Furniture for a large cat. How to design a space for a Maine Coon and other large breeds?

If you live with a large cat, you will very quickly notice that not every scratching post, shelf, or bed will be suitable for it.

Large breeds, such as the Maine Coon, need much more space, more stable structures, and greater durability than an average cat.

Over 14 years of breeding Maine Coons, I have found that precisely these details determine whether a cat will want to use a piece of furniture every day.

Why does a Maine Coon need different furniture?

The Maine Coon is one of the largest domestic cat breeds.

It is strong, heavy, loves height, and can jump onto a shelf with huge momentum. Therefore, designing furniture for large cats looks completely different from designing furniture for an average cat.

It is precisely the experience gained during the daily observation of Maine Coons that allowed me to create products that also respond to the needs of other large breeds.

Not every scratching post is suitable for a large cat

Most furniture available on the market is designed for cats weighing around 4–5 kg.

Meanwhile, a Maine Coon often weighs 8, 9, or even 10 kg. It is longer, taller, and much stronger. When jumping onto a structure, a much greater force acts on it than just its body weight.

That is why I knew from the beginning that our products must be created according to completely different standards.

Size really matters

I very often hear the question: "Will this cat house or shelf be suitable for a Maine Coon?"

In my opinion, this is one of the most important questions a caregiver of a large cat should ask themselves.

It's not just the appearance that counts. What matters is the diameter of the bed. The length of the shelf. The amount of space to freely position the body. The ability to change position while resting.

That is why at PRASKA we design beds with larger diameters, as well as shelves and platforms tailored also to large breeds. A cat should be able to comfortably stretch out, turn around, and rest exactly the way it likes.

Load capacity is more than just a number of kilograms

I also very often hear the question: "Why a shelf with a load capacity of 50 kg if the cat weighs 9 kg?"

The answer is very simple. A cat does not sit down gently. It jumps. And when jumping onto a structure, a much greater force acts on it than its body weight alone.

That is why we design our shelves with a large margin of strength. But load capacity alone is not everything.

A cat will not accept wobbly furniture

This is something that is very rarely talked about. A cat does not tolerate unstable structures.

If a shelf bends, wobbles, creaks, or makes disturbing sounds during a jump, it very often simply stops using it.

That is why during designing, I pay huge attention to the stability of the entire structure. After proper assembly, our shelves should not bend, wobble, or make any disturbing sounds, even during daily use by large cats.

It is precisely such details that determine whether a cat will accept a new place.

Before a product goes on sale...

No new product appears in the store immediately.

First, it goes to my cattery. Later, we send it to other catteries where Maine Coons and other large breeds live. There, for a few weeks, and often even for a month or two, it is intensively tested.

Breeders provide us with their feedback and suggestions. We check: whether the cat eagerly uses the product, whether it returns to it every day, whether it has enough space, whether the structure remains stable, and whether the dimensions truly meet the needs of large cats.

Only after such tests do we implement corrections and refine every detail.

Thanks to this, we do not offer prototypes. We offer solutions proven by breeders and their cats during everyday use.

I don't design furniture at a desk

Most of my ideas are not created at a computer. They are created through conversations with breeders and daily observation of cats using our products.

It is precisely their experience that allows me to improve each successive model. That is why every new product is the result of many weeks of testing, corrections, and refining even the smallest details.

Designed from experience

For over 14 years, I have been breeding pedigreed cats. I know that comfort is not just a soft cushion.

It is the right amount of space. A stable structure. The correct height. The ability to rest exactly the way the cat likes best.

That is why breeders from many countries around the world choose PRASKA products. They know that they were not created solely based on a design or visualization. They were created thanks to experience, daily observation, and weeks of testing conducted by breeders and their cats.

Because a good piece of cat furniture is designed with its natural needs in mind, and not just how it will look in an interior.

In conclusion…

I don't design furniture with interior design catalogs in mind. I design them with cats in mind.

They are the ones who, for over 14 years, have been teaching me what truly matters.

Because the best furniture for a large cat is not the one that makes the biggest impression on a human. It is the one the cat wants to return to every day.

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