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Cat Social Behavior And Us
Cat social behavior can either be very subtle or can be completely obvious. They are very good at letting us know if they are a happy cat or feeling sad.
Although cats are known to be asocial creatures, this does not
mean they are anti social it just means that they can if necessary get
by on their own. Domestic cats however definitely show signs of affection
for their human friends. Some say this is just because they want food,
but what about those times after dinner when they curl up next to you
or when they nudge you for a tickle?
Our cat Mo shows a specific cat social behavior, she will wait by the door every evening waiting for her human “dad” to come home. As he walks in she makes those charming little chirruping noises and demands that he instantly sits down, so that he can give her a stroke. That is definitely a social behavior.
 Bonding
with your cat.
Bonding with your cat is much more involved than just feeding them. For
a relationship to be built between the two of you and for them to become
a real cat companion, time must be spent getting to know each other. You
must play with and talk to your cat a lot in the early days, responding
to them when they seek you out and building trust between you both.
Don’t’ be tempted to swamp your cat with too much attention as this might make the cat nervous at first, especially if the cat has come from a rescue home. They will need time settle in and find their own way round. Just make sure that you are available to them and they will start to show their natural cat social behavior.
Clingy cats can be a problem.
Mo was a bit clingy at first. She followed us everywhere and even sat outside the bathroom door waiting for us to come out. She would sit really close all the time and was generally getting under our feet. At first it was cute but eventually we had to try and stop this kind of cat behavior, as we didn’t want her to be come overly attached to us.
Our solution was not to encourage her to always sit on our laps but to use her own bed. If she was persistent we would quickly blow on her face, just the once. She would then back off, but she didn’t feel punished, it was just a little reprimand.
Secondly, we did not always pet her when she came looking for attention. Her natural cat social behavior was to try to get in our way until we gave in and gave her a stroke. But by not giving in, she learnt that she would get affection, but not when she was yelling or climbing all over us.
Separation Anxiety a cat social behavior disorder.
Mo was a rescue cat and we suspect that she may have been mistreated. She was found wandering the streets, so she may have been abandoned. Luckily she is still a friendly girl and seems still to love human contact. Although she is usually a very happy cat, she does suffer from anxiety when we go away for a few days even when we have friends look after her. She shows this by urinating and leaving faeces around the house, even on our bed. This is something she never usually does. Other cats may show other symptoms like chewing furniture or over grooming causing bald spots.
Ways to overcome this type of negative cat social behavior are:
- Try to wean your cat from being so dependant on you. Only give them attention when they are not being too clingy or demanding.
- Make their environment more interesting for them. Cat social behavior dictates that they enjoy lots of visual stimulus, so provide toys, scratching posts and a comfortable and secure place for them to sleep. Also, leave a small snack for them to nibble on throughout the day and make sure that they have plenty to drink and access to a clean litter tray.
- Try leaving either the television or radio on for them. This may sound strange but the sound of voices may help to reassure them that they are not alone. There are even “cat videos” available that have sound and pictures of birds and other small animals to keep their attention throughout the day.
- You may even consider getting a second cat as a companion for the first. As long as the cats get along that is.
- If all else fails, a last resort could be visiting your vet who can prescribe certain calming drugs.
Cats and Children
Children observing cat social behavior will benefit enormously. Many lessons
can be learnt, from positive interaction with another living creature,
being gentle and caring and how to be responsible.
However very young children must be monitored when near your cat. Pulling of tails and grabbing handfuls of fur could lead to the cat hitting out. Well how would you like it? Do not shout at either child or cat, after all they are both just learning.
Make sure that your cat does not become neglected once a child appears on the scene. This may cause resentment and jealousy. Introduce your cat to the child gradually and get them used to the child’s scent by letting them smell some of the child’s belongings and clothes. Play with the cat with the child watching so that they can see what the cat likes. Hopefully this way they will become the best of friends and have many years of fun and happiness together.
The rewards of owning a cat.
What is a home without a pet? Well for people living on their own or the elderly, it can be a lonely place. What better than to come home to a warm welcome everyday no matter what.
Studies have shown that owning a cat provides positive physiological and psychological health benefits. Being able to look after a cat can provide people, especially the elderly, with a sense of being needed and so boosts self-esteem. Cat social behavior and their ability to let us into their family is a real privilege.
There are also health benefits to us as humans; medical research has shown that
by owning a pet:
- Stress levels are lower.
- Have less sleep problems.
- Are less likely to become sick as non-pet owners.
- Blood pressure is lower.
- Suffer less from heart problems.
- Will recover from illness quicker.
Cats are also therapeutic for those suffering from dementia and mental health problems, even helping to reduce aggression with those who suffer with violent behavior.
So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a cat, quick.
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