How to Make Your Cat Feel At Home
- Author: Michael Bordonada
- Posted: 2024-06-25
Making your cat feel at home is not as difficult as you might think. However, most people mistreat cats by not providing them with the necessary care. You should treat the cat with respect and not as a toy. The cat needs to feel comfortable in your home, and you need to provide it with everything it needs to feel at home. Furthermore, you decided to live with a cat, not the other way around. Here are a few of the most important things to keep in mind:
Provide a Litter Box and Plenty of Clean Water and Food
Cats are creatures of habit and prefer their own space to do their business. Don't place litter boxes in areas where your cat eats or sleeps. Also, give them fresh water using clean containers to avoid contamination. Provide the cat with a balanced diet to avoid sickness and obesity. Besides, hungry cats roam the neighborhood and may become a nuisance to others. They may also consume poisoned food from individuals who hate cats. Other cats could injure your feline for intruding on their territory.
Give Them a Place To Scratch
Get a scratching post, or make one yourself. Please place it in an area where your cat hangs out the most. Cover it with something your cat likes to scratch, such as sisal rope or carpet. However, you may purchase ready-made scratching posts at your local pet store. Remember to inform the vendor of the dimensions of your cat to avoid buying an unstable post.
Create a Warm and Welcoming Environment
Make sure they have a comfortable place to sleep and plenty of toys to keep them amused. Cats like to be up high, so give them a climbing frame to enjoy themselves. Your cat will need a place to call their own where they can rest and relax, for example, a cat bed, a box, or a sunny home spot.
They like options, so provide them with a few different spots. For example, you could have a cat bed in the living room and another in the bedroom. Consider placing a Feliway diffuser in your home because it emits a calming pheromone that can help reduce your cat's stress levels.
Give Them Plenty of Love and Attention
Cats are social creatures and need love and attention to thrive. Spend time playing with your cat every day, and make sure to pet and cuddle them often. Your presence matters a lot to your cat, so try to be around as much as possible. Don't frighten the cat because they hate loud noises or sudden movements. In addition, punish them moderately to avoid scaring the cat.
However, remove nuisance cats from the premises immediately to protect your kitty's safety. If you own a new cat, never leave them outside for too long and provide a litter box inside the house so that they can relieve themselves without having to go outdoors. They might go and never come back.
Keep Their Sleeping Area Comfortable
Cats like to have a place where they can feel safe and relaxed, so ensure their sleeping area is in a quiet spot in your home. You can buy a cat bed or use a soft blanket or towel. Alternatively, improvise a bed by cutting a circular opening in the side of a cardboard box. Place soft bedding inside, and your cat will love curling up in their new cozy spot.
Offer Plenty of Toys and Playtime
Bored cats spend most of their time sleeping and can become lazy. To keep your cat occupied and full of energy, offer them various toys, such as toy balls, to keep them busy while you're away. Check the quality of the toys to avoid injuries and swallowing hazards.
In addition to toys, offer your cat plenty of playtime. Playing is a great way for cats to bond with their owners and relieve stress. Therefore, play with your cat for at least 20 minutes daily.
You can make sure that your cat feels right at home in your home with these simple tips. Try them and see how much your cat appreciates them. They'll show their appreciation with lots of cuddles and purrs. Besides, cats appreciate little things, including a freshly stocked water bowl and wipes to clean their paws after using the litter box. They also admire a warm place to sleep that might not cost you much time or money but makes a world of difference to your cat.
