Catching up with Hauspanther’s Kate Benjamin
Kate Benjamin is the co-author (with Jackson Galaxy) of Catification: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!) and Catify To Satisfy: Simple Solutions for Creating a Cat-friendly Home. She’s also the creative force behind Hauspanther, the online magazine for style-conscious cat people
Hauspanther’s mission is “to spread the word about how good design can enhance the way we live with cats, improving our lives and the lives of our beloved feline companions. By paying attention to the design of objects and environments, we can create living spaces that accommodate the natural instincts of cats – keeping them happy, healthy and well behaved – without compromising our own sense of style and comfort.”
Kate was recently profiled in the New York Times where she spoke about how her cats have helped her through her treatments for cancer. “Just having them close by is the best therapy. If I’m sitting comfortably in a chair after surgery or I’m lying down just to feel their warmth and hear them purr, it’s comforting just to have them going about their regular business — whereas everyone else is texting and fussing over me.”
We spoke with Kate about her kitties, her new furniture line, and how to make a Cat Lady Chic style statement in your home.
Kate and a fan at CatCon 2018. Courtesy Kate Benjamin.
CATCON: We were so glad to see you at CatCon this year, as were your many fans. How are you doing right now?
KATE BENJAMIN: I had so much fun at CatCon this year, it was great seeing everyone, I’m glad I was able to make it! After about 18 months of dealing with this cancer diagnosis I’m starting to get back to normal. I’ve had three surgeries since Nov 2017 and I have one more next month, plus I’m mostly recovered from chemo, which I did February – May of this year.
In the recent NYT article, you said: “The cats are just such a great reminder of living in the moment. They don’t worry about the past, they don’t worry about the future, and you have to do that with cancer.” Can you talk about that a bit more how your animals have impacted your recovery? Perhaps how they assisted you in the thought process of dealing with the here and now versus “what if”?
Thinking about how cats exist in the present really helped settle my mind during my cancer diagnosis and treatment. It’s very easy to beat yourself up for things you did in the past that might have caused the cancer. There’s also a lot of stress and worry about the treatment and life beyond. The best thing you can do is just be in the moment and take care of yourself today. That’s how cats live; they’re not planning their future or worrying about their past. They get up every day and do their thing. We can learn a lot from them in this respect.
Some of my cats stayed very close to me when I was recovering from surgery and going through chemo. My soulmate cat, Ando, who has since passed away, would sit next to me on the bed throughout all of my treatment and recovery. He passed away shortly after I finished chemo. I was, and still am, heartbroken, but it was as if he stuck around to get me through it and then it was his time to go.
Courtesy Kate Benjamin
Tell us a bit more about your kitties!
My husband and I currently have eight cats at home and three at my design studio. They are all rescues, most came directly off the street and several were from feral colonies that I helped feed. The newest addition, Monsieur Jacques Le Feet, is a cute little tuxedo cat that we trapped outside a restaurant about a month ago. He is pretty fierce and feral, but we are working with him to get him socialized so he can integrate with the rest of our cats.
I tend to adopt the “tough cases”, meaning cats that might not go home with anyone else, because I have some experience with ferals. It’s pretty rewarding to see a cat come around after being extremely unsocial to start with. I believe that every cat deserves a chance at a happy life in a loving home.
Courtesy Kate Benjamin
Team CatCon is all about debunking the negative cat lady stereotype. We love what you’re doing to show the world that you can be a cat lady AND be chic and stylish. You have a new line of furniture– what’s one item that illustrates that aesthetic best?
I’m very excited about my cat furniture line that is a partnership with Primetime Petz. It’s an opportunity for me to design innovative cat products that are unlike anything else on the market. We have two new scratchers, the Scratch Pole, a tension-mounted cat scratcher that fits securely under tables and desks making use of unused space. Also, the MaxScratch is the biggest free-standing scratching post I’ve ever seen with a built-in perch on top.
Courtesy Kate Benjamin
I also love the new NestEgg and TriPod cat lounges. Both have clear plastic lounge pods that simulate sitting in a sink, because we all know cats love to hang out in sinks, right?
What advice do you have for someone in a small space or on a tight budget? How can they make a style statement?
When designing a small space for living with cats, I recommend looking for products that combine multiple functions in one. For example, look for a perch with a built-in scratcher or a litter hider that functions as a climber as well. There are lots of great products on the market that give your cat what they need and look great in your home.
Courtesy Kate Benjamin
What’s ahead for you in the next year or so? Are you working on another book, or…
I’m excited to be launching my toy line this year with Primetime Petz as part of the Hauspanther Collection. I’ve been designing handmade cat toys for years now but with this partnership even more cats will get to enjoy my designs.
Last question: What’s your motto?
“Making the world a better place for cats and the people who love them, one scratching post at a time.”
CatCon will take place Saturday, June 29th – Sunday, June 30th, 2019 at the Pasadena Convention Center, in Pasadena, CA
TICKETS ON SALE EARLY 2019