As animals are part of the family, an Ikea pet range has been introduced with 62 specially designed products.
The Swedish homewares retailer’s Lurvig pet collection ranges from a cat hideaway resembling a treehouse to a bowl that encourages dogs to eat slowly, reports Freshout.Today.
Designer Inma Bermudéz says she saw a gap in the market for affordable but attractive pet products covering such basics as sleep, eat, play, travel and walk.
“Created by pet-loving designers with support from veterinarians, the range covers all the bases of our shared life with pets indoors and out.”
Bermudéz says the items were designed with the natural needs and behaviours of animals in mind, such as how they sleep, eat or play.
“Dogs will definitely chew on their toys and bring in dirt from their daily walks. Cats will definitely scratch on most surfaces and are sensitive to smell and texture. So safe, durable materials are very important.”
Highlighting the influence of a vet in the design process is the “slow-feed bowl” for dogs, many of which tend to overeat. The bowl’s internal surface is designed to prevent dogs from eating their meal “in one or two gulps”.
