Scientists concluded this week that cats are as clever as dogs. Behaviour expert Dr Sarah Ellis explains how to use their intelligence to fix common feline problems
My cat is needy. He wakes me up by scratching on the window at 4am
New research by scientists at Kyoto University in Japan has shown that cats are as intelligent as dogs and perform just as well at memory tests. It is understandable, then, that they need mental stimulation. Cats hunt nocturnal prey, so they are most active at dawn, dusk and night-time, and they can get bored overnight. Provide them with entertainment – use “puzzle-feeders”. These are ball or tube-shaped toys that release bits of food when rolled just the right way so your cat is stimulated, and it takes longer to get their daily food ration. Make your own by putting dry food in an empty plastic bottle and cutting a few small holes in the sides.
We tend to feed our cats two meals a day. However, cats can hunt up to ten times a day, so they are used to eating little and often. If you’re wondering something like ‘can a cat go without eating?’ The answer is yes! But not for long. My cats are exclusively puzzle-fed. I also make sensory boxes – fill a box with leaves, pine cones, feathers and catnip, and add a few biscuits or a squeaky toy, so they have to hunt through the “undergrowth” to get it.
Nonetheless, sometimes cats might not eat or may show signs of loss of appetite when they are sick. Especially if they have worms, they might not eat well since they would feel bloated and uncomfortable at all times. This could make them weaker as they are not consuming enough nutrition. You could try out home remedies such as apple cider vinegar before giving it prescribed medicines. You might want to take a look at websites such as eHome Remedies, if you are having questions like “will apple cider vinegar kill worms in cats?” running on your mind.
How do I train my cat to stop using the litter tray and go outside?
Don’t force it – your cat should relieve itself where it feels safe doing so. If there are lots of other cats in the area and he doesn’t feel safe, keep the tray indoors. However, if there is a reason you cannot have a litter tray or you really hate them, check that your garden has a suitable spot. A cat needs a soft, easily rakeable substance that they can dig a hole into, coupled with feeling safe and private. Create a space from an empty bed area, with plants around the periphery and sand or soil in the middle.
My cat is scared of the neighbour’s cat and won’t go outside. What can I do
Make sure you have a microchip catflap so that the despotic cat cannot get into the home. You can also cat-proof your garden with a fence by getting in touch with contractors that provide chain link fence knoxville (or nearby). This can stop other cats from getting in. Make secure areas for your cat too, with lots of places to hide – pot plants and evergreens to provide cover, particularly around the catflap, because it can be daunting to emerge from it and be confronted with an open, exposed space. Also, create a few raised places – tree stumps, shelving, walkways and platforms – that will make them feel safer.
My cat miaows constantly. The only time she is quiet is when she’s asleep
Cats miaow for a reason. First, you need to recognise why your cat is miaowing; there is a need that is not being fulfilled. Are they hungry, bored or need attention? Can you provide that in ways that you are both happy with?
I suggest that you incorporate puzzle-feeders (see above) into your cat’s daily life so it takes longer for them to get their daily ration of food. Reinforce the quiet periods by training and rewarding. However, if your cat really is just miaowing for extra food, ignore them and only feed them when it is on your terms.
Every time you tell a cat to be quiet, or get up and let it outside, or give in and feed it, you are strengthening that behaviour. Even if you ignore the miaows for three days and then feed it extra food on the fourth, that is intermittent reinforcement, which is addictive for the cat.
My rescue cat will suddenly turn and hiss or scratch when I’m stroking him
Cats like low-intensity, high-frequency interaction, ie little and often. Learn to read the signs so that you can tell when they are no longer enjoying the interaction. Cats sometimes appear to lash out without warning but there are subtle signs we can read, such as the skin on their back twitching, tail swishing, ears rotating backwards and the cat’s head turning towards your hand. So stop stroking and take up the interaction another time.
My kitten will pee on the newspaper beside the tray, but not in it
There are lots of reasons why cats won’t use their litter trays. If everything is fine medically, the tray could be too high for a kitten, particularly if it is happy to urinate on the newspaper leading up to the tray. Or maybe the litter you have bought is different from the one that the breeder or rescue centre used. Some litter brands have wood pellets that are too big for cats’ sensitive paws. Or maybe the tray is not cleaned often enough. You could also try using newspaper in the litter tray.
I live in the city. Is it safe to let my cat outside?
I am pro-outdoors and I have a cat-proof fence so that my cats can go into the garden but cannot get to the road. Try to keep them indoors at high-risk times, when the roads are busiest, although a quiet country road with intermittent traffic catches cats out just as much. Do training and recall with treats so they come when you call.
My cat keeps bringing in birds and mice – how can I make her stop?
Hunting is an innate cat behaviour, so provide other outlets for that need, such as playing with them outdoors. Make big wand toys with sticks and feathers that get them jumping and chasing and fulfils the desire to hunt, and teach them that being in the garden is good fun. I also scatter treats in the garden (when out there with them) and play “recall” games in different directions, rewarded with treats.
My cat hates being left in the kitchen overnight
Explore why this cat does not like the room. Are there unpleasant noises? Do you put your washing machine on overnight? The range that cats can hear is much broader than ours. Where are its toys and bed located? Make sure they are not somewhere noisy, ie on top of the washing machine. And is there a patio window? If so, other animals could be peering in and distressing your cat.
My cat ignores the scratch post and scratches the sofa
The scratch post may not be high enough, or it may have a platform that means the cat cannot fully stretch, or it may slip when the cat tries to use it (wedge it between two bits of furniture). You can train cats away from sofas. They have scent glands in their paws and release pheromones, as well as other odorants, when they scratch. They do it to condition their claws, to stretch and flex muscles, and to mark territory. So encourage them to use the post by putting some of their scent on it. Rub their chin while wearing a light cotton glove, then rub the scent on the glove on to the post.
My cat hates being picked up, even though he is normally friendly
The correct way is to use both hands – one round the chest under the front armpits, the other hand supporting the bottom. However, cats have to learn to like being picked up. If they have not experienced it aged two to seven weeks, when they are most receptive, it is less likely that they will enjoy it as an adult. There is no reason to pick them up because we can train them to come to us.
When I leave the room he jumps on to the kitchen surfaces
First of all, remove the temptation – keep the surfaces clean. This is exploratory behaviour and cats are opportunistic. Provide them with other opportunities to exploit so that you remove the motivation for the behaviour. Puzzle-feeding (see above) will keep the cat occupied and provide a food source.
I leave my cat alone during the day and worry that he is bored. Should I get another cat to keep him company?
There is no need – cats do not crave the social attention of another cat. Certainly do not introduce one adult cat to another; they would be the least likely to get along. Instead, think about ways of keeping a cat happy and entertained: safe outdoor access, windows to look out of, interactive toys (balls that are in tracks, for example, or ping-pong balls) and puzzle-feeding. Try nobowlcat.com – as an alternative to feeding bowls, the website sells mice-shaped fabric containers with holes that you fill up and hide, so your cat can spend the day hunting them.
