What Makes Cats Happy?

Considering all cats do for us – things like snuggles, hours of entertainment, and even more snuggles – It’s natural to want to return the favor.
But what makes indoor cats happy? To help tackle this important question, we’ve compiled our top tips.

What Do Cats Need to Be Happy?

 

A Healthy Diet
If you want your fur baby to enjoy a longer, happier life, invest in high-quality food. Sure, you could save a few bucks by choosing inexpensive options, but like most things in life, you may get what you pay for. Consult your veterinarian for recommendations on cat food that will best deliver complete nutrition.

Preventative Veterinarian Care
Many pet owners don’t take their animals to the vet until something is wrong. But just like people, preventative care can help your “kitteh” stay healthy and happy. Consider investing in a periodic checkup, preventative worm and flea treatments, and other proactive measures. Granted, the vet visit won’t make your cat happy, but potentially heading off a more serious illness certainly will.

Regular Brushing
Periodic brushing can reduce hairballs, help you spot fleas (which in turn may help you prevent heartworms), and offer an opportunity for you to bond with your fuzzy best friend. Ideally, brushing is a ritual best established at kittenhood. But an adult cat can warm up to (and ultimately grow to love) the ritual of brushing if you ease into it.

Frequent Attention and Interaction
Don’t be fooled by their aloof personas. Cats need interaction and stimulation. Wands and laser pointers are great choices to provide entertainment and exercise. And needless to say, a regular treat followed by a scratch under the chin will always go a long way.

Space to Be Alone
As much as your cat loves snuggle time with you, it also needs the freedom to be by itself. This is especially true if you have small kids and/or dogs. In practice, this means letting your cat come to you when he or she wants attention, and providing places in your home where the cat can go if it needs to feel safe.

A Cat Tree to Call Home
As we mentioned in a previous blog post, cats love cat trees. Why? A well designed cat tree offers things to climb, places to hide, stuff to scratch, and multiple opportunities to test their fitness, balance, and coordination.

Unfortunately, a typical cat tree looks a lot more inviting to a cat than it does to you and your house guests. For something everyone can love, consider the Cat Case™ Bookcase with Hidden Cat Tree / Cat Tower. This cleverly-designed modern cat tree offers all the feline happiness inducers mentioned above, discretely built into a modular bookcase that will look great in virtually any room of your house.