WHAT NOT TO DO WITH YOUR CAT
Please take the time to read this and see the Best and Worst case scenarios that might occur if you ignore these TOP TEN basic tips for taking care of your cat. This list was developed from our real life experience with adopters that resulted in failed adoptions, needless frustration, financial burden and, in some cases, tragedy.
LESS SPACE IS MORE AT FIRST!
Adopting a rescued cat is very exciting, and so we understand the desire to get them home, open the carrier and let them be with everyone and have freedom!! For most cats, however, this creates a sense of terror for them and will make it difficult for them to acclimate to your home. Keep in mind, ALL of our cats have been rescued from shelter cages. They have endured incredible stress and their world was quite small and contained at one point. When we rescued him/her, we started him in a large crate or condo to help him feel safe in new surroundings. Once he was ok with that, we allowed him to roam free one room at a time. This new move now to a new and unfamiliar place is HUGE for him. Huge and scary! Please make it easier for him by starting him in a safe space that is set up just for him.
Best case: Your ability to develop a relationship with your new cat is delayed.
Worst case: Cat is totally freaked out and pees and poops in various locations throughout your house because he doesn’t know what to do.
HOME IS EVERYTHING!
Keep your cat home!! Cats do not like travel, whether short or long distance. You might be excited about your new cat and want to show him/her off to your friends or other family members. Let your friends and family come to your house to meet your cat. Please do not plan on bringing your cat to their homes, especially when your cat is new to you (for the first 6 months or so). Adoption is already very scary for them (WE know it’s a good thing for them, they need time to figure this out) so if they have not yet fully established that they are SAFE and that you are their person, bringing them out to visit others will only increase their stress and feelings of fear or desire to escape or hide. Bring your new cat home, set them up and let them live their happy life in your home. Please do not force your cat to experience too much newness at once.
Best case: Cat hides/pees or poops in your friend’s house
Worst case: Cat doesn’t know who/what to trust and cannot handle the stress and stops eating. (common reaction to intense stress in cats and very dangerous to their small system and sensitive liver.)
CONSISTENCY IN DIET IS KEY!
Cats are creatures of habit and most enjoy eating the same food every day. We understand that this is not true for all cats and some cats will get fussy and need new food once in a while. For those cats you will have to find other foods they are willing to eat. But, for most cats, consistency is the key to their happiness and to their digestive well-being. Changing food can confuse them and actually CREATE fussiness and appetite changes. Also, changing foods can create diarrhea.
Best case: You spend needless $$ trying to find food your cat will eat.
Worst case: You spend thousands of dollars at the vet trying to cure diarrhea.
HAVE CARRIER WILL TRAVEL!
ALWAYS have your cat in a carrier when bringing your new cat home or to the vet, or in any situation where you might bring your cat out of the home. Even if your cat loves to be held, terror of being out of the house could cause him or her to bolt or try to escape.
Do not ever attempt to carry your cat out to the car.
Do not open the carrier in the car, or let the cat out of the carrier in the car.
Cats are not like dogs where they will be happy to sit and look out the window. Cats in a car = terror for your cat and that can result in disaster. Please do not do this to your cat.
Best case: Cat urinates or defecates inside your car.
Worst case: Cat interferes with the driver and/or escapes the car.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!
Keep your cat indoors! Cats who have never been outdoors do not need to be outdoors. They do not know what they’re missing and they can live happy, fulfilled lives indoors with you. Outdoors presents dangers to your cat, such as cars, predators and parasites etc. With all of this said, we know that you will do what you want with your cat and if letting them outside is what you want then we offer this critical advice: Do not allow your cat to go outside until he/she has been living with you for at LEAST 3 months but ideally longer. Your cat will need at least 3 months to fully realize he is HOME with you forever – that you are his food and love source and he belongs there. If you allow your cat to go outside prior to him making this realization, he is likely to wander off and attempt to find his prior home if he had one. If he is an adult, he likely had a prior home. If he is a kitten, he is more likely to get lost or hurt due to lack of sense or experience. If you feel you must allow this cat to go outside, please do not allow this cat to go outside until he is an adult and/or until he has been living with you for at least 3 months but ideally longer.
Best case: cat is lost/hungry for a few days or comes home with fleas and your home is infested
Worst case: cat is permanently disabled or killed after being hit by a car, or never comes back because he wanders off too far and can’t find his way home
CATS DO NOT LIKE OR NEED BATHS!
One of the most wonderful things about cats is they are naturally very clean animals and they love to groom themselves. A healthy cat will groom himself daily. There is very rarely ever a need to EVER bathe a cat. If there is an extreme circumstance where your cat has come into contact with deadly chemicals and you want to rinse them off that would be an acceptable time to bathe them. You can bring them to a vet to have it done properly. If you feel you want to bathe your cat because you want them to smell different this can create a tremendous amount of stress for your cat and stress can lead to behavioral problems. Please do not bathe your cat.
Best case: Cat scratches you while trying to avoid a bath.
Worst Case: Cat learns to distrust you and begins to behaviorally react (urinating outside of the litter box) or stops eating due to stress and fear.
TREAT YOURSELF!
Giving a cat treats is fun. We often do this because it feels fun to have the cat come to us and take a treat from us. It’s a feel-good moment for the human and of course the cat is happy to eat something tasty. However, introducing treats to your cat’s diet can spell trouble. Cat’s digestive systems are small and sensitive. Introducing treats, even occasionally, is a change in diet and a change in diet can create health issues for your cat. Treats also are fattening and a steady diet of treats will put weight on your cat that he doesn’t need. If you like the idea or act of giving your cat a treat, use pieces of the dry food you ordinarily feed him and hand it to him as a treat.
Best case: Your cat gets fat and you spend a lot of money annually to buy more treats.
Worst case: Your cat has digestive issues you spend tons of money trying to solve at the vet.
UNHARNESS THE TRUTH!
We have seen an increase in the trend of people wanting to put a harness and leash on their cat to let them walk outside. To this we say, cats are not dogs. Dogs like to be on a leash and walking along with their humans. Cats do not like to be confined, contained or held back. Cats are independent. Cats are natural predators to things like bugs, birds, anything that moves outside. Bringing your cat out on a harness might seem like a fun thing for YOU to do, but for your cat it is a major tease! It’s showing them a tiny bit of a world they can’t be part of. This can create temptation and frustration in your cat as well as a growing need to be outside.
Best case: Your cat develops a sense of frustration being stuck indoors and begins to urinate inappropriately or other behavioral problems because he can’t express his frustration.
Worst case: Your cat becomes demanding about going out and drives you crazy meowing at the doors and windows until you feel you have to give in and let him be an outdoor cat.
USE UNSCENTED LITTER!
Many people mistakenly believe scented litter will be best to control litter box odor. This is not necessarily true AND the scented litters can irritate and turn your cat off and make them not want to use the litter box! Yikes!
Best case: Your house smells like the litter or your cat has an allergic reaction to the litter
Worst case: Your cat avoids the litter box due to smell aversion
PAIN IN THE NECK!
Don’t get us started about COLLARS! Many cat owners think they should be putting a collar on their cat. We challenge this trend and suggest you think about your reasons for doing so.:
If your reason for putting a collar on your cat is to accessorize him or her with something cute, then that’s all about you and what you want and has zero benefit for your cat. Cats are incredibly beautiful and amazing to look at all by themselves and don’t need to be adorned with objects for our visual pleasure. Collars can be irritating and can actually create stress for your cat. If collars are too tight they can cause distress. If collars are too loose, they can pose a danger and get caught up on something causing strangulation or caught in your cat’s mouth causing distress. Putting a collar on a kitten is dangerous because as your kitten grows the collar needs to be adjusted so it does not become too tight. Not everyone remembers to do this and so the kitten goes through a period of unnecessary distress. Worst offending collars in this category are collars with flowers, bows, dangling name tags, bells and other potential irritating choking hazards attached to them.
If your reason for a collar is for protection should he get outside, this is what microchips are for. If your cat doesn’t already have a microchip we strongly advise you to get one for the future protection of your cat should he get out and get lost. Microchips are not tracking devices but if your lost cat should be found, they can be scanned at a vet or shelter and then can be reunited with you. Collars outdoors can pose too many dangers. Too many injuries have been caused by collars, where cats have got themselves caught up while playing, hunting or even trying to escape from danger. Worst offending collars in this category are the type that don’t break-away. This poses a severe strangulation hazard to your cat should be become stuck on something. Break-away collars are much safer but then ask yourself if they will serve their purpose of identifying your cat if he gets lost and it falls off? In other words, they’re pointless.
If your reason for putting a collar on your cat is for flea protection, as in a flea collar? Think again! Flea collars contain chemicals. These can be incredibly irritating and harmful to your cat. How would you feel walking around all day with a strong chemical scent around your neck? Cats’ sense of smell is much stronger than ours and this can be torture for them.
Best case: Your cat is chronically irritated, uncomfortable, annoyed or upset and cannot tell you.
Worst case: Your cat develops behavioral problems (like inappropriate urination, or becoming bitey/nippy) or becomes injured, sick or dies.
LESS SPACE IS MORE AT FIRST!
Adopting a rescued cat is very exciting, and so we understand the desire to get them home, open the carrier and let them be with everyone and have freedom!! For most cats, however, this creates a sense of terror for them and will make it difficult for them to acclimate to your home. Keep in mind, ALL of our cats have been rescued from shelter cages. They have endured incredible stress and their world was quite small and contained at one point. When we rescued him/her, we started him in a large crate or condo to help him feel safe in new surroundings. Once he was ok with that, we allowed him to roam free one room at a time. This new move now to a new and unfamiliar place is HUGE for him. Huge and scary! Please make it easier for him by starting him in a safe space that is set up just for him.
Best case: Your ability to develop a relationship with your new cat is delayed.
Worst case: Cat is totally freaked out and pees and poops in various locations throughout your house because he doesn’t know what to do.
HOME IS EVERYTHING!
Keep your cat home!! Cats do not like travel, whether short or long distance. You might be excited about your new cat and want to show him/her off to your friends or other family members. Let your friends and family come to your house to meet your cat. Please do not plan on bringing your cat to their homes, especially when your cat is new to you (for the first 6 months or so). Adoption is already very scary for them (WE know it’s a good thing for them, they need time to figure this out) so if they have not yet fully established that they are SAFE and that you are their person, bringing them out to visit others will only increase their stress and feelings of fear or desire to escape or hide. Bring your new cat home, set them up and let them live their happy life in your home. Please do not force your cat to experience too much newness at once.
Best case: Cat hides/pees or poops in your friend’s house
Worst case: Cat doesn’t know who/what to trust and cannot handle the stress and stops eating. (common reaction to intense stress in cats and very dangerous to their small system and sensitive liver.)
CONSISTENCY IN DIET IS KEY!
Cats are creatures of habit and most enjoy eating the same food every day. We understand that this is not true for all cats and some cats will get fussy and need new food once in a while. For those cats you will have to find other foods they are willing to eat. But, for most cats, consistency is the key to their happiness and to their digestive well-being. Changing food can confuse them and actually CREATE fussiness and appetite changes. Also, changing foods can create diarrhea.
Best case: You spend needless $$ trying to find food your cat will eat.
Worst case: You spend thousands of dollars at the vet trying to cure diarrhea.
HAVE CARRIER WILL TRAVEL!
ALWAYS have your cat in a carrier when bringing your new cat home or to the vet, or in any situation where you might bring your cat out of the home. Even if your cat loves to be held, terror of being out of the house could cause him or her to bolt or try to escape.
Do not ever attempt to carry your cat out to the car.
Do not open the carrier in the car, or let the cat out of the carrier in the car.
Cats are not like dogs where they will be happy to sit and look out the window. Cats in a car = terror for your cat and that can result in disaster. Please do not do this to your cat.
Best case: Cat urinates or defecates inside your car.
Worst case: Cat interferes with the driver and/or escapes the car.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!
Keep your cat indoors! Cats who have never been outdoors do not need to be outdoors. They do not know what they’re missing and they can live happy, fulfilled lives indoors with you. Outdoors presents dangers to your cat, such as cars, predators and parasites etc. With all of this said, we know that you will do what you want with your cat and if letting them outside is what you want then we offer this critical advice: Do not allow your cat to go outside until he/she has been living with you for at LEAST 3 months but ideally longer. Your cat will need at least 3 months to fully realize he is HOME with you forever – that you are his food and love source and he belongs there. If you allow your cat to go outside prior to him making this realization, he is likely to wander off and attempt to find his prior home if he had one. If he is an adult, he likely had a prior home. If he is a kitten, he is more likely to get lost or hurt due to lack of sense or experience. If you feel you must allow this cat to go outside, please do not allow this cat to go outside until he is an adult and/or until he has been living with you for at least 3 months but ideally longer.
Best case: cat is lost/hungry for a few days or comes home with fleas and your home is infested
Worst case: cat is permanently disabled or killed after being hit by a car, or never comes back because he wanders off too far and can’t find his way home
CATS DO NOT LIKE OR NEED BATHS!
One of the most wonderful things about cats is they are naturally very clean animals and they love to groom themselves. A healthy cat will groom himself daily. There is very rarely ever a need to EVER bathe a cat. If there is an extreme circumstance where your cat has come into contact with deadly chemicals and you want to rinse them off that would be an acceptable time to bathe them. You can bring them to a vet to have it done properly. If you feel you want to bathe your cat because you want them to smell different this can create a tremendous amount of stress for your cat and stress can lead to behavioral problems. Please do not bathe your cat.
Best case: Cat scratches you while trying to avoid a bath.
Worst Case: Cat learns to distrust you and begins to behaviorally react (urinating outside of the litter box) or stops eating due to stress and fear.
TREAT YOURSELF!
Giving a cat treats is fun. We often do this because it feels fun to have the cat come to us and take a treat from us. It’s a feel-good moment for the human and of course the cat is happy to eat something tasty. However, introducing treats to your cat’s diet can spell trouble. Cat’s digestive systems are small and sensitive. Introducing treats, even occasionally, is a change in diet and a change in diet can create health issues for your cat. Treats also are fattening and a steady diet of treats will put weight on your cat that he doesn’t need. If you like the idea or act of giving your cat a treat, use pieces of the dry food you ordinarily feed him and hand it to him as a treat.
Best case: Your cat gets fat and you spend a lot of money annually to buy more treats.
Worst case: Your cat has digestive issues you spend tons of money trying to solve at the vet.
UNHARNESS THE TRUTH!
We have seen an increase in the trend of people wanting to put a harness and leash on their cat to let them walk outside. To this we say, cats are not dogs. Dogs like to be on a leash and walking along with their humans. Cats do not like to be confined, contained or held back. Cats are independent. Cats are natural predators to things like bugs, birds, anything that moves outside. Bringing your cat out on a harness might seem like a fun thing for YOU to do, but for your cat it is a major tease! It’s showing them a tiny bit of a world they can’t be part of. This can create temptation and frustration in your cat as well as a growing need to be outside.
Best case: Your cat develops a sense of frustration being stuck indoors and begins to urinate inappropriately or other behavioral problems because he can’t express his frustration.
Worst case: Your cat becomes demanding about going out and drives you crazy meowing at the doors and windows until you feel you have to give in and let him be an outdoor cat.
USE UNSCENTED LITTER!
Many people mistakenly believe scented litter will be best to control litter box odor. This is not necessarily true AND the scented litters can irritate and turn your cat off and make them not want to use the litter box! Yikes!
Best case: Your house smells like the litter or your cat has an allergic reaction to the litter
Worst case: Your cat avoids the litter box due to smell aversion
PAIN IN THE NECK!
Don’t get us started about COLLARS! Many cat owners think they should be putting a collar on their cat. We challenge this trend and suggest you think about your reasons for doing so.:
If your reason for putting a collar on your cat is to accessorize him or her with something cute, then that’s all about you and what you want and has zero benefit for your cat. Cats are incredibly beautiful and amazing to look at all by themselves and don’t need to be adorned with objects for our visual pleasure. Collars can be irritating and can actually create stress for your cat. If collars are too tight they can cause distress. If collars are too loose, they can pose a danger and get caught up on something causing strangulation or caught in your cat’s mouth causing distress. Putting a collar on a kitten is dangerous because as your kitten grows the collar needs to be adjusted so it does not become too tight. Not everyone remembers to do this and so the kitten goes through a period of unnecessary distress. Worst offending collars in this category are collars with flowers, bows, dangling name tags, bells and other potential irritating choking hazards attached to them.
If your reason for a collar is for protection should he get outside, this is what microchips are for. If your cat doesn’t already have a microchip we strongly advise you to get one for the future protection of your cat should he get out and get lost. Microchips are not tracking devices but if your lost cat should be found, they can be scanned at a vet or shelter and then can be reunited with you. Collars outdoors can pose too many dangers. Too many injuries have been caused by collars, where cats have got themselves caught up while playing, hunting or even trying to escape from danger. Worst offending collars in this category are the type that don’t break-away. This poses a severe strangulation hazard to your cat should be become stuck on something. Break-away collars are much safer but then ask yourself if they will serve their purpose of identifying your cat if he gets lost and it falls off? In other words, they’re pointless.
If your reason for putting a collar on your cat is for flea protection, as in a flea collar? Think again! Flea collars contain chemicals. These can be incredibly irritating and harmful to your cat. How would you feel walking around all day with a strong chemical scent around your neck? Cats’ sense of smell is much stronger than ours and this can be torture for them.
Best case: Your cat is chronically irritated, uncomfortable, annoyed or upset and cannot tell you.
Worst case: Your cat develops behavioral problems (like inappropriate urination, or becoming bitey/nippy) or becomes injured, sick or dies.