Prevention is better than cure, so even if your cats get along well, here are some tips to maintain household harmony.
Meal times
Cats are naturally solitary hunters and eaters, often hunting up to 20 times a day. Unlike humans who enjoy social dining, cats can experience stress when eating side by side or in the same bowl, leading to rapid eating and potential vomiting, or scratching each other beside the bowl.
Here are some things you can try:
Place their bowls in separate locations (we also want the bowls to be away from water so the smell doesn’t taint the water and discourage a cat to drink).
There are microchip activated feeders that you can purchase which open for one cat only (obviously if you have a cat that is very insistent they may still try to take the others food if you’re not there).
There are timed feeders available where you can set the timer to go off while you’re out at work or late at night – this can mimic a cat’s feeding routine out in the wild.
Puzzle feeders – for some cats, hunting and working for their food can be a great way to bust boredom as it’s mentally stimulating.
Keep the food bowls away from any windows (we don’t want cat’s looking in as that can be creepy!).
Placing the bowl in a position so your cat can look around can ease worries too (placing a bowl up against a wall can scare some cats as they can’t notice cats peeping up behind them).
You can read more about multiple feeding in the report five a day Felix plan by Dr Sarah Ellis and Dr Lizzie Rowe: https://icatcare.org/app/uploads/2019/12/five-aday_felix_full_report.pdf
Multiple separate resources (the ideal is one per cat plus one extra)
Litter trays
Keeping litter trays away from windows (or using window film) so no cats can peer in will help a cat feel safer. Ensure it’s in a quiet location and big enough for a cat to turn around in and scratch to cover up their pee or poo. Litter that is soft on the paws and can easily clump makes removal much easier.
Beds
Cats love to curl up and sleep and it’s always adorable watching them snooze, and quite often snore! Igloo beds can be popular with cats but think about getting ones that have 2 exit points so if one cat is sleeping the other doesn’t pop inside and startle them. Deep donut beds provide partial concealment, and cardboard boxes are always a hit for their comfort and concealment.
Location of beds
If your cats like climbing on shelves or cat trees be sure to avoid placing beds under these in case they jump on the bed when they climb down.. no one likes being rudely awaken!
A hiding spot
Having a hiding spot is really important so a cat can move away from any hustle and bustle in side the home or simply relax. Giving a cat options to move away will help them cope and regulate stress. This could be an open wardrobe that has sturdy shelves. A cat tree that has hiding holes (these are options that also mean the cat is up high and therefore can feel safer as they can watch things from a vantage point). A blanket draped over the bed can be popular with many cats as they can hide underneath it.
Vertical space
Vertical spaces that are mounted on the walls such as cat shelves means cats can climb (and therefore is great for exercise and reducing weight challenges). It also means your cats can utilise these spaces to have different routes to avoid cats on the ground if they want to. This can help reduce tension. There are some funky and fancy options out there.. just be sure they are suitable for your cat’s weight. Depending on the type, you can use these locations to feed your cat or play with them which avoids tension over resources.
Scratching posts
Cats have scent glands on their paws so not only does scratching keep claws ship shape, it helps deposit scent too which helps cats feel more secure in their environment. Different options for scratching posts is sensible in case your cat ever has an injury or prefers different textures. Placing these in locations where your cat scratches and near to where they sleep is a good idea as many cats enjoy a scratch after a snooze. Corrugated cardboard posts are great and many cats like sisal wood too. Vertical and horizontal options give your cats options.
Conclusion
It's important to give you cat a variety of resources in order to have harmony in the home. By never letting resources be scarce, positioning and providing cat furniture for mental enrichment and allowing cats spaces to express their instinctual needs without competition will allow you to have a harmonious home with your millions of cats :)
About the Author
Lisa Sinnott is an award winning founder. She runs St Claws Academy and is a cat behaviourist. She has spoken on BBC world service radio about cats and pet technology. She studied clinical animal Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
You can find out more information over on her knowledge centre here: https://www.stclawsacademy.co.uk/blog
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