Building a Strong Connection With Your Purr Baby

A lot of people love cats because their independence makes them relatively easy to care for.  Cats retain their wild instincts with one paw in our human hearts and the other in the wild.  In this post, we will discuss building a strong connection with your purr baby!

Providing for your cat’s physical needs.

Personal Space  

Cats are very territorial and need an area that is theirs.  They also have the instinct to hide.  A good way to balance the two is to leave a cat carrier out with a blanket inside.  Please don’t wash the blanket too often as the kitty will find its own scent reassuring.  This will also make trips to the vet easier, as the cat will not have a negative association with its carrier.

• Height: Cats like to climb high because they are both predators and prey in nature.  They want to survey their territory and feel safe above predators.
• Food and water: Food and water should be placed somewhere quiet and safe, but also not too close to the litter box. I mean…. we don’t like to eat in the bathroom, and neither does your cat….  
• Litter box: The litter box should be about the length of your cat to be roomy.  Most cats prefer unscented litter.  You can try different types to see what your cat likes.  
• Scratching post: Cats are going to scratch.  In nature, their claws ensure they can climb to escape predators or scratch to defend themselves.  Their instinct is to maintain their claws.  Provide a variety of scratching post shapes and materials until you learn what your cat likes.

Provide for your cat’s emotional needs

As we said, cats have one paw in the wild, so it’s important to give them opportunities to express their natural instincts. 

1. Food: Cats are natural hunters, so eating from a bowl all the time can be boring.  Providing enrichment opportunities for cats to play or solve puzzles to get to their food will prevent them from getting bored.
2. Play: Cats like toys; they give them a chance to practice their hunting skills and this encourages activity.  It’s important to change toys regularly (you don’t always have to buy new toys, you can just circulate what is out at any given moment).
3. Interaction: Time with their owners provides for the emotional needs of cats. Playing with your cat with toys is a great option.  You can get laser pointers or flirt poles, anything will work!  Your cat may also just enjoy cuddle time.  Any interaction is great!

Learn to communicate with your cat

Body language

Watch their body language.  Cats express a lot and if we don’t pay attention and their needs are not being respected, they can become more and more direct.  This could be perceived as aggressive when In reality, the cat may just be scared.  Some body language to notice:

• Neutral: Ears are forward or slightly to the side with a loose tail.
• Interested:  Tail is up, ears and whiskers are slightly forward.
• Nervous: Head is turned away or facing away from the source of irritation, and the tip of the tail is flicking or twitching. They tuck their bodies down and lower their tails.
• Scared: Cats don’t move when afraid; they flatten as low as they can with their tails wrapped around their body. They are literally scared stiff.
• Flight Mode: This is when they are ready to run in fear. You will see a poofy tail, ears down to the side, and they often back away or meow loudly.
• Defensive: Sometimes a scared cat feels the need to defend itself. The cat’s ears are down, it shows its teeth, and raises its paw, ready to strike.
• Offensive/Aggressive: This happens when we ignore the earlier signs cats can give us.  A cat will move its ears forward, keep its tail low, and often waves it back and forth. It often keeps its rear up, ready to pounce. 

 Vocalizations

Kittens communicate with their moms through meows, but they naturally outgrow it in the wild.  Ferals and wildcats do not meow at each other as adults, but your cat knows you talk!  They actually develop a meow style (through trial and error) to communicate with their owners.  Pay attention- this language is just for you- it won’t translate to other cats or humans. 

Handling your cat correctly

The age of socialization can greatly affect how your cat likes to be handled.  Between 4-8 weeks, cats easily learn to trust humans and become comfortable being held.  After this period, they can still learn about us, but the process will be slower.  Some cats will become very cuddly, but on their own terms- I have one cat that hates when I pick her up, but she loves to cuddle when I’m seated or lying in bed.  Many cats don’t like to be held because it triggers similar feelings as being carried away by a predator, it’s a loss of control and a feeling of insecurity. Cats that don’t enjoy being held will often enjoy being in your lap or snuggled with in bed- it’s on their own terms and they feel more in control. Sometimes it is necessary to hold a cat, and often people scruff their cats when they are resistant to being held.  

Scruffing  

Many people scruff cats anytime they need to restrain their cat.  This could be for medication or just to transport the cat to a carrier.   Here are some reasons not to:

1. It triggers fear- ats scruff each other in the wild to subdue an enemy in a fight.  Scruffing will increase fear, anxiety, and stress and increase the likelihood of your cat trying to fight back thereby causing an increased risk of injury to you
2. Scruffing can be painful- mama cats carry kittens this way, but kittens weigh much less than adult cats and also have more flexible necks.

Alternative to scruffing

1.  Purrito cat: Wrap your cat in a towel.  This will restrict their movements, but they will not experience that instinct to defend themselves as strongly.
2. Loosely held: Loosely hold the cat in the way it prefers.  Many cats want to hide their faces, so if you let them bury their heads into the crook of your arms, they will feel safer and you don’t have to hold them as tightly. Holding their bodies close to yours, regardless of the direction they are facing can help them feel more secure.

Sources:

Hopefully, you have found some of these tips helpful.  If you would like to read the articles I read for the information, here are my sources: 

Bradshaw, J. (2013). More than a feline. New Scientist, 219(2934), 44–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0262-4079(13)62247-2

Taylor, A. F. (2020). Literature review on the handling and restraint of cats in practice and its effect on patient welfare. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 35(6), 162–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/17415349.2020.1754986

Fear free pets. Fear Free Pets. (2022, December 7). Retrieved December 23, 2022, from https://fearfreepets.com/

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