Adopting a cat

If getting a purebred cat was the original idea, this is something you should consider carefully before making your decision. Cats from certain oriental breeds are known to be more human-oriented, which means they require more attention. They take up a position, watching and studying all day. They know how to get what they want and how to attract attention. Others like the Bengal or the Savannah are usually accomplished predators and they need a lot of exercise through hunting games to stay satisfied.

In fact, because they are relatively wild, all cats are predators. Into the wild, they spend many hours hunting. Watch a cat when it’s outside: you’ll start to notice that it uses strategy to capture a squirrel or a bird. It scans its prey from a distance, quietly approaches… calculating its chances all the while. Then it will seem to fly or jump on a branch. It is “programmed” to hunt. It is in a cat’s DNA. Satisfying that need is crucial to having a balanced cat.

Will the pet you adopt be an indoor or outdoor cat? The great outdoors provides all sorts of stimulation. However, an outdoor cat is exposed to several risks that you have to consider: cars in the street, fights with other cats, picking up parasites, etc. Rest assured that it is possible to treat many of the parasites in a preventive way. Your veterinary team will be happy to provide you with valuable information on the subject during your next visit for your cat’s annual exam. When it comes to deciding whether your cat will go outside or not, keep in mind that cats, being such predators, will reduce considerably the bird population.

Whether your cat goes outside or not, you should provide some nutritional toys to make her nutritional quest a bit harder. Increasingly, experts in feline behaviour recommend eliminating a traditional food bowl and replacing it with a toy that releases food with play and interaction. That said, your cat will quickly tire of the same games. So you should think about providing some variety. Il appréciera la variété des jouets offerts. You might try rotating different toys that you can find in your Passionimo stores. You can even try to craft a few toys yourself using empty plastic bottles or toilet paper rollers. Keep in mind that your cat loves to play and hunt.

You might be tempted to think that your cat will be just fine with a roof over its head, enough food, a water bowl, a litter box, and that’s it. But you must also remember that throughout your cat’s life, it will need brain stimulation, exercising and social interactions.