Creature Comforts Pet Services, LLC

Compassionate care for your friend

Theresa Berrett

What can you do to increase your bond with your cat?

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Here are some quick tips for things you can do to help both yourself and your cat to be happier and more relaxed.  While some of these don’t seem to directly affect you and your cat bonding.  A cat that is relaxed in his environment will be far happier and easier to live with.  Enriching your cat’s life isn’t just about the latest toys.

Keep your food and water bowls separate.  While it does seem logical to us humans to put the water and food right next to each other.  Cats don’t like to eat their “prey” near their water source.  It presents the possibility of contamination. Cats also quite often prefer their water not to be stagnant.  A source of water that is moving, as in a cat water fountain, is preferred by some.  However, if you do go this route, it is important to also have a source of still water so your kitty has the opportunity if that appeals to them.

Use unscented litter.  Cat’s sense of smell is much more sensitive than humans.  Cats have around 200 million odor sensors in their noses, while humans have only about 5 million. This makes a cat’s sense of smell about 14 times better than a human’s!  Scented litters are quite often too much for a cat’s nose.  What is best for cats is an odorless, dust free litter that is also soft to step into.  Cleaning the box regularly with just soap and water will help to keep the box from smelling like an outhouse to your cat.

Have multiple litter boxes.  Even if you only have one cat, multiple litter boxes will help to keep elimination problems to a minimum.  Consider how it is for you to have to go a long way when you have to go.  Keep a box on each level of your home in and not so difficult places to get to.  Also, some cats prefer separate boxes for urine and feces.

Have regular grooming sessions.  Lots of cats love to be brushed and this can add to your bond with your feline friend.  It also has the added benefit of reducing hairballs and helping you to know your cat’s body well, allowing for early detection of injuries or changes you may want to check with your veterinarian about.

Turn your carrier into a cozy cat hideout.  Getting the cat into a carrier is a big issue for many cat owners, causing a whole lot of stress for  both you and your cat. You can use a cat’s desire to hide to your advantage.  Keep the carrier out in a well used area of the house, such as the living room. Use comfy blankets to create a cozy cave for her to hide in.  Add some toys and she will consider it a great place to be.  If she is reluctant to enter you can use treats or a wand toy to entice her.  You won’t need to chase her around the house every time you need to get to the vet, or worse, totally lose her to hiding and have to cancel your appointment altogether.  This can also reduce stress at vet visits because her safe and relaxing space goes right along with her.

Schedule regular play sessions.  Cats like to have a predictable world.  Most owners do have regular feeding times, but adding in regular playtimes is a great way to help his world be more predictable.  It also increases your chances of playing with him, strengthening your bond.  Remember that your cat does love to interact with you!

Create a warm and cozy spot.  We all know cats like to lounge in a sunny window!  Cats prefer warmer temperatures than we do and since you are not going to keep your house at 80 degrees, you can create a nice spot for your cat by placing blankets or a bed near a source of heat, such as a vent or fireplace.

Think vertical.  We tend to set up our living spaces with all the furniture on the floor.  Cats like to climb and can feel safer up high.  Cat trees or shelves or perches up on the walls will create a happy dimension for your friend, as well as provide them with a safe space from which to view the world.

Music!  Putting on some relaxing music, especially while you are out, will help your cat to be less anxious.  Studies show that relaxing music can reduce a cat’s heart rate.

Learn to speak cat.  Cats blink slowly and languidly while they are content and relaxed, if you return the slow blink you are communicating your love back to her in her own language.  Cats accept our slow blinking as a signal to be relaxed in our presence. And increasing your understanding of cat body language can help you to know what your cat needs.

Know how to help your cat if an injury occurs.  Be familiar with pet first aid and CPR so you can be a help to your friend if the worst should occur.  This can not only potentially save your cat’s life, but will increase your confidence and relaxation in an emergency situation.  Keep important phone numbers close by, such as your veterinarian and ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435).

Teach your cat to work with you. Cats are often thought of a being uncooperative or uninterested in working with you.  But this just isn’t true.  Use some yummy treats, petting, or play with a favorite toy to help your cat learn that cooperation can benefit him too.  They can be taught to scratch in appropriate places or to sit on the floor rather than the counter while you prepare food.  

    Proper Introductions

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    You have a loving relationship with your sweet kitty, why not increase the love and offer home to another cat or kitten?  Then they could have a friend to play and cuddle with! Suddenly your sweet and relaxed kitty is angry, hissing, and chasing the new cat and possibly even not using the litter box!  What happened there?  Is it possible to add another cat to your household peacefully so everyone gets along?  And what about when two cats who previously did get along suddenly don’t?

    With time and proper introductions, or reintroductions (for the former companions), cats can learn to peacefully get along.  Domestic cats are social and do benefit from companions, but it does require a delicate process to help them start off on the right paw.  Cats do not work things out on their own, as can be a common belief.

    In the case of cats who used to like each other, but suddenly changed, it may take some detective work to discover the cause of the rift.  It could be a matter of something that scared one or both of them and that fear was displaced onto the other cat.  It could be an internal difficulty, emotional or physical, with one cat causing her to not feel good and just needing more space.  It could be a need to change the environment to accommodate the changing social needs of younger cats as they grow.  Maybe one cat had to leave the house for a while and now that she is back, they don’t seem to recognize each other.  There are lots of scenarios that might cause cats to go from companions to combatants.  In order to have a successful reintroduction it may take a veterinary visit and some work to discover, if possible, the cause of the difficulties.  Without removing the problem a reintroduction will not change anything.

    Successful introductions require patience and plenty of time.  Rushing it could cause things to go backwards and become more difficult.  Here are some tips for introducing cats to each other in a safe and happy way.

    What we are going to do here is desensitization, gradually exposing each cat to the other starting with scent.   And counterconditioning, which is pairing something positive such as play or treats with the other cat creating a positive association between them.

    1. Start before bringing the new cat home, or to separate companions who are having a difficult time.  Set up a safe room with all the things a cat needs to keep him comfortable; 2 litter boxes, food and water, a place to hide, a place to climb or play, and new toys.   The litter boxes, food, and water should be placed as far apart from each other as possible. 
    2. Cat’s inhabit a very olfactory world, so first introductions should be through scent.  Use a soft sock (a clean one of yours will have your scent also) on your hand and gently rub one cat, particularly the cheeks and head where his calming pheromones are, just like you are petting him.   Place that sock in the area of the other cat and place some treats near the sock. Do this process again in reverse with another sock for the other cat.  Repeat the process of adding fresh scent for a few days to make sure no one is reacting to the socks.
    3. Create a group scent through allogrooming and allorubbing, or hugging and kissing for cats.  Allogrooming and allorubbing are how cats share scent with each other to create a group scent.  Only here you are going to be using a soft brush or sock to share scent between cats.  Again add in the treats to keep the positive connection to the other cat’s scent. Be cautious and slow here, if anyone reacts to the other’s scent, back up a little and give them more time.
    4. Once they are used to each other’s scent, trade places with them for a little time, giving them each a chance to explore the other cat’s “territory”.
    5. Gradually introduce them through sight next.  Start by feeding them on opposite sides of the door.  Once they are relaxed, add in feeding them on opposite sides of a barrier they can see through, such as a baby gate.  You may have to start with them quite a ways away from the barrier at first and then gradually move them closer until they are eating in a relaxed way in close proximity.  Again, if there is any stress by either cat, there is no harm in backing up a few steps and giving them more time.  Eventually, you can remove the barrier and let the cats eat near each other with supervision.
    6. From here it is a good idea to always supervise interactions for a time, but allow the cats to be loose together.  While you are not able to supervise, I would suggest keeping them separate until you are confident they are able to manage together.

    While this seems like a lengthy process, and it really is, it is worth the peace in the household you will have.  Some cats will never become best friends, but they can learn to live comfortably together without conflict.

    Feline Enrichment and Routine

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    Let’s face it, cats are control freaks.

    They like to know what’s coming and when.  You can help your cat to live his best life by making things predictable and stable for him.  Have you noticed how your cat knows exactly what time dinner is supposed to be?  We all have our internal timers and rhythms. Cats do best when they know what to expect in their world.  Having a basic routine for things like playtime and mealtime and even cuddle time can make them feel comfortable and relaxed.  

    There are some things that you can also add to your cat’s routine for extra enrichment.  Think about how a wild cat’s day might go.  She wakes up and goes on the hunt first thing in the morning (hmm – morning zoomies)  looking for her first meal of the day.  Once she catches that first mouse, eats well, grooms, and then what?  You guessed it! Time for that first nap.  And on her day goes. Predictable and ordered in it’s own way.  And in that order we can find a particular pattern that is excellent enrichment for a cat.  Hunt (play), catch it and eat, groom, nap.  By following a rythym that is natural for a cat you are adding to her wellbeing and health.  Slow feeder toys are a great way to add this enrichment to your cat’s feeding time. And play enhances your bond with them.  Regular play sessions twice a day for  at least 15 minutes before morning and evening meals can go a long way in your cat’s wellbeing and also add to your cat’s physical health because it includes regular exercise.

    Sometimes these patterns can help alleviate other problems.   For example, if your cat regularly wakes you up at night, establish a pattern of rowdy play, food, cuddle time, and then time for everyone to go to bed.  Thought there is another piece to that puzzle. It involves not interaction with your cat during the night at all, not to push them off, not to roll away, just don’t move.  Which, I will warn you ahead of time,  means you may have to ride out a period of time of, sometimes increasing, attempts to get you to interact in the night.  This is  called an extinction burst, where an established behavior will get worse just before it goes away.  We all do this.  If that soda machine doesn’t work this time, we tap, bang, shake until we decide it just isn’t going to work.

    Here are some kitty play tips to help you on your way:

    Any cat, any age can benefit from play and can learn to play.

    If using a wand toy, move the toy in an erratic manner across the floor and over cat trees. Lots of fast movements will catch their eye while periods of slow movement will give your cat a chance to stalk and get ready for the pounce.  Moving the toy around the room away from them can help.  In reality a prey item will rarely come towards a cat.

    Experiment with different types of wand toys.  Some cats prefer feathers, some strips of  material that wiggle like snakes, some like little stuffed toys to grab onto.  Some prefer the wands where the toy is at the tip with a bell, some prefer a wand with a string then the toy.  There are lots of things out there to temp your kitty into play.

    Lot’s of kitties love lazers.  If you have a cat that goes crazy for these, be sure to toss a treat or a favorite toy into the beam now and then so they have a chance to “catch it”, otherwise these can become frustrating to some.

    Try the interactive cat  toys that move on their own.  Some cats love these, but be cautious with your introduction, some are afraid of the noises or movements.

    Some cat’s will play fetch or hide and seek under a blanket.  One for mine likes when I pull her around the wood floor on a banket while she attacks the wrinkles.  You may even come with others all your own.

    And lastly,  never play with your cat with your hands.  This might seem cute and harmless with a kitten, but can cause bigger scratches later on.  It also teaches your cat that attacking you is an acceptable way to play.

    Cats can be worked with!

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    Cats are often seen as spiteful, elusive, secretive, and totally untrainable.  Not one of these views is true.  In working with cats two important things to keep in mind are their biology and their domestication history with humans.  

    First off, cats were never fully domesticated.  Most likely they were allowed to be around because they could rid human settlements of pests.  Maybe even encouraged to stick around with a little food.  Unlike dogs, however, they continued to keep themselves, to themselves.  This is why cats who are not actively socialized to humans during kittenhood, revert to feral very quickly.  We have to actually teach them that we are not there to hunt and eat them!

    Biologically cats are both prey and predators.  While they are extremely effective hunters, they are also small and are in the middle of a food chain.  Their elusiveness and secretiveness comes from a need for safety.  Cats evade predators by slinking around in the shadows or climbing up high.  When a cat does not feel safe in her environment, she will hide under beds, away from the threat, or climb up furniture to escape.  These behaviors are instinctive, built into her biology.  It does not matter that there is actually no predator waiting to get her.  What matters is her perception of what is threatening.  

    Kittens go through a socialization period at 8 weeks to 12 weeks, where they learn about what is safe in their world.  If exposed to what is normal for us during that time, such as friends coming over, or a visiting dog,  they will adapt to that as normal and safe for them.  This is a vital time to expose kittens to all sorts of new things.  Everything from leash walking outdoors, to other animals (including cats and people), to carriers and car rides, to vet visits, to sounds, etc.

    All is not lost if you have missed this time with your cat!  You can go through a process called habituation where you, very slowly!!!, expose your cat to what they are afraid of.  For example, if your cat is afraid of thunder, you can play thunder (thank you Youtube!) starting very quietly at first, increasing the volume over time until that becomes a normal sound in his environment.  You can also add desensitization where you pair something your cat loves with the frightening thing.  Back to our thunder example,  if your cat loves brushing, brush him while playing the thunder quietly and teach him that thunder equals nice relaxing grooming and time with you.

    And, lastly, cats do not do things to spite their owners.  There is always a reasonable cause (and solution!) behind difficult behaviors.  Punitive measures do not work with them.  This just causes them to become fearful of you and damages your relationship with them, on top of whatever behavioral issue the punishment was meant to stop.  Positive reinforcement is an excellent way to work with any cat.  Sometimes it can take a long time to undo learned fears, but it is so worth it for the sweet relationship it can bring.  There is no need to live with difficult or unwanted behaviors, nor is there a need to surrender your friend.  Almost all behaviors can be worked with.

    Happy Training!

    Why does my cat scratch my couch?!!

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    Many cat owners are mystified at how to get this destructive behavior to stop.  First off, keep in mind your cat is not scratching your couch to punish you or get back at you.  Cats can scratch for a number of reasons. Stress is one of them. Loud noises or too much change in their environment such as a move or remodel.  It is important to shield your pet from too much environmental stress. While stress can cause furniture scratching, there may be another reason your cat is shredding your couch; love.    Your friend may be scratching to mark her space with scent and as a visual marker.  They have scent glands in their feet and they use this to let others know this is their home and territory.  They do furniture, especially couches and chairs, because you, their person, sits there and they want to claim you as their own.  While this is sweet and loving of them, it is still annoying to us.

    Here a a few ideas to help.

    Scratchers

    Cats need to scratch it not only marks their territory it also helps them to stretch, get exercise, and shed old claw sheaths.  It may take some trial and error on your part, but finding a preferred material for your cat can help.  There is a lot of variety out there from cardboard, to carpet, to sisal, and rope.  Keep in mind too that some prefer vertical surfaces while others may prefer horizontal.  There are even scratchers out there these days that attach right onto your couch.  One way to stop furniture scratching, is to put a cat scratcher right by the marked furniture.  This gives them an alternative that you can both live with.  You can then reinforce scratching on the appropriate surface with treats, petting, play, or anything that your cat enjoys. Cats should never be punished for scratching as this is a natural instinctive behavior that they need to do for wellbeing.  You can also use things on the couch that they don’t prefer, temporarily, like double sided tape, to encourage going to the scratcher instead.  

    Hiding spots

    Cats need places to hide.  Keep in mind that just because your house is safe for your feline friend that doesn’t take away that her mentality is that of a prey animal.  Cats feel safer if they have a, or even a few places they can hide or get away from stressors.  Hiding spots can be anything from tent covered pillow beds, to a cardboard box with a blanket in it (we all know how much cats love their cardboard boxes!)  

    Here is a quick reference guide for your cat:

    Vertical Space

    Cats love to get up high, it is generally their first go to for escape.  Providing places your kitty can get up high can help reduce his stress and give him a place to watch the goings on in his territory from a comfortable place.  Again, there are a lot of ways to achieve this from elaborate cat trees (look at this one, just for fun), to tops of bookshelves, to cat wall furniture.

    Play

    Cats do better if they have a chance to get some exercise and spend time having fun with you.  They also get mental stimulation from play and get to use their hunting instincts. Using wand toys or a laser are good options for helping kitty get some energy out.  Keep in mind,  you need to let your kitty catch their “prey” now and then during prey or you can actually cause more stress.  While playing with a laser, you can have the laser land on a favorite toy or even a treat.  A good time to plan play for your cat is right before a meal.  This follows the natural pattern of hunt and then eat. 

    There are more things you can add in to help.   Simply reducing the stress in the environment such as keeping things a bit quieter, or putting away a scary object, such as that giant stuffed animal dog.  (Yes I have one of these for teaching CPR.  It scares us all in the dark!)  You can also consider other ways to help enrich your cat’s life, such as a bird feeder in a window for them to watch.  Do a bit of fun experimenting to figure out how to make your home an enriching and comfortable place for your feline and you will both benefit.

    Scent and Touch in Cats

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    Imagine if you were to walk out your front door in the morning and take a deep breath and breathe in all the neighborhood information.  The neighbor on your right is not feeling well today, and the neighbor on your left took the dog out for an early walk and went down the trail across the street.  And what is that?  Someone you don’t know walked by, but with something yummy and they went to the door of the ill neighbor, maybe bringing them some soup.  On your morning walk you pass another neighbor and hug, making sure to share your scent to reinforce your friendship. This is the scent and tactile (or touch) world of a cat.  Cats have twice the olfactory cells that humans do, allowing them to use their nose to navigate the world around them. Cats use both touch and scent to communicate, maintain social bonds, and defend their territory.  They have scent glands all over their bodies concentrated on their flanks, face, and paws.  Cats living in a social group will have a group scent that both identifies the group and individuals within that group.  They leave these scents on surfaces in their environment.

    Have you ever seen your cat open her mouth, curl her lips up, and pause with it open while sniffing something?  Cats have a special receptor called the vomeralnasal organ located in two small sacs just above the hard palate in the roof of their mouth.  It has ducts to both the nose and mouth.  When they are smelling a particularly interesting scent, a cat can open their mouth and breathe in some of the scent to get a better smell. This is called a flehmen reaction.

    Allorubbing

    Has your cat ever insisted on rubbing her cheeks on something you are holding or even on you?  That is a good thing.  This is called allorubbing, in particular “bunting” or “chinning”, rubbing their chin or cheeks or head on you.  These are expressions of affection and a way for your cat to say “ you are mine”. Facial scent glands allow cats to mark and lay claim to objects in their home range. Allorubbing is the act of rubbing any part of the body against an object or another animal.  When cats are separated from you or one another they will engage in allorubbing when reunited to mix scents and to express affection.  If you have a multi-cat household and they need to be separated for a time.  It can help to reintroduce them to each other by using a cloth to rub each cat, particularly on the cheeks, before putting them together.  Cats view the world much more through scent than visually and this can help them to “recognize” one another.

    An interesting aside, male cats will allorub both male and female cats, but female cats will only engage in allorubbing with other females.

    Allogrooming

    When your cat licks or grooms himself or another cat, he is sharing scent from his saliva and scent glands around his mouth.  This is called allogrooming and can help to establish an overall scent for a group, as well as reinforce social bonds.  (I don’t highly recommend licking your neighbor though!)  Cats will groom any species with which they have a friendly social relationship, including you.

    Kneading

    Kneading, also known as “making biscuits”, is a behavior left over from kittenhood.  When a kitten rhythmically presses her paws on either side of her mother’s nipple it stimulates the flow of milk.  In domestic cats, this behavior continues into adulthood when a cat feels safe and comfortable in their environment.  A soft blanket, pillow, or lap are popular spots to knead.  A person’s larger size and warmth might evoke the feeling of a kitten beside her mother causing her to knead in an expression of affection toward her person.  Cats do also have scent glands in their feet and this is another way of claiming you as theirs.

    Since this is an expression of affection and an instinctive behavior, cats should never be reprimanded for kneading. Owners can keep claws clipped or provide a barrier, such as a blanket between the cat’s paws and skin or clothing.

    Scratching

    Contrary to popular belief, cats do not scratch items merely to sharpen their claws.  Although it does help to dislodge the worn sheath on the outside of claws as they grow,  it is also leaving a scent to mark the area.  This is why your cat may scratch the side of the couch where you sit.  They are letting other cats know this is their territory with you.