Many of our domesticated felines have evolved from living
primarily outdoors to a cushier indoor lifestyle. And with
this switch has come some definite benefits. Indoor cats
tend to live longer. Their owners are much more aware of
their health and habits and are therefore able to bring them
to the veterinarian for preventative care or quickly as soon
as problems surface. Indoor felines also have an extremely
low chance of contracting certain dangerous infections and
deadly diseases like the Leukemia Virus and FIV (the feline
form of HIV) - see previous blogs on each of these. Vehic-
ular trauma is a thing of the past for these guys. But what
might these creatures say if we could ask them about their
new living conditions?
Some cats have retained many of the behaviors of their wild
ancestors. While cats can certainly enjoy social interactions
with other animals, not understanding the needs of a soli-
tary hunter can create stress. Without a sense of control
over their physical and social environment, stress can rule
the cat’s life. Cats are fight-or-flight animals and may find
new environments difficult
(Think about the kitty who hides under the towel in the cor-
ner during the vet visit …or the one who leaves scratch
marks on the exam room wall trying to “protect himself”
from certain torture from the white-coated enemy!) But
these tendencies have evolved as protective mechanisms,
essentially for their survival. Providing choices - multiple
hiding, feeding, water and toilet options - will reduce the
cat’s fear and give him a sense of control.
Wild cats are solitary hunters and the smaller felines will of-
ten attempt to eat 10-20 meals a day. While not all attempts
to catch prey are successful, this sort of activity requires a
lot of energy. Compare that to what Fluffy’s indoor lifestyle
is like. Fluffy’s mom controls when and where she eats and
not much energy is needed for Fluffy to consume her meal.
Loosing these opportunities to display predatory behavior
can be a stressor for some felines, leading to lack of phys-
ical and mental activity and resulting in obesity and other
health problems. In multi-cat households, often food bowls
are placed next to each other, which can increase compe-
tition for food resources and ultimately create stress in the
cat’s life.
Cats are also crepuscular animals, meaning they prefer to
be most active and hunt at dawn and dusk. (Has Fluffy
ever woken you up at 5am by walking across your face?)
Sometimes owners will inadvertently reinforce this behavior
by giving the c