A Kitty's Point of View: Understanding My Independence!
Us domestic cats have it very comfortable compared to our ancestors in the wild, but a lot of it is very similar! So, what should you expect from an independent kitty like me?
I like my own company!
I don't mind being on my own. I like my own company so that I can take a cat nap when I like, and wander around the house and garden to make sure my territory is marked. I love my human parents; they do everything they can for me and I do like the play times we have together in the morning and the evening. I also like it when I snuggle up on my human's lap in the evening and she strokes me - but once I've had enough I'll go and find my own space!
Routine is key for a kitty
Knowing what I'm going to do all day is great. It means that I can go through my own routine and know what to expect - but I don't like it when things change around the house. I get confused and anxious because it feels as though I'm not in control any more; sometimes I even scratch the furniture or urinate outside my litter tray.
Luckily, my human parents are getting to know the signs of an anxious cat, and help me to adjust to any changes so that I can get back to being more independent again.
I like my own independent territory
I like to be in control of my territory and all my resources. That's why I sometimes spray outside in the garden so that local cats know that I'm here.
I feel the same about my food bowls, my bed and my litter tray. I prefer to sleep in my own bed, I don't like sharing my food bowl and I certainly won't share my litter tray - yuk! Just like my wild ancestors, I have a few places where I like to curl up for a snooze and I'll choose which one I use, depending on how I'm feeling.
My human parents make sure that my sister cat also has all her own things - I think she feels quite independent too, though we do sometimes play together like we did when we were in our litter.
I do like to spend time with my humans!
My daily routine does involve some play time with my humans and I enjoy that! They play games that teach me to stalk and pounce, by dangling a toy mouse on a string - it's very close to the real thing outside in the garden!
It's also really nice when they settle down to watch TV at night and I can sit on their lap or cuddle up for a while on a cushion on the sofa. They're getting used to my body language; I allow them to stroke me sometimes, as long as it's only around my ears and chin - I don't like it when they touch my tummy or my tail. If they do, I'll scoot off to another of my favourite spots!
We're not all the same!
Just like humans, us cats have individual personalities. Some of us are dependent on our humans and some of us are very independent. I'm in the middle I think, I enjoy time with my human parents and my sister (when I am in the mood!) but I also like to do my own thing too!
It helped me a lot when my humans started to use a FELIWAY Optimum Diffuser in the house. It took a few days, but then I really began to feel calm, serene and more comfortable in the home, which meant I could concentrate on enjoying my favourite things! That reminds me, I must go and check out the living room as the sun should be on the sofa by now!
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