Category: The Cat Friendly Home

The Cat Friendly Home: Hunting in the Home

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The domestic cat is hard wired to hunt. He is good at detecting fast motion – cats’ eyes construct around 60 visual images per second, which is 2x as fast as our human brains. He is ideally suited to detect the quick, rapid motions of the mice and other small creatures that he hunts. Hunting is part of who he is.

When the kittens are about 3-4 weeks old, the mother cat starts to bring back dead, injured or fatigued prey to allow the kittens to practice their hunting skills. Mother Cat will intervene if the kittens lose control of the live prey, otherwise she watches as they develop their hunting skills.

It’s important that we offer our cats an opportunity to engage in predatory (hunting) behavior. How do cats hunt in the wild?

  • Your cat scans the landscape.
  • She sees something moving, and goes over to that spot.
  • She hears and smells MOUSE! 
  • She stalks her prey
  • The mouse scurries away – she chases and pounces!
  • Success! She catches and eats her prize.

We are not going to release live mice into our homes deliberately, so what can we do to allow hunting in the home?

Object (Toys) Play

Playtime or hunting in the home can be interactive or it can be playing alone.

Interactive games – with us

Zelda plays with a toy mouse on a fishing pole toy.
  • Go Fish – fishing pole or wand toys
  • Chasing string
  • Catch the red dot – laser pointers
  • Treat toss – toss treats and let your cat go get them.

Start with short, fast motions to get your cat’s attention, then move to longer runs.

Put all fishing poles, strings and other interactive toys out of kitty’s reach when the play session is done

Playing on their own

 

 

Marley works the Poker Box, a food puzzle.
  • Catnip mice
  • Food puzzles
  • Boxes
  • Play Tunnels
A play tunnel for children fits large cats !

 

 

How Does Your Cat Feel when Hunting?

Human hunters report feelings of exhilaration while on the “chase”, satisfaction when capturing their quarry and frustration when they miss.
Your cat shares these emotions. Avoid toys that present frustration – they may not be popular for long.

A Frustrating Toy

The mouse squeaks as the cage rolls along but the mouse does not come out!

 I bought a toy with a mouse in a ball-shaped cage. The mouse would squeak as the ball rolled. Marley spent an hour trying to paw the mouse out of the cage without success and then left the toy alone – he had better things to do!

If the mouse in the cage had been a removable food puzzle, Marley would have had the satisfaction of “catching” the mouse and getting a treat.

 

Avoiding Frustration

The laser guides Gus to a treat at the end of the play session.

Try to end play sessions on a positive note.  Play should be challenging but not impossible to catch the prize! If the task is too hard, cats, like people, will give up.  For example, when using laser pointers, end the session with some “targeting” – direct your cat with the light to treats you have hidden  around the play area.

 

Interactive Playtime – Communicating with your cat

  • Daily interactive play time is best
  • Short, intense play sessions of 5- 10 minutes often are enough
  • It is best if these are at the same time every day, say after dinner.  This way, your cat knows what is going to happen – the routine is a way for you to communicate with him.

Keeping the hunt alive with “self play” toys

 

 

  • Rotate toys every 1-2 weeks
  • “Marinate” toys not in use in a box with catnip
  • Store the week’s toys in a box with an opening so your cat can choose the toys she wants

Cats can also engage in hunting behavior through play with other cats.  Our next blog post will look into “social play among cats”.

The Cat Friendly Home: Guiding Your Cat’s Scratching Behavior

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The Cat Friendly Home: Guiding Your Cat’s Scratching Behavior

You know that scratching is a normal cat behavior – but does she have to scratch the new sofa you spent hundreds of dollars on? Should you have her declawed?

Sharing Your Home with a Clawed Cat…

Synthetic feline pheromones can be purchased from pet stores.

To guide your cat’s scratching behavior, we have to communicate with him and let him know where to scratch.

Cats communicate in a large part by smell ( A Cat’s world: Smell)  Pheromones  are chemicals that convey messages between members of the same species – they are detected by smell. There are several feline pheromones that have been synthesized and are commercially available.

 

 

We can use facial pheromones and interdigital pheromones to guide your cat’s scratching behavior.

 

 

Getting the message across..

Feliway Classic tells your cat that this is familiar territory and there is no need to mark it – DON’T SCRATCH HERE
Feliscratch gives an olfactory as well as visual message (scratch marks) that says – SCRATCH HERE

 

The Plan…

  • Place a scratching post near the area that is being scratched.
  • Apply Feliscratch to the scratching post
  • Using Feliway Classic (or Comfort Zone Calming) spray, spray the areas where scratching is not desired. You may wish to spray a towel or throw and place this on or near the scratched area.
  • You will need to apply these daily for at least a week. After a week you can apply as needed.

Facial Pheromones

This pheromone is released when your cat rubs his cheeks against things, say the corner wall. He is marking the area as a safe place.

Feliway Classic and ComfortZone Calming come in diffusers and spray.

Appeasing Pheromones

There are synthetic versions of the pheromones released by the nursing mother cat. This pheromone assures the kittens,  blind at first and unable to move fast,  of their mother’s presence.  It helps the litter mates to bond together. This has practical uses – it helps keep the kittens together if Mom needs to go hunt.

Feliway Multicat and ComfortZone Multicat control come in diffusers.

Interdigital Pheromone

This pheromone is released by glands in your cat’s paws when he scratches. It helps mark boundaries and, combined with your cat’s signature scent, lets other cats know “Mr. Fuzzy was here at noon”

Feliscratch comes in a box of pipettes. The liquid in the pipettes is applied to a scratching post to encourage your cat to scratch.

Spray the scratched area with Feliway/ComfortZone

 

Apply Feliscratch to the scratcher you have chosen to be near the scratched place.

 

Marley checks out the “Feliscratched” scratcher.

 

Marley scratches the new scratcher.

 

During the Training period, you may wish to have nail caps (Soft Paws) applied to your cat’s claws. These are soft plastic caps that are glued onto your cat’s nails.

  • Applied every 4-6 weeks
  • Use permanent adhesive
  • But…some cats just don’t like them and chew them off!

Nail Trims for the Comfort and Safety of You and Your Cat…

Gently extend your cats claw.
Trim the end of the claw. Avoid clipping the pink area.
  • Start nail trimming early in life
  • Use positive reinforcement: treats, play, grooming, head rubs
  • Trim every 4-6 weeks
  • When trimming some cats, trim 1-2 nails at a time and do the trim over a week
  • As cats get older, their nails may get thicker and their joints stiffer, so they don’t groom as much. The nails can grow into the paw pad. Nail trims can improve these cats’ quality of life!

 

Declawing – an amputation

 

 

The Details of Declawing

  • Removal of the last bone of the cat’s toe
  • There are “good” and “bad” declaws: “good” declaws disarticulate the last (3rd) joint
  • Risk of lameness and behavior problems due to nerve damage
  • Weight is no longer supported by the junction of the 2nd and 3rd bones – it is supported by the end of the second bone which is painful.

 

 

What’s inside your cat’s toes – claw is sheathed when cat is relaxed. He must extend his claws to use them.
In a declaw surgery, the bone with the nail bed is removed.

 

A Final Word…

 

Guiding your cat’s scratching behavior can be a rewarding experience – after all, YOU are communicating with ANOTHER species!

Offer a variety of scratching stations located in strategic places:
Near doors and windows
Where the people hang out
Near the litter box
Near the sleeping area

The Cat Friendly Home:Scratching Basics

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The Cat Friendly Home: Scratching Basics

Our soft, cuddly (sometimes) kitties have some sharp ends to them – their claws! When your cat is relaxed, his claws are covered by a sheath of skin. He extends them to grab on to his favorite catnip mouse.

Your cat’s paws are sensitive to touch and pressure – she can feel the vibrations of your footsteps through her feet; she knows by feel just how hard to hold that wiggling mouse.My cat’s sense of touch

Marley holds a toy mouse tightly – his claws are extended.

 

Why does your cat scratch?

‘

What’s inside your cat’s toes – claw is sheathed when cat is relaxed. He must extend his claws to use them.
  • She uses her claws to hold on to prey so it is best that they be sharp – scratching sheds old nails to allow new, sharper ones to grow in.
  • She will scratch defending herself when she feels threatened by another cat, a person,  or animal.
  • Scratching is also a way of communicating with other cats.
  • Scratching is great way to stretch!

YOU MIGHT GET SCRATCHED… when playing with your cat. Remember quick motions trigger his hunting instinct and those claws come out to hold on to the prey – which could be your hand!

  • Use toys to play with your kitty, preferably ones that keep your hands and feet out of the “line of fire”. Fishing pole toys such as Da Bird keep you safe while kitty practices his hunting skills
  • Play “dead” if you get caught in “clawed embrace”. Once he stops trying to scratch you, you can gently move the paws

YOU MIGHT GET SCRATCHED…if your cat does not want to be handled (self-defense)

  • Watch your cat’s body language –What does my cat feel?
  • Allow her to decline interactions if she is not in the mood
  • Use a towel or blanket if she is upset and you HAVE to get her

Scratching Basics: The Feline Message Board

Pheromones

Pheromones are chemicals that convey “messages” between members of the same species. Your cat has glands in his feet that release pheromones.

 

Messaging

Your cat scratches a post and deposits pheromones and his own “signature scent” on it. Another cat comes by later and smells the claw marks. The pheromone smell has faded a bit, so the newcomer knows that “Mr. Fuzzy” was here earlier, say around noon.

 

Pheromones and communication

The Feline Message Board

The free-roaming cat is a solitary hunter. If he is injured, it will be harder to hunt and feed himself. Scratching gives cats a way of signaling each other so that they can avoid meeting and possibly fighting.

 

 

The Message Board is active for indoor cats as well as outdoor cats. Having a number of scratching posts around your home can make your cat feel secure – after all, he can check for intruders! In multi-cat homes, it may help cats “time-share” resources.

The Ideal Scratching Post…

 

  • Narrow upright scratching posts that are 3 feet or taller are popular
  • Cats will scratch flat surfaces as well as vertical or angled ones.
  • Sisal rope, carpet and cardboard are popular materials for scratchers 
  • Logs with the bark still on may  appeal to your cat.
  • Preferences can change – some studies showed that older cats choose carpet over sisal rope while younger cats like the sisal rope better.
  • OFFER A VARIETY OF SCRATCHERS!

Where to Put Those Scratching Posts!

 

  • near doors and windows (territory marking)
  • near the sleeping areas (stretching)
  • near the litter box (stretching, marking)
  • near the living area where the humans hangout (stretching, marking)
Scratching post by a patio window.

 

Athena checks for other scent marks as she adds her own. This post is part of a larger cat tree.

 

Scratching post near the litter box.

Declawed cats need scratching posts too. They still have glands in their paws that produce pheromones.  They appreciate a good stretch and the opportunity  to leave scent messages.

  •  

The Cat Friendly Home: the Hi Tech Litter Box

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Kitty litter has come a long way since Edward Lowe started marketing bentonite clay as a litter box filler in 1947. What options has high tech provided you and your cat?

 

More than just clay…

Litter boxes are being filled with lots of different materials these days. There are litters made from grass seed, corn, wheat, recycled wood, and coconut, to name just a few. So why all these other alternatives to the traditional clay litter?

A Look at Bentonite…

Clay cat litters are made from bentonite clay, named after Fort Benton, WY where the largest deposits of bentonite clay are found. Bentonite is a natural resource – it is formed after volcanic ash ages. It is  strip mined, then processed for commercial use. Once it is used up, it is gone. Clumping clay cat litter is made from sodium bentonite, which absorbs water, swells and hardens into a clump.

Not Eco-friendly…

 

If you are looking for an eco-friendly cat litter, clay litters have some strikes against them:

  • bentonite is not renewable
  • strip mining  for bentonite can cause environmental damage.

 

 Eco-Friendly Litters…

Sourcing…

Plant-based litters are made from corn, wheat, wood, and even tofu by-products. Starch and plant fibers make these litters clump. These litters tend to be lighter and less dusty than clay litter.

  • you can grow more plants to produce more litter.
  • the growing and harvesting methods do not damage the environment as much as strip mining.

 

Disposal…

Disposal options for these litters include landfills, flushing down the toilet, and composting.

  • Even these biodegradable litters may not degrade much in a landfill.
  • Although most of these products can be flushed, there are the risks of clogged plumbing and introduction of pathogens into the water supply.
  • These litters can be composted although there are concerns about parasites and bacteria from decomposing pet waste

Composting cat litter

THE LITTER CAFETERIA:
To find out what you and your cat prefer, set up a litter cafeteria – have boxes with different types of litters and track the use, ease of scooping, odor and tracking.

Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes

There are several styles of these – the Litter Robot which rotates automatically and dumps waste into a tray on the bottom of the unit; the Litter Maid rakes the waste into a cartridge on the bottom of the tray.

Pros:

  • litter box is scooped regularly
  • you don’t have to handle the litter

 

Cons:

  • it is difficult to monitor your cat’s health – when manually scooping, you are more aware of changes in frequency and volume of urine, or softness of stool
  • the mechanism may startle and frighten some cats;  from the cat’s perspective, this may be no better than having the family dog waiting to snatch up the “treats”
  • you may be limited in your choice of litter

 

If you have an automatic box, consider also having a traditional litter box. Watch and see which one gets used more.

Teaching Your Cat to Use the Toilet…

This may seem like a nifty trick OR NOT…

  • Cats’ natural behavior is to dig a hole and eliminate in it. Kittens start using the litter box around 4 weeks of age, following cues from their mother. Using the human toilet is NOT A NATURAL BEHAVIOR.
  • you will not be able to easily monitor urine amount and frequency or if your cat has diarrhea
  • cats have been know to fall in – toilet seats are designed for humans.
  • if the lid is not up, your cat may need to take care of business elsewhere

Blending Your Cat’s Litter Box into Your Home…

There are many creative ways to make your cats’ litter boxes less noticeable.  Here are just a few.

  • Privacy screens
  • Screen with plants (if using real plants, make sure they NOT toxic to your cat)
  • Hideaways – A cabinet can be repurposed as a litter hide. 
  • Make sure the hide is  BIG enough – about 1.5 x your cat’s length (not including the tail).
  • Beware “Out of sight, out of mind” and SCOOP DAILY
A privacy screen for a hallway litter box.

 

There is room for a litter box beneath the cat tree in the entry way.

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Did you know that kitty litter has been with us since 1947? Edward Lowe began promoting fuller’s earth, an absorbent clay, as  a cat box filler in 1947. Our cats began to lead an indoor existence. What do cat guardians need to know about this essential feline resource – what are the litter box basics?

In the wild…

Cats look for a secluded quiet place to relieve themselves as they are vulnerable to predators while eliminating. They prefer sand or fine dirt for elimination; they bury their waste when in their core territory. Feces and urine can be used to message other cats, so outside this core territory, cats will sometimes leave their waste unburied.

 A cat’s core territory is his home base, where he can shelter and rest.  He will actively defend this area. 

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics….

 

The Box…

 

There are litter boxes with covers, litter boxes without covers; top-entry litter boxes, litter boxes that fit in end tables. Choose a litter box that suits your cat’s personality and physical condition.

 

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to turn around. This box is large enough for Gus.

Covered Litter Boxes

  • Your cat’s waste is out of sight
  • Out of sight = out of mind ? It may be easier to neglect scooping the litter box.
  • Ambush opportunity: the cat using the box will not see other cats, people, or dogs approaching.

 

How Large?

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to enter and turn around, about 1.5 times her length (without tail)

 

High Sides?

  • An older arthritic cat may prefer low walls or a low door cut into the box.
  • Managing cats that urinate while standing might be easier with a high-sided litter box.

 

Location, Location, Location…

Where you locate the litter box can make all the difference to your cat. Choose a quiet, secluded place.

  • Avoid noisy utility rooms where appliances running can startle your cat.
  • Avoid high-traffic busy areas where toddlers or the family dog can ambush your kitty.
  • A gadget called a “door buddy” can make a closet a safe litter box location.
  • Bathrooms can be good choices for litter boxes – cleaning may be easier in these areas.

Litter boxes should be far away (at least 5-6 feet) from either food or water sources. After all, you don’t dine in your bathroom!

 What Goes in the Box…

 

 

 

  • Cats typically prefer a fine textured, clumping litter
  • Cats have a sense of smell that is thousands of times more sensitive than ours. It is best to use unscented varieties of litter.
  • Experts recommend a litter depth of about 1.5 inches.

 

# of Cats + 1

A simple sketch of your house can help with locating litter boxes.

Experts recommend that there should be at least one litter box per cat plus one. This is not a hard and fast rule – it depends on the number of feline social groups in the house and the layout of the house itself. All cats must have ready access to this critical resource.

 

Social Groups and Litter Boxes

There is less conflict and less competition for resources among cats of the same social group. Cats of the same social group are less likely to engage in behaviors such as “guarding” a litter box from each other.

House Plans and Litter Boxes

Larger houses and multi-story houses may require a different litter box allocations. Once again, the goal is easy access – for example, in a 3 story house, there should be at least 3 litter boxes, one on each floor of the house.
.

How do I know which cats are part of a social group? Look for “affiliative” behavior: cats belonging to the same social group will groom each other and sleep together.

 Scoop, Scoop, Scoop!

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.
  • Scoop the boxes once or twice daily.
  • Keep a small trash can next to each box to make this chore easier or use a higher-tech solution such as a Litter Genie Pail.
  • Cleaning the box and changing out clumping litter can be done every 2-4 weeks IF YOU SCOOP DAILY.
  • Respect the cat’s sense of smell and use a mild detergent when cleaning the box.

Feces and urine smells are not as distasteful to cats as they are to us – urine and feces can convey messages between cats. Scooping the box MORE frequently and changing out the litter LESS frequently will keep your cat happier by maintaining the scent profile of your cat’s home.

The Cat Friendly Home – Resources: Food and Water

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The Cat Friendly Home: Resources – Food and Water

Our cats’ closest relative is the African Wildcat. What is the wildcat’s day like?

The wildcat’s day has already started by the time the sun starts to come up.
the wildcat’s excellent night vision allows him to hunt at night although the rodents that make up most of his diet are mainly active at dawn and dusk.

Small Frequent Meals

The wildcat must remain on the prowl at dawn and dusk since he needs to eat about 8-10 mice daily or starve.

 

Variety is the Spice of Life

If our wildcat is lucky, he may catch the occasional rabbit or antelope fawn. Insects, lizards, and snakes are also on the menu.

 

The Solitary Hunter Dines Alone

Once our wildcat catches a morsel, he will take it somewhere he can eat without becoming someone else’s meal – some place quiet, secluded and protected.

 

As the sun becomes higher in the sky, our wildcat will find a cool, secluded place to rest during the day before resuming the hunt at dusk.

At the Waterhole…

 

Not Much Need to Drink…

A wildcat gets most of her water from the prey she eats; her kidneys are very efficient.

Wide, Flat Watering Places..

If she does stop at a waterhole, she will choose a place where she can use the water as a mirror to see if anything is coming up behind her.

 

No Drinking While Eating…

She does not drink while eating nor does she bring food to the waterhole. She avoids contaminating the water source with the guts of her prey.

 

Our “Wildcats” at Home…

Like his wildcat relative, your cat gets most of his nutrition from meat. He is designed to eat 8-10 small meals a day and be on the prowl most of his waking hours, looking for food. He is hardwired to hunt, regardless of how well fed he is. Cats have been known to stop eating to pursue prey.

Feeding behavior…

It is normal for your cat to eat a few mouthfuls, go away and return later to eat more. Of course, this may be a problem if another cat eats all the food. One way to dispense small meals is to use several puzzle feeders located at different locations in your house. Your cat “prowls” around looking for feeders

Gus and Zelda eating from the Catit Food Tree

and collecting snacks along the way (See Your Cat’s Diet)

It is hard to dispense with “meal time” feeding, especially with canned food. If you have more than one cat, separating each cat and his food dish can help with aggression and gorging at feeding times.  Ideally, each cat should be out of sight of the other cats.

 

Gus is much more relaxed when eating away from the other cats.

Although cats that belong to the same social group may seem comfortable eating next to each other, watch for indicators of distress: “scarf and barf”, aggression, and standing while eating.

What to do with Water…

  • Wide, flat dishes mimic the puddles and water sources where cats can monitor for things behind them.

    A pie plate has been repurposed as a cat water dish. Water is greenish due to a dental additive.
  • Wide water dishes don’t interfere with the whiskers.
  • Water bowls in more than one place in the house gives kitty more opportunity to drink. This is especially important when feeding dry cat food and to avoid competition in multi-cat households.

Things to consider…

  • Canned food can provide a lot of your cat’s water needs
  • Water fountains for cats are popular – there are many styles. However, there are cats that prefer drinking from a dish or a dripping faucet
  • Cats have receptors on their tongues that let them know when they are drinking water – they may prefer filtered water (See What does my cat taste?)

 

The Cat Friendly Home: Safe Places Outdoors

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

 

The Cat Outdoors…

The cat is a born hunter. In the wild, a cat will spend a large part of its time on the prowl, looking for food. His vision is geared toward surveying the landscape for something moving; his large conical ears and broad frequency range of hearing, help him locate prey and also predators; his sense of smell too plays a role in seeking prey and avoiding predators and danger.

Being outdoors gives your cat opportunity to hone her hunting skills, and in doing this, she will be entertained and allowed to “be a cat” and do “ cat things”. What is a safe place for cats outdoors?

Risks of being an Outdoor Cat

Marley with truck

  • Injury or death from predators (dogs, wildlife such as coyotes)
  • Injury or death from cars on nearby roads
  • Contracting illness from neighborhood cats
  • Injury due to cat fights
  • Infection with parasites due to hunting or exposure to other animals

 

Benefits to being an Outdoor  Cat

Gus in tree

  • Fewer behavior problems (urine marking, scratching furniture, aggression toward housemates)
  • Opportunities for exercise – reduced risk of obesity 
  • Opportunities for hunting and exploration – mental stimulation
  • Stimulation from a varied environment – e.g. changing weather

 

The Cat Friendly Home: Safe Places Outdoors

If you have a yard with a high fence, you may already have a purrfect safe outdoor place.  If you need to, you can “cat proof” your fence if it is 6 feet high or more.  You can install rollers on top of the fence (Oscillot.com) or use a system with overhangs on the fence (Purrfect Fence).  Both systems keep your cat from jumping out and can keep neighborhood cats and coyotes out.  A fenced-in yard may still need safe places for your cat such as low shrubs or dense foliage to hide in.

Larger screened-in patios called catios give both people and cats a place to relax – once again, cat trees and plantings my be needed to provide safe places for your cat to nap or just get away from things. Don’t forget – you can play with your cat outdoors!

Other options for smaller yards or apartment balconies include cat enclosures, oversized metal dog crates, portable enclosures that can be set up and collapsed when not in use (kittywalk) and cat “window boxes”. Plants, scratchers, and places to hide may be added to these to provide stimulation and safe places.

A commercial cat enclosure kit has inside access from a pet door in the sliding glass door.
This backyard has a high fence to keep kitty in. Some supervison may be needed for the fish ponds.

How do Cats Feel about Cat Enclosures?

Cat enclosures may frustrate some cats, particularly those who were previously free-roaming. We are all familiar with becoming annoyed or angry when we are unable to get what we want – from struggling with leveling up in a video game to having difficulty finishing that project at work. If your cat seems frustrated – pacing and trying to break out – encourage some other behaviors to help him cope with frustration.

Providing your cat with ways of coping with the frustration of being restricted to a yard or enclosure.

DO PROVIDE:

  • posts/logs to scratch on
  • puzzle feeders with snacks
  • places to hide and play in
  • cat grass to nibble on
  • SUPERVISE YOUR CAT AS NEEDED

DON’T:

  • place bird feeders close to enclosures or window boxes – this could increase frustration as your cat can’t capture the birds. It is like putting ice cream in front of a person on a diet

Jail Break and What Keeps Gus Safe

Gus is a 3 year old neutered male cat who was previously free-roaming. The second floor porch is enclosed with a railing with mesh and wire on it.  Neighbor cats have not gotten in; the other 3 cats in the house do not get out. Gus can pull himself up through the wire.

THE PROBLEM: Gus squirming through the wire at the top of the fence.
THE SOLUTION: repurposed chicken coop is placed next to the screen door leading to the porch. A pet door in the screen gives cats access from inside.

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The Cat Friendly Home: A”Safe Place” for Your Cat

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The Cat Friendly Home: A safe place for your cat

Cats are not small dogs nor are they humans in little fur suits. What kind of environment do they need to stay healthy and happy?

 ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES – WHAT DO CATS NEED?

  • a safe place
  • access to multiple, separate resources
  • opportunities for predatory play
  • positive and predictable interactions with humans
  • a habitat that respects the cat’s sense of smell

The cat friendly home: a safe place

The domestic cat’s close relative, the African wildcat, takes shelter in hollow trees, rock crevices or dense thickets when not out hunting for food (African Wildcat Field Guide).  The female wildcat often chooses burrows abandoned by other animals such as the Fennec fox to raise her kittens and she moves them frequently to other dens.

What’s so great about a burrow or den?

  • easy to defend against predators
  • usually out of the way
  • protects the inhabitants from the extremes of temperature and exposure to weather.

Our indoor cats will choose a safe place in the same way as their wild relatives – a place that is secure, secluded, a hiding place to retreat to, warm in the winter, cool in the summer.

Hide box for safe place on a commercial cat tree

Many cats prefer high places.

  • it is easy to see if another cat, pet or human is coming
  • it is harder for humans especially children to reach up and disturb kitty
  • Cons: kitty does have to come down to eat, drink, etc

 

 

A  cat can have more than one “safe place”

  • one may be high
  • another may be low
  • shared with a cat of the same socialgroup
  • time-shared with a cat not a member of the group
  • chosen for temperature
  • day- or night-time use

    Safe place for a winter afternoon: a curtain in a sunny window hides a surprise – a cat napping inside!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

safe places can change

Gus chose the dresser in the bedroom as a place to spend the night shortly after he moved in. We placed a fleece blanket on top of the dresser to keep him comfy. After 6 months or so, he decided to sleep on the desk chair in in the office at night. His latest choice is a pillow at the head of the bed – a small fleece square is on top of the pillow to manage the fur!

 

 

the cat friendly home: A safe place for your cat – tips for cat guardians

A safe place can take many forms from a commercial cat tree to a cardboard box in a closet.  There is even a gadget called a “Door Buddy” to the closet door ajar enough for only the cat to pass through.  Watch your cat and see where she chooses to have a safe place.

Your cat’s carrier can be a safe place.

  1. Leave the carrier out in an out of the way place.
  2. Put some of your cat’s favorite treats or a meal close to or inside the carrier.
  3. A cover out of light weight fleece  is easy to make (hemming is not needed).  It will make the carrier dark and inviting and can be coordinated with your decor!

If we’re lucky, the carrier will become a portable safe place for your kitty to travel in – perhaps to the veterinary clinic!

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