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Remember, your cat's yearly examination is the most important part of its health care

Cats Only Veterinary Clinic

3416 Riverside Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43221

(614) 459-4105  Fax: (614) 459-5704

Hours: M 8-6, T-Th 8-8, Fri 8-5, Sat 9-2pm

The Cats Only Care Manual

A Guideline for New Cat Owners

DefineYour Cat’s Territory

Confinement is just like placing a baby in a playpen until the child becomes mature enough to be safe in its environment.  It is not cruel.  Just as a child learns to amuse itself when in the playpen, your cat will do the same.   A large dog crate made of nylon fabric or plastic  will provide enough space for your cat to sleep, eat and play and will have enough space for your cat as it grows.   Instead of the whole house your cat will now instinctively consider the crate as its “home” or “territory”.   And it’s portable, so it goes with you and your cat when you travel or move.  Provide a clean litterbox, food, and fresh water in your cat’s space.  Be creative and provide interesting things for your cat or kitten to jump on, climb over, hide in, and play with (cardboard boxes, paper bags, and crumpled paper make great toys).  You can enjoy and interact with your cat when you are home and able without having to worry about what is happening when you are not with your cat.  As your kitten grows it can and will spend more time out of the crate.  Eventually the crate door can be left open for free access unless confinement is indicated.

The benefits of defining a smaller “territory”:

1.Defining a safe, secure area for your cat.

2.Protecting your home.

3.Protecting your cat.  Cats don’t know anything about               the dangers of toxic plants or electrical cords.  Smaller             areas feel safer to your cat.

4.Promoting appropriate behaviors and preventing bad                 habits from developing.

Remember from the previous discussion, that a cat’s territorial instinct is very strong, and it is this instinct that causes the most problems between cats and their owners.

   

Urine marking, scratching, biting, and fighting are all directly attributed to this instinct.  Cats are born deaf and blind, but even as newborns they possess a keen sense of smell.  This sense of smell (400 times more sensitive than humans’) is instrumental in identifying territory.  Scent marking usually takes 3 forms: spraying or urinating (done by both males and females), clawing or scratching which deposits odor from the scent glands located on the front feet, and rubbing, which deposits odor from the scents glands on the face.  Having its own territory and possessions provides your cat with a sense of security.  Changing a cat’s environment is very stressful. 

The Litterbox

One of the nicest things about cats is that they come instinctively housebroken.  Give them litter and they will use it. That is because cats cover their excrement to keep their environment clean and to conceal their presence from predators.  This behavior relates back to the wildcat’s small territory.  On the other hand, if the box is not to the cat’s liking they will just as readily stop using it.  Encourage litterbox use by keeping the box clean (remember they have very sensitive noses!) and use a litter that is small in size and low in dust and fragrances.

Place the litterbox in a quiet, yet easily accessible spot, and do not move it if possible.  Leave your cat alone when it is using the litterbox so that it does not feel threatened.  It is best to have 1 litterbox per cat plus one.  For example: a 3 cat household would need 3 boxes plus one for a total of 4 litterboxes.  Also, remember that the size of the box should change as your cat grows, the box length should be about 1.5 times the length of the cat.  Please call at the first sign of inappropriate elimination behavior so any medical problems can be identified or any bad behaviors can be dealt with before they become bad habits.