The top ten “no’s” for cat lovers are listed below. These are the actions you should avoid if you don’t want your fur-baby to resent, despise, or fear you:
1. Shouting.
Your cat is more frightened by raised sounds than you realize. The ears of cats are especially sensitive to loud noises. This means that their ranting is magnified to extraordinary proportions.
2. Ignoring Pain is No. 2 on the list.
When your cat continually bites at a sensitive region on her belly or fiercely scratches at her ears, you should look away and do nothing to help. Cats are masters at locating their pain, whether it’s an infected tooth that makes feeding tough or a urinary tract infection that makes litter box trips excruciating. Being a pain detective when it comes to your cat’s health entails knowing what ails her at all times, even if she can’t tell you directly.
3. Turning Off the Lights
While your cat is left alone in a quiet home when the sun sets, he will feel abandoned and alone.
4. Failure to clean the litter box.
What would you think if your housemates never flushed the toilet? You probably don’t belong in the toilet bowl, do you?
5. Teasing.
Pulling on your cat’s tail (or allowing your children to do so), blowing in her face, ruffling her fur while she’s sleeping, picking her up if she doesn’t like being handled, and jiggling her in your arms are all examples of antagonizing behavior that confuses and depresses your cat, who wants to love you. We should also mention that tormenting your cat with food is not cool!
6. Ignoring the Minor Details
Allowing your cat to suffer the discomfort of hairballs by not grooming her. She doesn’t clip her claws, so they snag on every rug and carpet. Even though she is continuously rubbing her ears or moving her head, she is not searching for mites. Ignoring her chewing issues, even if they indicate gum or tooth problems or worse. The small things add up to diminish your cat’s vitality and wellness.
7. Punishing.
Yelling “bad cat” (or something worse), tossing objects, making angry gestures, and scolding your cat when she simply misses the litter box or claws your sofa all indicate that you are displeased, but she may have no idea why.
8. Neglecting your cat is a big no-no.
Your cat will be puzzled if you don’t pay attention to him, don’t talk to him, don’t show him affection, and don’t connect with him. In exchange for her undying loyalty to you, cats crave even the tiniest gesture or pleasant word.
9. The water dish is not being filled or cleaned.
Fill a small bowl with water and leave it out for the cat to sip from for as long as it sits. Many cat owners don’t appear to realize how much dust gathers and what pours into it on a regular basis. How many times have you sipped from a cold, fresh bottle of water today?
10. Hurting.
Hitting, kicking, or otherwise physically hurting a cat is prohibited. From a “light tap” to a heavy smack, everything is horrible, evil, morally wrong, and certain to make any cat fearful. These activities have the potential to break a cat’s spirit as well as her heart. Cats learn to dread people through both physical and mental trauma. If you’re going to do any of these things to your cat, you really shouldn’t have one in the first place.
