Photo credit: David Stonham

� Provide a safe, stimulating environment, where your cat can fulfill his/her natural instinctual behaviours

� Strengthens your bond

� Reduces undesirable behaviours

� Keeps cats happy =^..^=

Photo credit: Companion Animal Protection Society

� In their natural environment cats will use a new ‘bathroom’ spot each time � a clean pan is essential, or they will look elsewhere

like your bed or floor

� Put the pan in a quiet location where your cat won’t be startled� away from air vents, etc

� Make sure to have at least

one pan per cat in your household

� Ensure it is large enough� most cats prefer no lid

� Save your furniture!

� Cats scratch to stretch, sharpen claws, shed old nails, and spread scent

� Most cats prefer rough, shred-able material

� Try vertical or horizontal. Some double as cat trees

� If you’re handy, you can build your own!

� Find lots of plans online http://web.archive.org/web/19981207022751/http://www.sidus.net/kloader/usepost.htm

Plan and photo by David Stonham

� Cats like to be ‘in charge’ of their surroundings

� Elevated, your cat is safe, yet on the lookout

� Try playing with vertical space ideas

Photo credit: David Stonham

Credit: CatioSpaces.com

Plan and photo by David Stonham

Photo credit: Companion Animal Protection Society

Find plans online or purchase one from a pet supply store

� Cats sleep a lot!

� They rest between bursts of hunting activity

� Provide safe quiet space for your cat to doze

� Respect the time when your cat is sleeping

� Let her initiate social interaction� This will likely lead to

more engagement with you.

� Seeing outdoors can lend hours of entertainment

� Place furniture under a window for cats to sit on

� Add birdfeeders and gardens if there are no outdoor cats in your neighbourhood that birds can fall prey to

Sketch by David Stonham

� Window container boxes allow your cat to be outdoors

Photo Credit: CatioSpaces.com

Photo credit: Companion Animal Protection Society

Plan and image by David Stonham

� Cats like to watch T.V!

� Make a video, or play a nature show for them

� In the wild cats like to hunt, stalk and pounce

� Having toys and interactive food experiences can mimic hunting behaviour

� Try puzzle feeders that engage your cat in finding food

� Try different toys that stimulate hunting instincts like feathered toys, ‘mice’

� Simple works too: cardboard boxes, rolled up paper, or towel

� Laser pointers get your cat moving

� Cat grass grown indoors can also provide an ideal ‘snack’ for some cats

� Be sure the toys you select are safe

� Interact with your cat!

� With positive reinforcement, cats can be encouraged to engage in desired behaviours

� Training provides mental stimulation and is bond building

� Start small, reward good behaviour, avoid ‘discipline’, use small increments to make changes

Photo credit: Rachael MacNeil

Watch our video, and talk to us about harness training!!

� Cats are sensitive to odours, and changes in the scent ‘profile’ of your home.

� Cats mark on furniture, litter boxes, and bedding. Avoid removing their scent from these areas � eg: wash bedding on a rotational basis so something

smells familiar).

� Respect that new animals or other introduced scents can be threatening to your cat.

� Commercial products such as ‘Feliway’ mimic natural cat pheromones, and can improve your cat’s feeling of security and comfort at home.

Photo Credit: Companion Animal Protection Society

� Your cat can enjoy the outdoors safely in a variety of ways: catios, decks, outdoor enclosures, or window boxes

� Cats should be supervised, to ensure their safety

� Buy or build your own!

� Try Catio Spaces.com and Habitat Haven

� See our slideshow on various catios here today!

Photo Credit: Companion Animal Protection Society

Photo Credit: CatioSpaces.com