Archive for the 'Furniture' Category

Distinctively Different Cat Condo

We make some of the most unique cat furniture in the industry.  Our line includes cat trees that have a built it cat condo that your cat will love to play or rest in.

All our cat condos are hand made in the United States.  We use only the finest materials to assure long lasting usability ensuring satisfaction of owners and their cats.

Courtesy of Prairiebaby Cattery

Courtesy of Prairiebaby Cattery

Features we built into our cat furniture include:
- the leaves we attach to the trunks  are contoured so your cat “molds” into the leaf for maximum comfort
- the leaves and flower centers have a thermal liner that retains and radiates back your cats’ body heat for more enjoyment
- all our tops, leaves and bases are easily replaced in the event of damage or excessive wear thus giving you an affordable way of extending the life of your cat tree
- the cat condos are fully carpeted inside
- an extra wide base provides maximum stability

We build a wide variety of sizes and designs in different colors to ensure you can find a cat condo to please the most finicky of cats or hard to fit area of your home.

Once you have seen the best, why settle for less?


Posted by Tom Kartes  (January 24, 2010)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

What Costs More … Keeping a Dog or a Cat?

According to the industry research firm IBISWorld, the total cost of raising a dog and cat for the full duration of their lives (an estimated 13 years) is $13,330 and $8,506 respectively.  The study revealed that people spend more money on dog food than cat food over the lifetime of their animals, and that significantly more was spent on dogs for veterinarian bills and miscellaneous items such as toys and accessories.

Cat Bed

Cat Bed

One way cat owners can save money on cat trees and scratching posts is to buy quality products that are known to last longer.  Buying a more expensive, but quality piece of cat furniture, will save money in the long run because it will be around longer and not need to be replaced.  So look for the “value” in cat furniture and not just the cost.


Posted by Tom Kartes  (December 9, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

Cat First Aid

Affordable health reference

Affordable health reference

The American Red Cross has produced a reference guide and valuable resource for all cat owners to help keep your cat healthy and safe.

There are over sixty health topics covered in detail from explaining the signs and symptoms to look for, a list of the most common causes, and a step by step call to action for treating problems.  There is a DVD which accompanies the book that demonstrates how to perform many of the first aid steps described in the book.

This guide is a must have for all cat owners so that you not only react quickly, but also do the right thing to ensure the health and safety of your cat.

If you order your Cat First Aid book and DVD today shipping is Free.


Posted by Tom Kartes  (November 15, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

Redirecting Interest is Better than Cat Stop Products

There are a lot of cat stop products on the market today whose purpose is to stop a cat from being where you don’t want it to be.  Cats by their very nature are inquisitive animals and to stop a cat from exploring is about as easy as it is to stop the tide from rising.

This doesn’t mean that the battle is lost.  No … you just have to be smarter.  If you are able to redirect your cats attention and activity you can be successful in keeping your cat from being where you don’t want it to be.  The first thing to do is to provide your cat with something that will tweak their interest and prevent boredom such as a cat pet bed, or a cat tree.  Here is a link to a number of items that will certainly be of interest to your cat and provide both of you years of enjoyment.


Posted by Tom Kartes  (September 25, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

The Ideal Solution for Small Spaces

If you don’t have an out-of-the-way place, like a mud room or a basement, to put your cat’s litter box, you may be forced to look at it all the time and be subjected to unfavorable odors. Another concern for cat owners with small children is that their kids will treat the litter box like a sandbox and play with its contents, getting germs all over themselves and the rest of the house. What is the best solution for these problems that will also be convenient for your cat so he doesn’t have accidents?

A Kitty Kabinet base unit is ideal because it’s a beautiful piece of furniture that can hide your cat’s litter box right in plain view. You can easily access the litter box through the cabinet doors, and your cat can enter and exit with ease through the nearly airtight flapper door. Your cat will enjoy his privacy and you’ll enjoy having the litter box out of your sight! There are also Kitty Kabinet cubby units, drawers and shelves available to add onto the base unit, providing convenient space for storing kitty litter, toys and treats all in one place.


Posted by Purring-Friend  (July 21, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

Cat Trees on Display

People often ask us where they can see out cat trees in person.  Outside our home showroom in West Michigan the only place you can see them in person is at a cattery of a Preferred Breeder, which are listed on the website, or at a cat show we are participating in as a vendor.

The next show we plan to be at is the Garden State Cat Expo/Show July 18-19, 2009.  This show will be held at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, New Jersey.  Hope to see you there.



Posted by Tom Kartes  (July 4, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

New Great Lakes Cat Furniture Newsletter

The latest issue of the Great Lakes Cat Furniture Newsletter, which happens to be May/June, has been published for cat lovers.  In this issue you will find information helpful on selecting a new cat tree if you own a Ragdoll, tips on how to protect your cat during the hot days of summer, and many new interesting links to such sites as comprehensive pet care, pet adoption help, social networking for cat lovers, and where to get reduced cost pharmaceutical needs.  Take a look today and be sure to click the “Join Our Mailing List” button to get future issues in a more timely manner.



Posted by Tom Kartes  (July 2, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

Cat Tree for your Bengal

Courtesy of Leo's Pride Cattery

Ever wonder what kind of a cat tree your Bengal would like?  The fact the Bengal requires a lot of attention and enjoys being an integral part of the family, helps in the selection of a suitable cat tree for the breed.

Because of their high energy level you need a multi level cat tree so the cat can burn off some energy running up and down the tree as opposed to trying to climb the drapes.  To tweak their curiosity it is best to have a tree you can attach toys to, or hide toys or treats in cubby holes.  Your cat will love the investigative activity required to find the treat that you occasionally hide to create a challenge.

We know Bengals want to be in the center of family activity so you should have a cat tree that fits into and complements the family area of your home.  That requires consideration of size and color.  The right choice will not only be functional, it will also look good and complement the setting you have it in.


Posted by Tom Kartes  (June 25, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

Looking for a Great Cat Tree your cat can climb?

The Big Oak

The Big Oak

Cats have a basic instinct to seek out the highest place in their environment to rest and observe what is going on.  Being high gives them a greater sense of security and is why you often find them on top of the bookshelf or on the top curtail rod.  The best way to keep your cat off high places you don’t want them on is to provide them an alternative.  You can change your cats’ behavior by providing it with a tall cat tree and spending a minimum amount of time training your cat through rewards to climb the tree rather than the drapes.  Another advantage to the taller cat tree is the fact it will have several climbing levels and just through the action of ascending and descending your cat will get exercise that it otherwise wouldn’t.


Posted by Tom Kartes  (May 18, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)

Matching Cat Tree to Cat Breed

Cat Tree Display

Cat Tree Display

Finding the right cat tree for your cat can be a daunting challenge.  A quality cat tree is not inexpensive and makes trying to decide on the right tree even more important.  We have included in this blog before tips on what you should be looking for in a quality cat tree (April 24, 2009).  This particular post addresses the fact that you should also consider the breed of your cat when deciding on which cat tree is best.  During the past few months we have included articles in our monthly newsletter giving suggestions as to what cat trees are best for various cat breeds.  Thus far we have included:  Korat, Persian, Abyssinian, Birman and Bengal.

If you are interested in reading those suggestions copy this URL to your browser and you will find the archived list of past newsletters:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs008/1101936967266/archive/1102072171496.html

If we haven’t included your breed yet, you may want to sign up for our monthly newsletter.  And you can do that by going to our website and signing up there.  That URL is:

http://www.greatlakespetfurniture.com


Posted by Tom Kartes  (May 7, 2009)    |    add comment    |    Comments (0)