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Real Estate Reality Check
Is Your Cat’s Environment Part of the Problem?
An often overlooked element in behavior modification is the environment in which the cat lives. How it is set up influences how stimulated or bored the cat becomes, her level of security, how companion cats interact with each other, and how social the cat may choose to be with humans. The environmental choices you make for your cat also affect her physical health. No behavior modification program is complete without reevaluating your cat’s living conditions. Even if you think you’ve done a good job with the environmental setup, there’s always room for improvement. As you read through this chapter, I’m sure you’ll find some ways to tweak your cat’s environment to make life better or assist in solving behavior problems. Remember, no starting from scratch retraining plan is complete without taking the environment into consideration.
INDOOR/OUTDOOR
This is a major issue, so we must start here. This is a subject that can create division among cat owners faster than the twitch of a whisker. Decisions you have made regarding if or when you let your cat outdoors may be contributing to her behavior problems.
The indoor/outdoor decision has many underlying issues and each one can have an effect on behavior. Indoor/outdoor life ranges from cats who are kept outdoors exclusively to ones who live only indoors. In between, there are many variations. Some owners allow their cats to roam outdoors during the day but bring them in at night. Others do the reverse. Some cats are allowed outdoors only while owners are there to supervise. Others are leash-trained and go outdoors only while harnessed. Frighteningly, I have also seen cats tethered to deck railings to keep them in a confined area. Many cat owners buy or build outdoor enclosures to keep their cats confined while outside. There are also companies selling electronic containment systems (such as invisible dog fences) modified for use with cats (a very bad idea, by the way).
I have strong opinions on the indoor/outdoor issue, but I believe most cat owners make decisions about it with their cats’ best interests at heart. Sadly, though, many of those decisions are made without being fully informed. It’s not just a black-and-white issue of in versus out. You have to know the possible dangers of your decision if you are choosing to let your cat outside. If you’re thinking of letting your cat go outdoors, you must also take into account the area in which you live, the personality, health, and age of your cat, and what your true motivation is for your decision.
If you’re at all familiar with my books and behavior modification techniques, you know I’m a firm believer in keeping cats indoors. My stance isn’t the emotional one you may have experienced from others in your life who might strongly disagree with your decision. If you allow your cat outdoors, you should know not only the hazards your cat faces but also how being outside may be contributing to a current behavior problem.
Let’s go through the dangers first. Your motive for letting your cat outdoors may be based on wanting her to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and to let her indulge her natural hunting desire. In theory, that sounds great, but your cat may pay a high price for it. First, depending on where you live, she is at risk of injury or death from being struck by a vehicle. Even if you think your cat is street-savvy, her focus can be diverted if she’s stalking prey or escaping an attacker. You also have to keep in mind that a cat who was street-savvy in the past isn’t as capable as she ages and her senses decline.
An outdoor cat, though very fast and smart, is at risk of confrontation with dogs, other cats, and also cruel people. As fast as a cat is, she’s not built for long runs. She has the lung capacity of a sprinter, so a dog giving chase might overtake her.
Cats are territorial, and every time your kitty heads outside, she may have to face other cats in the neighborhood who are rougher and tougher. There may be a cat in the area who wants to limit your cat’s ability to roam. You may think your cat is happy every time you open the door to let her out, but she may actually be anxious over what awaits her out there. She may even be the rough and tough cat herself. Either way, it puts her at risk.
Even though you may keep your cat’s vaccinations up-to-date, there are numerous diseases that she can still acquire outdoors. If you don’t keep your cat vaccinated, then she is totally vulnerable to a number of debilitating and deadly diseases.
When your cat comes in contact with another cat, she may get injured in a fight in ways you may not be aware of at first. Cats are very susceptible to abscesses. An abscess is typically formed when a cat sustains a bite wound from another cat. The canine teeth of the cat are very sharp and they create a narrow but deep puncture wound. If the wound seals over on top, the bacteria remain trapped beneath. As the infection grows beneath the skin, the cat may be in much pain in that area. Eventually, the area swells with pus and is usually warm to the touch. The cat might cry out in pain when petted or touched in that spot. She may also develop a fever. Immediate veterinary care is needed so the abscess can be flushed and cleaned. A drain is usually sewn in surgically to allow the wound to heal from the inside out, and the cat is put on a course of antibiotics. Abscesses are painful and the recovery is uncomfortable. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the injury until it does actually abscess and create a possibly life-threatening situation. Your cat doesn’t necessarily have to willingly engage in a confrontation to end up with an abscess. When I was a veterinary technician, I saw plenty of cats with abscesses on their hind quarters. They just weren’t fast enough when attempting a retreat.
While outdoors, your cat is at risk of acquiring parasites. Depending upon where you live, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes could be a health concern. Many cats commonly have flea-bite allergies as well and end up with hair loss. Fleas are also hosts to tapeworms, so if your cat has fleas, chances are she has tapeworms as well. Many times a cat owner is fooled into thinking the cat doesn’t have any fleas because none is seen in the hair. Keep in mind that the cat’s fastidious nature and self-grooming can make it hard for you to find a flea. Heavy flea infestation can result in anemia, especially in young, old, or weak cats. Tick bites pose a risk of tick-borne illnesses. Mosquitoes can carry heartworm. While dogs are the more common target of heartworm, cats are still susceptible. If you allow your cat outdoors, even for a few minutes, she must be protected against fleas, ticks, and heartworm. Be sure you talk to your veterinarian about which products are best for your cat. Don’t buy over-the-counter products at pet supply stores or supermarkets. Your veterinarian will help you choose the safest and most effective product based on your cat’s health, weight, and age.
Your cat may love to hunt while outdoors, but there are dangers associated with eating prey. Prey can carry parasites and disease. Cats also ingest whatever poisons the prey may have eaten.
Fresh air and sunshine are wonderfully beneficial, but there are also weather-related dangers for your cat while outdoors. In very hot weather, your cat is susceptible to heatstroke if she can’t get into a cool enough environment and doesn’t have access to drinking water. Because there is less hair on the cat’s ears and nose, she is additionally at risk of sunburn. Repeated sun exposure can lead to the risk of skin cancer. Hot surfaces such as asphalt or concrete can burn the cat’s paw pads. At the very least, they can create pain if the cat has to walk on those hot surfaces. In very cold weather your cat is susceptible to frostbite, especially the ear tips. Paw pads are vulnerable as well to frostbite and extreme discomfort due to contact with cold, icy surfaces. Another cold weather danger is antifreeze poisoning. Cars notoriously leak antifreeze, and it’s not unusual for it to be spilled when someone is pouring it into the radiator. The taste of ethylene glycol is sweet, which attracts animals to it. Many cats die from antifreeze poisoning every winter. Car engines also pose a deadly risk in winter. Cats are attracted to the warmth of the engine and often crawl up in there to escape the cold. I’m sure you can imagine how horrific it is for the cat who is sleeping there when the engine is started up. A painful death, for sure.
Because of your cat’s fastidious grooming nature, she’s also at risk of being poisoned if a toxic substance gets on her fur. She may rub against something or a chemical may spill on her as she investigates the neighbor’s garage. She’ll groom her fur to remove the substance and ingest the poison.
You may want your cat to enjoy outdoor life but your neighbors may not share your sentiments. They may strongly object to the appearance of your cat in their yards, stalking birds at the feeders. Your cat may also eliminate and/or spray in someone else’s yard—something that is not welcomed, even by the most tolerant of cat lovers. There may be a neighbor with an indoor cat who gets highly reactive whenever your cat comes onto the property.
While some neighbors may only mutter to themselves about what a nuisance your cat is, others may take more drastic measures. Your cat may be chased (perhaps into the road and into oncoming traffic), squirted with a water hose, shot with a BB gun (or worse), poisoned, or trapped and brought to a shelter. Even if your neighbors wouldn’t dream of harming your cat, there are cruel people out there, adolescents and adults, who take sick pleasure in abuse of animals.
If your cat wanders far enough, she may get picked up by someone who decides to keep her. If she’s a sociable, friendly cat, she becomes vulnerable to being an addition to someone else’s family, or worse, ending up in the home of someone with cat-hoarding syndrome.
Intact cats who are allowed outdoors add to the very sad overpopulation problem. They also end up in more fights and are more at risk of disease. The fights that males engage in for the opportunity to mate with an available female can be very bloody. The mating ritual itself is very violent and a female cat may end up mating with several males. That creates multiple opportunities for injury and the spreading of disease.
When you let your cat outdoors, you give up control over what can and cannot be included in her diet. She is free to hunt and eat whatever she can catch. She may also visit nearby houses to munch out of available outdoor food bowls. The food that your neighbor puts out for the stray cats in the area may not be the best for your own cat. Your kitty may also be sharing a food bowl with several other outdoor cats who carry diseases that are spread through saliva. If obesity is a problem with your cat, you can’t effectively put her on a weight-management program if she’s visiting several houses for her between-meal snacks.
Another drawback to outdoor life is that you’re less able to monitor your cat’s health. If your cat is eliminating outdoors, you may not be alerted to potential health problems if you can’t see your cat’s waste or her elimination habits. Cats are susceptible to urinary tract problems, but if your cat eliminates only outdoors, how will you know she is having a problem? How will you know if your cat’s urethra is totally blocked, a life-threatening medical emergency? This is a very real concern for male cats especially, because the urethra in males is long and narrow. If a stone forms in the bladder and can’t pass through the urethra, it can block it completely. This is an absolute emergency because a painful death will occur in a short amount of time. How will you know if your cat is constipated and unable to pass a stool? What if your cat has severe diarrhea? What happens in the litter box is valuable information in helping you monitor your cat’s health, since she can’t verbally tell you that something’s wrong. Even if you maintain an indoor litter box for your indoor/outdoor cat, you won’t be able to fully monitor what is or isn’t happening.
In addition to all of those health and injury risks, outdoor life might be contributing to a current behavior problem. If a cat who is allowed outdoors is spraying when she returns inside, it may be due to an encounter with another cat. Your cat may be spraying as a way of solidifying familiar territorial perimeters. Your cat may also not feel comfortable having a physical interaction with the outdoor cat and so engages in a more covert method of aggression.
CATWISE CLUE
Many people don’t realize that males aren’t the only cats who can spray. Female cats spray as well.
In a multicat environment, if there is aggression between your indoor/outdoor cats, it might be because one cat doesn’t feel confident enough to stand up to another outdoor cat, so she chooses to turn her aggression on a lower-ranking companion cat. There is also a possibility of redirected aggression if one cat returns indoors after seeing another cat while outside or having an encounter with that cat.
Not every cat is emotionally equipped to handle life outdoors. Your cat’s behavior problem may be connected to the fear of being placed outdoors when she’s really too timid or frightened to be in that unfamiliar environment. I have had many clients with fearful cats, and the problems were due to the fact that they placed the cats outdoors during the day, totally unaware that they feared being there. The cats would find hiding places while their owners were at work. One cat stayed planted on the back porch, terrified to step into the yard because of the large dog next door.
The fact that the indoor environment is familiar is very comforting to cats. They want to get up from their naps and know that they won’t encounter any strange scents or have to worry about who might be coming around the corner. The outdoor environment constantly changes. There are so many animal scents, weather changes, unfamiliar and sudden noises, and so forth. Some cats are confident in how they handle these things, but some are not.
You may also be in a situation in which your indoor/outdoor cat has actually trained you. She may meow demandingly when she wants to go out, regardless of whether or not it’s convenient for you. Perhaps she scratches at the door or even climbs the screen to get you to pay attention to her request. Maybe she’s one of those in-out-in-out-in-out cats who can’t make up her mind what side of the door she wants to be on from one minute to the next. Perhaps you have a cat who long ago bypassed vocalizing and goes straight for the bite if you don’t let her out when she wants. You may also be one of those lucky kitty owners who has a door darter—a cat who sees the opportunity of the open door and bolts out whenever she wants.
If you think your cat’s behavior problem may be due to her indoor/outdoor life, or if I’ve convinced you that it’s safer to keep your cat indoors, don’t worry about the transition. I know you may have avoided keeping your cat inside because the transition process seemed impossible, what with the yowling of your unhappy cat or the constant escape attempts whenever the door was cracked an inch. Don’t be afraid—there’s a method to retraining your cat to stay indoors. The simple fact is that if you make the indoors as interesting as the outdoors, your cat will have everything she needs and wants while staying safe. If you don’t create an interesting and secure indoor environment, though, there is no motivation for her to follow the plan. So the first step is to create a kitty haven indoors. Once you understand what your cat needs in her environment, you can then move on to the behavior modification technique of the actual transition.
Regardless of whether your cat stays in or goes out, a stimulating and secure indoor environment is a must. As I said in the beginning of this chapter, the environment plays a key role in creating or solving behavior problems. The following sections will walk you through the must-have components in the environment. If you’re attempting to keep your outdoor cat indoors, first prepare the environment in the ways listed below. You’ll then find behavior modification techniques later in this book. Chapter 3 covers how to use distraction to help change your cat’s focus when she’s whining at the door and chapter 4 covers how to prevent door dashing.
VERTICAL THINKING
When your cat goes outdoors, there are usually two major things on her mind. One creates a feeling of fun anticipation and the other creates anxiety. The fun anticipation comes from the possibility of successful hunting. Your cat was born to hunt and there are so many creatures out there who stimulate that prey-drive. The anxiety comes from the possibility of encountering another cat or other rival or predatory animal. Whether or not your cat is confident, there’s anxiety associated with the unknown—and the outdoor environment is filled with the unknown. What we’re going to do is create a fun and stimulating indoor environment that gives her all the good things, and we’ll remove that big anxiety-provoking negative aspect. If you’re worried that I’m going to instruct you to start bringing live mice or crickets into the house for your cat’s entertainment, you can relax. Your cat’s prey-drive can be stimulated and satisfied through the correct type of playtime. We’ll get to that later. First we have to set the stage and construct the framework for our make-believe outdoor environment. I want to start by changing the way you think about your living space.
As humans, we tend to think of our environment in horizontal terms. If you have a dog, her world is pretty much horizontal as well. Look around the room and you’ll see what I mean. Furniture is all placed on the floor. We move through the room horizontally. Your dog probably has a comfy bed on the floor, or she’s content to curl up on the bed or sofa with you. Look at your walls now. There’s probably some artwork hanging there or maybe a mirror or a TV. You’ve carefully maximized your horizontal space and used the vertical space in the typical way suited to humans. Your cat, however, doesn’t limit herself to living in a horizontal world. Her world is very vertical. Cats can jump five times their height. They climb trees and perch on high spots to watch for prey or to widen their view when looking out for possible danger. Think of the more common places you might find your cat and I’ll bet many of them are off the ground. Your cat may enjoy being on top of the refrigerator—a place you’ll never find your dog. Perhaps she can scale the entertainment center and perch on top of the TV. A typical cat lounging area is to curl up on a bookshelf. Perhaps one of the reasons you bought this book was to find a way to stop your cat from walking on the kitchen counter or the dining room table. She isn’t misbehaving by wanting to be on those elevated places; she’s doing what comes naturally as a cat. Vertical space is important to her. Vertical space will also play an important role in modifying behavior problems. Your cat is very much connected to her environment, so it would make sense that an anxiety-provoking environment or one where there isn’t enough stimulation could contribute to unwanted behavior.
Look again around your room and at the walls. There’s some vertical space there that’s going unused. If you’re willing to make a few modifications, you can actually double and triple the size of your cat’s territory without having to break down a wall and add on to your home. A little increase in vertical space will go a long way in making the indoor environment more appealing.
If your cat likes to hang out on the counter or on furniture where you’d prefer she not go, you can create more appealing options for her by increasing her allowable vertical territory. Look at the vertical places she currently uses to get an idea as to why she might like them. She might be on the counter because it’s an open area where she can see who comes into the room. There may also be a window there and being on the counter is the best way for her to look out. Food left on the counter can be strong motivation for her being there. If you have a multicat home, the counter may be where your cat feels safest when everyone comes in to eat. The feeding station can be a hostile place in some multicat homes.
If the back of the sofa is where your cat likes to sleep, she may be there because it’s very comfortable or maybe she can lounge in the sun and look out the window. If she curls up on a shelf in the bookcase, she may be looking for a safe, out-of-the-way spot to nap where no one can sneak up behind her. Perching on top of the refrigerator is also a feline favorite, and that’s because it’s very often the highest place in the home that the cat can reach.
In a multicat home, vertical spaces can help keep peace because the cats can more easily maintain any status they may have established. A high-ranking cat may claim the highest elevated spot as a way to oversee the area. It can also be a show of ranking, as her high elevation lets the other cats know who’s boss. If a high-ranking cat has access to the highest elevation, she may be content to use that display rather than engage in any aggression. Your frightened cat may perch up high so she stays out of the line of fire and to get a better view of who might be around. With every form of elevation, you add a level to the territory. That’s one of the important factors in why many people with small apartments can have multiple cats living in harmony—they creatively increase the territory just by making use of vertical space. Even at that, though, there is only so much overlapping of the home range you can ask of cats who must share one environment.
Vertical thinking doesn’t apply just to high elevations. If you have a multicat home, you especially have to think of all levels—high, middle, and low. You might have a cat who is in the middle of the pecking order and feels more comfortable on middle perches. A very timid, shy cat would appreciate having several hiding places low to the ground or slightly elevated. Some frightened cats feel more secure being safely up high on an elevated perch. No matter how many cats you have, even if it’s just one, she’ll appreciate having this increase in her territory. It’ll provide her with more options for exercise and play as well as creating more areas of security.
One of the easiest ways to increase vertical territory is with a cat tree. A cat tree that has multiple perches can allow more than one cat to share a close space. This works well if the tree sits by a window, because two or three cats can enjoy the view while maintaining social ranking. The multiple perches are beneficial even if you have only one cat, because she can easily climb to the top perch. Cat trees can be purchased from pet supply stores, through mail order, or online. They come in a wide range of prices, depending upon how elaborate you want to get. Some online companies will let you design the height you want, as well as the perch style and type of carpet covering. If you’re interested in a cat tree, don’t be fooled by how elaborate it looks. What matters most to your cat is stability and comfort. Choose a tree that has a rock-solid base. The last thing you and your cat want is to have the tree wobble or tip over when kitty takes a flying leap. Comfort is important, especially when you consider how much time your cat may spend napping there. Trees come with everything from flat perches to elaborate minipagodas. If possible, choose a tree with U-shaped perches. Cats tend to feel more secure when they can rest their backs against something. If the perch is flat, your cat may feel vulnerable on all sides. The enclosed, pagoda-type perches don’t allow your cat to see out very clearly. They also tend to be too small. The more elaborate the perch, the more it drives up the cost of the tree. A simple, sturdy tree with U perches will work just fine. When shopping, take the size of your cat into consideration. Some trees have perches fit for only small cats. If you have a fifteen-pound cat, she’ll need enough space for comfortable lounging on the perch. Take your cat’s personality into account as well. If you have a very timid cat who prefers hiding places, then a tree with at least one pagoda-style perch or other semienclosed perch would be a good idea. Just make sure the size of the perch is appropriate for the size of your cat.
Cat trees may seem expensive when you first start shopping, but a good-quality one will last a very long time. We’ve had our cat trees for more than fifteen years and they still look great.
Another benefit of the cat tree is that it can serve double duty. In addition to providing multiple perching space, the support posts are usually tall and thick enough to serve as very effective scratching posts. Some trees have rope-wrapped support posts, which are ideal. You can also wrap the posts with rope yourself or cover them with sisal.
Cat trees can provide security for a cat if you have a dog or young children, or even if your cat is timid around visitors. The tree becomes a spot the cat knows is hers only. If it’s tall enough, it becomes out of reach of a small to medium-sized dog. It also serves as an off-limits area for the children. We taught our children right from the start that when the cats are in the cat tree, it means they want to be left alone. Once your cat starts to feel a sense of security and knows that when she feels anxious she can find safety on the top perch of her tree, she may start staying in the room rather than disappearing under the bed. The cat tree provides an added sense of security in that it contains only your cat’s scent, unlike the rest of the furniture in the home. When a visitor comes into the home, your cat may quietly sit in the cat tree to observe the guest, feeling comfort in the fact that she’s in her safe spot.
If the cat tree is high enough, you can even put a walkway or some added shelving on the wall. Your cat will then have an easy way to climb up to the catwalk from the tree.
If a cat tree isn’t in the budget or you have very limited space, consider a few window perches. Although they won’t provide as much height as a cat tree, they still increase the vertical space. Perches can also widen the window ledge enough to allow your cat to be more comfortable. They come in many styles and some even contain heating elements. Choose a perch that’ll attach securely to the wall. If you have more than one cat and you have enough window space, get more than one perch. This will give your cats the option of getting cozy together on one perch or choosing perches of their own. In a multicat home, the more choices you provide, the less tension is created. This applies to so many things in the environment—scratching posts, litter boxes, feeding bowls, perches. Let them choose if they want to share. If your cats are best buddies, then sharing isn’t such a big issue, but if your cats have some tension in their relationship, or if one or more is experiencing a behavior problem, the more options they have, the better.
To increase vertical territory, you can be as creative as you’d like and you can work within your own budget needs. A table by the window that has a folded towel on it can serve as a window perch. You can get as elaborate or basic as you want. What’s most important is that the elevated areas are sturdy, safe, comfortable, and in appealing locations, and that there are enough of them for each cat in the home. I have had clients with limited space create catwalks around the room, installing climbing perches on the wall that lead to the walkways. You don’t have to get that creative; you could install a couple of perches by adding ordinary shelving on the wall—just make sure all shelves are wide enough to be comfortable and are very secure. Cover the shelving with a nonslip material, fleece, or carpeting.
Make use of mid-level vertical territory, especially in a multicat home. Do this by making sure there are some perches or cozy places off the ground but not as high as the top perches. If you have a cat tree, then the mid-level vertical territory can be a window perch or even the back of a sofa or chair, provided your cat is allowed on the furniture. If you don’t allow your cat on the furniture, then you have to create mid-level vertical spaces that are permissible.
Vertical space shouldn’t be limited to one room. While you don’t have to modify every room in your home, make sure the rooms your cat spends time in are equipped with more vertical space. If you have a cat tree in the family room, maybe you can put a few window perches in other areas of the home. The more behavior problems you’re dealing with, especially ones involving multicat issues, the more vertical space you’ll need.
HIDEAWAYS AND TUNNELS
To fully maximize your environment’s appeal, you also have to consider that your cat will want some places where she can become invisible or secure areas where she can navigate through a room without having to draw unwanted attention to herself. A couple of cozy little hideaways are great for taking those much-enjoyed catnaps. If the hideaway is comfortable and secure, it can reduce your cat’s need to hide under the bed. If what you’re trying to accomplish is to get your timid cat out into the main part of the house more often in order to help socialize her, you have to start by creating safe options for her. If your cat is the type who prefers hideaways, then try placing an A-frame or semicovered bed behind a chair in the corner ( just make sure it’s easy for her to get in and out of so she doesn’t feel trapped there), on a shelf, or someplace where she would feel safe and secure. You can find semicovered cat beds in pet supply stores or you can simply create your own by using an open paper bag and a towel. When you open the bag, fold a one-or two-inch cuff around the edge to help it hold its shape. Place the bag on its side and line it with a towel. You can do this with a cardboard box as well.
Tunnels are a good option for creating low-level escape routes for timid or low-ranking cats. They’re also lots of fun for any kitty. If your cat tends to walk along the perimeter of the room more than through the center, she may feel intimidated, or is a lower-ranking cat in a multicat home. The higher-ranking cat tends to occupy the center space, so a lower-ranking cat may feel more comfortable walking along the baseboard or even going behind furniture to get from one room to another. If the cat who walks the perimeter has more options, it may reduce her anxiety and the chances of confrontation by the other cat.
You can purchase cat tunnels in many pet supply stores or online. They come in various styles such as soft-sided ones that allow you to buy the individual pieces to make the tunnel as long as you want or to make it wind around a corner. To make a homemade tunnel, you can use sturdy cardboard or PVC and then cover it with fabric or carpet. You can even make a basic tunnel by connecting narrow boxes (cut out the bottoms) or paper bags. To keep the paper bags from collapsing, line the inside with foam-core board and glue or Velcro it to the top and sides. If you Velcro it, you can reuse it with another bag should that one get ripped.
If you make your own tunnel, cut out an escape hole midway through. This is important in order to provide a way out for the cat if she doesn’t feel safe in the tunnel or if two cats enter the tunnel from opposite directions. Again, the more options you create for your cat, the less chance of unwanted behavior.
For a perimeter-walking cat, place the tunnels behind furniture. For example, if you slide your sofa out from the wall a bit, you can put the tunnel behind it and no one but the cat will know it’s there. You can also put the tunnels in front of furniture that can’t be moved. This can be a temporary option for a timid cat, as you work on behavior modification with her. As she becomes more secure, you’ll eventually be able to remove the tunnels that are inconvenient to the humans in the family. Reposition them somewhere else in the room, though, so your cat will always have the option of using them.
SCRATCHING AND CLIMBING
These are two vital parts of a cat’s daily life. They need to scratch for claw conditioning, stretching, and emotional release, and they also love to climb, as evidenced by their extremely flexible bodies. If you’ve been battling with your cat over furniture scratching or if she’s climbing into forbidden areas, the way to resolve this is by giving her acceptable options for those behaviors. If you try to deny your cat the natural and normal behaviors that make up being a feline, then you’re setting yourself up for behavior problems. It’s so much easier to direct the behavior to a place that you and your cat find acceptable. The climbing part of this can be accomplished by providing cat trees and access to other acceptable elevated areas, as explained above. If you need help in setting up appealing scratching posts and creating deterrents as you direct your cat to the more acceptable areas, specific information is in chapter 6, which deals with furniture scratching. For help in directing your cat away from forbidden areas such as counters and into acceptable areas, refer to chapter 4.
THE LITTER BOX ENVIRONMENT
If you want to know where most of the environmental problems start in a cat’s home, you usually don’t have to look any farther than the litter box. As you walk through your home during your evaluation of how appealing the environment is, you need to take a long, serious look at the litter box setup. This is a huge part of your cat’s world, and if you don’t have a secure and appealing setup, it can start a domino effect in terms of behavior problems. For many people, litter box maintenance is the least enjoyable aspect of life with a cat, but if you shortchange this in any way, your cat will suffer. In order to know whether you’re on target or have missed the mark with your litter box decisions, refer to chapter 5.
THE FEEDING STATION
If your cat is exhibiting food-related behavior problems, or if you have a multicat home, there may be some environmental modifications needed. They can range from where you feed your cat to the type of bowl you use. It’s amazing how sometimes the smallest adjustment can make a huge difference to your cat. You’ll find ideas for setting up creative feeding stations in this chapter, but more solutions to mealtime problems are covered in chapter 7.
BEDTIME
For some people, this is a time of bonding and relaxation with their cats. For others, it’s a time of territorial disputes, a.k.a. who gets to sleep on the owner’s bed. It can also be a time of constant wake-ups, nightly noises, and cat fights. From an environmental standpoint, you need to work with the personality of your cat and create satisfying nighttime surroundings. If there have been disturbances at night, look at what might be triggering them so you can create an effective option for retraining. For example, if you have a multicat home and a couple of cats fight for the prime space on the bed, then you need to create a second sleeping area for one of them that’ll be just as appealing. This might be where a cat tree in the bedroom would work if you have the room, or maybe a window perch. If you have enough privacy that you can leave the curtains open or raise the blinds just enough for your cat to peek out, that might help the spot become a good second choice. Since many cats enjoy warm beds, consider using a heated or thermal cat bed (don’t use an ordinary heating pad). If you’re dealing with this particular behavior problem during the colder months, a thermal cat bed may be the perfect choice for one or more of the kitties. In fact, you may end up having to purchase more than one, or choose a large one if both cats decide they’d prefer that instead of the bed.
If the problem you’re having is that you don’t want your cat in the bed at night at all, instead of just locking her out of the room, create her own interesting area in another part of the house. Again, this is where a cat tree can be very beneficial. If you’ve been having trouble retraining your cat to stay out of the room, it might be because you have been approaching it from the negative instead of the positive. Create an appealing option for her. You also have to be consistent in your retraining. Don’t allow her in the bed on weeknights but then banish her on weekends because you want to sleep late. Consistency is crucial in retraining.
If your cat is making noise, getting playful at night, or waking you up too early, you can find retraining techniques in chapter 4.
FELINE HOME MAKEOVER: OPERATION ENRICHMENT
If you are trying to do a transition to indoor life for your outdoor kitty, this is the information you’ll need. From what you’ve read so far, you already have a pretty good idea of what might be lacking in your cat’s current environment that could be contributing to behavior problems. Now, as Emeril says, let’s kick it up a notch and create a stimulating environment that’ll be the envy of other cat families. The great part about your feline home makeover is that you can go as wild as you’d like or stay simple and basic. If you’re handy, you can make some of the components yourself. You don’t have to blow your budget to make life more interesting for your cat. Simple objects, with a little creative input from you, can be turned into toys or kitty furniture. A cardboard box lined with a thick towel works just as well as an expensive pet bed. Your cat won’t know the difference, but your wallet will. The object of the feline home makeover isn’t to turn your home over to your cat, making your neighbors think you’ve lost your mind, but rather to create a cat-friendly environment that works for both the feline and human members of the family.
Throughout this book you’ll see that I mention some products by brand name. The reason I do is because those products are ones I have had personal experience with. My clients have tried many products and these have shown results. If you’re going to spend money, use the recommendations as starting points. You may find other brands that work better for you. You don’t need to buy everything and break the bank. One or two products combined with homemade ones may be just what your cat needs. Only you know your budget limitations, your creative skill, and how your environment is set up. I don’t want you to waste your money on things that don’t work.
Provide what your cat needs to correct current behavior problems and prevent future ones. If you’re going to create an indoor environment that has all the good aspects of the outdoors, then you need places to perch, climb, sleep, eat, and play, plus a few bonus components.
Climbing and perching
For climbing and perching, the cat tree is ideal to simulate the natural tree a cat would use in the wild. If you have the cat tree but don’t know where to place it, put it by a window that has an interesting view. A backyard where birds come and go would be great. If you really want to create stimulation, set up a bird feeder outside the window for your cat’s viewing pleasure. Keep in mind, though, that the feeder may attract other outdoor cats. If that should occur in your yard, the feeder will actually create stress for your indoor cat. If your cat likes to keep up on the happenings of the neighborhood, then put the tree near a front-facing window. Consider your cat’s personality when placing the tree. If your cat is very timid and fearful, the tree should be placed near a quiet window or, in some cases, not near a window at all. For an older kitty who loves napping in the sun, choose a location that’ll bathe the tree in sunlight. If placed by a window for your older cat, make sure it’s not drafty. Use your knowledge of your cat’s temperament to help you find the ideal location. If you have more than one cat, set up a couple of bird feeders outside in different locations and have a tree at one window and a perch at another. This way, if there’s tension between the cats or if one has claimed a certain spot, another cat can still enjoy bird watching.
If the idea of a cat tree really turns you off because you’re worried about it looking like a sore thumb in your house, there are ways to make it more attractive. First, you can look for the fancier trees that are made to appeal to the human eye. They’re carpet-covered in colors that make them look more “treelike,” such as leaf green for the perches, dark brown for the trunk, and grass-colored on the bottom. The problem with these trees is that they usually aren’t good for scratching. If the perches are wide enough for your cat and you think she’ll be comfortable, they’re fine for perching but you’ll still need to get scratching posts. Instead of spending money on the aesthetically appealing tree, it would be a better idea to get one that meets the needs of your cat, as previously described in this chapter. A good, sturdy basic cat tree will also be less expensive than one created to please the human eye. If you hate the look of it, place a silk tree in front of it or some silk plants of various heights around it. Don’t use live plants unless you’re sure your cat doesn’t chew on houseplants. It’s better not to tempt fate, so the silk tree is a safer option. In addition to disguising the cat tree, the silk trees surrounding it may make a cat feel more hidden there. This would be beneficial for a timid cat. When I brought two feral cats into my home, in an effort to help them feel more protected and less out in the open, I put silk trees around the cat tree.
In addition to the cat tree, replace those ineffective scratching posts that are just gathering dust with sisal-or rope-covered scratching posts. Place a couple of corrugated cardboard scratchers around the house for added horizontal scratching fun. Refer to chapter 6 for specifics on what to look for in a scratching post. Don’t forget about window perches for those lonely windows in need of cat company.
If you have a room without crown molding or other architectural detail, consider creating a catwalk that goes partially or totally around the room. This is over-the-top for many owners, but if you’d like to have something fun and different for your cats, this could be a great way to increase space. Create staggered perches on the wall to lead to the walkway or construct a cat-sized stairway. Make sure you have perches or a walkway on at least two sides so a cat never gets cornered up there by an opponent in a multicat home.
Perches can be placed in various areas of the home to help with behavior issues. For example, if your cat likes to lounge on the computer monitor or hang out on your desk while you’re trying to pay bills in your home office, you can create a kitty perch for her—put a padded perch on the wall above the computer monitor. You can also create a cubby for the computer monitor that can be covered on top with fleece.
Stimulation
Stimulation is a big part of what makes the outdoor environment attractive, so you now have to create stimulation indoors. In the wild, a cat would have a dozen or so opportunities to hunt throughout the day. Your indoor cat can easily get bored if there are no hunting opportunities or stimulating activities. You don’t have to provide live mice for your cat, but you do have to create mock hunting sessions so she can use those incredible senses of hers and exercise that flexible body. These opportunities to hunt will come in two forms: interactive and solo. Interactive play involves the use of a fishing pole–type toy, with you controlling the motions. Solo playtime involves toys and other activities that your cat controls. Specifics on both of these types of playtime are found in chapter 3. Playtime can go a long way in helping your cat enjoy her environment more. The correct type of playtime will also be a valuable tool in behavior modification whether you are trying to help an outdoor cat get used to the indoors or you’re trying to help two companion cats develop more tolerance toward each other.
Add more stimulation and fun to the feeding station as well. Instead of feeding your cat in one location, hide small bowls of dry food around the areas where she plays. This way she gets to “discover” the food. You can add interest to mealtime by using puzzle feeders such as the Play-N-Treat balls. These are hollow balls that have a hole on one side. You fill the ball halfway with dry food, and as the cat rolls the ball around, food periodically falls out. These balls can be used only in homes without dogs, though. Another puzzle game that can be used as a puzzle feeder is the Peek-a-Prize. This is a well-made wooden box with multiple paw-sized, strategically placed holes. Normally, you put toys in the box for your cat to paw at, but it can also be used as a puzzle feeder by dropping several pieces of dry food in there. The Kitty Kong can also be used as a puzzle feeder, especially if your cat isn’t getting the knack of the Play-N-Treat ball. The Kitty Kong is open-ended on one side. Place several pieces of dry food inside and you have an instant and easy puzzle feeder.
You can create homemade puzzle feeders as well. Cut several paw-sized holes on all sides of a sturdy cardboard box, tape the flaps closed, and toss numerous pieces of dry food into the box. Your cat gets to reach in with her paw to get the food. You can also make a puzzle feeder by punching holes in the round cardboard center insert from a roll of toilet paper or paper towels. Cut out two round circles of paper and then securely tape them onto each end. Put numerous pieces of dry food inside. Test your homemade toy before giving it to your cat by making sure that it rolls easily and that you’ve made the holes large enough so dry food easily falls out as the toy moves on the floor or carpet. If your cat chews paper, stick to the Play-N-Treat ball, Peek-a-Prize, or Kitty Kong, but otherwise, the homemade puzzle feeders can be a wonderful and inexpensive way to increase stimulation and activity. You may even come up with your own idea for a puzzle feeder. Just make sure it’s safe and not frustrating. It should create a challenge but it should never cause anxiety. More specifics on how to correct mealtime issues can be found in chapter 7.
Another fun part of outdoor life for a cat is to be able to munch on some grass. Many indoor cats share that desire and end up chewing on houseplants, which is extremely dangerous. Grow some kitty greens for your cat so she has a supply of fresh grass. You can find kits at pet supply stores or you can grow your own using oat, rye, or wheat grass. Leave the grass out for your cat to enjoy. More specifics on this can be found in chapter 4.
Many cats love the sound and sight of running water. It becomes an opportunity for play and is often more desirable to drink because it stays oxygenated. In addition to having a regular water bowl, how about getting your cat a drinking fountain? Several companies make pet water fountains, so they’re easy to find in just about any pet supply store as well as online. They’re actually very beneficial to cats because they can encourage increased water consumption—something that’s of greater concern for cats fed dry food, older cats, or those with diseases such as chronic renal failure, lower urinary tract disease, kidney infection, or diabetes.
Did you know your television could be a source of entertainment for your cat? To add to the stimulation in the environment, there are cat-interest DVDs and videos that showcase prey. These DVDs show mice, fish, birds, and insects and include realistic sounds to further appeal to your cat’s senses. Not all cats are interested in these DVDs but many enjoy them. In the Friskies Cat Habitat that Frank Bielec, Lou Manfredini, and I created, we placed small TV screens in the wall right near the perches of the cat tree. The cats enjoyed sitting on a perch and watching their own TVs. You don’t have to get that elaborate; just popping one of the DVDs in for your cat every once in a while may increase stimulation. The DVD many of my clients’ cats seem to prefer is Video Catnip, but there are numerous other brands out there. The DVDs and videos can be found in pet supply stores and online. One way to use the DVD is to set the time for it to come on while you’re at work and kitty is home alone.
If you don’t need to use tunnels in your home because your cat isn’t timid, use them for fun. Place a soft-sided tunnel on the floor so it snakes around a corner and hide a treat or toy inside. Make a tunnel out of paper bags and hide toys inside such as a glitter ball or a catnip-infused mouse. Line the inside top and sides with foam-core board, using glue or Velcro. This will keep it rigid and sturdy. Change the tunnel’s location every so often to keep things interesting. You can also purchase soft-sided cat tunnels at your local pet supply store or online. Make them long so they can wind around corners and create lots of opportunities for your cat to explore and have fun.
In addition to tunnels, cat sacks are great fun and serve as comfortable hideaways. You can make one with a simple paper bag. Open the bag, and roll a cuff around the edge to increase its sturdiness. Lay it on its side and line it with a towel. For use as hideaways, place several paper bags in corners on various levels. Don’t put them on the floor unless you know your cat enjoys sleeping that low. Most cats tend to feel more comfortable sleeping up off the ground. To use the bags as playtime cat sacks, forgo the towel and toss a Ping-Pong ball or other small toy in there. Place these playtime cat sacks out in the open for your kitty to discover as she goes about her day.
CATWISE CAUTION 
Never use a plastic bag as a toy or as a hiding place for a cat. Cats can become tangled in the plastic handles and may end up choking. Also, some cats chew on plastic and that can pose a serious health risk. Only use a paper bag and make sure it doesn’t have handles. If you decide to use a paper shopping bag that does have handles, cut them off first.
Boxes are great toys for cats. When you get a delivery, save the box for your cat to enjoy for a couple of days. Cut out a few holes and turn the box upside down so your cat can hide in there. Toss in a ball or toy for her to bat around.
Safety
Since cats love to climb and explore, sometimes a vase or a picture may accidentally get knocked to the floor. Once you’ve created more acceptable elevated areas for your cat, the hope is that she’ll spend less time perusing your mantle or bedroom dresser. You can use training techniques to let her know what is and isn’t an acceptable area by following the instructions in chapter 4. You also need to make sure breakable items are not in places where your cat could get to them, not just for the sake of the valuable item but for the safety of your cat. Part of creating a feline-friendly environment involves safety. Breakable items that are on display and can’t be put away can be secured with museum wax. This keeps the item in place and no one will know the wax is there. Items that are top-heavy and can be knocked over should be placed on tables against the wall so your cat can’t get behind them to push them off.
Secure electrical cords so they aren’t dangling. With an adult cat you may have thought you were beyond the kitty-proofing stage, but while you’re doing environmental improvements, make sure cords are tucked behind furniture or concealed at the baseboard with cord covers. I had one client with a twelve-year-old cat who had never bothered the electrical cords, even when she was a kitten. The owner didn’t give the cords a second thought after her cat reached adulthood. One day the cat was batting a toy mouse around the room and it got tangled in the many cords behind the owner’s computer desk. In an effort to get to the mouse, the cat chewed one of the wires. Fortunately, the cat survived the incident with only minor injuries. The owner made sure all wires were secure from that point on. Look around your home and make necessary adjustments to things that could pose a potential danger, such as dangling wires, open trash cans, harmful chemicals, and torn window screens.
The air in your house is another consideration in your feline home makeover. Cats can have allergies, just as people do. If you smoke, your cat is vulnerable to the secondhand smoke. Indoor air purifiers won’t totally eliminate that risk but they will help keep the air a little cleaner. Limit your use of air-freshener sprays because of how they may affect your cat’s respiratory system.
Familiarity
Even though you’re trying to create a stimulating and fun environment, your cat still needs comfort and familiarity. She takes comfort in knowing that everything in her home will not suddenly have a strange cat’s scent on it, a familiar object won’t abruptly disappear, and a potentially threatening object will not appear. One way she helps identify objects in her territory as hers or as something she’s familiar with is through the use of scent. A cat will often facially rub an object to deposit her facial pheromones on it. Pheromones are scent chemicals that contain information about the cat. Facial pheromones are known as the “friendly” pheromones. A cat tends to facially rub in areas where she feels comfortable. You can use this information to help create more comforting familiarity in the environment for your cat. You can do it in two ways. First, there’s a product called Feliway that contains a synthetic version of feline facial pheromones. It was originally created for use in homes where there are urine-marking problems because cats don’t tend to urine-spray where they facially mark. The side benefit of Feliway is that it can be used on unfamiliar objects in the home to help a cat more quickly feel comfortable with them. The product is often used when a family is moving into a new house and everything is unfamiliar to the cat, or when a new piece of furniture is being brought into the home. If there is an area in your home where you think your cat doesn’t feel as comfortable (maybe she has a fear of being near the front door) or if you are bringing in a new object—even if it’s a cat tree—use Feliway on it. The product comes in a spray bottle and you spray a little on the corner of the object once or twice a day. Spray it eight inches up from the floor, which is the approximate distance from a cat’s nose to the ground. If you have multiple cats, Feliway can still be used because each cat will think the pheromones are her own. Feliway also comes in a plug-in diffuser called Comfort Zone. If your cat isn’t comfortable in an entire room or if numerous things are new in the room, the diffuser may be the best option. It covers approximately 650 square feet and lasts about a month. Feliway is available in pet supply stores, online, and through many veterinarian offices. If you are bringing an outdoor cat inside, the diffuser is a good addition to the behavior modification process. Another option for putting facial pheromones on a new object is to place a soft clean sock on your hand and then gently rub your cat around the head and face, paying particular attention to the sides of her mouth. Don’t do this if your cat doesn’t enjoy being petted, though. Take the scent-filled sock and rub it on the corners of your new object. If you have more than one cat, use a different sock for each and place the scents on different parts of the object’s corners. Don’t rub one cat’s scent over another’s.
Last, but certainly not least, your feline home makeover must include an honest evaluation of the litter box setup. It may just need a little tweaking, or you may be facing a major litter box overhaul. This is the time to clean up, make necessary substrate (litter) changes or location transitions, and add extra boxes if needed. If you’re dealing with a serious litter box problem, you may be facing the chore of ripping up carpeting or replacing badly soiled furniture. Remember that it isn’t enough just to remove the soiled items and replace them with new ones—you must find the cause of any underlying problems so you’ll be able to make the best decisions when it comes to creating the most cat-friendly home for your kitty. More specific information on litter boxes can be found in chapter 5.