ORCHARD HILLS VETERINARY HOSPITAL

Feline Behaviour

Many people are now keeping their cats inside at all times for some of the following reason;

• To keep them off the roads
• To elimate fighting
• To avoid sun exposure for white cats
• To reduce the killing of native animals
• Owners living in units or flats

Most cats will adapt well to insde living although this is not their 'natural' environment. However, because cats tend to be rather 'private' creatures and also react in a rather peculiar ways to stress, many indoor cats will display inappropriate places and sometimes even aggression.

Here we have addressed a few more common causes and how to deal with them

• The cat is a very clean animal and litter box problems may be the underlying cause of inappropriate urination.
• Cats also likes to have some activities to keep him/her occupied (beside sleeping)
• For the stressed cat, there are ways and means of calming the animal so that owner and animal can live in harmony.

Here are a few ideas to implement....

Environment Enrichment for Cats

1. Provide more than 1 litter tray per cat
2. Put litter boxes in quiet easily accessible areas
3. Clean litter boxes daily
4. Put 2 different types of litter out and find out which one the cat prefers - alternate occasionally
5. Play a radio to get cats used to sudden noises which may occur in the house. Also provide 'human' voices (T.V)
6. Provide a hidey hole as a means to escape e.g open cupboard
7. A climbing facility where the cat can do some jumping and also sit on a high platform when desired.
8. Provide a good quality scratching pole.
9. Provide access to window seats so the cat can see outside
10. Provide 'occupational therapy type' toys
11. Possibly provide drinking fountain
12. Use Feliway® pheromone diffuser for anxious or cranky cats (come in to see us for more information) www.feliway.com
13. Build a 'catnet' enclosure http://www.catnets.com.au/
14. Look up website www.indoorcat.org
15. Talk to the vet about other anti anxiety medications in necessary.