Pet of the Week: Designing With James in Mind
A Colorado homeowner gives her cat his space and chooses houseplants that don’t invite a nibble
This cat, as you’ll see, loves to investigate every square inch of his Colorado home. He perches on top of dressers, climbs on bookshelves and curls up in a comfortable chair. Each new place he finds makes his owner smile a little, bringing a good dose of relaxation to the household.
James joined the household 2½ years ago when Wilcox adopted him from the Longmont Humane Society. She had seen him there for five months and asked the staff about his personality, wondering why he hadn’t been adopted yet.
“The woman said, ‘I’ll be honest, he is a bit of a butt,’ ” Wilcox says. “In retrospect, I’m a little surprised we went through with the adoption! But I appreciated her honesty. And now whenever he scratches the arm of the couch while looking me straight in the eye, or he sneaks up behind us and swats at us through the dining room chair, I think, ‘Yep, kind of a butt.’ But he is also great fun and makes us laugh on a daily basis.”
“The woman said, ‘I’ll be honest, he is a bit of a butt,’ ” Wilcox says. “In retrospect, I’m a little surprised we went through with the adoption! But I appreciated her honesty. And now whenever he scratches the arm of the couch while looking me straight in the eye, or he sneaks up behind us and swats at us through the dining room chair, I think, ‘Yep, kind of a butt.’ But he is also great fun and makes us laugh on a daily basis.”
Design challenge: Wilcox figured out James’ food arrangement, but houseplants have posed a problem. “I love houseplants, but so does the cat,” Wilcox says. “If any plant has delicate tendrils, the cat will munch away at it.”
She finds it hard to blame him for attacking them because they basically look like deluxe cat toys. Instead of plants that drape, she sticks to ones without jiggly leaves, such as a snake plant and bird of paradise. They aren’t interesting to James and fare better in the pet-filled household.
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She finds it hard to blame him for attacking them because they basically look like deluxe cat toys. Instead of plants that drape, she sticks to ones without jiggly leaves, such as a snake plant and bird of paradise. They aren’t interesting to James and fare better in the pet-filled household.
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Favorite spot: James loves a cozy spot in the sun. He spends the day moving around the house, going from one sunbeam to the next.
He spends the rest of the day exploring new spots in the house. As soon as something new shows up, he’ll be on it — or in it — in a flash, Wilcox says.
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He spends the rest of the day exploring new spots in the house. As soon as something new shows up, he’ll be on it — or in it — in a flash, Wilcox says.
43 Photos That Show How Cats Spent Their Sunny Days
Friendly welcome: Wilcox spends much of her day at the office, running her small business called Colorado Crafted. When she comes home, James greets her at the door.
Making a house a home: Wilcox says she can’t imagine her house without a cat. “Every time I walk into a room and discover him in some new spot, I am always amused. James is an expert at finding the most comfortable position to be in, and there is something so relaxing, almost meditative, about seeing a cat so comfy.”
Your turn: Tell us in the Comments how you design your home with your pet in mind.
Read more about pets and design
Your turn: Tell us in the Comments how you design your home with your pet in mind.
Read more about pets and design
Pet at a Glance
Pet: James, a domestic shorthair
Age: 6
Location: Longmont, Colorado
Owner: Dulcie Wilcox
Meet James: He’s not a super cuddly guy, but he loves to observe activities from a distance. His personality was a change for owner Dulcie Wilcox, as her previous cat loved to sit on her lap at all times.