Cat Happiness Multicat Household
Pet cats retain many behaviors of their wild ancestor, Felis lybica, a solitary hunter of African and Arabian savannas and grasslands. As a small cat, they evolved as both predator and prey, and most feline behavior is designed to enable the cat to hunt safely (eating up to 10-20 small prey per day) and to protect itself (from other larger predators). As solitary hunters, they rely on watchfulness, familiar territory, and routine to feel safe. This need for a familiar and safe environment is critical for addressing your cat’s behavioral and physical health problems; bladder disease, overgrooming, vomiting, and obesity can all result from stress. Below is the current plan to help fulfill your cat’s needs in your home.
Safe Places
Key principles: • A safe space is a private and secure area, often in a raised location. For cats with limited mobility, accommodations to reach higher locations should be made. • Cats seek a sense of enclosure, isolation, and/or seclusion.
Where can your cats go to avoid noises and/or unwanted human or animal interactions?
- Room
- Enclosed porch
- Closet Basement
- Other
What will separate your cats from a stressor?
- Closed door
- Baby gate
- White noise
- High perch
- Stairs
- Other
While in their safe place, what can you provide for comfort and mental stimulation?
- Lasting food toy
- Window
- Interesting scents
- High perch/bed
- Other
Play & Predatory Behavior
Key principle: Cats should be able to engage in predatory play and feeding behaviors.
How will you provide outlets for important hunting behaviors (searching, stalking, chasing, catching)?
- Stuffed animals
- Electronic toy
- Laser toy
- Food puzzles
- Other
How often will you rotate your cats’ toys?
- Daily
- Weekly
- Twice a month
- Monthly
Try to commit to playing with each of your cats for 3-5 minutes a day (cats are dawn & dusk hunters).
Examples:
- When I wake up
- After breakfast/dinner
- Before bedtime
- When I brush my teeth
Can you provide your cats with safe outdoor time?
Catio enclosure Harness walking Safe deck/porch fenced yard
Resource Locations
Key principles:
- Cats can very subtly guard resources for other cats by sitting and staring.
- Each of your cats should be able to reach key resources without having undesirable interactions with another cat/pet or human. This can be achieved by having a dedicated portion of the house for each cat or having one more of each resource than cats that live in the house (e.g. 3 cats = 4 litter boxes, 4 perches, 4 food areas).
- Each resource should be separated by a wall or meaningful space (e.g. litter boxes should be in separate rooms, and food and water separated by at least 3 feet of space or wall).
Litter boxes are large, easy access, located in quiet locations.
Litter is soft to the touch (e.g. sand, clay, grass-based) and unscented.
Litter boxes will be scooped of soiled clumps at least once a day, and litter completely changed: Weekly Bi-monthly Monthly
Resting places are available up high and semi-hidden, located
Nail scratching posts/boards will be located
Water will be located. As fountains?
Food will be located. As interactive puzzles?
Appropriate Social Interactions
Key principles:
- Many cats prefer a high frequency, low intensity level of social contact with humans.
- Cats should be able to initiate, moderate and end their interactions with humans (and other pets).
- Cats need escape routes from young children.
How can your cat feel like s/he has the choice to interact with people and other pets?
All people understand my cats should consent to any touch by showing behaviors like approaching with tail raised, relaxed/almond-shaped eyes, and slow blinking. My cats should not be picked up without these behaviors.
I will try to provide multiple entrances/exits from resting spots, litter boxes & other key resources.
Appreciating the Sensory World of Cats
Key principles:
- Cats rely heavily on their sense of smell.
- Cats feel threatened by strong smells and comforted by scents they deposit in their own environment.
What can you remove from your cat’s space that is harsh or strongly smelling?
- Essential oils
- Scented litter
- Air freshener
- Strong cleaner
- Potpourri
What can you add to your cat’s spaces that increases comforting smells?
- Familiar bedding
- Pheromone products
- Rub new items w/ cat’s scent
Why Aren’t My Cats Buddies?
- Cats do not have the same need for companionship as humans and dogs. They evolved as solitary hunters and survivors. As such, your cat does not need a feline friend.
- Some cats become friends, but a reasonable goal is for cats to be “amicable roommates”.
- How to improve relationships between your cats: Make sure each cat has full access to essential resources; prevent bullying by having one more of each resource than you have cats in your home.
- This is hurting your cats’ relationship: Feeding them together. Cats find having another cat around their food threatening. Feed your cats in separate spaces.
- If you want to get another cat: Do it for you, not your cat. There’s a higher chance your existing cat will be more stressed by the new cat than they would be if they remained a solo cat.
Cats that are more likely to get along are: related, grew up as kittens together, are less than 2 years old, are close in age, lived amicably with other cats in the past.