Aggression Between Cats After a Vet Visit

Posted on April 4, 2021April 4, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Aggression Between Cats After a Vet Visit

Zelda, my 5 year old Maine coon cat, went into the vet clinic on a Tuesday to have her teeth cleaned and to finish her lion cut that I started the day before. Zelda did well with anesthesia, teeth cleaning and lion cut. Upon returning home, Zelda stayed in the master bedroom for a few more hours for her anesthesia to wear off.

In the past, there has been some aggression between cats after one of the cats comes back from his or her veterinary visit. In particular, Gus, my former street cat, has been aggressive towards the other cats when they come home from the hospital. So, I made sure that the Feliway multi-cat pheromone diffuser was plugged in and bagged up the blanket Gus sleeps on for Zelda to use in her carrier on the way home.

In spite of all my precautions, Gus was agitated and aggressive not only with Zelda, but also with the older cats, Marley and Athena, when I let Zelda out of the bedroom for dinner. Not only did he strike at the other cats when they got too close, he went out of his way to strike at them if they were out of reach.

Cat in his safe place — Gus is in his chair in his safe place, the back office.

The aggression between cats continued into Wednesday and I found myself starting to lose my patience with Gus, who was the instigator. So time for some “tough love” – Gus was asked to go to his safe place. The door was closed and he spent the afternoon in the back office with some treats and his snuffle mat.

His attitude was much better when he was released at dinner time. The next morning, Thursday, Zelda greeted him with a quick lick that he was not overly enthused about but he accepted.

What is the take-away here?

The smell of the vet clinic is disturbing to Gus – he associates it with unpleasant experiences. I also think he finds it confusing and frightening when his housemates smell like the hospital – he is not sure who they really are and this makes him anxious and afraid.

The safe place smells familiar and is quiet. It conveys a feeling of calm and safety and this helped Gus change his emotional state. By the time dinner came around, Zelda’s “hospital” smell had faded a bit more and the dinner routine helped reassure Gus. He remained calm and did not go out of his way to swat the other cats.

Going to the safe place is not a like the time-out used with human children. The time-out spot for children is a spot with minimal stimulation and away from other people. The idea is to remove the child from whatever was reinforcing the undesired behavior and have him/her calm down, link his or her behavior to the wrongdoing, and change it.

Your cat will not link misbehavior with being isolated (human toddlers have trouble with this also). The safe place is not a punishment – it has all your cat’s resources (litter boxes and toys) and allows you to remove him from whatever is stimulating the “bad” behavior, in this case, the aggression between cats. The safe place should convey a feeling of calm to your cat and change his emotional state, from one of possible arousal and fear to one of calm and security. Once your cat feels calm and secure again, you will be able to interact with him and communicate with him – he should be able to respond to any training he has had. In this case, if reintroduction is not successful after some “quiet time”, you may need to try a more gradual reintroduction. See Introducing Cats: A Short Guide

Happy Easter from The Feline Purrspective! Click on the egg for cats playing an Easter game!

Your cat gets aggressive when playing…

Posted on March 21, 2021May 5, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Owning a cat does not mean that your arms and legs should be covered in bites and scratches. Is there anything you can do if your cat gets aggressive when playing?

First of all – understand “Play” for a cat is hunting practice and it is serious business.

Hardwired to Hunt…

Your cat is good at detecting fast motion – his eyes can process over 60 visual images per second. By comparison, we are able to process 20-30 images per second. Your cat is designed to detect the quick, rapid movements of mice and other rodents. Motion is what attracts him – if the prey “freezes” for long enough, it may get away to live another day.

A successful hunt ends with the capture of the prey. Sharp teeth and claws put an end to the game.

Why your cat gets aggressive when playing…

It may seem cute to let your kitten climb your legs, and pounce on your hands and feet. When your kitten grows to be a large cat, fully equipped with sharp teeth and claws, this kind of play can be dangerous.

Even if you use gloves and let your cat bite and scratch the gloves, she is still viewing YOU as PREY. After all, your arms are connected to the rest of you!

Cat bites and scratches easily become infected. Make sure to clean any bites and scratches with plenty of soap and water. Seek medical attention for bites and scratches that break the skin.

So, you feel your cat gets aggressive while playing. What can you do when he wants to play rough?

Use toys that keep your hands and feet away from him.
Don’t play games that have you pretending to be prey – if you want your cat to run after you, drag a string along behind you so that the string, not you, is the focus of his attention.
Zelda plays with a toy mouse on a wand toy.

What if your cat initiates “rough play”?

What is happening?

Stalking and attacking your legs and feet?
Wrestling and attacking your hands?
Stalking and pouncing on you or the kids?

When does it happen?

When you arrive home from work?
When you are working and not able to pay attention to your cat?

Where does it happen?

Does the behavior occur in a certain place in the house?

THE PLAN: DISTRACT YOUR CAT BEFORE THE “ROUGH PLAY” STARTS

Some examples…

Your cat attacks your legs and feet when you come in the door from work.

Have a basket of toys on a table near the door.
Direct her attention to a wand toy or catnip mouse BEFORE she starts to attack you.
If your cat does manage to complete the pounce, FREEZE – don’t run away, she will “hunt” you

Your cat pounces on you when go through the hallway

This often starts as playing “peek-a-boo” around the corner. It usually goes away on its own, but some more bored cats may make a game of it.
Have a cache of toys nearby or some treats that you toss BEFORE you get to the corner to distract him.
Or have a laser pointer in your pocket if this behavior happens at different corners
If your cat does manage to complete the pounce, FREEZE. Do not reward him by acting like a prey animal trying to get away.

Your cat attacks your arm and hands while you are on the sofa watching TV

Have a cache of toys on a table next to the sofa
If you can intercept your cat before he launches on to the sofa, toss a treat or toy and direct him to it with a laser pointer.
If he gets you in a “clawed” embrace, FREEZE. By not moving, he should lose interest in you.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

A sturdy sheet of cardboard and long pants/sleeves, socks and gloves can shield your legs, feet and hands during the “re-training” period. “Protective gear” will make staying still a bit easier.

Your cat gets aggressive when playing…Other things you can do.

Keep your cat busy and happy.

Consider meal-feeding her with food puzzles – she can hunt for her food and not you!
Have a regular play time around the same time every day.
Set up a “safe place” for your cat to go when things are getting too stressful

Planning ahead – Set up a “Safe Place” for your cat

A safe place should be a place your cat feels secure
A safe place should have all her resources in it
It could be a spare room or hallway with the doors closed

Put your cat in her safe place

when you are working
when there is just too much going on
when she becomes overstimulated

Your cat is a superb hunter. Make sure that he does not view you, your hands or feet as prey. Seek professional help if the simple strategies outlined here don’t work!

Walking Cats – Confessions of a Cat Herder

Posted on February 14, 2021February 14, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A lifelong cat owner, I had an indoor-outdoor cat as a child. I continued to have cats as I grew older, gradually spending more and more time with them. When I took a break from work for two years to sail from California to Maryland via the Panama Canal, I took my two siamese cats with me and I am relieved to say that they both made it home and lived to be 17 and 18 years old.

When we moved to Colorado, I began to supervise my cats’ outdoor activities due to the number of predators that were around. For several years, we lived in a house that bordered on an open space. At night, you could the coyotes howling and hunting in the open space behind the house.

Cats could only go out with a human supervisor. At the time, I had two long haired cats that would follow me and stay close by while I gardened; our domestic short hair preferred to stay indoors exclusively.

Around this time, I read My Pride and Joy by George Adamson of “Born Free” fame. Adamson was known for rehabilitating captive lions and returning them to a wild existence. He would take groups of these captive-raised unrelated lions and establish artificial prides. One of the daily exercises the “pride” engaged in was a walk. I wondered if walking cats together would help them get along better.

And so started the ritual of walking cats every morning. The townhomes I live in are an impromptu retirement community. The grounds are spacious with older trees and a pond. The roads in the complex are quiet with little traffic.

After several attempts at walking cats on leashes and having to let them climb trees with leashes dangling as they tried to escape the neighbors’ dogs (often on leashes), we changed to a “freedom” walk. The cats were not leashed and followed me around. I reinforced this behavior with treats.

(Update: I have found that I have to leash Gus, my formerly feral cat. He is still inclined to roam and get into cat fights.)

None of my cats are littermates. Some of the cats engage in friendly behavior (grooming each other) but others are aloof from their housemates indoors. Social Groups of Cats

Being outside is a different story. The four cats will band together, for example, if a strange cat approaches. They don’t fight amongst each when the intruder shows up.

One cat may growl at another if he is further away, but once close up, they will touch noses and confirm that they are part of the same group.

George Adamson established “artificial” prides; we establish “artificial” colonies when we house unrelated cats together. Like a colony of free-roaming cats, the indoor “colony” has its own signature scent which the members recognize each other by.

I guess it is a case of
“Better the Devil You Know than the Devil You Don’t”,
or, from the feline purrspective,
“Better the Devil who Smells Like You than the Devil Who Doesn’t”

Caring for Your Older Cat

Posted on January 31, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats are considered mature at 7-10 years, senior at 11-14 years (human age 60-72 years) and Super Senior at 15+ years (human age 76+ years) (Your cat’s age in human years). Here are some tips for caring for your older cat.

Once past 2 years, cats age at a rate of 4 years per every human year. Regular veterinary visits are beneficial for your Mature, Senior and Super Senior cats. Good veterinary care can make your older cat’s senior years golden years.

Mature, Senior and Super Senior cats have the same needs as younger animals.

safe place
multiple and separated resources – food, water, litter boxes
opportunity for play
positive, consistent and predictable human interaction
an environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell

Caring for Your Older Cat: The “Senior” Cat Friendly Home

Safe Places

Steps to bed for older cat — A step ladder gives Athena easy access to the bed.

An older cat needs private and secure places to retreat to, to rest and take a break from household activity. Steps or ramps provide easy access to higher places. A heated bed with extra padding can be a real hit for an older cat stiff from arthritis.

Resources – Food, Water, Litter Boxes

Ice cube tray as a food puzzle — This older cat is getting lunch from an ice cube tray.

Still a hunter at heart, your older cat is designed to eat small meals, frequently during the day. Feeding stations throughout the house will encourage her to prowl and “hunt” her food, stimulating her physically and mentally.

Your old cat will most likely drink more than he did when he was young. Locate water sources throughout the house. If your cat seems stiff, try raising his food and water up so that he does not have to crouch down as much to eat and drink.

Litter Box from storage tote — A storage tote has been repurposed as a litter box. The front opening is low and was cut with heavy duty shears and a hacksaw. A trash can for scooping is nearby.

THE LITTER BOX

Large enough for your cat to turn around.
Entrance has a low sill for easy access.
On each floor of the house
In areas that are secluded and private
Finer textured litter may be more comfortable for older kitty paws.

Play is still important

Older cats can still can benefit from swatting at a wand toy or chasing treats. Daily play time close to early morning or early evening mimics the cat’s natural rhythms – prey is most active at these times.

Human Interaction

A familiar predictable routine reduces anxiety for all cats. Caring for your older cat should include grooming as well as play time. Grooming becomes more challenging for older cats as their flexibility decreases.

Make grooming sessions frequent and short.
Cats often groom after eating. This is a good time to gently comb or brush the older cat.
Regular nail trims are important for older kitties – the nails of older cats can sometimes grow into their paw pads, which is painful.
Older cats still need access to scratching areas – horizontal and angled scratchers may be easier for them to use

Your Cat’s Sense of Smell

Cats have a sense of smell that is 14x more sensitive than ours.

Diffusers containing facial pheromones placed near some of your older cat’s resting places will convey the messages of familiarity and safety
Scratching releases pheromones from glands in your cat’s paws that help mark his territory- have scratchers available to your older cat
Avoid using scented litters and strong smelling cleaners

Outdoor Access

SAFE outdoor access is stimulating for older cats as well as young cats. Your cat may like some supervised outdoor time with you – the daily “walk” can provide quality time for both cat and owner.

IF you are lucky enough to live in a quiet neighborhood or have access to a quiet park, a cat stroller can get you and your old friend out.

Get her used to the stroller first – offer some food in it, let her nap in it
Start with SHORT walks in QUIET places at QUIET times.
Increase the walking time IF she is enjoying it.

Some Thoughts on The Indoor-Only Cat

Posted on December 20, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

I got my first cat when I was 8 yrs old. Marty was a Siamese kitten that came from a litter owned by one of my father’s co-workers. Marty was an indoor-outdoor cat. We did keep up on his vaccines at his yearly veterinary appointment. There were cat fights and he went to the vet frequently to be patched up. My sister got a female Siamese cat and Marty mated with Mischi and a number of cats resulted from this pairing. Marty was neutered when he was 7 years old.

I took him to college with very little thought as to how the outdoor cat would adapt to being the indoor-only cat; he did all right although my college roommates were not taken with his scruffy, tomcat appearance. I adopted two of Marty’s grand kittens with little thought as to whether all the cats would get along. Luckily, the old cat and the two younger male cats (they were neutered) got along famously. Marty lived to be 15 years old.

Changes in Cat Care – Things Are Different Today

In America, many pet cats are indoor cats now. In Europe, the cat flap is still a thing and cats tend to have more outdoor access.
Medical care for your cat has advanced – dental care and treatment for kidney disease and hyperthyroidism are more common now.
The dietary needs of cats are much better understood now. Not only are there commercial diets formulated to meet basic nutritional needs, there are also diets for treatment of medical conditions.
There are not many studies on the longevity of domestic cats but the general consensus is that the indoor cat lives longer than the outdoor cat, being protected from hazards such as cars and disease.

The Indoor-Only Cat

Pros

The indoor-only cat has less risk of diseases spread through interactions with other cats, such as Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline Infectious Peritonitis.
The indoor-only cat has less exposure to parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, ticks, and heartworms.
The indoor-only cat has little risk of a road traffic accident as long as she does not escape outdoors.
Potentially stressful and injurious interactions with neighboring cats are reduced for the indoor cat – but…indoor cats in multi-cat households can get into fights.
Living indoors reduces the risk of your cat being attacked by larger animals such as dogs and coyotes.
Keeping cats indoors can protect wildlife species that are potentially prey for the domestic cat.

Cons

Indoor cats are have a greater incidence of obesity and associated risk of diabetes. Your cat, designed to be a hunter, can become bored from lack of activity, and soothe himself by eating.
An indoor only cat has less opportunities to engage in predatory behavior than the outdoor cat. Cat guardians must provide these opportunities through interactive and object play.
Urine spraying, scratching and facial rubbing are normal behaviors for a cat. Cat guardians need to provide outlets for these behaviors with scratching posts and areas for facial rubbing and be prepared to address house-soiling behaviors.
Outdoors, a cat has control over its actions; the indoor cat can become frustrated since she is confined.
Indoor cats in multi-cat households may not always get along. Access to the outdoors increases the size of the home territory and allows cats to “space” themselves.

Making the Life of the Indoor-only Cat Fun

Play with your indoor-only cat every day. Laser pointers and wand toys can simulate hunting. Make sure that your cat has a successful hunt by getting a treat at the end or being able to have the toy itself at the end of play.
Keep your kitty on the prowl by feeding multiple small meals a day. Use food puzzles if you like or move feeding stations around.
Be sure to provide elevated places for your cat if she is a climber or boxes and play tunnels if he tends to stay low.

The Compromise

Your cat may enjoy supervised walks in the backyard on a leash. If you venture further, have your cat trained to a backpack or stroller for safety.
A catio can allow your cat fresh air and sunshine in a safe place.

Breakway Cat Toy — This cat toy can be “captured” by kitty. It is attached with velcro.

Feeder with Food Puzzles — Food puzzles are tucked into this automatic feeder. It can be moved to different places making kitty hunt for it.

Cat on Leash — This cat is enjoying a stroll on a leash.

My Cat Household Today

My current household has 4 cats. My two older cats, are 14 and 16 years old and have access to an outdoor yard if someone is home. The younger cats are 4 and 5 years old – their access to the outdoors is by once to twice daily supervised walks. All cats have access to a small catio in the backyard and another on the second story porch.

How Cats Get Along – Timesharing

Posted on November 15, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

How Cats Get Along – Timesharing

Sharing Resources

If there is plenty of food around, free-roaming cats often form groups called colonies. Within the colony, there are smaller social groups of 2 or more cats that prefer to spend time together. Cats belonging to a particular social group, will share food, water, latrine areas, sleeping and resting places.

Social Groups of Cats

Timesharing in the Cat Colony

Cats in different social groups tend to keep their distance from each other. How cats get along is to “timeshare” or “take turns” using essential resources such as resting areas and feeding stations. When one social group is done, another cat or group of cats will move in to use the resource.

Timesharing in the Multi-Cat Home

Like cats in a colony, cats in a multi-cat home timeshare resources. You may notice that different cats will occupy a particular favored resting place at different times. If you watch carefully, you may see a cat watching this place, waiting for the resident cat to vacate the space, before moving in to use the space.

Cats Timesharing Bed — Cats timesharing a resting place – one cat will use this bed if the other is not in it

If there are enough beds, litter boxes, etc. available, this system usually runs smoothly. But if too many cats want the same thing, bickering can occur and more dominant cats may push other cats away from these resources. How cats get along in an outdoor colony may be to vote with their feet and move on – indoor cats do not have this option.

Cat society does not have a rigid hierarchy – there is no alpha male or female. There are simply some cats that have more dominant personalities. Unlike dogs, where a lower-ranking dog will surrender the prize to a higher-ranking dog, cats don’t have a hierarchy that dictates who gets what.

If a fight arises between cats over resources, the relationship between the cats involved may be damaged – they may not be able to tolerate each other after this. Needless to say, if the contested resource is a litter box, cats may be forced to find other places to eliminate and we, as caretakers, will not be happy.

In this video, 3 cats have worked out a way to avoid fighting over the nighttime treats. While not timesharing, the video shows resource sharing set up by cats.

Owner Managed Timesharing

If the cats are unable to timeshare resources on their own, we must set this up for them.

Setting up a Timesharing Plan

Diagram social groups cats — There are 3 social groups in this 4 cat household.

Identify social groups

Social Groups of Cats

House map cat resources — A simple sketch of your house can help with locating litter boxes.

Map out locations of the primary resources: feeding stations, litter boxes, resting places, scratching posts

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics

Feeding stations for cats — Gus is much more relaxed when eating away from the other cats.

Are there enough feeding stations, litter boxes, beds, scratching posts? The rule of thumb is (#cats +1) or (#social groups + 1)

Are resources separated enough so that cats of different groups can access them?

Can access to these resources be blocked by another cat?

Is there enough room for cats from different social groups to pass each other “out of paw-swipe”?

If resources cannot be spaced appropriately and conflict continues, you may need to keep one social group in another part of the house, while the other is using the main area. Have different social groups use critical areas in shifts. Slow, planned re-introduction may be possible between cats who “have fallen out” with each other. Introducing Cats: A Short Guide

Managing multiple cats in a confined, indoor space is a balancing act. We must ensure that all cats have access to essential resources and be able to use them without fear.

Carrier Training Your Cat

Posted on November 8, 2020November 11, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Carrier Training Your Cat

Cats tend to be homebodies. Most are not very fond of traveling. However, with some training and attention to their needs, trips to the vet and even cross-country do not need to be a traumatic experience.

Choosing A Carrier for Your Cat

There are lots of options out there. The traditional plastic box works well; it is secure and easy to clean. Make sure the top is easily removable – some carriers have more bolts (9+) than necessary. If you have one of these, you can often remove about 1/3 of the bolts even if your cat is heavy.

There are more and more styles of fabric carriers – if you are looking for one, choose one that has side panels that open up, or a top that zips open. Think: How will you get your cat out of the carrier? How will you get him back in (if he is reluctant)?

Make sure the carrier is big enough. Cats are masters at squeezing themselves into small spaces but the carrier needs to be comfortable in case your cat must stay in it for a bit. Your cat should be able to stand up and turn around in her carrier.

Method #1- Feeding in the Carrier

Using method #1 for carrier training your cat, you will feed your cat in his carrier.

Place your cat’s food bowl near his carrier. Over the next few days to a week, you will move the food closer to the carrier, then put it just inside the carrier, then finally put it in the back of the carrier.

Gus was trapped as a feral cat. He was reluctant to enter the carrier, so we removed the lid for him.

Once Gus was comfortable eating in the bottom of his carrier, we placed the top on the carrier without the gate.

Once he was willing to eat in the carrier with the top on, we introduced the gate.

First, we had him eat with the gate open; the next step was to close the gate for a minute. Some food on the gate helped him stay calm for this.

Method #2 – Using Targeting

Carrier training your cat using method #2 is based on a clicker training technique called targeting.

you start by luring your cat to the back of bottom half of her carrier using the target stick.
once she will sit in the bottom half of the carrier calmly, place the top on the carrier. Have her enter following the target stick and then sit.
work up to having her stay for the count of 5
once she is calm with this, close the door and have her stay for the count of 5

Extra Credit:

Once your cat is comfortable in her carrier, lure her in with a snack or target stick, close the door and move her to another room. Upon arriving in the other room, open the door and reward her with a snack!

Make sure to take your time. Cats are individuals and some learn faster than others. You may need to break up the training into smaller steps if your cat is reluctant to enter the carrier. Gus, a former feral cat, is leery of things that may be traps – it took longer for him to accept the carrier than Zelda, who appears in the video above.

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat

Posted on November 1, 2020February 3, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat

From Your Cat’s Purrspective…

You know something’s up – your carrier is out. You hide under the bed but your human pulls you out and proceeds to squeeze you into the dreaded box.

You swing along in the air and then are loaded into a larger box that moves and smells funny.

You finally stop moving and swing through the air some more and arrive at another house where you smell lots of other animals. Oh no, not this place again! You can smell other cats – most of these cats too are afraid. As you move through the fog of smells, you arrive in a small room with a metal table.

A strange human opens your carrier door and tries to coax you to come out – you’re not sure what is out there but now your carrier seems like a good place to stay. Suddenly, your world tilts and you slide out of the carrier onto the cold, hard table.

You hiss your displeasure. Another strange human proceeds to look into your eyes, put a hard plastic thing in your ears, and presses a cold metal disc against your chest. Then, the strange human pokes you with a needle and you are finally allowed to escape back into the dreaded carrier – at least, it has taken you back home before.

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat – What We Can Do

CHOOSING A CARRIER.

The plain-vanilla plastic carrier sometimes is the best option – safe and secure, easy to clean, and sturdy.
For your veterinary team, the removable top is a bonus. It allows your vet team to work with your cat in a place he knows – the bottom of his carrier.

MAKE YOUR CAT’S CARRIER A SAFE PLACE.

It should have a comfortable blanket or towel in it that smells like her.
Leave the carrier out a home – your cat may nap or play in the carrier.
Offer some food close by or in the carrier for her to enjoy.
Play games in and around the carrier.

Cat and Car — Athena is ready to get in her carrier for a ride!

TAKE KITTY FOR SOME RIDES THAT DON’T END UP AT THE VET.

Start with short rides, maybe just around the block.
Work up to longer rides to pleasant places – if you have a cat stroller, you could work up to going for walks in the park.
ALWAYS move at your cat’s pace – if he is hunched up and hiding, slow down and shorten the ride.

HANDLE AT HOME FOR A BETTER VET VISIT FOR YOUR CAT

Take time at home to handle her feet and head
Work up to gently lifting her upper lip to look at her teeth.
Get her used to being picked up.
Make sure to reward her with tasty treats!

Spray Carrier Facial Pheromones — Spraying the carrier with feline facial pheromones signals that this a familiar place.

SPRAY THE CARRIER WITH SYNTHETIC PHEROMONES 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE RIDE

BRING SOME TREATS ALONG TO MAKE THE VISIT MORE PLEASANT.

Limit kitty’s food prior to the appointment
he will be more willing to eat some treats

The Cat Friendly Home: Maintain the Colony Scent

Posted on August 8, 2020January 14, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The Cat Friendly Home: Maintain the Colony Scent

Odors not only tell cats about their world ; they also carry messages from other cats.

Free-roaming cats live in colonies if there is enough food in the neighborhood. Each colony has its own signature scent. Members of the colony identify each other by this scent. This colony scent also marks the core territory of the colony, where the members feel safe, can eat, rest and play.

Our homes are our cat’s territory; we are members of our cat’s colony. Our homes have the colony scent that makes our cats feel safe and secure.

How do we maintain the colony scent in our homes?

Marley marks the corner wall at the top of the stairs.

Cats deposit pheromones and signature scents using glands on their faces. You may see your cat rubbing the corner of a wall or furniture; you may also see him rub the same place again later the next day – he is marking the area as safe and familiar.

Pheromones and communication

Placing scratching posts around your home at windows, doors, and near where your kitty sleeps also provides boundary marking. Glands in kitty’s feet release pheromones and odors when she scratches which are deposited on the scratching posts.

Scratching Basics

Litter boxes are also part of the kitty network – urine and feces can carry messages and identify individual cats within the house.

Litter Box Basics

Disturbances in the Scent…

Cleaners

Avoid using strong smelling disinfectant or scented cleaners.
Some of the disinfectant cleaners linger on surfaces for a long time after you have used them for cleaning. Cats can be notorious counter surfers and they lick their paws.
Also avoid cleaners with essential oils – most essential oils are toxic to cats.
Visit the Environmental Working Group site to learn more about the cleaners you’re using.

Environmental Working Group

“Whisker Walls”

It is best to leave those “whisker walls” where the kitties rub their cheeks untouched for as long as you can. If they are just too unsightly, try unscented castile soap (made out of plant sources) followed with a rinse. After cleaning, spray with Feliway Classic (Comfort Zone Calming)

Litter Boxes

Cleaning the litter tray can be done with mild cleaners, for example, dishwashing soap. If you do use bleach, make sure to dilute it and rinse the tray thoroughly. The CDC recommends diluting 1/3 cup unscented household bleach with 1 gallon of water for cleaning surfaces.

Avoid cleaning all the litter boxes at once – stagger the cleanings. Scooping daily if you use clumping litter, will allow you to empty and clean the litter box ever 2-4 weeks.

Hydrogen peroxide (3%) has good disinfecting properties and breaks down into just oxygen and water.

Start with a box that has had all solid waste and old litter removed.
Spray a fine coating of hydrogen peroxide on the inside of the box. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
Scrub the inside thoroughly. Completely rinse the hydrogen peroxide out and dry the litter box before replacing the litter.

The Bark Space

Veterinary visits and hospitalization

When your cat goes to the vet, make sure that some of her familiar bedding goes with her for reassurance. If you have other cats, take along some other bedding the other cats sleep on in a plastic bag for the trip home. Ask that it be put in your cat’s carrier before picking her up. This helps maintain the colony scent when your cat is on her way home.

My youngest cat formerly was a street cat. He will be aggressive with the older cats returning from a day at the vet if we do not include some of his bedding for his roommate to come home with. I also make sure that the Feliway multi-cat diffusers are working in the common areas.

Managing new smells at the front door…

Place footwear and shopping bags at the door when you return home – allow the cats to examine these items before moving them further into the house
Wash your hands before greeting your cat or cats
Change your clothing if you have been in contact with strange cats and dogs

Pheromones help maintain the colony scent…

Feliway Classic (ComfortZone Calming) diffusers help the cats feel safe in their sleeping and litter areas
Multicat diffusers keep harmony in the common areas.
Wipe down new items with a cloth sprayed with the Classic or Calming pheromone.

The Cat Friendly Home: Predictable and Positive Interactions Between Cats and Humans

Posted on August 2, 2020July 3, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The Cat Friendly Home: Predictable and Positive Interactions Between Cats and Humans

What is the predictable and positive way to greet a cat?

What makes cat-human interactions predictable and positive?

Greet your cat in his language…

When there is sufficient food in an area, free-roaming cats will often live in colonies. Cat colonies are groups of related cats. The core of the colony is the mother cat, her kittens, her sisters and their kittens.

Each cat colony has a scent…

Cats live in a landscape of odors – their sense of smell is 1000 x more sensitive than ours and they communicate by scent. The cat colony has its own scent – each member has this scent.

Scent identifies members…

Colony members often greet each other by touching noses, confirming the “colony” scent.

They also groom each other (allo-grooming) mostly on the head and rub against each other (allo-rubbing). All of these actions exchange scent, confirming the “colony odor” and membership in the colony.

You are part of your cat’s “colony” and share the “colony” scent, marking you as a colony member. You also have your “signature scent”, that identifies you as an individual to your cat. Greet your cat by letting her smell you and confirm that you belong to the colony.

Your cat may be a highly skilled hunter but he is also a small animal who is prey for larger carnivores such as dogs and coyotes. We are much larger than he is and don’t want to scare him and make him feel like prey. If you get on your cat’s level, you will seem smaller and not as threatening.

Meet and Greet – A Predictable and Positive Hello

Athena accepts a greeting by rubbing her face against my hand

Get on your cat’s level by bending down or by interacting with her on a higher surface. Extend a hand or a finger and allow her to smell you.

If she wishes to continue the interaction, she will rub against your hand (allo-rub).
Handle your cat on her head at first. This mimics the “allo-grooming” of friendly cats, where they groom each others’ heads.
A friendly or bonded kitty may allow her back to be stroked after accepting a head rub – like the “allo-rubbing” of colony cats.
Your colony membership is up to date!

If you cat does not lean into your hand or rub your hand on greeting, save the petting session for later – like us, there are times your cat does not want to be touched.

Other Predictable and Positive Interactions between cats and humans…

grooming, treat time or play time – Make this POSITIVE – choose something your cat enjoys
have a session the same time each day, say, after dinner or before bedtime
cats are in tune to the household rituals that mark the passing of the day more than the time on the clock.
this “schedule” allows you to communicate with your cat. He will be looking for the clues that tell him that treat time is around the corner – he may show up and solicit the interaction with a chirrup or meow.

Athena sniffs her comb prior to being groomed.

Have more than one cat? Make sure each kitty gets some premium time!

These activities will strengthen the owner-pet bond. This time can also be used to train behaviors that are beneficial to both owner and cat – for example, conditioning your cat to accept kibble in treats to reduce stress when she needs oral medication.

Do you ever wonder why cats like us?

People are the ultimate resource – we provide food, shelter, play and safety.
To our cats , we may seem to be large, clumsy and somewhat unpredictable cats.
Let’s eliminate the unpredictability by greeting our cats in their language and providing positive interactions that they can predict.