A stress and fear free life

Different climbing options for cats

There are various options for creating appropriate three-dimensional living spaces, regardless of budget and size of your home.

Cat climbing furniture can range from simple cat shelving and window perches to multi-level walkways. There are hundreds of ideas on the internet so take a look and see what you could create.

1.3 Somewhere to go to the toilet regularly

Either in a suitable area outside or in a litter tray inside – well away from where they eat and sleep.

Cats prefer to pass their waste where they feel safe and then bury it. They should be able to access their toileting site without having to pass other cats or things that make them anxious – such as a noisy washing machine.

The litter tray must be kept clean and free from faeces and urine. Unless you use a clumping type litter it should be emptied at least once a day – otherwise, your cat will refuse to use it and may mess on the floor instead.

You will need to provide the same litter as what they are used to from their previous home/rescue centre and find out if your new cat prefers open or enclosed litter trays. If you are unsure provide a choice to work out what they prefer.

It is a good idea to provide one litter tray per cat, plus one extra in a different location – especially if your cats are kept indoors.

If possible, place trays in different quiet, private areas of the home, away from the food and water bowls.

Most cats prefer to use a litter tray that is easy to get into and large enough for them to turn around in with ease. For adult cats, the recommended size is one and a half times the length of your cat, from their nose to the base of their tail.

If you are housetraining a new kitten, it’s a good idea to add a little of the old litter to the fresh litter when cleaning the tray – this will encourage them to use it until they are fully housetrained.

Make any changes to the tray, the litter, or its location, very slowly to avoid toileting accidents. If your cat does mess anywhere other than the litter its extremely important not to shout at them or punish them, as they will not associate this punishment with going to the toilet in the wrong place. It will only make them fearful of you and going to the toilet in general causing behaviour problems.

If you are encouraging your cat to go to the toilet outside, you will need to provide a suitable area close to the house where your cat feels safe. Cats like to go to the toilet in a private area such as in between bushy plants in a boarder and even better if it has loose soil or wood chippings for them to dig. An outdoor raised bed with nice loose light soil and or wood chippings will encourage your cat to go to the toilet in an area that won’t disturb your neighbours or damage your plants!

Cats are free-roaming creatures and have a natural tendency to wander.

It can be hard to keep them to the confines of your own garden.

At the same time it can be very annoying for neighbours to see your cat going to the toilet in their garden so you need to encourage your cat to go to the toilet in your garden.

If your cat starts going to the toilet in the wrong place in your home their may be a behavioural or medical issue causing this.

Please see our leaflet on house training your cat for more information.

1.4 Safety from poisonous plants, household items and other dangers

Did you know there are many plants that are harmful to cats and kittens?

A few of the more common houseplants/cut flowers are Chrysanthemums, Lilies, Cyclamen and Amaryllis.

There are many more plants that are poisonous to cats but the main plant group to be aware of is lilies.

Contact your vet promptly if your cat has eaten any part of a lily or pollen has brushed onto their fur.

Special cat grass is good to give to cats if they like to eat grass or chew on plants. Many cats eat grass to help them get rid of fur balls!

Chemical Poisons

Keep all cleaning and garden chemicals safely shut away, and keep your cat out of the way when using them. Always keep your cat away from domestic products such as paint, and varnish removers, household cleaning products, rust remover, glue and fire extinguisher chemicals, as they can all cause poisoning.

The fumes from products such as varnish and paint remover can also be dangerous, so don’t let your cat in the room when you are using them, and wait until the fumes have dispersed before letting the cat back in.

Some types of weed killers (those containing paraquat) are extremely dangerous for pets and humans alike.

Antifreeze is extremely toxic –store and dispose of it safely.

Rat and mice poisons are another hazard for cats – both through eating the bait, and from catching poisoned rodents. Many of these poisons are coloured for easy identification – so if you have seen the bait, make a note of the colour.

Slug pellets particularly those containing metaldehyde are poisonous.

Either use a non-toxic form of slug control, or cover treated areas with chicken wire so that pets cannot get to them.

Nemaslug and Growing Success slug killer are safer alternatives.

Falling from height

Cats love to climb, but they can also fall. Falls from balconies are common and can cause horrific injuries that can be fatal. Prevent falls by making balconies and windows safe with wire mesh. If your cat does fall from more than one storey, he should be checked by your vet, even if your cat appears to be fine, there is a risk of internal injuries. Get your cat checked after any fall if he seems to be behaving strangely.

1.5 Access outside or not?

Keeping cats indoors

Cats can adapt well to an indoor life if they are kept indoors from an early age, but cats that have been used to going outside may find it more difficult to adapt. Gables doesn’t recommend keeping a cat that is used to going outside, as an ‘indoor-only cat’ unless it is for health or safety reasons. It can cause a lot of stress and frustration.

If your cat doesn’t have the freedom to go outside, you still need to provide everything they need to stay healthy and happy. Make sure they have enough space to exercise, climb and play indoors and include a variety of resting places for them to use.

Giving cat’s access outside

Roads are the greatest danger for cats. It is a good idea to keep your cat indoors at night (serving a tasty treat at nightfall encourages your cat to come home!).

Making your home and garden/ yard as interesting and fun as you can will encourage your cat to stay close to home. As cats get older they tend to stay home more, so if you do live by a busy road getting an older cat will be much safer.

A reflective collar makes your pet more visible, but make sure you use a safety collar - not an elasticated or buckled one as they can cause horrific injuries.

Neutering makes your cat less inclined to roam.

Cat flaps

A cat flap is a good way to give your cat access to your garden. But a conventional one also allows other cats to enter your home. This intrusion can be very stressful for cats and can be linked to stress-related medical problems.

But a solution is easy: choose a cat flap that operates by a microchip, so it will only open for your cat.

We highly recommend these and sell them in our shop. Your cat doesn’t then have to live outdoors in extreme weather conditions until he is let in or be shut inside until you come home. If your cat cannot control his environment he will become quite stressed and frustrated.

2. Healthy diet

Your cat needs a well-balanced diet to stay fit and healthy as well as access to clean drinking water at all times.

How much your cat needs to eat will depend on things such as age, how active they are and their general health.

If they eat more or less food than necessary, they will become overweight/underweight and may suffer.

Cats need a meat-based diet to stay fit and healthy so your cat is not suited to a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Cats of different ages have different nutritional requirements. One of the best ways of ensuring your cat has the right nutrients is to feed it according to its ‘life stage’.

Kitten Adult Senior

Kittens need more calories because they have so much growing to do and senior cats need fewer calories as they are less active.

To ensure your cat gets all the nutrients they need you will need to feed them wet or dry commercially made cat food. There’s a wide range of products now available, in either dry or wet form, but whatever prepared food you choose, always read the manufacturer’s instructions.

Feed your cat every day, preferably splitting the daily ration into several small meals throughout the day.

Food should be placed in an area where the cat feels safe and away from their water bowl and litter tray.

If you have more than one cat feed them far away from each other - even if they are good friends!

Always ask your vet for advice on what, and how much, to feed your cat and once you’ve found a balanced diet which suits them, stick to it. Treats are a nice surprise for your cat but they should be given in moderation or she may pile on the pounds! Try to stick to cat food treats rather than leftovers or raw meat, although a little bit of well cooked fresh chicken or fish is okay.

If your cat eats dry food, using feeding balls to give some, or all, of your cat’s daily food ration can help to lessen boredom and provides some exercise.

Changing diets suddenly can lead to upset stomachs. Ask your vet for advice if you need to change your cat’s diet due to their age or health problems.

Cats cannot be fed dog food, as it doesn't contain all the nutrients they need. They need higher protein levels and dog food can give your cat an upset stomach.

There are a few simple regular checks you can make yourself to help check that your cat is a healthy weight:

 Make sure you can see and feel the outline of your cat’s ribs without excess fat covering.

 Your cat’s belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side.

 You should be able to see and feel your cat’s waist and it should be clearly visible when viewed from above.

 If you are in any doubt about your cat’s weight, always talk your vet.

Some cats are simply fussy eaters but they may also stop eating because of stress or illness.

If your cat stops eating

 Try offering a range of different wet and dry foods at different times - making sure you introduce new foods slowly.

 Try offering wet food at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge - in general, cats prefer this.  Try tempting a fussy cat by warming food up a little to increase the aroma - make sure it is not too hot!

 Try sitting down with your cat, stroking her on her cheeks and head and encourage her to eat.

 Look at the location of where you are putting your cats food bowl.

She may not like it and a change of location to a quieter spot can help.

Most importantly get her checked by your vet as she may have something wrong with her teeth, which is causing her pain.

Water

Some cats choose to drink from a natural water source, such as a puddle or pond outside, because they dislike the taste of chlorinated water or the taint from a plastic bowl. Even in these situations, fresh water should still always be available indoors in case their outdoor source dries up or becomes inaccessible. Ceramic or glass bowls are preferred by cats.

Others prefer a dripping tap, or to dip their paw into the water and drink off their paw.

Don’t give them milk – it can cause diarrhoea and stomach problems.

Cats that are fed on an entirely dry diet tend to drink more water, but

if your cats drinking habits change, e.g. she is noticeably drinking more water or less, this may be an indication of a medical problem so contact your Vet. 3. Ability to express normal behaviour

3.1 Handling cats

Just like us, most cats want love and attention too. Keep all interactions with your cat short and sweet. Always allow her to move away if she wants to - she should never feel ‘trapped’ by you.

Most cats are quite nervous by nature so you will need to handle them gently, quietly and carefully to build a bond. They should then enjoy and seek out your love and attention.

They do prefer attention on their terms instead of yours so once you get to know your cat, you will understand her preferences. Don’t immediately walk up to your cat and pick her up. First, get to know her and let her smell you and check you out.

Stroke her lightly on her head and cheeks, and if she feels comfortable you can run your hand down onto her shoulders. Speak to her in calm, soothing tones.

Most cats are not keen on you touching or stroking their tummies even if they roll on their backs when you are interacting with them! Using treats will help you gain their trust and associate handling with good things! Cats don’t like loud or sudden movements, so when you are around your cat - be quiet and move slowly. Once she gets to know you and your family she will feel more confident and settled. If you have quite a loud and busy home then make sure your cat has somewhere to hide and get away from the noise and hussle and bussle of family life.

Not all cats enjoy being picked up but are happier to be fussed on their terms. These cats have often had a bad experience when being handled in the past, or have had a lack of handling when they were very young.

Cats are naturally ‘flight’ animals so if they are scared or intimidated they are going to make all efforts to get away.

This may mean that they inadvertently scratch or bite in order to make their escape quickly. By letting the cat be handled in its own time, the chances of this happening are greatly reduced.

Food rewards are a great way to interact with your cat and encourage positive handling.

Cats generally feel more secure when they have all four feet on the ground. Nervous cats find the notion of being picked up quite a stressful one so it is more important to let these cats demonstrate affection on their terms rather than imposing it on them.

They may prefer to be stroked and groomed where they choose to settle by you - this is also an effective way of bonding with your new cat.

An important trait to remember about cats is that they generally don’t like change so if you do anything to their routine or your home such as DIY or moving furniture make any changes gradually.

3.2 Socialisation

Cats need to be socialised from a young age, which means gradually introducing them to everyday sights, sounds, smells, different people of all ages and other pets in your home.

It is also extremely important to make sure kittens are handled gently as much as possible. This is one of the most important things for a young kitten to experience, especially in the first ten weeks of their life.

Good, early socialisation leads to friendly, well-adjusted cats. Sadly, without positive early experiences, cats can become nervous, which often leads to problem behaviour, including aggression.

3.3 What’s normal behaviour for my cat and how can I encourage it?

Although cats spend most of their day sleeping, when they are awake they love to play. A game with your cat can be fun for both of you, and gives her the chance to use her natural stalking and chasing instincts. All you have to do is provide the prey!

Games are important for cats as it stops them getting frustrated, destructive and aggressive. If your cat is an indoor cat then play is even more important.

Even senior cats love to play - it keeps their minds active and is great for their mobility. Play is a great form of exercise, which cats need daily, as it will help to control their weight.

Cats that have free access to the outdoors will often engage in hunting activity, including playing with fallen leaves or grass blowing in the wind if there is no access to prey.

The drive to hunt in domestic pet cats is not triggered by hunger. Each part of the hunting activity –the stalk, pounce, play and kill releases feel-good hormones called endorphins.

This is why it is important that our pet cats are given frequent opportunities to play to keep them mentally stimulated.

Toys

A cat’s natural instinct is to hunt, so toys that allow them to ‘pounce on’ and ‘kill’ their prey are ideal. Toys like laser pens can leave a cat frustrated as they can’t finish the play with a ‘kill’. If you’re going to use a laser pen, aim it at a toy they can bite and ‘kill’ so they can fully express their natural behaviour.

The best kinds of toys to encourage this natural behaviour are those that move quickly and unpredictably.