Content
- 1. Sleep
- 2. Hunt
- 3. Scratch
- 4. Sunbathe
- 5. Receive affection
- 6. Watch the world
- 7. eat
- 8. To be on the heights
- 9. Play
- 10. Be with your family
Cats are very special animals who love their freedom and independence as well as playing and sharing moments with their human companions. Anyone who has a cat at home knows that they must respect the feline's space and decisions, without letting it be in danger and at the same time without limiting its instincts.
A healthy and happy cat not only needs good food, veterinary care and affection, but also to carry out activities specific to its species. Sometimes, wanting to protect, you can restrict your cat to such an extent that this causes episodes of stress and even illness. Therefore, at PeritoAnimal we made this article about 10 things cats love the most.
1. Sleep
You've certainly noticed that your feline friend loves to sleep, this being the activity that you do most during the day. These long hours of sleep, which can be up to 18 a day, are absolutely necessary for the cat, so don't wake or disturb him.
Often, when you see your cat sleeping for so long, it is difficult to avoid the temptation to wake him up, especially to play or give him a little affection. However, experts believe that it is counterproductive to interrupt these hours of rest, since in the long term it could trigger episodes of stress in the feline. Expect your furry friend to wake up to share time with him, plus he often will prefer to sleep beside you.
2. Hunt
O hunting instinct survives in the cat despite the centuries that this species has been domesticated. some cat owners get angry and even scold the cat when they discover that they have hunted a bird, a gecko or some other animal. This makes no sense, as the cat will not understand what the scolding is due to, and will not fail to do so.
A cat that goes outside will hunt the animals that catch its attention and not for hunger, simply for fun and instinct. The only thing you must do is make sure your environment is safe, that the cat cannot escape or fall prey to another animal's attack, and that it does not ingest prey that has been poisoned.
If the cat lives inside the house, it will have to provide entertainment that simulates the pursuit of prey. It's an activity they can share. You can even buy or make ribbon toys with something at the end that the cat can chase. There is an infinity of toys that the cat can hunt, such as balls, stuffed mice, dolls stuffed with catnip, among others, this being another one of the things that cats love the most.
3. Scratch
Scratching and scratching is another one of those instinctive activities of your feline and, therefore, another one of the things cats love since, in addition, they are 100% necessary for him and under no circumstances should they be repressed. cats scratch for fun, to sharpen your nails and to mark the territory, keeping your possible opponents at bay.
We know that this can turn into a problem in your home if you don't act properly, since carpets, furniture, curtains, shoes and anything that looks attractive to the cat can fall prey to its instincts. Therefore, we recommend that you buy a good scratcher or several to put them in various spaces in the house. And if you prefer, you can make your own homemade cat scratcher.
4. Sunbathe
The cats love the warm and comfortable places, that's why lying down in the sun is one of her favorite activities. If your cat goes outside, he will have an even more pleasant experience if he puts a bed in a place where he likes to sunbathe, away from uncomfortable noises and safe from possible dangers. If, on the other hand, you have a cat that does not leave the house, we recommend that you open a curtain on a window, so that the cat is not deprived of this activity that is so good for him. Don't miss our article on "Why do cats like the sun?" and find out all the reasons.
In addition, this taste for the sun extends to other areas, since what the cat is looking for is heat. In other words, it is not uncommon for you to also like to sleep close to other places that release heat, such as on your computer, between household appliances or even behind the refrigerator. Of course, in these cases you must make sure that there is no danger to the cat, such as a ground cable, damaged equipment, risk of a short circuit, electrocution or even that the temperatures may rise too high.
5. Receive affection
Contrary to what many people believe, another of the things that cats love is receiving affection, as they really enjoy the time they spend with their human family, especially if they are dedicated to pampering and giving them affection. These, of course, are not always welcome, so if you see that your cat has had enough of it after a while, it is best to leave it alone, otherwise it is possible that it will get a scratch.
The affections are not well received in all parts of the body, so you should concentrate them on the loin, chin and ears. Few cats like to be petted in the belly, they only allow it when they feel a lot of trust with the person who is doing it. Paws are prohibited, as all felines hate to be touched on their paws. If you want to discover everything that cats hate about humans, don't miss our article on this topic.
Obviously, there is also a suitable technique. Most cats prefer petting that simulates itching, but you should never do it in the opposite direction to the fur. Also, sessions should be short and only when the cat demonstrates that she wants them. You must assess whether this is a good time. Another important thing is that affections from strangers are rarely welcome.
6. Watch the world
The cats love watching what happens outside their homes, the movement of people, the things that the wind brings, the passing of the day, among others, so you must have already noticed that you can spend hours simply looking out the window. If possible, and without this posing a risk to the cat, prepare a place near the window, keeping it closed (especially if you live in an apartment), so that your cat can be entertained watching what is happening outside.
7. eat
It's no secret that cats love food, they are even able to eat something they like a lot even without hunger. If what you want is to keep you happy, as well as healthy, the ideal is that you can regularly vary your diet a little, whether introducing small prizes into your usual eating routine or preparing homemade recipes.
This does not mean that you should radically change the type of ration you give him, for example, for something other than overnight. These types of sudden changes often bring digestive problems to cats, in addition to an obvious rejection. The best thing is to get him used to alternating dry and wet food, in addition to occasionally offering him some fresh food, such as meat or fish, to give him a taste of other flavors. When you do, be careful not to give him any ingredients that are toxic to cats.
8. To be on the heights
As a precaution, felines, even large ones, feel the instinct to sleep in high places, to prevent any enemy from surprising them with their guard down. This is behavior that the domestic cat has inherited.
The main difference is that the domestic cat not only likes the heights to sleep, but also to observe everything that happens around him. As we have already mentioned, one of the things that cats love is to see what happens outside the home, imagine how much they love to do it from a privileged height, in heights. Of course, in this position the cat should feel that dominates everything around you.
If you have a garden with trees at home, let your cat come out and come up if he feels like it, always under your supervision to avoid any accidents. If, on the contrary, you live in an apartment, taller furniture is perfect to satisfy this cat's need.
9. Play
As you can see, not everything in a cat's life goes through sleep. When you don't eat or sleep, the cat loves to play, no matter how old you are. Whether with other cats or pets whether they are at home, with their toys, with you or even with anything curious you find, for the cat the fun time is very important.
That's why we recommend that you not only buy or make some cat toys yourself, and offer scratchers and places that he can not only play with, but also give him the attention he needs every day. Remember that a bored cat is an unhappy cat.
10. Be with your family
When you own a cat, it's easy to realize that, despite loving your space, she also loves being with you and the rest of the family members. Many people devalue felines claiming they are selfish and detached beings, but obviously they never had any!
cats have various ways to show your affection, that maybe because they are so subtle they go unnoticed for some people. Have you ever noticed how it leans against you to sleep? Have you ever left you a freshly hunted prey at your feet? Do you receive you when you come home after a long day? Lick you? Do you like it when you caress it? These are just some of the signs that show your cat's affection for you, and how much she enjoys being with you.
Now that you know these 10 things that cats love, remember what you have to do to improve coexistence between them and offer the best quality of life. He will thank you!
