Some of the necessary concerns when fascinated by the well being and happiness of your cat is their sense of territory. Understanding how cats understand and survey their territory may help you present a extra harmonious surroundings, decreasing stress, stopping behavioral points, and growing total happiness.
Territory is a cat’s secure house the place they will really feel safe and in management. It’s the place they eat, sleep, play, and have interaction of their pure behaviors. A cat’s territory can embody the house as an entire, or it may be divided into smaller areas, with sure sections reserved for particular actions like taking part in, searching, consuming, utilizing the litter field, and sleeping.
Cats sometimes really feel the most secure when they’re able to observe their environment from up excessive. Because of this some cats like being on high kitchen cupboards, doorways that aren’t completely closed, and even curtain rods. Whereas these locations don’t appear to be they might be snug, vertical areas – together with cat bushes, cabinets, or perches – assist cats to really feel safe and accountable for their surroundings.
Cats use scent as their main method of marking and understanding their territory. They’ve scent glands on their cheeks, paws, and tail, they usually use these to depart their scent on objects round their surroundings and mark them as “theirs.” This habits, generally known as scent marking, reassures them that the house is theirs. When a cat rubs in opposition to items of furnishings, partitions, blankets, and even on you, they’re “scent marking.” This helps them to ascertain a well-recognized surroundings the place they’re snug and in management.
One other method cats mark their territory is by scratching. Scratching leaves each visible and scent markers – don’t overlook they’ve scent glands of their paws. Offering scratching posts, sisal posts, or scratch pads will permit them to fulfill this primary territorial intuition with out scratching your furnishings or curtains.
Territory concerns are notably necessary in multi-cat households. Cats can set up social hierarchies with the dominant cat claiming one of the best spots within the dwelling – the best perches or coziest, sunshine-filled beds. This will result in battle, particularly if house or sources are restricted. Cats might hiss, growl, or swat to defend what they understand as their territory.
Dominant cats most probably received’t wish to share their prized sources so it’s essential that a number of litter packing containers, meals and water bowls, perches, and napping areas are supplied. It’s going to assist keep away from disputes, scale back stress, and permit every cat to really feel secure, and relaxed. That is additionally why it’s so necessary to introduce cats slowly over the course of every week or two. When a brand new cat is introduced into the house, the unique cat might really feel threatened and can want time to regulate to a brand new member of the family.
Cats are very delicate and they’re creatures of behavior. When cats really feel threatened by adjustments to their territory – corresponding to shifting, rearranging furnishings, or including a brand new pet – they will react with inappropriate behaviors, together with not utilizing the litter field, not consuming, or overgrooming to the purpose the place they’ve bald spots. Adjustments needs to be launched regularly if potential and acquainted objects like blankets, toys, perches, or cat bushes needs to be stored in order that they nonetheless really feel “at dwelling” within the new house.
Understanding how your cat feels about their territory will enable you to create a extra cat-friendly surroundings that meets – and hopefully exceeds – their desires and wishes. Respecting and contemplating your cat’s pure territorial instincts will assist them reside a happier, more healthy life.
Love, Nala