Understanding Cats

Outdoor cats hunt for food, hide from predators (usually by climbing) and defend their home. When indoors these behaviours may come off as hostile, and we may not like them. In order to keep our kitties happy we need to provide acceptable outlets for them to ‘be cats’ yet keep them safe from threats. Cats hunt alone and go for small prey whereas dogs are group hunters. Sometimes, it can be frustrating for owners as they don’t understand why their cats do what they do. It’s important for us to understand what they need in order to improve behaviour.

Sleeping Habits

Cats have a different sleep cycle than most animals. They have frequent naps instead of long periods as in the wild they hunt up to 20 times per day, so they need to rest in between. We tend to think of them as ‘creatures of the night,’ but it’s only because their cycle is so different from ours. Offering playtime activities during the day can help with such nocturnal tendencies.

Hiding Instinct

Cats need to hide when they feel anxious or threatened. High places are a favourite, as it gives them a great view of their surroundings. When cats can hide they feel safe, whether they are hiding from people, noises or other animals.

Social Habits

Cats are not overly social, and they don’t communicate in the same way. They normally rely on smell not sight when communicating with other cats, finding food or detecting predators. Cats don’t rely much on sounds from other cats. Therefore, they don’t pay attention to the verbal sounds we make. Letting our cats scratch posts and other appropriate objects will help reduce their urge to mark using urine. In the wild, cats urinate in a new place every time, so if we want them using the same litter box, then it has to be kept clean.

Eating Habits

Cats are carnivores. Outdoor cats will primarily eat small rodents, birds and bugs because hunting is so important to them, even our indoor kitties want to engage in hunting type activities. Cats love toys that look like mice or birds for this reason.

Grooming

Most cats are very good at grooming themselves. Therefore, they do not require baths to stay clean. Some long-haired, obese, or sick cats may need some extra brushing, as they may not be able to do it themselves.

Cat Predators

In the wild, dogs are the cats most common predator, although this is not to say that they can’t live happily in a home together. As long as we understand what our kitties want and need, we can offer them a ‘habitat’ that will keep them happy for years to come.

Written by Felisha Murphy, CCS