If you’re a cat owner, this scenario is probably familiar. You sit down to do a job and then who comes along and decides to take a break from all your business? Why nothing but your beloved cat, of course.
It’s one of the most universal experiences of cat ownership: the moment you open your laptop, your feline friend decides it’s the perfect time to beg for attention, scurry across the keyboard, or simply collapse in the middle of your workspace. Over the years, cat owners have accepted this as an essential part living with catsbut what if there was a better solution?
When Design Meets Feline Behavior
Ruan Hao and his design team LYCS Architecture He pondered this dilemma in Hong Kong. Instead of seeing cats as an interruption to productivity, they asked a more interesting question: What if we could design furniture to accommodate both human work and feline play?
The result is CATable, a brilliantly conceived piece multifunctional furniture it’s a practical workspace and an irresistible cat playground. It’s a table full of odd holes, tunnels, nooks and crannies, too tempting for any feline friend to pass up. So while you’re hard at work, your kitty can explore, play and satisfy her endless curiosity without interfering with your productivity.
The psychology behind CATable
According to LYCS Architecture, the design was inspired by two fundamental aspects of cat behavior that every owner recognizes:
Ritual greeting: Taking your cat away from the laptop always feels like a temporary, sentimental farewell ritual. There’s something bittersweet about taking that warm, purring friend out of your workplace, knowing he wants to be by your side.
The Irresistible Hole: A well-sized hole is completely impenetrable to cats. Their curiosity drives them to repeatedly explore the unknown path behind each opening they find. This is not just a playful behavior, it is a deep-rooted instinct.
CATable fuses these experiences into a single piece of furniture where the interaction between human and cat becomes the focal point. It’s a table for us and a paradise for the cats, creating a shared space that didn’t exist before.
CATable 1.0: original innovation
The original CATable brings a cat’s perspective to the interior of the table. The design incorporates pathways, tunnels and chambers built directly into the table structure. Cats can enter through various openings, navigate internal passageways, and exit from different locations, all while their owner works on the surface above.
This isn’t just clever design, it’s practical psychology. By providing an attractive alternative to where you work, your cat gets the closeness she craves from you while focusing her energy on exploration instead of typing away at the keyboard. How is it similar? innovative furniture design it can completely transform the way we relate to our living spaces.
The response was overwhelming. CATable 1.0 was launched on the leading fashion platform Fancy and received rave reviews. He was invited to exhibit at prestigious international exhibitions including Milan Design Week, Lyon Architecture China and the Gwangju Design Biennale in Korea. It was featured on Time Magazine’s website, and was the first Chinese design to win PETA’s “Innovator for Animals Award” in 2014.
CATable 2.0: Modular evolution
Following the success of the original, LYCS Architecture developed CATable 2.0, taking the concept in a completely new direction. Rather than a table of traditional scale, the CATable 2.0 is made up of several wooden cubes with 40cm sides, essentially creating modular ‘cat tables’.
Each cube is carved with holes of different shapes and sizes on the outside, and the inside is curved to allow the cats to move and play freely, consuming excess energy in the process. The genius of this version lies in its flexibility.
Users can configure these units like building blocks, combining them into chairs, coffee tables, low cabinets or shelves, depending on their space and needs. Each cubby has different internal paths for cats to explore, and the rest of the space can be customized by the owner to store books, display collections or keep fish. In essence, you’re creating a range of furniture pieces and a unique cat playground at the same time.
This modular approach addresses one of the biggest challenges of modern living: adaptability. Like The planning of the space is essential for placing the furniturehaving furniture that adapts to different room configurations makes CATable 2.0 practical for apartments, studios or larger houses.
Why care about CATable
At first glance, CATable may seem like a novelty, but it represents something more significant: a thoughtful design that recognizes how our pets really live. Cats are not decorative additions to our homes, they are members of the family with their own needs, instincts and behaviors.
Traditional furniture forces us to choose between accommodating our pets and maintaining functional spaces. CATable eliminates that possibility, creating furniture where both needs naturally coexist. It’s a philosophy that becomes more and more important as more people embrace it pet friendly lifestyle and find ways to better integrate their animals into their daily routine.
The design also addresses a real behavioral problem. Cats seek elevated spaces and enclosed areas because these satisfy their security and territorial needs. By providing these items in your workspace, you’re not just satisfying your cat, you’re meeting their psychological needs while maintaining your productivity.
Recognition and Awards
The design community and animal welfare organizations have recognized CATable’s innovation:
- 2014 PETA Innovative Animal Award
- 2016 Design Intelligence Awards Nomination
- Presented at Milan Design Week
- Lyon Architecture was exhibited in China
- At the Gwangju Design Biennale, Korea
- Featured on Time magazine website
These awards reflect the aesthetic appeal of the design as well as the practical functionality and real improvement it brings to the lives of both cats and owners.
Wider Impact
CATable has encouraged a broader conversation about pet-friendly design. As our understanding of animal behavior deepens and our relationships with pets evolve, there is a growing demand for furniture and home solutions that work with our animals’ natural instincts.
See also
This change parallels what is happening in other areas of furniture design. Like modern furniture companies Rethinking traditional pieces to better fit contemporary lifestyles, designers like those at LYCS Architecture are reinventing what pet furniture can look like.
The concept of “shared space” introduced by CATable could be extended to other aspects of home design. Imagine built-in climbing structures for cats integrated into bookshelves, or dog-friendly mudroom designs with both human storage and pet wash stations. CATable proves that these solutions can be both functional and beautiful.
Practical considerations
Although the CATable is not currently available for mass market purchase, its designs have been featured in international exhibitions and its concepts continue to influence pet furniture design worldwide. For cat owners interested in similar solutions, the modular approach of CATable 2.0 provides inspiration for DIY projects or custom furniture commissions.
The key principles of creating enclosed pathways that satisfy feline curiosity while maintaining human functionality can be applied to a variety of furniture. Some cat owners have begun working with custom furniture makers to incorporate similar concepts into their homes, tailored to their specific spaces and cat preferences.
Looking ahead
As working from home becomes more and more common, the need for furniture to accommodate productivity and pet friendliness is becoming more and more important. CATable addresses a real challenge that many remote workers face every day: maintaining focus while keeping pets happy and engaged.
It remains to be seen whether LYCS Architecture will eventually bring the CATable to market or license the design to furniture manufacturers. What is certain is that they have shown a thoughtful approach to a problem faced by millions of cat owners, proving that good design takes into account all the inhabitants of a space, including the four-legged ones.
For now, CATable is an inspiring example of what’s possible when designers truly see how we live with our pets and create solutions that enhance rather than condone those relationships. Like how Thoughtful home design enhances entertainingPet-conscious furniture design improves everyday life for everyone in the household.
Bottom line
CATable stands for more than just plain furniture design. It’s about recognizing that our pets are part of our lives and that our homes should reflect that reality. By creating a shared space where human productivity and feline play naturally coexist, LYCS Architecture has shown that we don’t have to choose between functional furniture and happy pets.
For cat owners tired of the constant battle between work and play, keyboard hopping and lap sitting, CATable offers a glimpse of what’s possible when design thinking meets everyday life. It’s a piece of furniture that understands the needs of you and your cat, and responds beautifully to both.
Your cat will thank you. And frankly, so will your productivity.
To learn more about CATable and LYCS Architecture’s innovative designs, visit LYCS Architecture.
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