Make sure your cat is happy with advice from our cat behaviour experts
As the saying goes, a happy cat means a happy owner. It's in your best interest to make sure your furry friend has everything they need to be comfortable in their home. If you meet their needs then hopefully you’ll be rewarded with all the joy and head bumps you could wish for.
It’s important to remember that like humans, all cats are individuals. One cat may find happiness sitting on their owner’s lap and being stroked. Another may enjoy sitting at a distance nearby with their own space. Take the time to get to know your cat. Find out what they enjoy, so you can give them more of what they like.
1. Plenty of play
Providing your cat with appropriate play allows them to exhibit their natural hunting behaviours. It is also a great way for you to bond with your cat. Have several short play sessions with your cat every day. Ideally three to four play sessions of no more than five minutes.
Fishing rod toys are great as they can mimic the behaviour of prey. Allow your cat to catch the toy about once every three times they pounce. This will avoid frustration and release feel-good chemicals called endorphins in their brain. Always end the play session with them catching the toy.
Laser toys aren’t recommended as they can cause frustration when your cat is unable to catch the red dot. Never use fingers, hands or feet to encourage play. This can lead to cats directing their hunting behaviours onto people and causing injury.
Provide a selection of toys for your cat to play with on their own too. Ping pong balls are fun for your cat to knock around. Regularly swap around their toys so that they don’t lose their novelty.
Find out more about playing with your cat.
2. Teach them a new skill
Positive, reinforcement-based training is a great way to bond with your cat and teach them some useful life skills. Training sessions should be kept short. About five minutes at a time is ideal. Always set your cat up to succeed to avoid frustration. You can find out how to train your cat to sit, roll over, respond to their name and more with our easy-to-follow training guides.
3. Make feeding time fun
Using puzzle feeders for your cat’s meals provides them with mental stimulation. It also releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins in their brain. Dividing your cat’s daily food allowance into smaller meals meets their need to eat little and often. There are loads of options for both dry food and wet food, as well as store-bought and homemade feeders.
If your cat is used to being fed from a bowl, they might be unsure about eating from puzzle feeders initially. Once they’ve got the hang of it, you can gradually increase the difficulty to keep it challenging!
Find out how to make feeding puzzles for your cat.
4. Get to know them
Recognising your cat’s body language, especially the more subtle signs, is an important way to know if your cat is happy.
If your cat approaches you with an upright tail, sometimes curved at the tip, this usually means they’re happy to see you. Slow blinking also indicates that your cat feels happy and relaxed in your presence. Your cat may also roll onto their back to show you they trust you. But don’t betray this trust by stroking their belly! If your cat crouches low to the ground, flattens their ears to their head or has very wide pupils in their eyes, this may show that they are feeling anxious or stressed.
Find out how to read your cat's body language.
5. Give them somewhere to hide
When thinking about making your cat happy, it’s important to consider their environment. Cats love getting up high, especially when they are stressed. Providing them with lots of places they can get up off the ground will keep them happy. Vertical space can be provided by adding cat shelves to your wall, or with cat trees, radiator beds or even cardboard boxes.
Cardboard boxes also provide great hiding places, as do igloo beds. Cats like to hide when they feel stressed, as it helps to calm them down.
If you have more than one cat, make sure that you are providing enough hiding places for them. Provide one per cat plus one extra. This applies to other essential items as well, such as litter trays, food and water bowls and scratching posts.
