Splintercat field guides
Start with the home. Then choose the gear.
Our research guides turn room constraints, cat preferences, credible welfare guidance, and product specifications into practical decisions. They never pretend to be hands-on reviews.
Start here
The indoor-cat setup guide
A room-by-room foundation for safe places, separated resources, scratching, climbing, play, and quieter multi-cat living.
Build the habitat before the shopping list.
Map what your cat needs, what your floor plan can support, and which gaps actually require new gear.
The publishing map
Choose the problem you’re solving.
Each guide begins with the cat, the household, and the constraint—then connects those needs to relevant gear.
Climbing & scratching
Place scratchers where the behaviour happens and match stability, reach, surface, and orientation.
Read the placement guide →Feeding & hydration
Separate resources, protect access, plan cleaning, and evaluate bowls, fountains, and feeders.
Plan the stations →Litter & cleanup
Choose accessible, quiet locations and build a realistic cleaning and observation routine.
Read the placement guide →Play & enrichment
Create opportunities for hunting-style play, climbing, scratching, foraging, and retreat.
Build an enrichment routine →Carriers & travel
Compare carrier access, structure, ventilation, handling, storage, and practical vehicle fit.
Explore popular gear →Small-space setups
Use vertical territory, separated stations, storage, and traffic flow when floor area is scarce.
Use the apartment guide →A useful constraint
Popularity is not a verdict.
The Marketplace Watch reports a dated retailer sales signal. Splintercat ratings, “best” verdicts, and hands-on claims still require the evidence defined in our published standard.