Why is Meowie acting this way?
Think about what changed from Meowie’s point of view. The familiarity and
predictability of her home has been disrupted by new and unfamiliar people,
sounds, smells, objects and routines.
Meowie’s entire world has been turned upside down, and with it her previous
sense of safety and security. It’s no wonder that she hides in an attempt to
make herself feel safe and hisses when she feels a loss of control at being
picked up.
The second big idea to understand about cats is that they need to be
stimulated in their home environment.
Cats in the wild hunt 10 to 20 times a day, using mental and physical energy to stalk, pounce and eat the
prey. Cat owners must understand that
their indoor cat still needs this mental and physical stimulation. Stimulation is also important
because it can lead to a decrease in
stress (just as it does with us), as well as an increase in the cat’s confidence. In particular, when cats
are chasing, pouncing and catching an
object, they feel like successful hunters.
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And here’s
what happens when cats are under-stimulated in the home. Many unwanted behaviors can emerge,
including:
- Play aggression towards people or other animals
- Climbing and scratching throughout the home
- Overactivity at night
- An increased likelihood of trying to dart outside the home
- On the other end of the spectrum, cats can become bored and depressed when under-stimulated, leading to overeating, lethargy and/or compulsive behaviors.
How do we make sure a cat is stimulated?
Interactive play
The easiest way is to tap into their hunting instinct and give them at
least two 15-minute interactive play sessions daily. The ideal interactive toy
looks like a fishing pole with an object
attached to a long piece of string. Some cats like to chase the object in
the air as if chasing a bird, while other cats prefer chasing the feather
across the floor as if it was a mouse or snake. It’s a good idea, particularly
with active cats, to schedule meal times after play sessions. This simulates
the cat’s natural routine of Hunt-Eat-Groom-Sleep.
The importance of play for cats cannot be overstated. A lack of play is one
of the main sources of behavior issues, and engaging the cat in interactive
play is often the solution to behavior problems.
Environmental enrichment
There is another component to keeping a cat stimulated, known as
environmental enrichment. his entails
providing the cat with various stimulating objects to interact with and explore,
including:
- Scratching posts
- Window perches to view the outdoors
- Tunnels, paper bags and boxes to explore
- Solo toys that the cat bats around or tries to catch
- Food foraging options in the home, like treat balls
- Cat videos (which some cats enjoy watching)
- Catios that allow cats to be outdoors while remaining safe
Moving at the “speed of cat”
Clients are often unaware of just how slowly cats (re)gain a sense of safety and security. It’s important to encourage clients to
focus more on the progress they’re making rather than the final result they want
to see, which may take much more time than they initially expect. The client’s job is to put into place all the components to help the cat feel safe and
secure. The cat will determine the pace at which she begins to feel comfortable
in the home.
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