Here is a list of the top 10 “no no’s” for cat lovers. If you don’t want your fur-baby to resent, hate or fear you .. these are the behaviors you should refrain from:
1.Shouting.
Raised voices terrify your cat more than you think they do. Feline ears are extra sensitive to loud noises. This means yelling is amplified to extreme levels for them.
2.Ignoring Pain.
Looking away and not doing something to help when your cat repeatedly chews at a sore spot on her belly or furiously scratches at her ears. Cats are masters finding their discomfort, whether an infected tooth makes eating difficult or a urinary tract infection means litter box visits are nothing but agony. Monitoring your cat’s well-being means being a pain detective so you know what ails your cat at all times, even if she can’t tell you directly.
3.Leaving the Lights Off.
When left alone in a silent home when darkness falls, your cat will feel abandoned and alone.
4.Not Cleaning the Litter Box.
How would you feel if the people who live with you never flushed the toilet? Probably like you yourself belong in the toilet bowl, no?
5.Teasing.
Some examples are pulling on your cat’s tail (or letting your kids do so), blowing in her face, ruffling her fur while she’s is trying to sleep, picking her up if she dislikes being handled, jiggling her in your arms—such antagonizing behavior confuses and depresses your cat, who wants to love you. We should also add teasing your kitty with food, just not a cool thing to do!
6.Skipping the Small Stuff.
Never grooming your cat and allowing her to experience the discomfort of hairballs. Not trimming her claws, so she snags them on every rug and carpet. Not checking her ears for mites, even when she is constantly scratching them or shaking her head repeatedly. Ignoring her problems chewing, even if this signals gum or tooth trouble or worse. The little things all add up and can deplete your cat’s energy and health.
7.Punishing.
Yelling “bad cat,” (or yelling something worse,) throwing things, motioning in anger and scolding your cat when she just misses the litter box or claws your sofa, tells her you are unhappy, but she may have absolutely no idea why.
8.Neglecting Your Cat.
Offering your cat no attention, no conversation, no affection and no interaction leaves your cat confused. Cats crave even the smallest gesture or word of kindness in exchange for her pure devotion to you.
9.Not Filling or Cleaning the Water Dish.
Filling a small bowl with water and letting the cat drink from it no matter how long it sits. Many cat owners just don’t seem to notice sometimes how much dust accumulates and what spills into it. And how many times have you enjoyed a fresh, cold bottle of water today?
10.Hurting.
Hitting, kicking, physically harming a cat in any way, shape or form. Everything from a “light tap” to a hard smack, is inhumane, evil, morally wrong and guaranteed to instill fear in any cat. These actions can break the very spirit of a cat and her heart, in the process. Both physical pain and emotional pain teach cats to fear people. If you are going to do any of these things to your cat, then you shouldn’t even have one, ever.
