Enriching Your Cat’s Lives

As a pet sitter, we are always looking for different ways to connect and socialize with your feline friends.  Some are more social and comfortable with us than others, but we can add enrichment to all cat’s who we cross paths with.

So the first thing we need to know is that cats are always in fight or flight mode.  They are one of the only mammals who are both prey and predator.  They hunt for their food but are also prey for many other animals.  This is also why it is a good idea to always keep your cat indoors.  With this knowledge we can begin to recognize what our feline friends are going through.  They are constantly trying to decide whether every person, noise or object is a threat or not and can be the reason why it can sometimes take some time for a kitty to warm up to you.  They have to decide you are trustworthy and some cats take longer to make that decision.

When we talk about our cat’s health we usually are speaking to their physical health and well being, but we also need to make sure we are taking care of their emotional and cognitive health as well.  So most cat’s lifestyles may look  like hunt/play, eat, sleep, groom and be social.  Most cats perform this cycle more than once per day and we want to make sure our cats are making the most of each activity.

I know I mentioned hunt earlier, but for cats that is their mode of play.  So when you are engaging with your cat in play it should always mimic hunting. The stages of the hunt are eye, stalk, chase, pounce and kill.  So think about what toys your cat loves playing with the most.  It is a string with a toy on the end or maybe it’s a laser pointer or even a toy mouse.  Each of those things mimics the hunt.  Your cat sees the toy, red dot or mouse.  They then will stalk it, some cats get down low and with quick head movements follow the item and prepare for the next step.  Chasing - most cats will love to chase a toy mouse that has been thrown or will chase the red dot of a laser around a room and up the walls and even chase that toy on the string whether in the air or on the ground.  Always remember, as your cat ages, they will still want to engage in the hunt play but you may need to slow things down or move to them casing objects on the floor and not in the air. The next stage is the pounce, we may see this occurring when our cats start to dance with their rumps in the air and boom, there they go! And finally the kill.  While we don’t love it when our cats bring us a gift of their kill, we always need to make sure the play ends in a reward.  Allow your cat to catch the toy at the end of the string, make sure they catch the dot and allow them to catch the mouse toy and bring it to you as a gift.  Now when it comes to catching the red dot, that on its own is not always fulfilling, what I do with Regina and Phoebe I position the laser to one side of the room, drop a few treats on the floor and bring the laser back to the treats, it is their reward for ‘catching the red dot’.  Always remember to rotate your cat’s toys every few days or weeks, just as we can get bored of certain items, cats do as well.

Eat.  First I want to pose the question to you, where do you feed your cats?  Most people say kitchen, why?  Well most likely we feed our cats and dogs for that matter in the kitchen because that is where we eat.  But, what if your feline friends don’t want to eat in the kitchen or even the same spot each day? They most likely will never be able to tell us where they would prefer to eat, but there are some basic things about cats we should know and this can help your cat feel more fulfilled during feeding times.  While the quality of food we feed our cats is very important, we also need to keep in the back of our minds that sometimes where we feed our cats is more important than what.  Cats, as creatures, want to work for their food.  It is a basic instinct for them.  Puzzle feeders can be great for this, there are so many styles of feeders from timers to puzzles.  Just adding a puzzle feeder into your cat’s routine can create enrichment that has been missing from their lives.

Sleep.  Did you know that cats spend between 12 and 16 hours each day sleeping, which means they sleep for 50-60% of each day.  This is the time your cat recharges, since they are constantly in fight or flight mode, it takes a lot of mental energy for them to make it through the day.  While your cat may spend most of their time sleeping, we need to make sure we are recognizing sleeping vs. being lethargic.  It is always good to know your cat’s routine, as becoming lethargic can be a sign of something being wrong.  Remember since they are also prey animals, they will try to hide illness and injury from us.

Groom.  Cat’s love to groom themselves and if you have more than one cat, you may notice they groom each other.  Welcome, hairballs! There are many reasons why our cats groom themselves.  After your cat eats, you may notice they tend to immediately start grooming, they are hiding the scent of their food as well as their scent.  When you cat groom themselves or another cat they are cleaning their fur of any debris or other scents as well as dispersing oils from their skin and fur evenly throughout.  You always notice when a get is either no longer able to groom themselves as their fur becomes matted and oily in spots. Cats also groom themselves to clean injuries.  Did you know that cat’s saliva has some antibacterial matter in them.  Not saying if you are cut, you should allow your cat to clean your wound, but they will lick injuries as a way to assist with the healing process. And most fascinating, did you know that when a cat grooms they are also regulating their body temperature? After a cat is done grooming, touch the spot they just cleaned and it is actually cooler than other parts of their bodies.

And Social.  Make sure when being social with your cat you are engaging in all five senses.  This can be talking to your cat while they are on your lap and you are petting them.  Trust is always key when interacting with a cat.  In our business we do sometimes encounter cats who are shy or fearful, even just sitting in the same room with the cat, as long as they have a way out, can be enough social interaction.

Separation Anxiety

With offices opening this fall and schools going back to in person learning I think this is the best time to talk about separation anxiety in dogs.  We are seeing pups who pre-pandemic never had any separation anxiety issues, we then went into lock down and most people were working from home and our pets got used to us being there all the time.  We also are seeing what we are calling pandemic puppies, these are dogs who people brought home during the pandemic and the only thing these pups know is their people are always around and now they won’t be.

What we need to understand is this is a big transition for our pets and we need to be aware of signs of separation anxiety and more importantly we need to know what we can do to help our pets with this transition.  

So what are some signs your pup is struggling with separation anxiety? You may start to see some signs of aggression when it was not there before. I have had some clients say their dogs have started barking and lunging at their ankles when the dog knows they are about to leave the house.  Accidents in the home, such as wetting or defecating.  We personally dealt with this, we called them spite accidents, although Sassy was not being spiteful, but she was telling us she was struggling with us leaving the home.  She would do both her potties before we left and we would come home to a small wet spot in the same spot each time. Another big one is destructive behavior such as chewing baseboards or destroying furniture.

Excessive barking, whining or meowing, so we dealt with this as well, but not from Sassy.  Regina, one of our cats would just sit at the door and mew and mew and when we returned she would not leave our side.  Pacing and restlessness, your pups inability to self soothe, which is something we teach puppies at an early age, just as you would a child.  Changes in mood, appetite and weight, you should always know your pets eating habits and potty habits, any changes in these can be a signal something is not right.

Another thing to watch for is repetitive or compulsive behaviors such as licking or chewing.  While you may not be present when the act is happening you should watch out for areas of reddened skin and or bald patches.  Most commonly dogs will go for their paws, tails or even right around their hips. Lastly, you should look out for behaviors such as tail-tucking, hiding, or shaking, behaviors we associate with fear.  Your pup is telling you they are stressed and do not know how to calm themselves.

There are some things we can start doing now, while you are still at home that can help puppare are dogs for us returning to work, school, or activities that will keep us away from home for longer intervals.  

You can build independence while you are still home with your dog.  Encouraging your dog to explore on their own and be in a separate place from you can teach them it is okay to be alone.  You can also help reinforce this by continued training and practice of stay, down or place cues.  While you are at home with your pup you should be ignoring needy behaviors such as scratching or excessively seeking attention.  Ignoring the needy behaviors will help your pup become self-sufficient and find something else to occupy their time, whether it be them laying down to relax or finding their favorite toy to play with.

One thing I always recommend to my clients is to associate your absence with a reward.  The most common thing I recommend is a frozen Kong toy.  Put a bit of peanut butter and maybe some treats in the Kong and freeze overnight.  When you are leaving, give it to your pup.  They key here is that they only ever get the Kong when you are not there.  Soon your pup will be anticipating the treat rather than worrying about you leaving the home.  

Another tip would be to gradually increase the time your dog is alone.  Just as you do with a new puppy, start off leaving the home for a brief amount of time.  This is something that needs to be started in advance so you can slowly work your pup into the new routine.  Please be aware to always set your dog up for success with this.  If your dog is overly anxious, start with just a few minutes and slowly increase each day.  You must make sure you are not increasing the alone time too much at a time which can do more harm for your dog than help them.

I know this can be a controversial topic, but crate train your dog.  Creating a safe place for your dog can really help them relax when they are left alone.  If you do not want to crate your dog, consider gating them in a small space such as a laundry room or bathroom.  I crate trained Sassy when she was a puppy and when she was young we moved quite a bit, but her constant was her crate.  Most of the time honestly, she was never locked in, but she would lay in there while I was gone. Even now, she is 13 and I cannot put her crate away.  We have it out in our family room and it is her safe place, she gets very nervous if it is not set up.  Our cats have a space as well.  They love the spare bedroom, we call it the cat’s room.

There are also many things you can do when you return to work to make it a bit easier for your pet.  Stay calm when leaving home and returning home.  Do not make a big deal out of it by spending time gushing over your pet before you leave and when you return do not immediately gush over them as well.  Sassy gets her treat a few minutes before we leave and we just leave the house without saying anything.  When we return we take time taking our shoes off, putting down my purse and small things before acknowledging the dog.  Giving your pup too much attention when leaving and returning can heighten their anxiety around those activities.  Give your pup something to do while you are gone, puzzle toys are another big thing that I recommend to clients.  These can keep your pups attention but also are very mentally stimulating for them which can help reduce feelings of anxiety.  Something that we do with Sassy, is we increase exercise before we leave.  We take Sassy on a long sniff walk, which is very enriching for dogs, and it will tire her out.  When we return she is calm and relaxed after the outing.  Or you can engage your dog with vigorous play, just remember you are looking to tire them out so just tossing a ball twice will work your dog up more than tire them out.  Switch up your routine when you are leaving.  Your dog may start to pick up on your routine before leaving which can lead to anxiety.  Do things in a different order each day so your pup does not get worked up before you depart.  

If your dog is showing signs of severe anxiety, always consult a veterinarian.  They may be able to recommend the best calming collars, shirts or pheromones. And in some cases they may even recommend an anti-anxiety medication.

If you are returning to the office you should consider hiring a professional dog walker.  They can provide your pup with socialization, exercise and reinforcing basic skills.  This will help your pet deal with your absence by giving them a break from being alone which can help with the transition.  The Pet Lady offers our clients mid-day dog walks and we work Monday-Friday rain or shine to provide the stimulation and potty breaks the pups we see need. Trainers may also be a great option to help work with your pet on how to deal with their anxiety.

Hiring a dog Walker or pet sitter can be very beneficial for any pup suffering from separation anxiety and we are here to help! CLICK HERE to get started with dog walks from The Pet Lady.