Cats don't need a lot. They need the right things, in the right places, in the right order. The most stressed-out cats we know live in homes packed with stuff bought to entertain them — cat trees, electronic toys, branded scratching posts, the works. The calmest cats live in homes with three or four well-chosen pieces.
Give them a place to hide. Cats are predators that are also prey. They calm down dramatically when they have an enclosed bolt-hole they can disappear into at any moment. The Eggshell Cat Cave gives them a felted shell that's open enough to keep watching the room and closed enough to feel invisible. The Plush Hideaway is the same idea in plush — a hood, a soft floor, and zero exposure on three sides.
Give them a place to curl. Different mood, different bed. The Donut Nap Bed is the curl-up bed — walls high enough to lean against, plush enough to disappear into. Most cats rotate between hide and curl beds throughout the day; you'll see which one they pick at which hour.
Protect what they want to scratch. A cat scratches because the surface is right, not because they're being bad. Wrap your couch corners in clear protective film and add a sisal post in the same room — redirect, don't punish.
Feed and water at floor level, not on the counter. Cats prefer drinking water that's still and cool, not warm and elevated. A simple low ceramic bowl, refilled twice a day, beats most fountains.
Leave the curtains open during the day. Watching the world through a window is a cat's meditation — birds, leaves, light moving across the floor. It's free enrichment.
The minimalist cat home isn't empty. It's curated. A small number of beds, hiding spots, and routine cues — that's all most cats need to settle.