13/07/2024
A cat’s level of comfort in their environment is intrinsically linked to their physical health, mental wellbeing and ultimately their behaviour. Understanding the cat's species-specific environmental needs and how they interact with their environment will give us the foundations for providing the cat with their fundamental requirements.
Environmental needs relate to their physical surroundings; the home they live in, the outdoor space they have access to, the space, structure, and physical objects within their home and social interactions with caregivers, visitors, cats and other animals.
There are five fundamental pillars that contribute to a healthy feline environment:
🏛 Providing a safe place
Somewhere private, secure and often raised for a cat to retreat to if they feel threatened. As a solitary hunter, the risk of injury represents a serious threat to survival. Avoiding all threats and confrontations where possible is an effective strategy to aid survival. Providing individual hiding places, that the cat will not be interrupted in, allows the cat to feel safe and retreat in times of real or potential threat, as well as being a place to relax and sleep day-to-day.
🏛 Providing multiple and separated key environmental resources: food, water, toileting areas, scratching areas, play areas and resting areas
Cats need to have access to their key resources without feeling challenged by other cats or animals. Privacy while eating, drinking and toileting is particularly important to minimise distress. Separation of resources prevents contamination, reducing the risk of disease spread.
🏛 Providing opportunity for play and predatory behaviour
Despite the provision of food from humans for pet cats, their instinct to display predatory behaviours is still very strong. In cats with freely available outdoor access, predatory behaviours can take up significant parts of their day, requiring significant physical activity and mental engagement. Indoor only/restricted access cats have reduced or no opportunity for such behaviours, which can result in obesity and/or boredom and frustration. Providing opportunity for predatory-like behaviours in alternative ways can greatly help keep the cat in good physical and mental condition ➡️ play with toys and puzzle feeders.
🏛 Providing positive, consistent and predictable human-cat social interaction
Our interactions with cats should mimic, where possible, the friendly behaviours bonded cats demonstrate to one another to promote a positive human-cat bond. A cat's genetic dispositions and early environment can greatly influence their perception of humans in general.
🏛 Providing an environment that respects the importance of the cat's sense of smell
Cats use a variety of chemical signals (known as pheromones) deposited from their body at various sites (e.g. cheeks, chin, base of the tail) to interact with their environment and communicate with others. Ensuring we do not disturb such messages is especially important (e.g. removing them through cleaning) because this can be extremely stressful and contribute to problematic behaviours.
Read more about making your home cat friendly 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/making-your-home-cat-friendly/
