"The only mystery about the cat is why it ever decided to become a domestic animal"
. . . Compton MacKenzie

In the spring of 2004 Kris Kischer was enjoying her profession as a prop mistress for the world renowned National Ballet of Canada when she adopted two cats. In a quintessential ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ moment Kris realized that her arrival home after work was the day’s biggest excitement for Cuddles and Ching and that keeping them inside was becoming more and more of a challenge.

Fortunately for Kris and cat lovers like her, she was well equipped to handle this particular challenge. No, Kris wasn’t struck by divine inspiration, immediately conceiving The Cat’s Den on the spot. Her story is much more the case of practicing your entire life for a particular moment. You see Kris has a long and varied background in the area of set and prop building.

As a graduate of Ryerson Polytechnic Institute’s Technical Production Department, Kris majored in carpentry, scenic painting and a number of other useful skills and crafts germane to building her new product. Kris Kischer has plied her handicraft in television, films and just about every major theatre in Ontario. So, the idea of creating an enclosure allowing cats to take safe and protected advantage of both the indoors and the outdoors was in the hands of exactly the right person.

By observing her cat’s habits, Kris realized that the product would need to be functional, versatile, attractive, portable and well constructed, to stand the test of time. She gave careful consideration to her own concerns about her cats. Their favourite spot was by the window, and like many owners Kris didn’t want to let them go outside because of the inherent danger, both to themselves and other animals. Like many cat owners, here she was living in a rental unit faced with the challenge of finding something that would not interfere with other tenants and, that was portable enough that she could take with her when she moved. That’s how the Cat’s Den was developed, to blend into the backyard or attach to the side of an exterior apartment wall, yet it remains easy to assemble or take apart.

Attached around Kris’ apartment windows, the cats can now access the enclosure all on their own. After a week, she found that their energy level had also increased. The fight at the front door is a thing of the past and they’ve even lost a few pounds! The result is Kris doesn’t have to worry about them, and they get to exercise and explore all they want.

The Cat’s Den enclosures were developed not only to allow a safe way for a cat to explore the outdoors but also to be attractive in the yard. “Enclosures are limited only by a customer’s imagination,” Kris explains, “and are designed to be expandable, so they can fit any budget, and even grow from year to year. The Cat’s Den’s success is due largely to the fact that it brings some safety and happiness to a household. Pets have become not only our companions but also part of our families.”