Whisker Wonderland: happiness and health connected in a comfortable pawridise

Source Image: illustration generated using Microsoft Designer

Is your cat happy?

Every cat has different tastes and needs when it comes to their well-being, and many still are a mystery for most people.

For cats, a good and comfortable environment is not optional; it is essential.

Many diseases and unwanted behavior in felines occur because of an inadequate environment…and this inappropriate behavior is a main cause of pet abandonment and euthanasia.  

A comfortable home is fundamental for physical health, emotional well-being, and good behavior.

In addition, environmental needs are more than physical space: it also includes affecting social interaction, including human contact - yes, cats like to interact with their humans!

According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), there are 5 pillars  to embrace when aiming for a better environment for cats.

These guidelines allow both cat caregivers and veterinarians alike to supply the needs of the feline overlords in their home and in veterinary care.

Are you providing good conditions for your cats? Let's find out if you can make their reign even better.

But first…some considerations about our furry buddies

When we talk about cat behavior and needs, it is fundamental to really understand their biological nature. Before going to the main point of this text, we are going to talk about some feline biology.

Trust me. It will help you to understand the cat's mind (and it is GOLD!)

Social Structure

We also hear that cats are solitary animals, right? It is true, but…not totally.

Cats assume a flexible social system, allowing them to live with other cats. But it is only possible if there are sufficient resources for all of them, and it may be a challenge if you have more than one and live in a small place.

In a multi-cat household, caregivers may be in trouble if they do not supply several resources through the house. Unwanted behavior can start to appear such as elimination of urine in wrong areas, as well as physical conflicts.

Sharing the same food area or sleeping area does not mean that those cats like each other; in fact, cats learn to tolerate the others when the food or other resources are in a single place.

It is easier for cats to be related when they have grown up together. When cats are related to each other, they will show some - cute - social behavior, for example, allogrooming (grooming each other) and allorubbing (rubbing against each other) to their affiliates.

In a house with many cats, it is common that they put together in separate groups. You will see different cat societies at home; it is important for you to notice and identify these gangs to avoid conflict, especially disputes over resource areas.

Cats in a same group share these behavior to each other:

• Caressing one another's faces or bodies.
• Tying their tails.
• Sleeping or relaxing near each other, in physical contact.
• Playing together.
• Grooming each other.

An adult cat's tolerance to humans and different stimuli is strongly related to how they were brought up in the first months of life.

Between 2 and 7 weeks, kittens are at their socialized age. In other words, this is an important period to adapt your kitten to other animals, humans, and even sounds and texture foods. What they will learn here will be crucial for their behavior in the long-term.

The more things you present to your kitten in this phase, the more tolerant they will be in the future, avoiding becoming an extremely scared cat. In addition, introducing them to different texture foods will be helpful if they need special care and food in a medical situation later on.

To socialize kittens with humans, it is recommended at least four people handle the kittens in short sessions, for an hour per day.

Despite this socialization, being a friendly cat does not mean that the feline will accept every kind of stimulus and contact.

Have you already tried to touch the cat's belly?

Yes..I know that you have tried…and maybe it was not a good idea.

Cat’s belly is a vulnerable area for them, so humans must avoid touching it, even if the cat is rolling on the floor exposing their furry and soft tummy.

When you pet a cat, touch their head, cheek and chin; these are the most preferred areas that cats like to be touched. Besides that they use these facial regions to communicate to affiliates cats through scent and tactile behavior, and they show more positive responses to human contact when they are touched there.

Respect the preferences of the cat and you will have a pleasant experience living with them…in their rules. What do I mean?

Well..let’s continue our tour in this “Felines Way of Life” before going to the 5 pillars.

(Keep going…it is the last one to consider...and it can save your life, or, at least, the mental health of your little buddy.)

 

Cats in the lead

If there is something that humans like, but cats do like more, is the sense of control.

Cats feel comfortable and less stressed when the environment and situation is familiar to them. Probably you have already noticed how a cat becomes stressed when you have to take him to the vet or another strange place.

For felines, recognizing sounds and scents are really important. Their senses are strongly acute, and loud or unfamiliar sounds as well as unfamiliar scents may cause fear in the cat.

Moreover, since cats are solitary hunts, avoiding threats it is an instinct to increase their survival rate in nature. Felines usually respond to a threat with fight-or-flight behavior.

Generally, when something is considered dangerous, cats prefer to avoid it or hide themselves. Fighting is an option, but it is the last resort when they cannot escape (physical integrity in the first place!)

Unfortunately, this survival response is also a challenge for veterinarians and caregivers. Cats avoid showing signs of pain or illness, and it is a trouble when we need to detect a health alteration early.

In addition, this behavior makes many people believe that cats do not need regular medical care. It is important to educate caregivers about this peculiarity in order to avoid health complications.

The 5 Pillars to a happier cat

Now that you know about cat singularities, let’s talk about the 5 pillars to a happy and healthy cat according to AAFP and ISFM.

Pillar 1  - Provide a safe place

A happy cat is a safe cat!

Provide private and secure areas in different locations in your home. Cats need space that allows them enclosure, isolation and seclusion wherever they want.

Avoiding seeing the threats is enough for the cat to feel safe, even if its whole body is not fully concealed. In addition, frequently a safe place becomes a resting and sleeping area.

Individual hiding places are essential in multi-cat households; make sure there are private areas enough for all of them.

You can use:

• Cardboard boxes;
• Cat carries (with a familiar bedding inside);
• Perches;
• Shelves.

Pay attention: perches need to be wide and long enough to allow the cat to fully stretch.

If you have more than one cat and use a cardboard box or similar, make sure there are more than one entry, avoiding the other cat blocking it.

It is a safe place, not a trap!

Pillar 2 - Provide multiple and separated key environmental resources

Remember: cats like to have choice and feel it is under their control.

Provide at least two different areas for:

• Feeding;
• Drinking;
• Toileting;
• Claw scratching;
• Play;
• Resting/sleeping.

In a multi-cat household, make sure there are different areas for each resource and that they are physically separated, especially if there are more than one group of cats, avoiding dispute over territory.

Litter boxes should be situated in a private area. If you have more than one cat, avoid putting  it in a closed place without an escape route; if the cat does not feel secure, they may start to eliminate urine in inappropriate areas…and well, we do not want it, right?

Everybody knows the smell of a cat’s urine…

Pillar 3 - Provide opportunity for play and predatory behavior

Cats need to express their predatory behavior. If they don’t, they can deal with negative issues, such as obesity and frustration; you can start to notice red flag signs such as overgrooming and aggressive behavior.

You can use food to mimic predatory behavior:

• Hide food in multiple locations;
• Scatter-feed dry food;
• Toss kibbles for cats to chase;
• Provide puzzle feeders (even handmade. Cats do not care about price!)

And, of course, play with your cat! Use toys, rod, etc…what your cat prefers, but avoid using your own hand as a prey! Let’s avoid injuries. It needs to be fun, not harmful.

Avoiding toys and objects that there are ingestible parts or strings. Choose safe toys.

Be aware that cat’s preferences can change over time; older cats still like to play, but at a low intensity. In contrast, kittens demand more time and energy.

Moreover, the same cat can change your favorite toy after a while.

Pillar 4 - Provide positive, consistent and predictable human social interaction

Here, we reinforce the feline’s sense of control.

Many cats prefer a high frequency, low intensity level of social contact with humans, a scenario that gives them a good deal of control.

Never force interaction with a cat!
 
To be less intimidating and higher the chance to be accepted:

• Lower yourself to the cat’s levels;
• Avoid fixed eye contact (no one likes to be stared at, it is freaky!);
• Give the cat time to approach, sniff your hand and get acquainted;
• Talking gently to them can help to put it at ease.

When the cat ends the interaction (moving away), respect it.

If the cat is interested in interacting, they will gently stroking on your hand or rubbing you. Touch them softly, avoiding rude gestures; it is an animal, not a potato bag!

Any cat may have its own preferences. Respect any of them.

Like favorite plays, a preference for human interaction may change in different phases, mainly because of aging: experiences sensory and restricted mobility decline overtime.

Cats who once liked to be picked up or cuddled on people's laps may develop a preference for being petted at a resting place.

But, here it is an attention: sometimes, this change of behavior can be a medical problem! Be aware!

Pillar 5 - Provide an environment that respect the importance of the cat’s sense of smell

In contrast to humans, cats “feel” the world by scents and chemical substances (pheromones). These elements are too valuable for felines, helping them to feel safe and comfortable.

Because of this, here are some tips to guarantee a scent profile at home:

You have to avoid interfering with a cat’s olfactory and chemical signals and scent profile whenever possible;

• Avoid using products and substances with strong scents and that may disturb the sensory perception of your cat. They become stressed when the familiar scent of the environment changes;
• Synthetic pheromones may be used to reduce anxiety, and to helps to align and increase some positive behaviors, such as grooming, food and appropriate use of the litter box;
• If you aim to present a new item for your cat, rubbing in a cloth/bedding that has been in contact with the cat’s scent glands or with synthetic feline pheromone;
• I know it might be hard, but avoid cleaning areas that have been facially marked by the cat;
• When you were wash the cat’s bedding, make a rotation; make sure that certain objects will hold on to the cat's smell (‘olfactory continuity’);
• In case of inappropriate elimination for scent marks, do not punish the cat! Find the reason for it and solve the problem. It can be caused by a lack of resources (when there are many cats in the same house), when the cat feels threatened (another cat at home or in the neighborhood, other animals, etc) or any kind of stressful situation.

In a multi-cat household, you need to be aware to other issues:

• Make sure every cat group in the house gets a chance to scent mark the places where their environmental supplies are found;
• When you have to take a cat for a veterinarian appointment:
• This cat will return with a different smell, so that it may disturb the scent profile of home. Therefore, it may cause conflict: the other cats can act aggressively toward one another, even if they used to get along well before the veterinarian visit. Whenever possible, try to schedule veterinary visits for all cats at once.
• Use synthetic feline pheromone diffuser in the home; it will helps to keep the scent profile and become the reintegration easier;
• Keep the cat in a separate room until cats get calm before reintroducing in to others;
• The reintroduction needs to have a minimum human involvement, but it must be done with criterias;
• Negative interactions between cats should be broken up in an impartial manner, meaning that the handler shouldn't treat any one cat better than another.

A Cat Friendly Home, a Happier Cat!

Have you already used all of these guidelines at home? Are some of them new to you?

Giving an appropriate environment to your cat not only will guarantee a happier cat, but also a healthier one.

You know, cats are really sensitive to stress…so if we may decrease unpleasant situations, why not?

Both you and your cat will gain with these: your buddy will see your home as a safe place to live, and you will enjoy a cat in a great mood and behavior.

Did you use some of these pillars at home? Tell me in the comments which pillar do you consider the most important, and which one is the hardest to apply!

~ VK ~