It’s time to enter our Cattastic CatHaven Cat Contest. You and your cat(s) could win a Large, Multi-tiered CatHaven cat tree, delivered right to your front door!
Please read Contest Rules here. Contest is for a limited time. Good luck!
Category: Responsible Pet Ownership
CatHaven answers the question, how do I provide outdoor adventure to an indoor cat?
How do you solve the dilemma of having an indoor cat, but giving him/her access to outdoor adventure? We understand purr-fectly – we have the answer!
CatHaven’s green leafy foliage sets it apart, creating wonderful play and privacy areas that your cat will love. This amazing cat tree is handcrafted with soft, silky realistic looking leaves, a sturdy, scratchable turf base and three perfectly spaced durable, comfortable carpeted perches attached to a realistic looking trunk.
Learn more about CatHavens here! We offer four styles to meet every human’s space requirements and every cat’s needs.
Do you have a harmonious multiple cat household?
Current statistics on U.S. cat-owning households (there are about 90 million today) show that nearly one half (49%) of these households own more than one cat. (source: Armandhammer.com) Those multiple cat households must have somehow figured out how to achieve feline harmony in their homes.
Basically, the way to a peaceful feline home is to make sure that there are enough resources and space for your cats. If your cats know they have options on where they can eat, sleep, play, and use the litter box, all the better. If all of your cats have only one option, that’s an ideal setting for territorial disputes and added stress among them. We have a few pointers on how to create and maintain harmony in your cat household.
The initial introduction of cats to each other should be gradual and stress free. If possible, keep the new cat in a separate living quarters in your home, with their food, litter box and toys. Your “incumbent cats” will know about the new cat, but not have the stress of direct contact. After a couple of days, gradually allow your “incumbent” cats to approach the new cat, keeping their contacts short and sweet. After a few more days, you will have achieved a successful introduction.
Our strongest recommendation: invest in vertical play spaces. Cat trees, shelves and window perches are ideal solutions for giving your cats privacy in an off-the-ground location. Cats like height, so it’s an ideal solution.
Your cats needs outlets for exercising and scratching. Leave plenty of scratching devices around your home. Whether they are horizontal, vertical or slanted pads, they will protect your furniture as well as your sanity!
Allow each of your cats a separate food bowl . If you have common water bowls, have several in different areas. A water fountain designed for multiple cats is a great way of managing this, just make sure to keep the fountain and the water it holds clean and fresh.
Keep as many litter boxes in your home as the number of cats. One of the worst problems can arise when cats have the use the same box. Territorial issues may arise, causing them to “spray” the litter box, which signals to the other cats to stay away. No one needs to have cats depositing in undesignated areas of the house. Once that “out of box” behavior starts, it’s hard to stop it.
Finally, monitor your cats’ interactions. It’s better to observe body language and catch an early warning signal so that you can diffuse any tension and avoid an out-an-out battle. One great technique for diffusing attention is to pull out a wand toy that immediately draws their attention away from one another and on the moving object (the toy on the wand).
Congratulations on your multiple cat household. May you and they live harmoniously over all of their nine lives!
Why hire a cat sitter for a short week end absence?
Companion cats rely on their humans for food, water and the occasional treat. Other than needing food and water, cats seem to prefer an independent life. So why not just set out a three-day supply of it when you leave the house for a long weekend?
Two keys reasons. First, your cats need companionship, whether it’s yours or whether it’s someone with whom you entrust their care. Keep their stress levels down by providing them with the attentiveness of a caregiver. A qualified cat sitter will ensure that your cats have adequate food, water and supervision. Second, your cat sitter will contact the veterinarian if your cats become ill or injured.
If your cats need special attention or medication, it’s all the more important to make sure your cat sitter visits your home at least once or twice a day. Administering meds should be as consistent a routine as possible, for the cat’s well being. A cat’s health can deteriorate quickly (you may have experienced firsthand with your cat) and the right care may save your cat’s life.
According to professional sources, it takes about 30 minutes for a professional cat sitter to care for one cat per visit. During the visit, the sitter will feed and water your cats and change the litter box. A cat sitter also will play with your cats, so be sure to leave plenty of toys — including a few new ones to keep your cats entertained.
If you hire a less experienced person, such as a neighbor or friend, make sure you choose someone reliable who will be able to come by at least once a day for at least 30 minutes. For cats who don’t need special medical attention, a capable friend is a satisfactory option.
Be sure to ask any cat sitter about their previous cat care experiences. Keep in mind professionals are typically insured, which provides additional peace of mind. Professionals should provide you with at least two references and you should follow up with them. You should also ask them what would they would do if your cat becomes ill or if there is an emergency.
Leave out a full set of care instructions for your cat sitter, including the location and frequency of feeding, litter box cleaning, locations of toys, treats, and grooming tools. A complete set of instructions should be provided for medications and where those are kept. Provide your phone numbers for emergencies and the number of your vet’s office and emergency vet’s office (if different). Professional sitters should come out to your home ahead of time to meet your cat(s), become familiar with where their things are located and ask questions.
Hire a qualified cat sitter and give yourself and your cats the gift of peace of mind when you need to go away.
Outdoor cats – what they do that you don’t know
OK, so your cat has had his dinner, and is now pleading to you to let him outside, using his most convincing, nagging meowwwwwww. You oblige.
So….what’s your cat’s next move? Any number of potential adventures awaits him.
Unless your cat is Didga (see the picture above), I would suspect he is completely on his own, at will to come and go as he pleases. Here are just a few of the many options he has available to him, depending on his environment and the time he spends out there.
- He finds and chases insects (name your preference); birds; rodents and other wildlife. Keep in mind your cat is not wild, he is domesticated and not created to run wild. However, once his hunting instincts kick in, he would tell you otherwise.
- If he’s lucky enough (again, from his perspective), he will catch them, play with them, and then consume them, in part or in full. He may even bring the remains, intact or not, to your front door, as his gift to you.
- Your cat may end up very sick from eating these various vermin, which may cause him and you much distress and cost you a pretty penny at the animal hospital. If he’s fortunate, he will recover.
- Crossing the street is another routine, as your cat will undoubtedly want to get from Point A to Point B. It may be a quiet street, rarely occupied by vehicles. On the other hand, it may be a busy highway. It doesn’t matter to your cat. He will try to cross it. (Can you tell where this story is heading?)
- Your cat likes to think that all humans are kind and really, really like him, just like you do. He is trusting. Unfortunately, the world has both kind people and those who are nasty to animals.. Will he lead a charmed life and never encounter any of the nasties out there, while outdoors? We hope and pray so, but it’s not certain.
- Finally, what happens if the sunny, mild weather suddenly changes into a dark, threatening thunderstorm. Where will your cat go to seek shelter? He may run right home to you if he’s close enough, but that’s not always possible. As for me, knowing my cat might be out there cowering somewhere would really bother me to think about.
As you can see, it’s not all sun and butterflies out there. And, as you can tell, we definitely have a bias in this matter, and believe that companion cats should, whenever possible, remain indoors. However, we understand it’s entirely up to you as a responsible and cat loving human, to make that decision.
Fortunately, there are plenty of cat toys and safer diversions available for indoor cats. We invite you to go to MyThreeCats.com and check them out!