Do cats help cope with stress?
They even help a lot!
It is believed that 15 to 30 minutes in the company of a cat can calm nerves and improve mood
. And owners of purrs will confirm that pets really help reduce stress levels. Surveys show that 74% of owners felt positive changes in their condition as a result of purchasing a pet.
Another observation: videos of cats on the Internet have a positive effect on the emotional background, including helping to cope with negative emotions. From this we can conclude: if the cat in the video affects our mood so much, being next to a real cat must be even better!
Relieving himself in the wrong place or marking territory
Most cats from an early age only go to the litter box, as they are quite clean animals. But there are also those who relieve themselves throughout the house. Such behavior must be weaned off immediately, otherwise you will have to come to terms with it later.
Every owner's dream
It may be that the pet simply began to mark its territory. This is normal for both male and female cats. The animal thus asserts itself, or tries to attract a sexual partner. In such a situation, the best solution is to sterilize the cat, since this procedure will help make the animal less aggressive and relieve it from the need to mark its territory. You should not try to solve this problem differently, as this will probably not lead to anything good.
If a pet just goes to the toilet anywhere, then the owner himself is often to blame. He probably didn't litter train his pet. It is for this reason that the kitten needs to be shown from an early age where it is possible to relieve itself and where it is not. If an adult animal begins to walk where it is not necessary, then the reason for this may be stress or illness. It's best to take him to the vet to make sure he's in good health.
Behaves untidy
Cats are very clean animals, but there are also slobs among them. They can spill litter for the tray, carry food far from the bowl, and drop things. This leads to chaos in the house, leaving homeowners wondering what to do.
Naughty kitten
Usually this happens either because of instincts or because of character. In both cases, it will be difficult to re-educate the cat. But there are ways to solve these problems.
What to do:
- If the animal takes food out of the bowl, then you need to purchase a deeper container for food. Perhaps the animal is simply uncomfortable eating from a small bowl. You should also feed only in places where your pet will not be disturbed. The pet must feel that no one will take away his food;
- The problem of litter spilling out of the tray is also easy to solve. You can purchase a special indoor toilet house for your pet. The animal will be able to dig in it as much as he wants, and the filler will not fall on the floor;
- If a cat likes to throw off or throw objects, then she should be scolded for this from childhood. In the case when it is too late to retrain, you just need to put all the items in closed boxes, and not leave them in a place accessible to the cat.
Capricious in food
There are cats that eat absolutely everything, but there are also quite capricious ones when it comes to food. Demanding pets prefer only high-quality food, often meat or fish. They won't eat just anything, so feeding them can cost a lot of money. In addition, it is not always possible to please such a pet.
The reason for this behavior is often improper upbringing. If the owner pampers the kitten with delicacies from early childhood, then he will not eat porridge as an adult. By the way, representatives of some breeds are capricious in food from birth, and it is difficult to do anything about it.
If the cat has recently begun to refuse food, and such behavior is unusual for it, then you should monitor its condition. Perhaps the pet caught some kind of virus. This can even happen to a domestic cat that has never been outside. This is why veterinarians recommend that animals be vaccinated annually. If you are interested, you can find out the price of cat vaccination here and read about the details of the procedure. Vaccination will protect your pet from many diseases.
Kitten vaccination
If your pet has always been picky about food, you should behave as follows. You can try to gradually add cheaper products to your favorite delicacies. You may be able to find an inexpensive alternative to the food your pet loves. But you should buy only high-quality food, since the animal must receive all the necessary elements.
Spoils things
Some cats like to destroy things. They chew on indoor plants, wires, and sharpen their claws on furniture. This is not only unpleasant for the owner, but can also lead to the death of the animal, for example, from electric shock.
The reason for this behavior may be:
- Lack of attention;
- Dissatisfaction with something;
- The cat simply has nowhere to sharpen its claws.
An item for sharpening claws must be purchased and placed in the place where the cat usually sharpens its claws. The animal will become interested in the new object and switch from the furniture to it. Alternatively, you can trim the cat’s claws a little so that he can’t damage the sofa too much. And of course, you need to pay enough attention to your pet. If he tried to attract attention in this way, after affection he will stop behaving this way.
As for those animals that like to chew objects, they need to be scolded for this. You can solve the problem easier by hiding wires and other things in which the cat shows similar interest.
Active at night
There are pets that are active at night and sleep during the day. At late times, they interfere with the owner’s rest by running around the rooms, meowing, or even attacking a person.
There is nothing unnatural in such behavior, because cats are nocturnal animals. It is their nature to hunt at night and rest during the day. But this can be fixed if you put in the effort.
What to do:
- You should start playing with your cat during the day so that she gets tired at night and sleeps well;
- You can also reward her with treats for being active at the right time.
It is important not to pay attention to your pet’s meowing at night, otherwise it will repeat itself regularly. Many animals stop misbehaving when they do not receive a reaction from a person.
It is necessary to be tolerant of the shortcomings of your pets and raise animals. This is the only way to teach a cat to behave correctly. The main thing is not to be too cruel with your pet and not to show aggression. All punishments must be without the use of force, otherwise the four-legged friend will become fearful or aggressive towards the person.
And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed
Do cats help lift your mood and reduce anxiety?
As already mentioned, while playing with cats, our body produces dopamine and serotonin
that improve your mood.
A 2021 study found that cats may provide benefits to humans by boosting mood and reducing anxiety. It has also been proven that pets help owners meet new people and make friends.
How, when and what to feed your cat?
This is perhaps one of the most common questions that a veterinarian has to answer every day. The nutrition of domestic cats should be structured according to the same rules as for cats walking on the street, but taking into account certain needs that are typical for keeping them at home.
The diet should contain:
- all necessary vitamins and minerals in the correct concentrations;
- easily digestible and complete proteins with sufficient energy value;
- fiber and prebiotics to help owners combat the common problems of litter box odor and hair regurgitation.
All these characteristics are optimally matched by Purina® PRO PLAN® Adult cat diets - balanced nutrition in dry and wet formats, made according to a special recipe developed taking into account all the needs of cats living at home. The Purina® PRO PLAN® Adult line contains the prebiotic inulin, which helps fight litter box odors and normalize the balance of your cat's intestinal microflora.
The animal must be provided with constant access to food - dry food in this case is most convenient, because it can be left freely available for a day or more.
How does purring heal?
The fact that purring really helps you relax is a well-known fact. But did you know that it can also help a person's bones and muscles recover faster?
I'm not kidding! Purrs typically create vibrations between 20 and 140 GHz. And some studies claim that frequencies from 18 to 35 GHz can have a positive effect on the healing of various injuries
. So, if it suddenly happens that you pull a muscle while jogging, now you know who to turn to (but, of course, don’t forget to look at the doctor).
Why should you have a cat at home?
Author Sergey Korolev
05/17/2019 14:37 (Updated: 10/23/2019 14:19)
Zoosphere » Cats
Is your child pestering you with requests to have a cat at home? Do not resist this childhood desire, because a furry creature can bring not only happiness to your family, but also help you survive all sorts of troubles and conflict situations. Here are three reasons why you should get a cat.
The cat knows very well where you shouldn't sleep. An amazing fact is that cats subtly sense abnormal zones in an apartment or house, and if you place a bed in them, you are unlikely to be able to get enough sleep, relax and unwind. But if you fall asleep in such areas, you will get headaches and constant insomnia. Other illnesses may worsen due to lack of sleep. In order to sleep well, it is enough to take a closer look at the behavior of your pet, pay attention to where it sleeps and most often spends time. It is considered a good factor if your cat constantly climbs into your bed and does not leave it in your absence. This means that the place you have chosen to sleep is optimal and does not pose any threats. If the four-legged one ignores your bed, then it’s time to start rearranging the house.
How do cats affect sleep?
Many owners claim that they sleep much better in the company of a cat than in the company of another person.
This is true not only for cats, but also for other pets. And recently a sleep clinic came to the same conclusion. According to their data, 41% of people say that animals have a positive effect on their sleep
. But there were also 20% who said that having a pet in the bed, on the contrary, prevented them from sleeping.
A cat in the house - good or bad?
I read the article and looked into the mysterious eyes of my cat. She immediately looked at me and purred back at me in a friendly manner. Our girl is very talkative, we communicate with her constantly. They say that in families where animals are talked to, they also speak more in response. Our Basya is very talkative. When the potty becomes dirty, it starts meowing and invites you to follow it, calls you to clean it up - so there is no smell in the house at all. There’s a lot of wool, of course, but that’s why there are rags, brooms, and a vacuum cleaner in the house, because it’s not just the cat that causes hair in the room, for example, as soon as the puddles dry up, a dusty haze hangs over the city, so even if there’s no cat in home - there will be plenty of dust in any case. Basya also always reports that her bowl is empty, and she needs to put food in or pour water. One day, she didn’t see that I had just poured fresh water into her drinking bowl, ran out of the room and immediately jumped onto the side of the sink to drink running water, she loves it. And I tell her: “Fable, I just poured you some fresh water, go drink from your cup.” Basya understood me perfectly, immediately jumped off the side of the sink and headed towards the drinking bowl. But when I feel bad, my girl immediately comes running, climbs on top of me and lies down exactly where it hurts, and lies patiently until it gets better. She knows when to come, you can’t just hold her in your arms, but if necessary, she will sit as if glued, even if you let go of her, she asks to go back again, pulling her paws. And about toxoplasmosis and other bad things - who is stopping the cat from being treated? Ours got shingles in childhood, when she was still a little kitten, the doctor said it was brought from the street on her feet. Indeed, stray kittens were always thrown into our entrance; the cats walked in packs until they installed an iron door with an intercom. We quickly cured her of deprivation, now she is a fluffy black and white beauty, and none of us got deprivation, despite all the well-known horror stories. Regarding fleas - once a year we use a flea remedy for cats - then for a whole year we don’t see a single one. Our pet’s only whim is to sharpen the remnants of her claws (I trim them off for her periodically) only on the sofa upholstery, mainly on the sides. There the upholstery is already simply combed with her claws. We tried to buy a “repellent” and spray it on it. It’s good that it was in the summer - it stank so much that neither we nor the cat could go near this sofa, all the windows and doors were kept wide open around the clock until it evaporated. That's why I'm not thinking about buying a new sofa yet. Regarding shoes, during periods of heat our cat likes to take care of our son’s shoes, sometimes leaves him odorous messages nearby, but sandals are quite easy to wash, I have German liquid for such cases, and if it happens in winter, then it’s even easier - Basya mostly leaves his messages on his shoes, the inside usually remains dry. I have an allergy, where would a modern person be without it, but thank God, not to cats, not to dogs, and not to dust, and not to cat fur. So I don’t know what other harm a cat can do? When mice appeared in the house, Basya regularly caught them, I then ran after her, took them away, we were afraid that she would inadvertently get poisoned, what if the mice ate some kind of poison in the basement. So, I think there are benefits from cats, and they also provide enormous pleasure. If I don’t see my furry girl for more than three hours, I get bored without her, I start looking for her everywhere. Of course, some people may not like cats, but I think that’s their personal business. All people are different. Our cat lives in our apartment, she only walks on the balcony, so she doesn’t disturb anyone, and we simply adore her. I once read in a textbook on medieval literature how it was possible for a traveler, having come to a city, to immediately determine which woman was a good housewife, which of them could, without fear of refusal and insults, ask for a drink of water, or even get some kind of treat ? It turned out to be very simple - you had to contact the woman who had a cat in her house.
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What to do?
Walking on your own is a huge risk to the life and health of cats, that’s a fact. Therefore, if the owner is not able to provide safe walking, it is necessary to minimize the risks of “confinement within four walls.”
Cats are quite capable of adapting to life exclusively at home, especially if they have lived this way since childhood. And it is better to keep elderly and disabled cats exclusively at home. However, it is worth considering that cats accustomed to living outdoors may have difficulty adapting to indoor life, especially if brought into the home as adults (Hubrecht and Turner, 1998).
The increase in the number of cats kept as pets is in many cases due to people's perception that cats do not need to be walked and that they can live in a small space and be content with a litter box. However, to minimize the risks associated with keeping a cat indoors, it is necessary to provide the cat with 5 freedoms.
Indoor cats require more attention from their owner than cats that have access to the outdoors. This may be explained by the fact that these cats require additional stimulation because they live in a poorer environment (Turner and Stammbach-Geering, 1990). And the owner’s task is to create an enriched environment for the purr.
If you decide to provide your cat with access to the street, make sure that it is safe both for her and for other animals. For example, you can set up a safe area in your garden for your cat to walk from, where she cannot escape, or walk her on a leash.
