Is My Cat Lonely? Sure, It's Possible, and Here's Why
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By nature we know cats are solitary or lonely animal that care more about their food, grooming, and warm sleeping spots since being a human pets for years. If such comforts and companionship came without you, your cat would be out the door, right? Not quite, believe it or not, plenty cat owners (maybe you) – with friendly, attention-needy felines serve as proof.
Different from dogs, humans and almost all other species, we come in contact with other pack of species. Cats are solitary hunters, but a lot of people misunderstand that to mean “they are social”. That’s not really what it means.
Feral cats hunt alone, but they live in colonies. To support this statement, a 2006 Harris Interactive survey found that 8 out of 10 veterinarians believe feral cats are in face social by nature.
But it is not too late to start playing a vital role in your cat’s life. Here I’m writing few simple steps that can help creating a great relationship with your beloved felines.
Cats can’t whistle up and tell us they need more face-to-whisker time. Take note of the following signs, which can indicate your pet’s unhappiness:
- Excessive grooming
- Excessive meowing
- Overeating or not eating
- Coughing up hairballs because of the over grooming
- A decrease in activity and interaction
- Destructive behavior
- Aggressive towards people or other animals in the household
- Sleeping a lot
Not to worry if it’s happens to your cats. If you detect any sign of above loneliness, you can take further steps to make sure your cat is not an unhappy feline. Here are some tips:
- Visit your veterinarian - Since the symptoms of loneliness can relate to illness, it’s best to have your veterinarian check up your kitty. You’ll want to rule out physical causes, such as thyroid issues, infections or other health problems, which could be causing your cat’s distress.
- Choose companions wisely - If you’re attempting to introduce a new kitty to be a companion for your cat, be cautious. Such introductions could even go wrong, since you’d be adding yet another source of stress to an already maxed-out cat. Consider your cat’s energy level when bringing another cat into your home. As an example, if your kitty is a sedate 10-year-old, a frisky kitten might not make the best companion. Don’t get a kitten in this case. Get a pair of kittens so your 10-year-old doesn’t have to fight or rough and tumble.
- Improve your cat’s environment - Your cat is certain to live a safer, healthier life as an indoor cat. But, like zoo animals, indoor cats are cut off from the more dangerous, yet exciting then outside environment. They are always at risk for loneliness in that situation. It’s up to you to provide a rich, exciting environment that engages your cat and prevents its loneliness. You’ll want to make sure your cat has places to climb and scratch, as well as toys that provide mental challenges and let your kitty act out its instinct to pursue prey. People sometimes think cats will create their environment for themselves, these is not true.
- Be creative about play - Too often, we buy cute cat toys on fancy at the pet store, and then toss them in a basket. Instead, rotate toys in circulation so your cat doesn’t get bored. Grab a handful of toy mice, or other small toys, and toss them in a catnip marinade in a plastic bag before turning them over to your cat.
Always remember that your cat does need your interaction. They have independent features and they don’t have that neediness of a dog, so we tend to forget about them.
At the end of the day, if you have cats as pets, treat them like pets, rather than being a stray cat living indoors without any attention.
The idea of the loner cat is just folklore!
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