Behaviour

The main thing to remember about cats is that they are not small dogs!

In the wild, cats live as solitary individuals, or in huge colonies with large territories.  Although cats can be very happy as pets in our homes, we need to consider how best to meet their needs for space and choice.

Many of the diseases we see in cats (including cystitis and overgrooming) are often related to stress, and the things that cause this can be very different between individual cats. Sometimes it can be obvious (e.g. building work at home), but for some cats it can be something minor happening with another cat a mile down the road!

The more cats we have at home, the more complicated these politics become! A good general rule is that you should always have one more of every resource than you have cats
i.e. if you have two cats, you should have three litter trays, three water bowls, three food bowls etc

For more advice and information on this fascinating subject, take a look at the International Cat Care website:

https://icatcare.org/advice/cat-behaviour

Please call us for an appointment if you have any concerns about your cat’s behaviour. There are often simple causes that can be ruled out or medical conditions that we can treat. If not, we can recommend referral to an APBC accredited behaviourist to help get your cat feeling their normal selves again.