- I've personally found that the most comfortable human spaces incorporate layers of exposure as described in the article.
I also find our cats' preferences to mirror ours (even when we're not around), with the added depth of how they fit into cabinets and other small spaces.
I feel as tho our failure to architect for cats properly is more a symptom of laymen approaching architecture.
Aside: on a much larger scale, I've found commercial construction often sucks at this (except at the high end) while haphazard diy builds often naturally incorporate this.
- There's a book about the sibling construction: the cat ladder. It's called "Arcatecture"[0].
0: https://brigitteschuster.com/swiss-cat-ladders
- > If cats are autistic, “what cat window box would Temple Grandin design?”
There's a book called All Cats Are On The Autism Spectrum, and I was reminded of it while reading this post. (I found myself relating to the description of cat psychology.)
- I'm still reading, but as I go through the sight vs sound section I am reminded of how weird my cats seem to be (especially the male). He seems to have none of these risk assessment/survival instincts at all unless we are at the vet's office. At home, whether inside or on the balcony, he simply behaves like there is no danger from anything, ever. If he hears a new sound he will likely go toward it rather than away, and if a new person comes he's the first to the door to sniff them out. I don't think I've ever seen him hide in my life.
Then again, every cat owner thinks their cat is the special one.
by clutter55561
0 subcomment
- To add to the risk calculation that cats do: my cat won’t come in through the door unless she has a clear line of sight. We have to open the front door, the porch door, and step aside. She pauses before stepping in then runs inside, never walks.
by scorpionfeet
0 subcomment
- It’s “A Pattern Language” for cat window boxes. How delightful a decomposition! Although I think even a modest intersection of claims would yield and a mansion sized cat house! Still, I enjoyed the analysis.
- Interesting observations. The design of cat flaps does seem suboptimal. I had not thought about the shape- it seems a good call that tall and thin would be better - but also the hinge at the top allows the flap to fall on the tail.
- I'd left the lawnmower outside for a few days, with the grass-catcher detached, sitting on it's side held stable and upright between the mower and the wall.
The cats would often sniff at, and stick their heads in, then move on for the rest of their property-security-tour. The other day one of them decided to get right in and sat happily in there for a while. Looking out at the world through the grass-catching hole.
Just another box, but safe from attack from all angles other than one they're looking at.
- [dead]
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