Adopting a cat is quite a challenge. You must not only take charge of covering all their needs, but also begin to establish a positive relationship of friendship and affection, but without blurring the role that each one has at home.
If you have trouble getting along with your cat, in this article we bring you 10 interesting tips to help you form that bond you love so much with your pet. Do you need to know more? Keep reading and discover on our site how to get along with a cat!
1. To get along with your cat, don't be violent
If you have a young cat or puppy, one of the most important things you should do is fill yourself with patience and serenity, since at that age they are very active and get into mischief.
Teach him to behave well, but without restricting his desire to play, show him the right place to relieve himself until he learns it, and a long etcetera. These activities can become frustrating at times, however, never try to educate him with yelling or physical punishment If you do, you will only make the animal afraid of you or defends itself with growls and scratches.
two. Don't stare at him
Cats' eyes are very attractive to people, especially because of their variety of colors and how important they can be in conveying their emotions. Despite this, cats hate being stared at for too long, and if you do, they may claw at you. Of course, this does not always happen when there is a bond between animal and human and a relationship of complete trust has been created. But, when you have just arrived home, to know how to get along with a cat, it is important to keep this point in mind.
This hatred of staring is because felines interpret it as challenge or threat, so maintaining eye contact for a long time you only make him feel uncomfortable and even scared. In cases like these, it is best to look away as soon as possible and very subtly.
3. Use cat toys
Contrary to popular belief that cats are not very affectionate animals, the truth is that they love to be pampered and feel spoiled, through caresses or fun games. Many times, however, you play with him in the wrong way and this leads to unwanted behavior in the future. What do we mean by this? Well, to all the occasions in which you use your hands or feet to play with your kitty, letting him scratch and bite you. What's wrong with this? Coming up next, we tell you!
First of all, those bites and scratches may be fun for you the first time, however, we assure you that they will not be pleasant at all when the cat does it without your consent. In that case, it is best to educate him from a young age so that he does not bite you.
Secondly, if you play with your hands and feet it is very possible that you will get a scratch or bite and, by reflex, end up making a bad move that hurts your pet.
To avoid both problems, we recommend using cat toys The correct way to do this is to throw them away so the cat can go after them to hunt them down. You will have a lot of fun! Although there are a variety of toys that you can try to find out what your furry friend's favorites are.
4. Don't block their way
Cats are very independent animals, but also scary, so if they feel imprisoned in any way they will try their best run away. For this reason you should not corner them or block their path. Not only will this annoy him a lot, but it will also freak him out.
If your cat goes to another part of the house and you want to pet him, he waits for you to come over to cuddle him
5. Do not disturb him when he sleeps
Imagine that you are sleeping peacefully in your bed and suddenly something wakes you up agitated. Uncomfortable, right? Your feline also does not like to be woken up and, therefore, you should avoid waking him up for the simple whim of wanting to play with him if you intend to learn to get along with your cat.
When you notice that your kitty is in a peaceful sleep, do not disturb him. For felines long hours of rest are very necessary and you must respect them. Otherwise, you could cause stress. For more information on this point, do not hesitate to consult the following article: "How many hours does a cat sleep a day?".
6. Don't interrupt him when he uses the litter box
Using the litter box is almost a ritual for cats, you should avoid disturbing it when it is there. Why? When they relieve themselves, felines tend to feel vulnerable and helpless, so they remain alert to a possible threat.
Because of this, it is very easy for them to be startled by any movement or noise they perceive. If the animal is frequently disturbed while in the box, it is very possible that he will stop using it and find another place in the house to be quiet during that time.
7. Don't pull his tail
The tail of cats fulfills a much more important function than aesthetics, as it helps them to maintain their balance and communicate.
As funny as it sounds, you should never pull on your cat's tail. Not only is this very annoying, but you could also hurt him. This article explains "Why do cats wag their tails?" and how to learn to interpret their movements.
8. Do not take it from the skin of the neck
You may have seen that cats grab their puppies by the back of the head by using the excess skin that accumulates in this area, but be careful! This is not a practice that cats like, and if they are adults it makes them quite uncomfortable because they are unable to control their movements
If you have to pick up your cat, he surrounds the front legs very carefully while with your other arm you support the rear ones so that his body is not suspended in the air.
9. Respect their time and space
To get along with your cat it is essential that you understand the following: cats are routine and hate feeling forced to do something that they don't they want to do. What does this mean? That if he doesn't want to play, he doesn't want to play, and forcing him to do so will only cause you to get a scratch as a warning. This example can be transferred to other everyday situations, such as hugging him, caressing him, etc.
On the other hand, his spaces are his and you should respect them, just as you want him to respect yours. Likewise, their schedules are equally inviolable if you want them to remain mentally balanced and stable. Any change, no matter how small, can cause stress in the animal. In this article you will find the things that stress cats the most.
10. Learn to interpret their language
Once you have seen all the previous points that help you know how to get along with a cat, you will understand that it is essential that you broaden your knowledge and learn to interpret feline languageMoving the tail in the form of a whip, for example, does not indicate that the cat is happy, on the contrary! It shows us that it is about to explode and a scratch is coming if we do not stop do what is bothering you so much. These are the little details that make many guardians believe that their cats attack them for no reason or that they don't understand why their cats "hate" them so much.
Review the article on "Language and communication of cats" to learn more about them, learn to communicate with your cat and start enjoying a harmonious relationship.