Cats Playing with Toys – Predatory Play?

Posted on May 11, 2025May 11, 2025 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

cat with wand toy — Zelda plays with a toy mouse on a wand toy.

One of the 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment is the opportunity for predatory play. Experts recommend 5-10 minutes of such play daily. When is cats playing with toys – predatory play?

Cats playing with toys – predatory play?

Play in domestic cats is commonly categorized as social, locomotor, predatory, or object play (Reference 1). Social play refers to the wrestling, chasing and pouncing that you see sometimes with cats who are affiliated (see social groups of cats). Object play is play with objects such as balls and catnip mice. Locomotor play involves running, jumping – the “zoomies”. Predatory play incorporates features of both object and locomotor play.

When is cats playing with toys – predatory play? Predatory play can be part of an actual hunt or a play session with inanimate objects (Reference 2).

Part of the actual hunt: instead of immediately killing the captured prey, the cat “plays” with it, letting the prey escape and recapturing it, tossing it up into the air…
Play session with toys: the cat “goes through the motions” of hunting/killing on a toy or other inanimate object

In the wild, a “hunting sequence” can mirror the preferences of the individual cat and/or be determined by the prey they are hunting. Often, the cat will stalk the prey, hide in wait for the prey to come out, then pounce at an opportune moment. The hunting sequence ends with the cat catching and eating their prey.

benefits of predatory play

Taking the recommendation of the experts that the kind of play our cats need is the “predatory” kind, what are the benefits of this type of play?

Pet cats are increasingly kept indoors; some cats live exclusively indoors. Wild or feral cats spend most of their waking hours in search of food. Our indoor pets do not have this outlet for their energy and curiosity and this can result in boredom and problem behaviors.

Recent studies show that play is associated with improved welfare. The more play and the more variety of games initiated by the cat or their owner improves the relationship between the owner and the cat. When play is absent, cats suffer distress and behavioral problems such as overgrooming, house-soiling, scratching furniture, and aggression (Reference 3).

Cats playing with toys – predatory play

Predatory play focuses on those skills the cat would use when hunting. How can we mimic predatory play indoors? Which toys are effective at stimulating hunting behavior?

Wand/Chasing toys:

These are a perennial favorite, allowing the owner to vary the speed and location of the toy to mimic the behavior of a mouse or insect moving along the floor. Some cats enjoy jumping and catching the toy while it’s in the air.

A recent study found that 5-10 minutes of daily play with wand/chasing toys reduced the numbers of mammals (mice, rabbits, voles…) captured and brought home by indoor-outdoor cats (Reference 4). The study participants also provided the cat with ‘mouse’ toy filled with bubble wrap to catch and bite and kick after the play session to complete the hunting sequence (Reference 4).

Laser light toys

Many cats enjoy chasing laser light toys – stalking, chasing, and pouncing can be part of this. However, being unable to complete the “hunt” can give rise to frustration. Give your cat some needed reinforcement intermittently to keep them playing the game – use the laser pointer to point to a treat when ending the laser tag session.

Using a laser pointer to target a treat — The laser guides Gus to a treat at the end of the play session.

GAMES WITH FOOD – FEED THE NEED TO HUNT

Treat toss

A fun way to feed the need to hunt is to toss your cat his dry food or crunchy treats and watch him hunt them down. This game works best with larger kibbles like those from dental foods, where 10-15 pieces of kibble are about 30 kcal. Tossing the kibble allows your cat to use their senses of hearing and smell, like they would when chasing live prey. See Your Cat is a Born Hunter : Feed the Need to Hunt

Food Puzzles

Food puzzles can mimic the foraging behavior shown by cats in the wild. Although a study aimed at reducing predation in outdoor cats found that food puzzles increased the number of prey animals brought home (Reference 4), these puzzles can keep cats mentally engaged, reducing boredom and controlling food portions to help with weight loss. See Cats at Work : Cats Using Food Puzzles

ELECTRONIC TOYS

As Artificial Intelligence enters the pet market, there are more and more adaptive toys aimed at entertaining your cat. Take a careful look when deciding to purchase these toys:

Does the toy stimulate hunting type behaviors – stalking, pouncing, chasing?
Are there elements of frustration embedded in the toy – will your cat be able to complete the hunting sequence?
How repetitive is the motion? How quickly will your cat become bored with the toy and stop playing with it?
Can you easily rotate the toy in and out of the daily play sequence?

When is cats playing with toys – predatory play? In predatory play, indoor cats carry out the hunting sequence on toys. Current research shows that daily predatory play can impact your cat’s welfare positively and improve the cat-human bond. The need to hunt defines who your cat is – this is what they were born to do. We need to provide our cats with an opportunity to hunt – whether it is fishing kibble out of a food puzzle or chasing a stuffed mouse at the end of a wand toy.

references

Mikel Delgado, Julie Hecht. A review of the development and functions of cat play, with future research considerations.
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 214, 2019, Pages 1-17, ISSN 0168-1591,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2019.03.004.
Muhzina Shajid Pyari, Stefania Uccheddu, Rita Lenkei, Péter Pongrácz. Inexperienced but still interested – Indoor-only cats are more inclined for predatory play than cats with outdoor access, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 24, 2021, 05373, ISSN 0168-1591, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105373.
Henning J, Nielsen T, Fernandez E, Hazel S. Cats just want to have fun: Associations between play and welfare in domestic cats. Anim Welf. 2023 Jan 27;32:e9. doi: 10.1017/awf.2023.2. PMID: 38487456; PMCID: PMC10936385.
Cecchetti M, Crowley SL, Goodwin CED, McDonald RA. Provision of High Meat Content Food and Object Play Reduce Predation of Wild Animals by Domestic Cats Felis catus. Curr Biol. 2021 Mar 8;31(5):1107-1111.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.12.044. Epub 2021 Feb 11. PMID: 33577746

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Do Cats Have Emotions? Do Cats have Feelings?

Posted on April 6, 2025April 6, 2025 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Do cats have emotions? Do cats have feelings? Although the words emotions and feelings are often used interchangeably, emotions strictly refer to neurological responses to an event. Feelings on the other hand, are a conscious recognition of these physical sensations; feelings are generated from our thoughts.

do cats have emotions? Do cats have feelings?

Neuroscience shows that all mammals experience 7 basic emotions: SEEKING, RAGE, FEAR, LUST, CARE, PANIC/GRIEF and PLAY. Cats being mammals certainly experience these. But do they respond like we do to emotions? There will be differences in the types, durations and intensities of feelings experienced by cats and humans. We can’t know exactly what cats feel but we certainly can observe the emotional event and see whether it results in a positive or negative response.

“…affective neuroscience strategies now provide the needed “weight of evidence” indicating that animals do “feel” although, admittedly, we cannot be very precise about the experienced nature of their feelings, above and beyond several distinct forms of good and bad emotional feelings” (Reference 1).

How does this affect how we treat our cats? Traditionally, animal welfare has been focused on negative states such as pain and suffering, with the goal of keeping animals healthy and treating illness. This one-sided approach ignores the importance of positive experiences and emotions on health and longevity (Reference 2).

Recognizing Positive and Negative Emotional States in Your Cat

We can recognize positive and negative emotional states by observing cats’ body posture and facial expressions. These can be challenging to sort out. A cat with half-closed eyes may be painful, fearful or starting to relax.

Actions sometimes give us a better idea of what a cat is feeling. “Obviously, we can only ask if animals experience something by seeing if such states matter to animals. Will they choose to turn these states on or off? Will they return to or avoid locations where such states were artificially evoked (conditioned place preferences and aversions)?” (Reference 1).

If a cat approaches and rubs against you, he has made a choice to come to you. Presumably, his emotional state is positive. In contrast, when you bring the cat carrier out, your cat may hide, choosing to avoid the negative emotional state associated with going in the car to the veterinarian.

Do cats have emotions? opportunities for positive emotional states

Research conducted at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home tested a simple set of guidelines (CAT) that aims to make cats more comfortable when they are interacting with us (Reference 3).

C – Allow a cat to CHOOSE whether or not to interact with you
A – Pay attention to the cat’s body language and behavior
T – Think about where you are touching the cat

C is for CHOICE:

Provide cats the opportunity to exercise some control over their environment and make pleasurable choices when possible. For example, if you need to move your cat, consider using a target or some treats to direct them to another place instead of picking them up.

A IS FOR ATTENTION:

How we handle animals has direct consequences on their welfare. Pay attention to to your cat’s body language when handling them. Get your cat’s attention before interacting with them. Start with a brief interaction and see how your cat responds. If they accept it, go for a bit longer. Be attentive to your cat wanting to end the interaction – turning their head or moving way from you.

T IS FOR TOUCH:

Consensual touch between individuals can communicate safety; such touch activates neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and ultimately dopamine. Oxytocin and dopamine are primarily associated with positive emotions, thus social touch is rewarding to the participants (Reference 4).

Friendly cats usually prefer being touched at base of their ears, around their cheeks, and under their chin. Watch for signs that your cat is done with being touched.

Collaborating with your cat

We can go one step further with these guidelines – start a conversation with your cat. Studies have shown that cats recognize their owners’ voices and learn the names of their companion cats. A recent study found that cats associated verbal words with pictures faster than human infants (8-14 months old). This study suggests that like apes, parrots and dogs, cats can learn human vocabulary (Reference 5).

Vocabulary for Your Cat

It is useful for your cat to know the words for the parts of his body, particularly those that may be touched. My cats learned the words “head”, “chin”, “cheeks” and “back” in 2-3 sessions. This allows you to ask, “Can I pet your head?”, giving the cat the choice to accept stroking to the head or to avoid it by turning their head aside.

Do cats have emotions? feelings?

Do cats have emotions? Feelings – the answer is yes.

In James Cameron’s movie “Avatar”, the sapient inhabitants of the planet Pandora, the Na’vi, greet each other with the phrase “I see you”. In the movie, this simple phrase is more than just physically seeing the person in front of you – it is also a spiritual kind of seeing – recognizing, seeing into, and understanding each other.

Your cat can learn much more than names of the parts of their body – they can learn to collaborate in their medical and physical care and become a treasured and valued companion. But, first, you must “see” them as having emotions, and able to mentally process (think about) those emotions, to have feelings.

references

Panksepp J. Cross-species affective neuroscience decoding of the primal affective experiences of humans and related animals. PLoS One. 2011;6(9):e21236. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021236. Epub 2011 Sep 7. PMID: 21915252; PMCID: PMC3168430
Browning H, Birch J. Animal sentience. Philos Compass. 2022 May;17(5):e12822. doi: 10.1111/phc3.12822. Epub 2022 Mar 17. PMID: 35859762; PMCID: PMC9285591
Haywood C, Ripari L, Puzzo J, Foreman-Worsley R, Finka LR. Providing Humans With Practical, Best Practice Handling Guidelines During Human-Cat Interactions Increases Cats’ Affiliative Behaviour and Reduces Aggression and Signs of Conflict. Front Vet Sci. 2021 Jul 23;8:714143. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.714143. PMID: 34434985; PMCID: PMC8381768.
Ellingsen Dan-Mikael , Leknes Siri , Løseth Guro , Wessberg Johan , Olausson Håkan. The Neurobiology Shaping Affective Touch: Expectation, Motivation, and Meaning in the Multisensory Context. Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 6, 2016, http://10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01986
Takagi, S., Koyasu, H., Nagasawa, M. et al. Rapid formation of picture-word association in cats. Sci Rep 14, 23091 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74006-2)

The Pros and Cons of Owning a Robotic Cat – Are Robotic Cats Part of Our Future?

Posted on March 9, 2025 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

What are the pros and cons of owning a robotic cat? Are robotic cats part of our future?

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly and among the applications are robots that can walk the dog, cook dinner, and teach the kids (Reference 1). So, it is not a surprise that robotic pets are being offered as companions.

Consider the MarsCat made by Elephant Robotics:
“You will never know what MarsCat will do next because it is like a real cat, fully autonomous. MarsCat acts independently without any instructions. MarsCat walks, runs, sleeps, sits, stretches, bites nails, kneads, and even buries litter although she won’t produce any waste. It may express different emotions by different meows or gestures” (Reference 2).

The Pros and Cons of Owning a Robotic Cat

We’ve all heard about the benefits of owning a pet. Pets provide companionship, keep us from being lonely, reduce stress and anxiety, give you unconditional love, lower your blood pressure, and increase the survival rates from heart disease and cancer.

But what if you are not able to own a live pet? Perhaps your mobility is compromised or you suffer from memory loss or you are living in a care facility?

I get it – owning a robotic cat, there are no litter boxes to scoop, no worries about feeding your cat and him eating too much, no worries that he will scratch you because you mishandle him.

Robotic pets have been found to reduce agitation and aggression in older adults with dementia. Conversations and social interactions are easier for older, compromised adults when they have a robotic cat – after all, the cat would be a conversational icebreaker. Studies have found older adults feel less lonely with a robotic cat, that they can hold and pet (Reference 3).

One of the popular robotic cats for the elderly is the Joy for All Cat. This kitty features hypoallergenic fur and responds to touch by purring. You can actually feel this cat “purring”. The cats contain touch- and light–activated sensors so that they can respond to a person by vocalizing or moving. For example, the robotic cat will roll over to have their tummy rubbed. These pets come with a standard program and cannot be reprogrammed.

Of course, before caregivers use one of these robotic pets, they need to consider the preferences of the individual user, the older adult or person with dementia who will receive the pet. A robotic pet may not be appropriate for a person who did not like animals when they were young and not compromised. Or maybe the recipient would prefer a robotic puppy or seal as opposed to a cat (Reference 3).

Artificial Intelligence and the Robotic Cat

Artificial intelligence (AI) can look for patterns in data (input), uncover insights, and improve the results of just about any given task.

The MarsCat mentioned above does have some adaptive learning capabilities. The more you play with it and interact with it, the more it will adapt its behavior to be more responsive and seemingly “attached” to you. (Reference 2)

It is interesting that AI seems to mimic how biological organisms learn. Robotics labs have found that robots learn faster with positive reinforcement, similar to the way you can train a live cat or dog.

At Johns Hopkins University, Spot the robot learned to focus on constructive actions. It earned “points” instead of treats for stacking blocks; when it knocked over a stack – it was not awarded any points. Researchers found that reinforcement accelerated learning – what used to take Spot weeks to master, would now happen in days (Reference 4).

At Stanford University, robo-dogs with vision-based programming were able to scale objects, leap across gaps, crawl under things and squeeze through crevices that they had not seen before. The robo-dogs got rewarded (numerical “points”) for actions that allowed them to accomplish the challenge (Reference 5).

The pros and cons of owning a Robotic Cat – is a robotic cat right for you?

These pets are increasingly popular in Japan particularly among the elderly. If you are busy or have other conditions that would preclude owning a live pet, robopets can fill the gap.

However, as cute and charming as they are, owning a robotic cat differs from owning a real, live cat in a number of ways. In addition to needing to be fed, have the litter box scooped and going to the vet from time to time, live cats are sentient creatures with emotions. There will be times your live cat will not want to be stroked or sit on your lap and you might get scratched if you persist. Petting-induced aggression will not happen with a robotic cat, making these cats more suitable to the elderly and people with dementia.

Although live cats like their robotic counterparts learn through reinforcement techniques, their emotional state can complicate interacting with them. This makes the interaction changeable from day to day. This is another reason that robotic cats may be more appropriate for dementia patients.

Working with your cat and helping them manage their emotions forms a bond that is unique to you and your cat. Although the more advanced robotic cats will adapt to you and your style of doing things and seem to be attached, your live cat will have their own plans that can change daily. Until your robotic cat becomes not just autonomous but sentient, it will in a sense, be a mirror of you.

references

Optimus (Tesla Bot). Robots:IEEE Spectrum, ©2025. https://robotsguide.com/robots/optimus, viewed 3/25
Companion Robots in the Post-Pandemic Era – Marscat. The World’s First Bionic AI Pet Cat. 3/17/2022. Elephant Robotics. https://shop.elephantrobotics.com/blogs/news/companion-robots-in-the-post-pandemic-era-marscat-the-worlds-first-bionic-ai-pet-cat. Viewed 3/25
Koh WQ, Ang FXH, Casey D. Impacts of Low-cost Robotic Pets for Older Adults and People With Dementia: Scoping Review. JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2021 Feb 12;8(1):e25340. doi: 10.2196/25340. PMID: 33497349; PMCID: PMC8082946
Rosen, Jill. Dog training methods help JHU teach robots to learn new tricks. HUB Science + Technology. 10/26/20, https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/10/26/positive-reinforcement-for-robots/, viewed 3/25.
Myers, Andrew. New dog, Old Tricks: New AI approach yields “athletically intelligent” robotic dogs. Stanford Report. 10/04/23. https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2023/10/ai-approach-yields-athletically-intelligent-robotic-dog. viewed 3/25.

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What my cat sees

Posted on October 19, 2024October 20, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats can see wavelengths in the blue-violet and greenish-yellow ranges, but they are mostly red-green color blind. See photo on right.

What my cat sees is different than what we humans see. Cats don’t share our discriminating color vision and are much more tuned into things that move quickly, like mice and birds. Cats have some color vision, see well in low light (Reference 1) and can recognize human facial expressions (Reference 2).

This post was originally published May 2020. It has been updated and new material added.

What my cat sees

the visual field

The visual field is how far up, down, left and right your eye sees when you’re staring at something. Cats have pretty large eyes for their size – they are almost as large as a human’s eyes. Like humans, they have front-facing eyes that gives them a large visual field in the front; there are two smaller fields on the side for each eye (peripheral vision) (Reference 1). They have a slightly larger field of vision than we do (200 degrees). If a cat were to lose an eye, their visual field drops by 30 degrees – they mainly lose some peripheral vision on the side of the missing eye.

what my cat sees – color vision

Humans have more “cone” cells in our retinas than cats do. Cone cells are responsible for color vision. The intensity of color vision is determined by the number of cone cells. The number of shades of color seen are due to the frequencies of light the cells absorb. We see 3 colors: red, blue and green. We have some cone cells that respond to red light, others that respond to blue light, and still others that respond to green light. Cats have cone cells that are sensitive to blue and yellow light, but not red or green light. A cat’s world is “faded” and “blurry” compared to ours, without the vibrant hues that we see. Take a look Here.

Motion Detecting

We can see that treat lying on the carpet partly because we are better at detecting different shades and hues of color than a cat is. If we toss the treat, the game changes, and kitty pounces on it. Cats are much better at detecting fast motion – cats’ eyes construct more than 60 visual images per second, which is 2x as fast as our human brains.

Closeup

Cats are not able to see things closer than about 25 cm or 10 inches. You may think this would handicap the cat when hunting but his super sense of smell and sensitive whiskers take over to hone in on that treat or mouse.

What my cat sees in the dark

Cats’ retinas have many more “rod” cells than cone cells. These cells are very sensitive to light and allow the cat to see well where there is not much light – around dawn and dusk, when cats are out hunting. The cat’s pupils can vary from slits to large dark circles, regulating the amount of light reaching the sensitive rod cells.

Ever noticed how your cat’s eyes seem to glow in the dark? The cat has another set of specialized cells in its eye. Behind the retina is the tapetum lucidum, a layer of cells that reflect light back through the retina so that the cones and rods have a second chance to process the light. This helps the cat see when there is not much light. Light shining into the pupils of the cat’s eyes will be reflected by the tapetum lucidum, giving the eerie “eye shine” of cats in the dark (Reference 1).

What my cat sees when he looks at me

Cats don’t have great visual resolution – what they see would look blurry to us. The tapetum lucidum causes light to scatter, reducing the sharpness of the image. Fewer cone cells also reduce visual resolution (Reference 1). In spite of these shortcomings, studies have shown that cats are able to recognize human emotions from facial and vocal expressions. Human volunteers were videoed smiling and laughing and also frowning and grumbling. Cats showed more stress-related behaviors when viewing “angry” recordings than “happy” ones (Reference 2).

What does this mean for you, the cat guardian?

Greet your cat by extending a hand to him and saying his name, so that he can confirm who you are by scent and voice.
Use toys that keep your hands and feet away from him. Don’t play games that have you moving quickly like a prey animal.
Avoid staring directly at your cat – a direct stare between cats is often a distance-increasing message – one cat telling the other to back off. Instead, most cats appreciate a “slow blink” (for more about “slow-blinking” see “Look at Me – Cats Communicate by Gaze“).

Cats’ vision is well adapted to their role as hunters. They see well in the dawn and dusk conditions when their prey such as mice are most active. They are good at detecting motion which helps them spot prey. Their color vision is limited to blues and yellows but they still are able to identify human facial expressions, allowing them to communicate and bond with their human owners.

references

1. Ofri, R.,Vision in Dogs and Cats, American Veterinarian®August 2018, Volume 3, Issue 6, August 17, 2018, https://www.dvm360.com/view/vision-in-dogs-and-cats, viewed 10/2024.
2. Quaranta, A.; d’Ingeo, S.; Amoruso, R.; Siniscalchi, M. Emotion Recognition in Cats. Animals 2020, 10, 1107. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10071107
3. Takagi, S.; Arahori, M.; Chijiiwa, H.; Saito, A.; Kuroshima, H.; Fujita, K. Cats match voice and face: Cross-modal representation of humans in cats (Felis catus). Anim. Cogn. 2019, 22, 901–906.

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Look at Me – Cats Communicate with Gaze

Posted on September 8, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Eye contact is an important part of communication for many people. Face-to-face meetings are thought to be more productive – participants are able to take note of the nuances of facial body language.

It is not surprising that our pets also communicate with us by sight – watching what we do and how we respond to situations. Dogs are well-known for looking and watching us but recent studies show what many cat owners already know – your cat is watching you!

Cats communicate with gaze

One study showed that cats avoid the gaze of a familiar human but another found that cats ate more food offered by humans who gazed at them while calling their names compared to just calling their names (Reference 1).

Cats are able to follow a human’s gaze to obtain food – they watch you turn your head and follow your line of sight as you put the food bowl down. Cats will also follow a human pointing a finger at a container with food (Reference 2).

Cats communicate with Gaze

Dogs are known to attract a human’s attention and direct it toward an object or another person or animal. They do this by first gazing directly at the human in question, then switching their gaze to the object. When confronted with a toy or food that they can’t access, they also alternate their gaze between the human and the hidden toy/food, “requesting help” (Reference 2).

Most evidence indicates that cats have not been found to gaze at humans to acquire the desired food/toy. They will use cues provided but will not “ask” for these cues like the dog with his meaningful stare (Reference 1).

However, a recent study found that cats would look back and forth from the owner to a treat box they could not open. These cats had an acclimation period of 3 days and a training session at the laboratory the day before testing. Caregivers were put into one of two groups: “attentive” and “inattentive” (Reference 3). Cats with “attentive” caregivers looked to their caregivers earlier and more frequently than those with “inattentive” caregivers. Cats with “attentive” caregivers were more successful than the other cats.

Cats also have been found to follow our lead as to whether a novel or strange object is safe. A study used a fan with ribbons streaming from it when turned on as a novel object (Reference 4). The owners were divided into two groups: one group was instructed to have a “happy expression” and behave calmly with regard to the fan while the other group was told to be “worried” and leery of the fan with its ribbons.

The cats in the “worried” group sought the escape route in the room earlier than the “happy” group, indicating that the cats changed their behavior in response to the emotional message of their owners (Reference 4).

cats communicate with gaze – Emotional Behavior

Other research has analyzed video clips of cats using a system that identifies cats’ facial expressions (CatFACS) and found the following links between gaze and feline emotions (Reference 5).

Blinking and half-blinking are associated with fear.
Cats often turn their heads and look to the left when anxious.
Cats will turn their heads and look to the right when relaxed.

the slow blink

The feline “slow blink” has been likened to a smile; the meme “i slow blink you so much” infers that the “slow blink” is a sign of affection, of positive feelings. It is interesting that the “slow blink” is associated with fear (see above) – after all, cats are more likely to approach an unfamiliar human who has “slow blinked” them (Reference 6).

At the National Cat Adoption Centre in Sussex, UK, researchers found that cats who blinked back at humans who slow-blinked them were adopted more quickly. These cats tended to be more nervous around humans but gave longer slow blinks in response to human slow blinking (Reference 6).

A genuine human smile is one that reaches and wrinkles the corners of the eyes. Perhaps, cats who slow-blink seem to be smiling as they narrow their eyes – they may appear happier and potentially friendlier to prospective adopters.
Here’s another thought – nervous cats may view slow-blinking as a way to interrupt a tense, unbroken stare and redirect potential aggression and avoid physical conflict (Reference 6).

Cats communicate with gaze, responding to humans gazing at them and returning the gaze. They also watch where their owners are looking and pointing to. There is evidence that cats will look to humans when they cannot access food that they are seeking and will change their behavior in response to emotional cues from their owners. Gaze gives us another way to communicate with our cats.

references

Koyasu H, Kikusui T, Takagi S and Nagasawa M (2020), The Gaze Communications Between Dogs/Cats and Humans: Recent Research Review and Future Directions. Front. Psychol., 17 December 2020 Sec. Comparative Psychology Volume 11 – 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613512
Péter Pongrácz, Julianna Szulamit Szapu, Tamás Faragó,
Cats (Felis silvestris catus) read human gaze for referential information,Intelligence,Volume 74,2019,Pages 43-52,ISSN 0160-2896,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2018.11.001.
Zhang, L., Needham, K.B., Juma, S. et al. Feline communication strategies when presented with an unsolvable task: the attentional state of the person matters. Anim Cogn 24, 1109-1119 (2021)
Merola, I., Lazzaroni, M., Marshall-Pescini, S. et al. Social referencing and cat–human communication. Anim Cogn 18, 639–648 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-014-0832-2
Valerie Bennett, Nadine Gourkow, Daniel S. Mills, Facial correlates of emotional behaviour in the domestic cat (Felis catus), Behavioural Processes,Volume 141, Part 3, 2017,Pages 342-350, ISSN 0376-6357, https://doi.org/10.563390/ani101222
Humphrey, T.; Stringer, F.; Proops, L.; McComb, K. Slow Blink Eye Closure in Shelter Cats Is Related to Quicker Adoption. Animals 2020, 10, 2256. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122256

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If You Don’t Talk to Your Cat, Who Will?

Posted on August 25, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The idea of being able to talk to animals appeals to many people. The famous Dr. Doolittle, the central character in a series of children’s books, preferred animals to people and was able to talk to animals in their own languages. Nowadays, there are people who bill themselves as animal communicators and will “talk” to your animal for a fee.

It is not uncommon in western cultures for people to talk to their pets (in human language) and some scientific studies indicate that your cat or dog is listening to you. But do they understand what you are saying? Should you talk to your cat?

If you don’t talk to your cat, who will?

Cats Recognize Their Owners’ Voices

A 2013 study observed cats’ behavior to voice recordings of strangers followed by those of the their owners. The cats showed a stronger response (ear movement and head movement) when they heard their owners’ voices. (Reference 1).

Cats Learn the Names of Their Companion Cats

Still another study measured the response of house cats to the spoken names and pictures (on a computer) of familiar cats in their environment. In a second experiment, the house cats were presented with spoken names and pictures of human members of their household. The house cats were able to match their companion cats’ names and faces and to a lesser extent, matched their human family members’ names with faces (Reference 2).

Cats Know When Their Owners are Talking to Them

A 2023 study found that cats reacted more quickly to a human experimenter (stranger) using a visual cue or a combination of visual and vocal cues than vocal cues alone (Reference 3). A later study found that cats discriminated between speech directed to adult humans (Adult Directed Speech or ADS) versus speech directed to themselves (Cat Directed Speech or CDS) when spoken by their owners – they did not distinguish between ADS and CDS spoken by strangers. These findings indicates that cats may put more emphasis on vocal cues with familiar humans but favor visual cues with strange humans.

How do We Talk to Our Cats?

When talking to pets and young children, people tend to speak more distinctly, use shorter phrases and sentences, and repeat things more often. Charlotte De Mouzon found that both men and women speak in a “higher” voice (higher pitch) in CDS compared to ADS (Reference 3).

Should you Talk to yOur Cat?

Cats respond to people, particularly their caregivers, talking to them. Cats appear to know their own names and possibly those of the humans they live with. Talking to your cat helps establish a relationship that is unique to you and your cat.

The jury is still out as to how much of what we say can be understood by our cats but cats can be trained to perform a given behavior in response to a verbal cue. When working with cats, I tend to default to a combination of verbal cues and hand gestures, although recently I have been verbally labeling more and more of what I do with my cats as I am doing it. For example, I have been naming their head and shoulders as I put on their harnesses to prepare for going out for the morning walk.

This seemed to pay off the other day when I was shaving my Maine Coon, Zelda. I touched her right side and told her if she would lay on her side, then I would give her some Churu treat. She laid down on her right side and then, looked up meaningfully at the Churu I had in my hand. Time to pay up!

Scientific studies indicate that cats recognize their owners’ voices and possibly the names of other humans in the household. Vocal communication may be part of the closer cat-owner relationship while cats favor visual cues when interacting with strange humans. So, talk to your cat in whatever language you speak – your cat is listening!

references

Saito A, Shinozuka K. Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats (Felis catus). Anim Cogn. 2013 Jul;16(4):685-90. doi: 10.1007/s10071-013-0620-4
Takagi, S., Saito, A., Arahori, M. et al. Cats learn the names of their friend cats in their daily lives. Sci Rep 12, 6155 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10261-5
de Mouzon, C.; Leboucher, G. Multimodal Communication in the Human–Cat Relationship: A Pilot Study. Animals 2023, 13, 1528. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091528

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Things to Know When Flying with Your Cat

Posted on June 2, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Whether you are relocating or just visiting extended family, flying with your cat requires planning and preparation.

flying with your cat

Air travel is stressful for us but imagine how stressful it must seem to a cat – he must be in his carrier for an extended period of time, he doesn’t know what is happening or when it will end. Here are some things to think about.

Is my cat fit to fly?

When considering flying with your cat, take into account your cat’s mental, emotional and physical health. Air travel may not be the best option for

geriatric cats with multiple medical conditions
cats suffering from anxiety-related disorders such as Feline Idiopathic Cystitis
cats with asthma or chronic bronchitis

Discuss your travel plans with your veterinarian. He or she can help you assess the risks of flying with your cat.

getting ready to fly

Health Certificate

Airlines require a health certificate for domestic and international travel (Reference 2)

In the U. S., a veterinarian must be USDA accredited to issue a health certificate.
The veterinarian examines the cat, verifies the animal’s vaccination status, and states that the cat is free of any infectious or contagious diseases.
A health certificate is issued within 10 days of the date of travel.

choosing an airline

Do your research and choose an airline that has a well-established pet program. In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration allows individual airlines to decide whether your cat travels in the passenger cabin or in the cargo area.

Airlines can also restrict which cat breeds they will accept to fly. Check with the airline you plan to use. Restricted breeds may include Scottish Folds and Burmese in addition to brachycephalic (snub-nosed) cats such as persians, himalayans and exotic shorthairs (Reference 3).

cabin or cargo?

Some air carriers will offer you a choice of having your cat with you in the cabin or in the cargo area. In the cabin, your cat will be with you and you can keep on eye on her during the flight. However, most airlines require that the cat remain in the carrier throughout the flight. Her carrier must be able to fit under the airline seat – carriers must be about 18”x11”x11”. Again, this depends on the airline – some have smaller maximum sizes. Typically, the flexible fabric carriers are the ones that will fit.

If an airline does allow you to bring your pet into the cabin, your cat is considered to be carry-on baggage and you must follow all carry on baggage rules, including the TSA checkpoint.

While the cargo area itself is pressurized and air-conditioned, temperatures in holding areas can reach unsafe temperatures for animals confined in plastic kennels on hot summer days. Pets can only fly cargo if temperatures in the holding areas are between 45-85 degrees. Outside this range and pets will be rescheduled (Reference 3).

Certain cities may be on a no-fly list for pets during the summer months due to the heat.

The pros of cargo flight:

The carrier can be larger for cargo flight, ideally large enough for the cat to stand up and turn around. A rigid carrier with ventilation on at least 3 sides and a rigid metal door may be used (Reference 1).
For some cats, flying cargo may be a better choice as the cargo hold is away from the noise and activity of the cabin.

food, water, litter boxes

In cargo, airlines may require that you attach a bag of food to the top of the carrier or have food in the carrier. Most carriers have bowls that attach to the metal door of the carrier. In the cabin, you can pack some snacks for your cat.
Whether in the cabin or cargo area, your cat will need access to water during the flight. Many carriers come with a bowl – you can freeze water in the bowl and attach just before putting your cat in the carrier. As the ice melts, your cat has water (Reference 1)
A travel carrier will not have room for a litter box. Use an absorbent pad with a gripping surface on the bottom (Reference 1). You can top this with a rectangle of fleece – liquid waste can pass through this to the absorbent pad below.

US flights – TSA checkpoints (Reference 4)

If you are flying with your cat in the cabin, you will have to pass through a TSA checkpoint. Carry-on baggage must pass through an x-ray system. Your cat will have to come out of the carrier and walk or be carried through the security checkpoint with you as her carrier goes through the x-ray tunnel.

If you’re concerned that your cat will get away from you, request that a TSA officer screen the cat in a private screening room. You and your cat (in her carrier) will be taken to a room to be screened.

TSA routinely swabs the hands of pet owners to test for traces of explosives.

Other travel options

Does all this sound overly complicated? There are services that will arrange transporting your cat – these services may use air and/or ground transport. Although costly, these services take care of all the arrangements, and keep track of when health certificates and other paperwork need to be filed.

There is even an airline where the only “pawsengers” are cats and dogs! See https://petairways.com/

Should my cat have medication?

Most cats will benefit from an anxiolytic medication or supplement in the days leading up to the flight, the flight itself and the first few days in the new location. The medications used to reduce anxiety at the veterinary clinic can be used for flight anxiety. Talk to your vet; here is a link for more information about medication.

The AVMA does not recommend sedating or tranquilizing animals for air travel due to the risk of heart and respiratory problems at flight altitudes. Be sure to do a trial with your medication – your cat must be alert and able to balance or she may not be allowed to fly.

pre-flight preparation

Carrier training: Your cat will travel more easily if she is familiar and comfortable with her carrier. Allow several weeks if this is a first trip and a new carrier; the seasoned cat traveler may benefit from a review! See carrier training
Harness Training: If you are flying with your cat, having a leash and harness on your cat gives you some extra security during flight layovers, customs checks, or taking a break when driving to or from the airport. You can have an “extra hand” while changing soiled pads in the carrier or allowing your cat to stretch her legs.
Zelda walking indoors on her leash.

Arrival

Congratulations, you have reached your destination and the trip is over! But your job is not done – you need to settle your cat into her new location.

It is best to start with confining your cat to a room with all her resources. When she indicates that she wants to check out the world beyond her room, harness her up and take her for a tour of the new place. Watch her body language and allow her to return to her room if she wants (see Moving With Your Cat).
f you are traveling with multiple cats, let them get reacquainted. Don’t try to rush things – go slowly and give them time (See Intoducing Cats).

Flying with your cat is an adventure! Research your airline and talk to your vet about whether your cat is “fit to fly” and getting a health certificate. Prepare your cat by training her to her carrier and to a harness and leash. If you opt to do anti-anxiety medication or supplements, try them out before you leave. Bon voyage!

references

Jahn K, DePorter T. Feline stress management during air travel: a multimodal approach. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2023;25(1). doi:10.1177/1098612X221145521
Travel with a Pet. USDA Animal and Plant Health Service. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel. Modified: March 29, 2024.Viewed 6/2024.
American Airlines: Travel information/Special Assistance/pets. https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/pets.jsp viewed 6/2024.
TSA tips on traveling with pets through a security checkpoint at Dulles International Airport. Transportation Security Administration. Local Press Release. Friday, February 24, 2023. Viewed 6/2024.

Behavior Modification for Cats

Posted on May 19, 2024May 20, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

When behavior problems arise, your vet may recommend drug therapy and environmental changes for your cat. These interventions work best when coordinated with a behavior modification plan.

What is behavior modification? What does behavior modification for cats involve?

Behavior modification for cats – more than just training and medication

Behavior modification is a type of behavior therapy. It has its roots in the work of B. F. Skinner in the 1930’s. Skinner was psychologist who believed behavior is a response to an organism’s environment and is not a consequence of mental states (beliefs, memories, desires, plans) (Reference 1).

Skinner came up with the theory of operant conditioning. In operant conditioning, reinforcement and punishment are used to encourage or discourage behaviors (Reference 2).

Reinforce the Behavior – Make It Happen Again!

Add Something “Good”	Take Away Something “Bad”
If you reward your cat for sitting with his favorite treat, he is more likely to sit the next time you ask.	If you stop trimming your cat’s nails every time she growls or hisses, you are reinforcing her behavior of hissing and growling at nail trims by “removing” the unpleasant nail trim.

Punish the Behavior – Make It Stop Happening

Add Something “Unpleasant”	Take Away Something “Good”
If you spray your cat with water when she jumps on the counter, she may be less likely to jump up on the counter.	Your cat claws at your hand for a treat. If you put the treat behind your back, the cat learns that the treat goes away when she swats at your hand.

Operant conditioning forms the basis of many training methods. It appears to be pretty straight-forward: can we just reward the cat for using the litter box and spray her with water if she doesn’t?

Problem behaviors involve more than just a stimulus and a conditioned response. Operant conditioning does not take into account the emotional state of an animal. It may be difficult to positively reinforce or punish an animal that is fearful.

To modify or change problem behaviors, the animal’s emotional state must be addressed. Teaching a cat or dog a substitute behavior for the undesired behavior or medicating him does not teach him how to respond to other stressful situations in his life.

Christine Calder, a member the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, describes a five step process in working with problem behaviors in dogs (Reference 3).

Avoid all the things that cause the behavior.
Open the lines of the communication – learn body language; stop punishment.
Build a toolbox of known behaviors such as voluntary eye contact, touch, or a chin rest.
Teach the animal to relax.
Systematic desensitization and Counter Conditioning (to what triggers the behavior).

Behavior modification for cats can follow this five-step plan.

You may have gotten a new dog or your young nephew comes to stay with you. Your cat finds these new additions terrifying so she hides under the bed to be safe. She does not use her litter box because she is afraid the dog or the child will be there. You try to adapt the environment to accommodate your cat and the newcomers but your cat remains fearful.

Behavior Modification for Cats- More Than Just Training and Medication

Avoid Triggers: We offer the kitty the sanctuary of a room or place in the house off-limits to the dog or child. This area has all the cat’s resources: litter box, cat tree, food and water.
Establishing communication: Spend time with your cat, coaxing her to come to you; brush or pet her if she likes it. Learn her body language so that you know when she is done interacting (see “How to interact with your cat” ). Have your nephew also learn cat body language. Stop punishment: no spraying with water bottles; speak to your cat quietly with a pleasant tone.
Toolbox of known behaviors: For a cat, these may be targeting on your finger or a stick, and learning to pay attention to you through eye contact.
Teach the cat to relax: A cat who is relaxed is calm. She is able to devote more of her energy to learn how to cope with new situations. When the cat can relax on cue, she is able to choose a calm state. We can work up to asking for calm behavior when the dog or child is nearby.
Desensitization: In this case, we introduce the cat to the dog or child in a safe situation. The dog or child is separated from the cat (use a barricade as needed) and the cat can come or go as she pleases. Gradually the distance between the cat and the dog or child is decreased.
Counter-Conditioning: Previously, the cat associated the dog or child with being anxious or fearful. If she can be calm when dog is on the other side of the barricade, we can start to form some new associations using high-value treats or other things the cat likes, such as being brushed. With supervision, your nephew may be able offer your cat treats or brush her.

Behavior modification for cats is more than just substituting a desirable behavior in place of a problem behavior. For the intervention to work, the emotional state of the cat has to be considered. We need to give the cat a break from the stressful situation, then establish communication with cat. We need the cat to trust us and look to us for guidance. Teaching the cat to relax and getting accustomed to what triggered the behavior are the final steps of the behavior modification plan. The services of a cat behavior professional can be helpful in these situations.

references

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Advocacy of Behaviorism and its Application to Psychology and Life
Operant Conditioning and the Law of Effect. https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/people/b-f-skinner Viewed 5/2024.
Cherry, Kendra. What is Operant Conditioning? February 24, 2023. https://www.verywellmind.com/operant-conditioning-a2-2794863 Viewed 5/2024.
Calder, Christine D. Behavior Modification for Dogs. Behavior Bytes. December 28, 2022. https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/behavior-modification-for-dogs/ Viewed 5/2024.

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So you want to own a wild cat hybrid – what you need to know

Posted on March 31, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Bengal cats. Courtesy of Colin Whiting, LVT.

Wild cats have coats patterned with stripes, spots and rosettes, that help them blend in with their surroundings. Cat breeders have crossed wildcats with domestic cats, producing “house” cats with these exotic looks. For a hefty price tag, you can own a wildcat hybrid. But before you reserve your “wildcat”, here are things you need to know.

So you want to own a wild cat hybrid – what you need to know

where do hybrid cats come from?

There are a number of wildcats that can produce hybrid offspring when mated with a domestic cat. The most common hybrids are the Bengal and the Savannah. The Bengal comes from a union of an Asian leopard cat with a domestic cat; the Savannah is the product of the African Serval and a domestic cat (Reference 1).

The offspring of different species are not always fertile – when donkeys and horses are bred together, the results are mules, who are sterile. With wildcats, the first generation (F1) males are often sterile but usually there are some fertile females that can be “bred back” with a domestic male cat. Some of these kittens (F2) may also be sterile and “breeding back” continues until fertility is restored at F4-F5 generations. At this point, the cat is about 15% wildcat (Reference 1).

Usually a female domestic cat is bred to a male wildcat. These unions can have their problems: if the wildcats are not accustomed to domestic cats, they may view the female cat as prey and kill her. Differences in size can pose problems: a male serval can weigh upwards of 20 pounds while the average domestic cat is around 10 pounds. Size will make it physically challenging for the cats to mate (Reference 2).

Successful mating has a better chance with a wildcat who has been raised since kittenhood in a house.

The serval’s gestation period is around 74 days compared with a domestic cat’s 65 day pregnancy. As a consequence, the kittens may be born prematurely, requiring use of incubators to keep them alive.

“Production of hybrid cats promotes illegal trade and removal of exotic cats from their natural habitats for breeding purposes.” (Reference 2) This may threaten the survival of endangered wildcats (Reference 3).

Temperament: something to consider when you own a wildcat hybrid

Domestic cats began their association with humans over 10,000 years ago. There are genetic signatures that identify these cats as domesticated. They have adapted over time from a wild state to close association with humans. In that same time, domestic cats have changed from solitary hunters to more social animals that can live in groups when there is sufficient food.

Wildcats and wildcat hybrids are genetically different than our domestic cat. Temperament is in part influenced by genetics, so it is not surprising that hybrid cats can seem skittish and unpredictable to humans, biting and scratching when not expected (Reference 2). Experts particularly discourage ownership of F1, F2, and F3 wildcat hybrids.

Wildcat hybrids can be more territorial than domestic cats and exhibit behaviors such as urine spraying and aggression toward other pets in the human household (Reference 2).

care and feeding of a wildcat hybrid

Hybrid cats are obligate carnivores like our domestic cats and can be fed a complete and balanced diet of commercial cat food. They may need more calories than the average house cat depending on their size.

Environmental needs are similar to those of our everyday cat although hybrid wildcats can be more active and may need a bit more positive and predictable interaction with people. Leash walking and agility training may be things to consider when you own a wildcat hybrid. Providing a catio can also provide enrichment when you own a wildcat hybrid.

Like any other cat, veterinary care is essential to a long and happy life for hybrid cats. They will need annual exams, vaccinations, and dental care to remain healthy.

The period during which the rabies virus is shed is not known for wild cats so rabies vaccines formulated for a our domestic breeds may not have the same efficacy for hybrids. However, hybrid cats should still receive rabies vaccines (Reference 2).

legal concerns when you own a wildcat hybrid

The locality where you live may require that you have a permit or license to own a wildcat hybrid (Reference 2).

In Australia and New Zealand, there are complete bans on hybrid cats that are not at least 5 generations removed from a wild ancestor.
The United Kingdom requires permits for cats with a wild parent.
Norway and Sweden prohibit cats less than 5 generations removed from a wild ancestor.
In the United States, laws vary from state to state: Nebraska, Georgia, Hawaii and Rhode Island are the most restrictive.

If your hybrid cat bites a human, local laws may require the cat be euthanized even if vaccinated in order for brain tissue to be evaluated for rabies (Reference 2). In comparison, domestic cats can be quarantined and observed. CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS.

When buying a hybrid cat, be aware that a visual exam cannot determine whether a cat is truly an expensive hybrid or a domestic cat with a similar coat color and conformation. To determine authenticity, the breeder should be able to provide a DNA-verified pedigree extending back to the exotic cat foundation (Reference 2).

let the buyer beware…

Hybrid cats are not suitable for the average or first time pet owner.

They are difficult to breed and costly.
Hybridization may constitute a threat to endangered wildcat populations.
These cats can be very active, may seem skittish and unpredictable, and not make good pets.
Some localities may ban early generations of hybrids; some may require licenses and permits.

The Internet abounds with both horror stories and success stories about wildcat hybrids. Owning a hybrid cat requires an significant investment of not only money, but also time. Like any other cat, exposure to a variety of humans, other pets and household situations when young helps make a good pet. Also, training your hybrid kitten or cat will give him/her a way to communicate with you, accustom him/her to gentle and respectful handling, and strengthen the bond between you and your cat.

An Afterword:
Breeders bred the Asian leopard cat to domestic cats to achieve the distinctive coat of the Bengal cat. In March of 2024, Stanford researchers published a study with the results of 10 years of sequencing the DNA of Bengal cats. They found that the unique appearance of Bengals was a result of variations in genes that had already been present in domestic cats – the beautiful coat of the Bengal cat is NOT due to his Leopard Cat ancestry (Reference 4).

references

William Murphy, PhD. Genetic Analysis of Feline Interspecies Hybrids, Tufts’ Canine and Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference, 2015
Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?id=6976361&pid=12513& (viewed 3/2024).
Ownership of non-domestic felids. J Feline Med Surg. 2019 Jul;21(7):NP3. doi: 10.1177/1098612X19857520. PMID: 31234747.
Devitt, Elizabeth. Mating Game: Survival of Some Small Wildcats At Risk Due to Housecat Hybrids, Mongabay, 5/25/23, https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/03/bengal-cats.html (viewed 3/2024).
Williams, Sarah. Bengal Cat Coats Are Less Wild Than They Look, Genetic Study Finds. Stanford Medicine/New Center/ March 2024. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/03/bengal-cats.html (viewed 3/2024).

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What do cats need?

Posted on February 17, 2024February 18, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

What do cats need to be healthy and happy? Whether you are a new cat owner or someone who has owned a number of cats, this is a question that needs some careful thought.

Your cat is not human; he/she is a different species. After all, if you were going to have a tiger as part of your household, you would need to learn something about how tigers live in the wild to set up an appropriate habitat. Zoos have found that providing an environment that allows animals to engage in behavior typical of their species reduces mental and physical health problems.

This post was originally published on 7/4/2021. It has been rewritten and updated with new references on 2/17/24.

What do cats need – Healthy Feline Environments

Let’s start with ourselves. Many philosophers and psychologists have come up with answers to what humans need for a happy and fulfilled life. One of the simpler models is that proposed by the psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943 (Reference 1).

Needs and motivation

Maslow postulated that people are motivated by five types of needs (Reference 1):

Physical needs (food, water)
Safety
Love/belonging
esteem
self-fulfillment (be all that you can be)

As an individual satisfies needs in one of these categories, he is motivated to tackle the next level.

What motivates behavior at the most basic level is the need to survive. We need to eat and drink to stay alive.
Having satisfied these needs, the next step is to ensure that we will continue to have food and water. We need shelter and a job.
Once fed and secure, we can address the need to be part of society – to belong to a group.
The next level of needs is esteem: we need to value ourselves and feel that other people value us.
We are now at the top of the pyramid. We can work on reaching self-imposed goals: maybe become a writer or artist, nurture extended family, or climb mountains.

There is flexibility in this hierarchy- some needs are met at the same time; for some individuals, reaching your full potential may be more important than the esteem of others.

Let’s apply this thinking to cats. We’ll start with the wild cats – those secretive, un-owned cats that populate neighborhoods and barns.

what do cats need? wild cats

A wild cat’s needs begin with having prey to eat.
Once fed, he will find a safe place where he can sleep, eat and retreat from danger – like a den.
He must establish his territory where he can hunt regularly and have access to food.
A well-fed wildcat who hunts successfully has good prospects for mating.
As far as Nature is concerned, the wildcat has reached his or her full potential once he or she has ensured that there will be another generation to hunt and mate, continuing the species.

When food is plentiful, some cats will group together in colonies near the food source. The colony forms around breeding females with some unrelated male cats in the colony that help with kitten care and protection. A colony fulfills safety and belonging for a wild cat.

what do cats need? Domestic cats

Things are a bit different for the cat who lives with humans. Hunting and establishing a territory have become separate from getting enough food; our house cats are spayed and neutered, so do not have a drive to mate and reproduce. We can construct a hierarchy showing what do cats need for the cats that live with us.

the 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) list five things that make a healthy environment for a cat (Reference 2).

A safe place
Multiple and separated key environmental resources
Opportunity for play and predatory behavior
Positive, consistent and predictable human-cat social interaction
An environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell and other senses

We can assemble these needs into a pyramid diagram:

At the bottom of the pyramid are the needs for survival: food, water, and litter boxes.
The next level ensures that these essential resources are available to each cat to use safely, without fear of competition or interference from other cats, pets or humans. The cat owner should provide multiple and separated feeding, watering stations and litter boxes.
One of the AAFP requirements is an environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell and other senses. Such an environment is the cat’s territory. Cats will mark walls and furniture in the home with facial pheromones and scratching posts with pheromones released when scratching. Your cat belongs to his territory.

Thinking about cats as aloof and independent would most likely consider the cat’s needs are met at this point.

the cat-human bond

Our cats share basic physiological needs with their wild relatives. But the domestic cat has chosen a different path and has some different needs because of his bond with his human caregiver. The two final levels of the pyramid are 4) positive and predictable human interaction and 5) the opportunity for predatory play.

Human Interaction: To truly feel safe and secure in her territory, a housecat needs to know how the humans in the house will behave: when will she be fed? Will they approach quietly and greet her? Will they swoop down on her and pick her up when she least expects it and hold her dangling in the air?
Predatory Play: The need to hunt defines who your cat is – this is what he was born to do. We need to provide our cats with an opportunity to hunt – whether it is fishing kibble out of a food puzzle or chasing a stuffed mouse at the end of a wand toy.

These last two needs bring us to the heart of the cat-human bond.

Positive and predictable interactions allow us to communicate with our cats; predatory play helps us recognize the cat’s nature as a born hunter and allows us to share this essential part of his life.

We are one of the “5 Pillars of a Healthy Feline Environment”.

In return for helping our cats satisfy their needs, we humans enjoy the pleasure of our cats’ company, better heart health and reduced stress and anxiety.

references

Mcleod, Saul. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology. Updated January 24, 2024. Viewed 2/2024. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Taylor S, St Denis K, Collins S, et al. 2022 ISFM/AAFP Cat Friendly Veterinary Environment Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2022;24(11):1133-1163. doi:10.1177/1098612X221128763

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