Happiness for your indoor cat
16 May 2017
As more people are choosing to live in apartments, we are seeing more and more cats spending their days inside only. Eve, one of our vets, has just adopted two kittens who will live solely indoors. Here are a few easy things that can be done for your indoor cat to help them live happy, healthy and enriched lives.
DESIGNING A CORE TERRITORY
Core territory is the space where your cat’s essential resources are located. It is important to provide multiple resources for your cats or kittens, with easy access for each cat. Resources that are essential to cats include their food, water, toilet and rest areas and an elevated space. Toilet areas should be ideally out of view of other resources to give the cats choice and privacy. Multiple litter trays (a general rule is a tray per cat plus one extra) in different locations, will help cats feel comfortable about litter tray use. Providing trays with a good deep layer of litter will help to prevent ‘spillage’ from the trays and let your cats exhibit their natural preference to bury their urine and stools.
Placing food and water stations separately reduces competition for resources, bullying and stress.
CLIMBING AND HUNTING BEHAVIOUR
Vertical space is very important to cats, and getting a cat tree or creating beds on the top of shelves can increase a cat’s space in the home dramatically. Ensuring multiple access points to the top, and the bottom, of the space will allow everyone to use these ‘cat exercise gyms’ safely and confidently.
Hunting is an innate behavioural trait for cats. Indoor only cats cannot always express this behaviour. However, it can be simulated by use of food, toys or puzzles. Tossing food for them to eat (try prawns wrapped in rice paper) or hiding food around the house for them to hunt out will help with enrichment. This will increase exercise, decrease boredom and help prevent obesity. It is also good to provide multiple toys, and play chasing games with those toys (not with your hands!) to allow expression of this behaviour. Ensure there is a reward at the end of each play period to avoid frustration and rotate the toys on a constant basis to keep them interesting. Look for varied textures and colours, a squeaky toy is always a favourite!
FELIWAY
Feliway is a synthetic form of a pheromone that cats produce from scent glands around their face. It makes them feel happy, relaxed and like they are in a “safe place”. All cats will benefit from Feliway in their home environment, but it is especially good for introducing a new cat to your household, or for cats who are moving to a new home. If your cats aren’t getting along, or if a solitary indoor cat seems stressed, then Feliway will help. It can be used either as a plugin diffuser or a spray for target areas.
If you need any information on Feliway or any other advice on providing a happy place for your indoor cat, speak to your local veterinarian. If you would like to speak to one of our veterinarians, call us on 04 385 7773.
