The animal charity Blue Cross ran the Big Pet Census in 2022 to find out more about British pets. 51% of those who responded said that they owned at least one cat. Almost every owner said that their cats are part of their family, treated with affection and indulgence. The most interesting result from the whole survey was from their final question; if your pet was able to answer one question, what would you ask them? The answer they received back from almost every respondent was;
‘Are you happy?’
What to look for
If you know anything about cats, you know that they don’t convey their feelings through their facial expressions. Generally, they lick their lips when they’re apprehensive, swish their tails to show anger and stretch when they’re receiving fuss. But cats also lick their lips when they’re feeling sick, and purr when they’re upset or badly injured. So how do you know if your cat is happy?
The most important thing is to know your cat and treat him or her as they want to be treated. There are cats who trust humans to pick them up and ruffle their tummy fur, and others who will not tolerate being touched anywhere but the head. Some who will sit on laps when they choose but will not be picked up without a struggle. Judge the cat’s tolerance by the way it reacts to what you’re attempting to do. If he relaxes, he approves (for now, at least) but if he watches what you’re doing intently and is preparing to move away, he isn’t keen.
There are some types of fuss that no cat will appreciate – stroking her fur in the wrong direction (tail towards head), trapping her paws, pulling her tail. Especially, ruffling her whiskers will disturb a cat. The whiskers are their early warning system of a gap too narrow for the rest of their body to get through, so whisker ruffles raise an alarm in their mind.
Food, Water and Safety
First, make sure they feel safe in their space. Whether that’s a semi-feral cat with a shelter outside that he can retreat to, or a house-cat hiding under the bed from an overenthusiastic young visitor, every cat needs to know that they won’t be threatened or disturbed at home. And yes, make it a comfortable space!
Second, make sure they have a supply of clean water. Maybe they drink from the pond, your glass of water, rain caught in a plant saucer… all those sources are fine and valuable (okay, don’t share your glass of water). Make sure there’s clean water in a saucer they can drink from, especially if you have elderly cats in the house or if you give them dry food to snack on.
Third… you know they really loved that duck flavoured food in jelly? And you bought them a lifetime supply and now they refuse to touch it? Well, cats love variety in their food as much as you or I. Feed them that duck three times then switch to something else -supermarket own brand, scraps of fish or lamb you didn’t eat yourself – then back to the duck flavour. Make every day a surprise. If they really won’t eat one of those foods you bought? Try swapping cat-food with a friend or neighbour who has cats – some of their rejects in exchange for yours.
Fourth – a litter tray indoors will be a godsend to elderly cats and those who don’t like to venture outside in rainy weather. Who does? It will also have their scent in it, which will reassure them that this is their territory. The often quoted rule is one tray per cat plus one tray, but the more important rules are – put each tray where they won’t be disturbed, never near their food or water bowls and keep it clean.
Give them fuss
Last – they are sociable creatures. Ignore the books that say that cats are aloof. Watch them. They follow you around, right? Sit with their backs to you and ignore you, maybe. But if you move to a different room, you might find that the cat follows you within an hour and settles down to ignore you there. So let them know that you love them. Tickle them under the chin if that’s what they like. Dangle a shoelace or a feather for them to pounce on, if they’re bored and playful. Give them a treat like a lick of the cream pot occasionally.
Above all, catch their gaze and give them a long slow blink. That means ‘I love you’ in cat language.
We’ll make your cats happy too! Book them a stay at our cattery.
