Does anyone else do this?

Okay

So we are finally able to move in the next few months. We have been looking at apartments, duplexes, and houses like crazy. One thing stands out though, I am always looking to see where The cat condo could go,a nd if there is easy access to any of the windows for her. This one apartment had really wide window ledges-- and I told DH 'Xena would love the window lookout spot". LOL.

Does anyone else look at things like that and think of what might make the cat happy?

Of Course!!!!

definitely!

in fact, when i was looking at houses to buy i had a list of things i wanted in a house/property as well as a list of things i wanted for my cats.

My cats were at the top of my list when I was co-op hunting last year. My dad even chimed in "I can build a window ledge over there for the cats." "They would love to sit at the back door and watch the birds here!"

My cats were definitely a factor in my house buying decisions. I had 2 cats when I bought my house in 2008. I looked at a LOT of houses. I found a short-sale with great bones and all tile and wood laminate floors so cleaning would have been easy. The cats and I would have loved it. I put in an offer and won the bid. But that deal fell through because the roof was severely damaged and the bank that owned it wouldn't pay to repair it. I walked away and kept looking for a couple of more months.

Then it came down to 2 houses on the same street. One had high ceilings and these shelf ledges at the top of the walls in the living room. It looked kinda cool and I thought my cats would have a field day up there. But ultimately I knew it was basically wasted space and my cats would destroy anything placed up there. It was also awkward that the living room dropped down from the entryway, kitchen, hall, and back patio door. I would have been constantly tripping. The other one, the one I picked had a better backyard with covered patio, a better kitchen, and less wasted space. It even had wooden blinds already installed in all the windows (except for one small one above the kitchen sink) instead of the regular vinyl blinds that break constantly with cats. I also ended up with a 3rd cat in 2011 from the shed in my backyard. If I'd bought the one across the street, I don't think I'd have him now as it didn't have a shed for him to take up shelter in for me to find him.

We didn't have our cats when we moved into our home.  If we had, there's several things I would have done differently; one of which was not buy dark wood cabinets for the kitchen.  All their fur shows up on it from their rubbing against the doors!

For sure the next time around, cat family members will be a huge consideration.  For one thing, I think I want 1 floor next time especially if Casper were still with us.  He's a senior now and as time will go by stair climbing will become more problematic (as it is for us too LOL).  I'd prefer there be some space for litter boxes which isn't our bathroom(s).  Like a laundry room on the same floor.  

But those are the practical things.  I also would want great windows for lounging and nature watching. Luckily, our home does have these - many of them.  Cocoa's favorite spot is the large picture window in our dining room. We have a soft pet bed on top of the radiator and she spends more hours there than anywhere else in the house.  

Absolutely. New house has huge windows with tiny sills, so I am in the process of getting estimates from carpenters to enlarge some of the wiindow sills to be cat-width.

I do When I was looking for a condo a couple years ago, I was always checking to see if the bathroom was big enough for a litter box and where I would place a cat tree and if there were any features that would appeal to a cat, such as the loft place I looked at that was 2 floors and there was a wooden beam stretching across the second floor sleeping area, perfect for a cat to lounge on.

When house hunting for the house we're currently in two things sold it to us. The first was the view. The second was foot wide windowsills throughout the ground floor for the cats! :lol3:

Of course. You aren't just looking for an apartment for yourself, you have to take into consideration your pets as well. Is there a place for the litter boxes?  Can they get to the windows?  How much room is there to play? Where will the food dishes and water fountain go? Is there a place for them to sit and watch me pee or shower?  LOL  It all matters

Single family homes are really expensive around here, so we are in a townhouse and unfortunately all of our windows face other houses.  I feel bad there aren't any good views for our cats.