Environmental Needs of Indoor Cats
Knowing how cat’s behave allows us to provide an environment for them that enhances their health and overall quality of life. When cat’s are unable to express their natural behaviours, it can lead to stress and undesirable behaviours which overall impacts the cat-human relationship.
Why do we need to provide enrichment for our cats?
- Helps with unwanted behaviours and less illnesses
- Helps us to recognise disease
- Helps with handling at home and at the vets
- Helps to strengthen cat and owner bond
- Helps to reduce stress in multi-cat households
- Overall we have much happier cats!
What can we do as owners?
1.Provide a Safe Space
A safe place is considered a private and secure area which is often in a raised location. This
provides the cat with a feeling of isolation or seclusion. A safe space needs to be an area the cat can retreat to so it can feel protected. When the cat is relaxed, the safe place can also be used for resting and sleeping. Even though cats can live in social groups, they hunt alone. Because of this, it can be detrimental to the cat if it becomes injured. Therefore cats withdraw and hide in certain situations for protection and have control over their environment.
What can we provide?
Knowing how cat’s behave allows us to provide an environment for them that enhances their health and overall quality of life. When cat’s are unable to express their natural behaviours, it can lead to stress and undesirable behaviours which overall impacts the cat-human relationship.
- Cardboard boxes -> A quick and simple option!
- Cat Carriers -> It is important that there is a familiar smell to help make the cat feel more secure.
- Perches and Hammocks -> Perches should be wide enough to allow the cat to fully stretch out and hammocks help to make the cat feel hidden.
2. Provide Multiple Resources
This category includes feeding, drinking, toileting, scratching, play and sleeping areas. It is essential there are multiple resources in multiple areas which are separate from each other. As cats are solitary animals, it is important they don’t have to fight over resources. Ensuring there is enough for each cat helps to eliminate stress and allows natural behaviours to be expressed.
What can we provide?
Cats should have a choice for each resources (2 food bowls, 2 resting areas etc). Food and water bowls should also be separated. Locations should be in a private and safe place to prevent stress. Scratching behaviours should be encouraged and indoor cats should be able to see outside.
3. Provide Opportunity to Provide Play and Hunting Behaviour
Cats should be encouraged to play! This can be done through the use of toys, playing with us or through feeding devices. Cats have a high natural drive to pounce, chase, stalking and killing prey so it is important we can help them express behaviour. We can do this by using and exciting all of their senses! Playing helps to prevent boredom and frustration.
What can we provide?
Food → hide food around the house, scatter food for the cat to catch and hunt, use puzzle feeders or timed feeders to promote small and frequent meals.
Play → wand toys can mimic flying prey or ground prey depending on the movement of the toy and large, soft toys can be attacked and bitten. The cat should be rewarded with the toy or a treat!
- Outdoor access provides great opportunities for natural behaviours
- Ensure there are multiple toys of different varieties to prevent conflict
- Toys should be suitable for the age of the cat! Cats should always be supervised when playing (small parts can be eaten!)
- Regular play is important, keep it exciting!
4. Provide Positive and Consistent Human Interaction
Cats benefit from positive and regular interaction from their owners. Positive handling from a young age leads to less stressed and fearful cats as they get older.
How to interact with a cat – do not force an interaction, let the cat come to you by crouching low and avoiding eye contact. Cats should be allowed to sniff your hands and begin to feel relaxed in your company and speak in a calm, soft voice. Each cat will have individual preferences on what it likes and dislikes so always respect when the cat has had enough!
Kitten socialisation period is between 2 and 7 weeks which means it is crucial during this time to be handled appropriately by ideally 4 different people. This helps to teach the cat that humans aren’t scary! Short and frequent handling sessions (around 1 hour per day) have shown this produces friendly adult cats.
Signs a cat is relaxed when interacting:
- Slow blinking
- Purring or chirruping
- Facial rubbing or head bunting
- Trying to climb onto your lap
- A relaxed roll which shows the belly (but don’t be tempted to touch it!)
It is important to remember that your cat’s preferences may change as it gets older (changes in senses and mobility) so it is important to do what your cat likes best!
5. Provide an Environment that Respects Their Sense of Smell
Cats use smells to analyse their surroundings to ensure it is safe. Olfactory information means smells are detected through the nose. Chemical information is detected by the vomeronasal organ and the signals are called pheromones. Cats produce pheromones and use them to communicate with other cats and deposit them by facial or body rubbing. Scent marking makes the cat feel safe within their living area.
What can we do?
- Avoid using cleaners, detergents and scented litter that can assault the cat’s senses and inhibit the social messages
- Scent is also deposited through glands in the feet so scratching areas are vital
- Avoid cleaning areas that have been facially marked
- Pheromone diffusers can help make cats feel more relaxed and safe
For further reading and information, please refer to the ISFM website –
