Cat Welfare

WHAT IS CAT WELFARE?

1. Compassion & Respect

2. Should not be made to suffer

3. Cats should be able to carry out natural forms of behavior

4. Not to be used for experimentation

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AS A CAT OWNER?

Playtime.....

It's fun isn't it?, it is a very important role to your cat than what you think. It should be something that is incorporated into your cats every day routine as it is a key to their physical & mental well being.

By playing with your cat it will help with their confidence levels, general fitness & help reduce boredom. You need to think like your cat, what do they like to do?, do they prefer to catch mice or climb trees?, this will help you decide what toys are best suited for your cat, such as furry mice or feather like toys that you can dangle somewhere.

The game needs to be realistic for your cat, make sure that playtime is interesting, vary the toys that you use. Vary the movements from fast to slow, hide the toys under a rug or behind something, this will make playtime more exciting & more realistic. They will utilise all their hunting skills, like speed.

Which brings me to hunting.....

This is an instinct in every bred of cat. Whilst they do not need to hunt for food, their instinct tells them to hunt for prey.

Hunting is also playtime and an important role for cats, it will help with boredom but also help with their physical & mental well being. Whilst we do not generally like the prey that they bring to us, they are proud of what they have presented you with and it is a sign of respect. Never, never punish your cat or tell him/her off for their behavior.

Behavior.....

A cats behavior can not be compared to human behavior. Cats can sometimes act "crazy" but to them this comes from their natural instincts. Spraying is their way of marking their territory, to reduce this and if you don't plan on breeding your cat, the best way is to have them neutered.

Cats like to keep their claws sharp. They need to be trained where the appropriate place is to scratch (not on the back of your lounge suite!), there are a number of products & toys that you can use, like scratching posts, ask your local vet for the best choice.

Discipline issues with your cat are best handled by raising your voice and using the word "no", physical discipline does not work and can cause aggression problems. Cats will respond when they are awarded for positive behavior and told off for bad behavior.

Cats were made to be outside and be very independent, their instincts show through all the time and whilst we may think it is bad behavior, to them it is their natural makeup.