just want to ensure your cat has a nice place to sleep, access to a litter box, some toys and scratching posts, and that you keep any toxic plants away from them. If you follow these steps, your kitty will be so grateful to have such a considerate colleague like you to work beside (you know, they are hard at work too making biscuits!).

Did you find this article helpful? Let me know in the comments!

See also…

Working From Home With Cats: A Complete Guide