I have been a huge fan of Meyou Paris and bought a piece of cat furniture in their very first Kickstarter campaign in 2015. Make them Roar was just a small blog back then; but fast forward to today and both of our brands have grown up into happy teenagers.
You can therefore imagine how delighted I am that we have been able to launch their beautiful cat furniture in our shop. Here we chat to the French makers about cats, dictators and keeping things local.
Have you got a feline muse?
Yes! Our muse is Lee, a Chartreux female. She’s our mascot and product tester in one. And because she’s still a kitten, she’s really going for it and is not holding back at all. No reservations!
Your Vegas cactus-shaped cat scratcher is one of our absolute favourites. How do you come up with designs?
The idea came from a TV report that I watched. It was about dictators. Some designers had created scratching posts with effigies of Putin and Kim Jong-Un. They had succeeded in mocking the political regime and created a rather successful buzz. This documentary triggered my awareness that cat accessories had never really been considered at a design level. We are currently thinking about designing another essential for cats: the cat tree. Our aim will always be to design with graphic lines and create a sober look that is respectful to any interior decoration.
You invest socially and work with people who have disabilities. Tell us a bit more about the way you manufacture your cat furniture.
We use cat friendly materials for the design of the cocoons. For example, the glue we use for reinforcement is water based and made by us here on our premises. We also assemble all products here, in our workshop in France. Also, the stainless steel used for the Vegas comes from a small company that is less than 10km away from us. The pots for the Vegas are cut here, in our workshop, moreover the plates allowing us the design of those also come from France.
We want to encourage short circuits. We really wanted to include a social ethic in our project. We had heard about establishments dedicated to the rehabilitation of disabled people through work and we went to meet them. Working with such establishments requires more availability and more explanations, but in the end, it is a real pleasure. They are very enthusiastic and very curious too. We are delighted to see them making our products.
What’s your favourite part about running your business?
Seeing cats thrive in our cosy nests and the satisfaction of our customers are essential to us. Customers are at the heart of our brand, their happiness is our priority, so I think the answer to your question is: designing products that are comfortable for cats and pleasant for the interior of their owners’ homes. Meeting the needs of the cat, while remaining focused on stylish furniture for the interior.
And, finally if a cat lover asked for your best advice to spoil their cat, what would it be?
Love and lots of attention… And to go even further; to offer them a cocoon where they can safely curl up in. Or an observation post to climb high up to satisfy their curiosity…. But also a license to scratch, and for that we have the VEGAS!
Nice to have you here,
Bettina
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