Cats are sensitive creatures, sometimes even a slight change in decoration would stress them out, and we know how they mess up their health when they get stressed out. Cats are great pets, no arguments there, but having them is also a huge undertaking.
It’s a myth that cats need to have the outdoor experience to stay healthy. On the contrary, a happy cat is the one that stays indoors most of the time. So this brings the question.
How to keep the environment healthy for cats?
For that you should:
- Act as a parent.
- Provide proper places for food, water, etc.
- Allow them to hunt.
- Secure your surroundings.
- Create an olfactory atmosphere.
- Do not punish them.
- A place to scratch.
- Safe hiding spot.
- Keep an eye.
- Understand your cat’s personality.
Now let’s understand those above-mentioned tips in brief.
Be the parent your cat deserves.
In the outside world, kittens stay with their mother for at least 4 months before they start living on their own. If they are separated from their mothers before completing 16 weeks there is a possibility that they might develop some behavioral problems.
Once you take them away you need to consider yourself as their new parents. Provide the necessary care and affection which a parent provides to their younglings.
Let them be the hunters.
Cats are natural hunters, and their playful behavior is nothing but hunting behavior. In the wild, a cat’s favorite toy is a captive prey.
Since we are indoors its ideal to not have a living toy, instead you can provide a different one, preferable the one that squeaks so as to appeal to their auditory senses.
Arrange proper places for food, water bowl, and litter box.
Might seem silly but it is far from it. It is imperative that you pick the right spot for each of them.
For instance, the food bowl should be in the kitchen as it is easy to access food from there, while litter box placement mostly depends on two factors.
- Convenient for disposal.
- A private place where cats can have some solitude
Just make sure it’s not a confined space as the smell happens to be a pungent one.
Keep your surroundings safe.
Hundreds of cats get hurt every year when they get themselves into a hazardous situation like stepping on broken glass or walking across a hot stove burner. Sometimes they accidentally eat something poisonous as well. In any case, you need to be vigilant and keep your feline buddy away from such things.
Another nuisance is the cat hairs, as they carry lots of allergens you need to get it disposed of efficiently. The best way to get that done is by using a vacuum cleaner preferably the one specific for cat hairs. There are plenty of bagged canister vacuum cleaners for cat hair, so choose the one which is good on all fronts.
One such vacuum cleaner is the Miele classic C1, it is one of the highly sort after vacuum cleaner in today’s time.
Create an olfactory atmosphere.
Rubbing whisker pads on corners is how they scent mark their environment. These olfactory signals are very important for inter-cat exploration and communication.
Since we live indoor, here you can attach facial marking toys in corners to direct this behavior.
No matter what, do not punish them.
Oftentimes our feline companion does something that infuriates us, but it would a testament of immaturity if we direct that anger towards our cat.
Instead, try and understand the underlying cause for such behavior of your cat. When you punish your cat they get insecure and fearful, which really damages your relationship with them.
A scratching post.
Cats and scratching go hand in hand. This natural behavior is how they remove the outer cuticle of their toenails and it is also one of the ways they scent mark.
So consider having a log (Maple would be better) as a scratching post.
A private hideout.
Just like humans, cats also have a coping mechanism, and hiding is how they do it.
A simple cardboard box or a small cat tree would be enough, but remember to place it in your cat’s core area so that it would be easy for them to excuse themselves from any stressful situations.
Be on the lookout.
Keeping an eye 24×7 is not possible, nevertheless, you can be on the lookout while you guys are together.
The good thing is cats don’t need any complex analysis to tell what’s bothering them. Just observe their mood which is practically a gateway to their mental situation.
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Get to know your cat.
Once you familiarize yourself with their behavior patterns you will realize that each cat has a unique personality.
So your aim should be to build a pet-owner relationship, this happens when you understand your cat without even communicating. Pet owners know what I am talking about.
Conclusion.
Most of these tips are quite easy to adopt, just remember that your daily routine should be predictable and interactions must be consistent.
That’s how you can make your cat feel safe and comfortable in his/her environment.
A simple act of petting your cat or giving a treat while leaving will go a long way. Just remember one important thing, NEVER force anything to your cat.
