Cats must express natural behaviors to stay happy and healthy, and nurturing these instincts can enhance your feline friend’s well-being and strengthen your bond. Our Peak Pet Urgent Care team knows your cat has a unique personality, and we provide tips to help your whiskered friend demonstrate their wild side.

1. Understand your cat’s need to express their instinctive behaviors

Evidence suggests that cats have been domesticated for more than 10,000 years, but the feisty felines still retain their wild ancestors’ natural instincts and behaviors. If your cat is not allowed to express these instincts, they may experience detrimental effects, such as:

  • Boredom — Cats are often touted as low-maintenance, but your feline friend needs mental and physical stimulation to keep them engaged and prevent boredom, which can lead to behavioral problems.
  • Stress — Cats who are not properly mentally and physically stimulated are prone to stress, which can have numerous negative effects on your cat’s health.
  • Behavioral problems — Boredom and stress can cause feline behavioral problems, such as destructive scratching, eliminating outside the litter box, and aggression.
  • Health issues — Chronic stress predisposes cats to health issues such as urinary tract problems, gastrointestinal complications, and skin conditions.

2. Encourage your cat’s hunting instinct

Even the most pampered cat has a strong drive to hunt, stalk, pounce, and capture prey. Use toys that mimic prey movements to encourage your feline friend’s hunting instincts. Feather wands, laser pointers, and small toys they can chase and bat help satisfy your cat’s hunting instinct needs. 

3. Help your cat use their claws appropriately

Your cat doesn’t scratch your furniture to make a statement. This instinctive behavior helps them maintain their claws, mark their territory, and stretch their muscles. If you don’t provide appropriate scratching areas for your cat, they will target your curtains, carpet, and upholstery. Considerations that will help encourage appropriate scratching include:

  • Scratching surfaces — Scratching posts have several scratching surface options, such as sisal, carpet, and cardboard. Offer several options to determine your cat’s preference.
  • Orientation — Your cat has vertical scratching days and horizontal scratching days, so provide scratching posts with different orientations to meet your feline friend’s scratching needs.
  • Location — Cat scratching posts aren’t typically the most decorative item, but your cat is unlikely to use a post hidden in the back bedroom. Place scratching posts in your cat’s playing and resting areas to help encourage use.
  • Stability — Ensure your cat’s scratching post is stable, so they want be startled if it falls over when they sink in their claws.
  • Number — If you have multiple household cats, provide enough scratching posts to appease all your felines to prevent bullying.

4. Allow your cat to enjoy an elevated position

Cats love to climb and survey their territory from a high vantage point. This behavior is linked to their need to spot prey below and stay safe from potential threats. Provide cat trees, shelves, and other vertical spaces where your cat can climb, perch, and observe their surroundings. Window perches are also great for this purpose.

5. Let your cat seek solitude

Cats often seek out hiding spots to feel secure, especially when they feel threatened or simply need to rest quietly. Create cozy hiding places using cat tunnels, boxes, or dedicated cat houses to help your feline friend feel safe and content.

6. Make your cat’s mealtime more exciting

Feral cats typically hunt around 12 hours per day, which is much more stimulating than a bowl of food set in front of you twice a day. Encourage your cat’s natural foraging behavior by using puzzle feeders or hiding small food portions around the house. This makes mealtime more challenging and rewarding. 

7. Let your cat venture outdoors

Consider letting your cat have some supervised outdoor time. Options include:

  • Cat enclosures — Also known as “catios,” these outdoor enclosures provide a secure space where your cat can explore the outdoors without the risks associated with free-roaming.
  • Leash training — Some cats can be trained to walk on a leash and harness. This allows them to explore the outdoors safely under your supervision.

By understanding and nurturing your cat’s natural instincts, you can create a stimulating and enriching environment that promotes their well-being and prevents inappropriate behaviors. Do not hesitate to contact our Peak Pet Urgent Care team should your feline friend need urgent veterinary care.