GETTING READY
Bringing a cat into your home is an important decision and preparing its arrival will guarantee success.
Make your home cat safe
Get rid of plants that are poisonous to cats
Put away cherished small ornaments
Put away electric wires
Go shopping
Bringing a cat into your home is an important decision and preparing its arrival will guarantee success.
Make your home cat safe
Get rid of plants that are poisonous to cats
Put away cherished small ornaments
Put away electric wires
Go shopping
Carrier basket Interactive toy Scratching post
Make your home cat-friendly
Choose a quiet place to put your cat’s bed
Place the litter box away from the food bowls and away from the rest area
Set up high places for your cat to climb
Provide places where your cat can have visual access to the outside world
Choose a quiet place to put your cat’s bed
Place the litter box away from the food bowls and away from the rest area
Set up high places for your cat to climb
Provide places where your cat can have visual access to the outside world
What toys?
When choosing toys for a cat, it is important to keep in mind that cat play should mimic naturally occurring behaviour like hunting and catching. One very successful one is “Da Bird”.
When choosing toys for a cat, it is important to keep in mind that cat play should mimic naturally occurring behaviour like hunting and catching. One very successful one is “Da Bird”.
Made of a rod, string and an attachment, either feathers or a mouse, this toy calls on the cat’s natural instinct to catch birds or rodents. Moreover, it is quite athletic as it requires the cat to jump in the air and run around in order to catch its “prey”. It has been shown to be irresistible to cats and has entertainment as well as exercise value. Play times are interactive (cat/owner) and will exercise and tire the cat, thus preventing boredom, sedentarity and obesity.
Another valuable toy is the “Cat Dancer”.
Another valuable toy is the “Cat Dancer”.
Made of a piece of very flexible wire with rolled cylinders of paper at the end, it bounces every time the cat bats it. It takes very little to make it move, even a draft will do the trick and it will
therefore attract the cat’s attention very easily. It is very good for solo play and will keep the cat entertained when it is alone. Here again, it can prevent behavioural problems due to boredom.
therefore attract the cat’s attention very easily. It is very good for solo play and will keep the cat entertained when it is alone. Here again, it can prevent behavioural problems due to boredom.
A third interesting toy is “Mouse in the House”.
A timer allows you to select how often the mouse comes out and crosses the room. This will definitely keep the cat entertained, also creating some anticipation in the cat’s mind and keeping its interest titillated. Moreover, the toy has a large red button that the cat can press to cause the mouse to come out. This toy has therefore training value, teaching the cat that its actions can have an effect (operant conditioning), which is stimulating of the cat’s intelligence and also contributes to giving it the feeling that it is in control of things. This toy creates the necessary conditions for the cat to use its natural stalking, hunting, catching skills and should keep it happy and stimulated when alone at home. The training aspect can also be used later when its owner wants to teach it other skills.