I work hard so my cats can have a better life

Well, it’s official. We’re house hunting. It’s kind of a surreal feeling to actually be looking for a house. My husband and I moved into our South Boston apartment eight years ago–before we were even engaged! And we need to find our new place by the end of June! Ahhhh!! That’s so soon.

What struck me as kind of hilarious this week was the fact that most of the things on my house “wishlist” are things that I imagine the cats will enjoy. I suppose that’s probably due to the fact that we don’t have any children–but mostly just because my boys are so awesome and we really do love making them happy. So I thought I might spend some time this weekend and put together a little wishlist of things I’m either looking for in a house or want to get once we have the space–all to make my little fur babies happy campers.

1. A three-season room. This is one of the biggest items on my wishlist. These are big here in New England, though I’m not entirely sure why, since I feel like 3 of the seasons up here are on the cooler side. But I can imagine my sweet little kitties really enjoying a room that has wall-to-ceiling screens, where they can enjoy the fresh air and hang out in the sunshine for most of the day.

2. Lots of windows. Our apartment is so dark, it’s annoying. Our windows don’t even line up with the sun, so taking great photos and videos can often be challenging for me. You’d better believe I’m looking for a house that lets that light in.

3. A big kitchen. We’re not the kind of people to yell at the cats for getting up on the counter. In fact, I kind of like how they like to watch us cook in the kitchen. Unfortunately, our current kitchen is tiny and there’s just not enough room for all of us to be in there at the same time. I’d love an island or at least some space for the cats to perch on (maybe room for some shelving?) so we can all enjoy cooking meals together.

4. Two stories. When the boys are hyper, they will run laps around the living room, up the cat tree, down the cat tree, over the couch, into the bedroom, up and around the bed, and then back into the living room. I like to imagine how happy they would be with a flight of stairs they can add to the routine. Or a house with stairs in the middle of a bunch of rooms so they could at least do a real lap. And speaking of cat trees, we really need….

5. A new cat tree. I’ve been saying this for a while–we bought a giant cat tree for Ben and Desmond when they were just kittens, and all the cats still use it to this day. I’ve wanted to get them another one for a long time, but we just don’t have the room. I’ve actually had my eye on a particular model from our friends at Kitty Mansions. The Mount Hood edition has three GIANT buckets (perfect for a trio of kitties of ALL sizes–ahem, Ben) and even a little hut (Hugo will be in heaven in there). I can’t wait to buy it for them!

6. A bird feeder. It’s the little things, people! After living in the city for so long, you really start to miss nature! To just be able to hang a bird feeder in our yard for the boys to keep an eye on would really make my day.

I know, I know, I’m crazy. But buying a house isn’t just a big step for us–it’s a big step for the cats, too! I want them to feel just as comfortable and content in a new setting as we will. We’re a family!