Dog and cat-friendly furniture to make your home more pet-friendly, according to Singaporean pet parents
By Shannon Osztonits -
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I would go to the ends of the Earth for my three dogs, Arya (my firstborn German Shepherd), Mowgli (a Border Collie) and Luna (a German Shepherd-cross-Border Collie). After my husband, they are the loves of my life. That being said, they are a lot of work, especially when it comes to maintaining a clean household–and one which is somewhat pet-proof.
When we bought our home, Arya was already part of the family. But we had no intention of extending our fur children anytime soon. That soon changed, and some of our previous furniture choices ended up not standing the test of time.
I am a millennial, and it’s safe to say many of my friends are either a) not planning on having kids or b) first welcoming a fur child before a baby and only having children later on in life.
If you’re a pet owner like me, how do you design a home that’s comfortable for you and your pets? Start small!
For homeowners undergoing a home renovation, you can consider scratch-resistant flooring (like scratch resistant vinyl flooring) or options that are easy to maintain for pets.
“The decking on the patio; it’s actually composite wood decking as it’s really easy to maintain/wash. When he comes back from his walks, it’s easy to clean it–we just spray the entire patio down with water,” explains dog-famous dad Nicholas, owner of TikTok Golden Retriever celebrity dog, Cooper @wreckitcooper.
Smaller-sized homes leave little room for expensive renovations centred around your pets–unless you can afford to do so, or know for certain you 100% do not want to have children or an extra guest room.
“Leading into our master, we have a customised bedroom door with glass on top and then the wood below with the cat flap,” content creator and cat mom of three, Samantha Loh (@holoh.there).
Instead of doing a complete hacking of your home to accommodate pets, there are furniture decisions you can make that are comfortable for you and your animals.
Apart from choices regarding colour and material composite, consider these furniture options that are suitable for dogs.
1. Pet friendly sofa
“I would say the sofa was really chosen with Cooper in mind,” says Nicholas. “I chose it because of the height (easy for Cooper to get up and down) and the waves it has, which kind of softens the entire house.”
This dog dad opted for a low-to-the-ground sofa from Molecule.
When choosing the correct sofa/couch for your dogs, consider the measurements, construction (low to the ground with peg legs or ones flat on the ground for dogs with mobility issues), as well as pet friendly sofa fabric. For example, leather is easy to wipe and clean, and hair doesn’t get stuck into the fabric. Faux velvet, like velveteen, is manufactured with a tight weave, making hairs easy to remove, and it is very durable.
“Our living room sofa from Comfy is made of leather. It does not absorb any spills, and it’s easy to clean and maintain. The dogs don’t have the habit of scratching the leather as well, and actually, the good thing about the material and colour is that even with scratches, it’s not the most visible!” – Dog mom, Melanie Shen.
2. Dog bed end table
If your dogs are anything like my three, they have to always be close by. A dog bed-meets-end table is ideal for living rooms and bedrooms. It’s aesthetically pleasing as well as a convenient space for your doggo to lie if you want some personal couch space.
- Wooden Elevated Dog Bed Build Plan: End Table with Dog Lounge, $16.95 from Etsy
- Dog Bedside Cabinet Cat Nest Bedside Cabinet, $49.50 from Lazada
- Pet cat kennel sofa side table living room household, $92.19 from Shopee
The bathroom, where tiles were inspired by swimming pools.
3. Wash station bathroom
If you want to have an entire station dedicated to your dogs for wash time, creating a dog-friendly bathroom sink or even an entire bathroom is a clever option.
“With the orange bathroom, we custom-made a sink that is deeper than usual because we wanted to shower the cats in it,” say these young Singaporean homeowners and cat parents of two cats living in a 4-room HDB in Tampines.
There are interior design studios in Singapore, like Kinoko Spaces, who are specifically pet-friendly interior design. Kinoko designs bathrooms with low sinks for dogs or a whole bathroom that is pet-proof with design elements like a ‘washable pee zone with turf and drainage.’
If you don’t have a spare bathroom or the costs for an in-built wash station, consider a portable wash station option.
- SereneLife Foldable Dog Bath Tub with Adjustable Height, $210 from Amazon
4. Dog beds
Dog beds have evolved from the standard ones. For example, in Singapore, there are dog beds designed to suit the climate and ensure your pup keeps cool.
Beyond this, you can buy water-resistant dog bed covers and even luxury supportive dog beds like orthopaedic options so that your pooch sleeps like a king or queen. Nowadays, you can choose from a wide variety of shapes and styles, including some super cute and funky options!
- Brooklyn Cooling Nest Dog Bed, from $229 from Brooklyn
- CosyPaws Dog Bed, $110 from Origin Mattress
- Orthopaedic Dog Beds for Medium Dogs - Waterproof Sofa Dog Bed with Removable Washable Cover, $66 from Amazon
- Pet house Teepee with Bed Pet, $33.60 from Shopee
- Amber Pet Bed, $329 from Momiji
- Cute Pet Sofa, $21.75 from Shopee
5. Cat friendly sofa
Some furniture items are adaptable for both cats and dogs. But some buys are specifically designed for cat owners and their felines’ needs. These furniture finds are excellent space-savers for smaller Singapore apartments, too.
Cats are agile creatures, and so buying a cat friendly sofa has nothing to do with height. Any cat parent knows how much kitties love to flex their claws. A scratch-resistant sofa is your best bet, manufactured from a material that has an ultra-tight weave, making it scratch-proof. Also, sofas that are on the ground instead of ones with double height mean no cat toys scuttling under the couch. If you don’t have the budget for a brand new couch, there are also scratch-proof cover protectors.
- Cladon 3 Seater Power Sliding Extension Sofa - Misty Grey (Scratch Resistant), $1999 from HipVan
- Pet Cat Scratch proof Sofa Furniture Cover, $5.56 from Lazada
- Bowie 2-Seater Modular Sofa - Repellent & Pet-Friendly Fabric, $1660 from Comfort Furniture
6. Cat Hammock
We love the idea of a cat hammock, whether it’s a free-standing option or one that attaches to a wall as a wall mounted cat bed. These are space savers, and are something cutesy for both your kitty and you to enjoy.
“The Hammock and Cat Bed are from Pawpal, a company founded in Singapore,” says Samantha. “I love their bright range of colours and luxury materials; as cat owners themselves who care about aesthetics, they really create pieces that stand out in a home, making it look both warm yet chic.”
- HELLOLEIBOO | Large Window Hanging Cat Bed, $16 from Lazada
- Cat Hammock Bed, $65 from Etsy
- Sienna Sand Window Hammock, $40 from Pawpal
- Wall Mounted Cat Hammock Bed, $75 from Etsy
Another option is to customise a wall mounted cat bed with local, @thecatpeoplesg, where you can choose the exact design, shape and outlay that you prefer.
7. Enclosed litter box
A litter box can be an eyesore and become an unwanted odour in your home for visiting guests. An alternative to this is to buy an enclosed litter box, which also doubles as a furniture item. Visitors will never know the difference! You can also swap out the cat litter box for a cat nap bed.
- Veranika Cat Hiding Spot Stool, $129 from fortytwo
- DWANTON Cat Litter Box Enclosure Furniture, $200 from Carousell
- Homhedy Cat Litter Box Enclosure, $168 from Amazon
8. Wall mounted cat furniture
Wall mounted cat furniture includes playgrounds, scratchers and wall mounted cat shelves for your fur children to lounge around and play. These items are not for humans, but they save your furniture from being used as a scratch pad instead.
- Veriko Cat Wall Playground (House), $129 from fortytwo
- FUKUMARU Cat Wall Shelves, $171 from Amazon
- MUGG | Wall Mounted Compact All-Season Multi-Level Cat Tree, $21.19 from Lazada
- Cat Shelves for Wall, Cat Climbing Shelves Wall Mounted Cat Furniture Set, $196 from Amazon
9. Cute Feeding Bowls
Why not opt for a super cute feeding bowl, which adds to your home’s decor instead of looking like an obvious pet bowl on the ground?
“The Wiggly Mini Table is from Plook Plook, and I use it to feed my cat, Sally. The height is just nice and also looks really cute on display even when Sally isn’t eating from it,” informs Samantha.
Other must-have household items for pet parents
Apart from furniture, here is a list of some life-saving household items for every pet owner. As a dog owner, my hand-held vacuum has become my best friend!
- A cordless vacuum cleaner for pet hair.
- Pet odour removal sprays.
- Robot vacuum: Reaches those hard-to-get places like underneath your sofa and bed, picking up unwanted pet hairs.
- Air purifier: You can find specific air purifiers in Singapore designed for pet owners.
- Lint roller: Say goodbye to unwanted pet hairs on your clothing and furniture.