How can modern life conflict with cats’ natural needs?

Just like us, cats can struggle to adapt to human life, the rat race (or rather, mouse chase?) can stifle their natural instincts and not all felines thrive in a domestic environment. The saying goes: “Everybody wants to be a cat,” but not all cats are aristocats. Many cats will long for that shadow of their former selves: to run amongst the free, untamed cats of the wild. Or maybe they dream of escaping captivity and living as a street cat, uninhibited by schedule’s, canned food or being patronised and treated as an adorable ball of fluff. 

Perhaps your pretty kitty longs to catch salmon in a bustling stream, or hunt down birds to their paw’s desire. Maybe the hustle and bustle of the city or of our busy 9-5 lives is utterly foreign to the somber, introverted cat. Anyhow, it’s important to recognise and acknowledge the signs that a cat is struggling to adapt to your lifestyle, routine or environment so you can provide them with the support and encouragement they need to thrive in the modern world.

• Cats have needs linked to their feline nature
• Cats are territorial animals. They like to feel in control of their environment
• They want to freely access any part of their territory. This is especially important for essentials like eating, toileting, resting, and playing
• Cats are also rather solitary animals. They do not easily share their territory and resources with other cats

Space

Many cat lovers now keep their cats indoors. Space can be limited with little or no access to a garden. 

Autonomy

Cats tends to be solitary animals and like to be their own boss. A pet cat cannot decide where and when they are fed and sometimes have to share resources with another pet. 

Calm

Cats are calm animals who like routine and quietness. Conversely, living with us brings noise and variety of activity.

Freedom

Cats do not like to be constrained. Facing a closed door or window, or even another pet or a child may represent a challenge for them.

Stability

Cats like a secure and unchanging environment, whereas their owners enjoy traveling and discovering new locations.

Two’s (or three’s) a crowd

Many of our feline friends refuse to get along with other cats. This could be due to bad experiences with other paw pals at some point in their lives. Or if your cat grew up in a solitary environment, they might react strongly when presented with another pet, out of the blue. As outlined before, cat’s dislike change or disruption to their space and routines. So lack of socialisation at a young age can have a big impact.

Play fighting

One aspect of, rather, a cat’s life that humans may fail to understand is mock aggression. This comes in the form of biting, hissing, clawing, scratching, attacking and chasing another clawed specimen. If the behaviour is reciprocated, this is a completely normal form of play among young cats.

A load of litter

Cats can develop elimination problems, causing them to avoid their litter box either for urination or defecation, or avoiding it altogether and settling for another area of the house or, perhaps, even, to your dismay, your beloved furniture. This can become a chronic problem and the best solution is to make sure their litter box is cat-friendly, right off the bat. Some examples of things you can do to maintain a positive litter experience include: keeping the litter box clean, making sure there are enough boxes for each feline household member, there is too much litter in the box, it’s uncomfortable or hard for your cat to access, it’s too small for them.  Ensure you’re identifying any problems they may have with their litter early on, and look for red flags in their behaviour. Although not guaranteed, this is going to provide you the greatest likelihood of success in the litter department.

Let the cat out of the bag

Did you know cats were deities in ancient egypt? Yep. Representing justice, fertility and power, many gods were depicted with cat heads and treated with utmost respect and devotion. This is the kind of royal treatment your kitty deserves. No wonder they’re meowing over that crusty old box of yours.

We have a range of cat products to provide your noble feline the greatest comfort and stability they can dream of, from cat litter boxes decked out with scratch posts, to the finest quality pet broth. There’s something for every pet. If your cat demands the finest quality then WONDERPETS will be paw-fect for your little fusspot.

Visit our collection to find out how you can help your cat.