eco-tastic

Living in a small apartment can be a tricky task with all the accessories, toys, and overall "stuff" your pet requires. So when you have a small space, even a crate or cat tree can be a strain on your square footage. Thankfully, Square Cat Habitat has produced this totally functional cat perch that attaches right to your wall and can support up to 40 pounds. 40 pounds? That's a healthy kitty!

The Buddha Cat Habitat will set you back $100 but, made from eco-friendly bamboo, it's a clear-conscience and space saving alternative to the DIY Ikea Cat Tree I showed you awhile back. Plus the Buddha comes with your choice of non-slip insert that pulls double duty: match your already coordinated color scheme, and prevents Sassy from losing her grip!

When I first spotted this bed on moderncat, I immediately figured the pretty product would be way over my budget. However, imagine my surprise when I realized it costs just $70, not super cheap, but not as extravagant as some we've seen. The eco-tastic creation comes from natural banana leaves and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in your home – makes me wish I had a kitty to pamper!

A pom pom hat on a pooch . . . ummm this is totally too cute for words! Thank you LoveRoars for alerting me to this fab Etsy find! All the sustainable gear is eco-friendly with most products, like these adoro coats, made of 100 percent fleece derived from recycled plastic!

It's hard for me to pick a fave, but if pressed the beds are hard to beat. In fact, it's an idea so ingenious, I wish I had thought of it myself! There are plenty of color options for the pillow pet bed base and blanket ($50). You may already be sighing at the additional cost of an insert but not for this one – it's meant to be filled with an old pillow. You've got a purpose for the reject and, since it smells like you, maybe it'll keep your pets off your bed, too! See the beds and more in the widget below.

Designs of all kinds were unleashed over the weekend at the Dwell on Design Expo in LA. Although I wasn't able to make it down to SoCal for the event, I have seen a ton of interesting pics, but sadly not many that cater to our four-legged pals. Not to fear – one of the companies that has me excited to see what else they can come up with is HOM, whose designs are definitely meant to remind you of nature, but possess a cool, modern flair. While looking over their website, the first thing that caught my eye was this beautiful bird house! Not only is it a cool design, it's made from environmentally safe and non-toxic materials, as not to harm those wild birdies you'd be feeding!

There's no price, or much info listed yet, but wouldn't this be a great addition to our already expanding list of classic and modern bird feeders and houses?

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As you can tell from the partying pet piccys, this year's Petchitecture event was not only eco-friendly, but totally fun as well. The unique fundraiser to support the PAWS organization featured specially designed habitats that were auctioned off and all had two things in mind: pets and Mother Earth. Thankfully, that nod to the planet extended all the way to the inner workings of the event itself, which cut its mailed invites from 10,000 to 1,500 (printed on 100 percent recycled paper with soy-based ink), eliminated event programs, and had any posters printed on recycled paper as well.As for the designs, this one by William Duff Architects was my fave – with a solar device that cools the inside – perfect for your cat or small-sized pooch. It didn't stop there as the event featured tons of genius and hip designs! Check out more in the gallery when you read more

Just because Earth Day's over doesn't mean that we should suddenly stop being eco-tastic! These cute mice are made of 100-percent cotton, with AZO-free dyes only, and are purrrrrfect for kitties any time of year. Even North loves his ropes but sometimes that slobber makes them look less than savory. . . . especially when toys made of this tough material do double duty keeping your pet's teeth and gums clean while promoting nondestructive chewing. But, the problem's solved with these washable toys from Harry Barker – pop them in the machine, let them air dry, and poof! They're good as new. Check out all the fun shapes for dogs and cats when you read more

Well, along with all the other fun animals we saw during our time in Orlando (thank you, Aquatica!), we spent one night at SeaWorld where we caught a glimpse of some killer whales! LilSugar and I watched a preview of Shamu Rocks (officially kicking off Memorial Day 2008), which combined fun music with improvisational movements of two orca whales. I was happy to hear that the tanks were eco-tastically filled with recycled rainwater and learn about how much attention the organization dedicates to the research, rescue, and rehabilitation of marine wildlife. To learn how SeaWorld Orlando collaborates with the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI), read more

While not many of you were instantly on board with composting dog poop, I thought I'd mention some important information for those feline owners. A common parasite that kitties can get is actually very deadly to wildlife, like these adoro sea otters, when cat litter is not properly disposed! Cat feces can contain Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that commonly gets into feline systems from eating infected rodents, birds, or other small animals. When kitties later expel these parasites in their droppings — sometimes hundreds of millions at a time — each can survive in soil and water for over a year!

Although many different kinds of animals can serve as intermediate hosts for the parasites, cats are the only animals known to shed the parasite's eggs in their droppings. (In fact, this cat-parasite link is the reason pregnant women are advised against cleaning cat litter boxes.) Because of this danger, cat poop should not be flushed because it can then be carried via storm drains and sewage outflows into near-shore ocean waters. But, what about those indoor cats? Find out when you read more