Gift Lab #8: The Cat’s Meow

1) Product Name: Cat Chalet

2) Background Research: I just adopted my first pet, Tammy Faye Baker the cat, and wanted to make sure she was sufficiently entertained, with a toy as cute as she is.

3) Hypothesis: Cats love cardboard boxes, so Tammy Faye will love a fancy cardboard cat chalet even more!

4) Experiment: Assemble adorable cat chalet and see if it would catch the Tammy Faye’s interest.

5) Results: I assembled the chalet, which is about a 10 minute process.  There are several decorations to chose from to place over the door – I chose the cardboard fish. 

I hung one of the cardboard ball toys from the roof with some yarn, set the chalet in the middle of my living room, and waited to see what would happen.

She was a little cautious at first, and walked all the way around it, sniffing all the way.  Finally, she decided to go inside. (A little catnip may or may not have been involved in this experiment.)

Now she loves to retreat to the chalet for short intervals (I call them her “vacations”).  She doesn’t chew on it, but she does use it all the time to scratch her face.  I also stick a laser pointer in the back and wait for her to pounce.

6) Conclusion: Cats DEFINITELY love cardboard boxes and cardboard chalets!