What’s normal? What's not?

Find out about your cat’s behaviour.

• Sleepyheads: Cats love to sleep and will keep sleeping even if it is noisy.


• Scratching: It is a normal behaviour for a cat to scratch. In order to prevent this unwanted behaviour, train him right when he is a kitten.


• Cats eat frequently: Cats eat frequently, sometimes even a nibble. Frequent eating keeps their digestive condition in an optimal condition.


• Fasting for a day or two: Sometimes, a cat does not eat for a day or two – this is normal as long as they do not appear sick. If you have doubts, do consult your vet.


• Hiding litter: Cats are clean creatures and they do not like to show their litter. They cover and hide up their business. So, keep their litterboxes in a secluded place and change litter frequently.


• Not using litterbox: If your cat has suddenly stopped using his litterbox, it could be a sign of illness. Contact your vet immediately.

You are their love…their life…

Often, we have heard and read that ‘Cats are independent creatures,’ but it is not so. They are dependent on their pet parents for various needs – love, care and attention. Let’s see how.

When you bring home a kitty, you bring home a treasure of memories. You love her antics, you love the way she yawns, her nature – sometimes indifferent, sometimes playful…you just love spending time with her. Yes, they do seem to be independent, but they need you in their life, just like you need them in yours. Here’s how you can help your kitty have an enjoyable time at your home:

• Make your home kitty-safe: Drop down on all fours and look around your house – make your home kitty safe.


• Take care of her meals: Consult your vet and give her cat food at specified intervals.


• Give her a comfy bed: Cats love to sleep. Give your kitty a nice comfy bed to sleep – warm and cosy - that’s how her bed should be.


• Give your cat her ID: Always put an identification tag around your cat’s neck, just in case, she strays out and is not able to come back home.


• Keep her litter tray clean: Cats are clean creatures, keep their litter trays clean too!


• Groom her even though she can groom herself: Even though they are very good at grooming themselves, they still need to be groomed to detect any problems in the skin.


• Play with her: When you play with your cat, she feels cared for. They love to chase, so bring her cat toys to keep her occupied.


• Spend quality time: Some pet parents think that cats can be left alone as they are happy themselves. But it is not so. They too need company – yours and other pets.


• Take care of her health: They need to be regularly monitored to detect any signs of illness. Take them to your vet at regular intervals.


• Be prepared for emergencies: They depend on you to take care of them in case of emergencies, keep your vet’s number and a first-aid kit handy.

‘Cat’ch her in the act

If you observe your kitty closely, you can know exactly what she has on mind. Here are a few behaviours she displays and what they mean…

If you are blessed with a cat, you inherently know when she is happy to see you and when she is angry, fearful or upset. Here are a few common signals which tell you exactly how your kitty is feeling.

Watch her head…

If your kitty rubs her head on your body, she is expressing love, wants to be caressed or simply relaxing.

Hear the ears…

You must have seen that even when your cat is sleeping, the faintest sound pricks up her ears but she doesn’t react all the time. She reacts only if her mind detects a predator or a prey. Watch her ears closely to know more about her feelings.

If your kitty’s ears are upright and pointing forward, she is alert but nothing to worry, as she is relaxed as well. If her ears are pointing sideways, she’s attentive to what’s happening around but she is not relaxed and if you see her ears upright and pointing backwards…then she is actually disturbed and may turn aggressive.

Ears pointing back and flat against the head indicate that your kitty is scared but she may become aggressive. And if her ears are flattened sideways, she is in an aggressive mood…don’t go near her.

Eyes you can’t miss…

If you see two cats staring at each other, it is threatening but if one of them breaks the eye contact, it means there is no dispute.

If you see your kitty’s dilated pupils, she is either fearful, aggressive, excited or in pain but if her pupils are narrow, she’s angry but self-assured.

Observe her eyelids also. If they half-closed or fluttering, she is sleepy and if she looks at you at this time, she is displaying trust in you.

Trailing tails…

If your kitty’s tail is upright and quivering, she’s pleased to see you – she’s communicating friendliness and contentment. But, if her tail is upright and bristling, with hair on her back standing, then she’s probably upset about something…beware.

Also, a tail held half way up indicates that the cat is friendly but she is not confident of the person or cat who is approaching her.

If you have ever scolded you cat, you must have noticed that her tail is between her rear legs; sometimes curled inwards…she is submissive at this point.

And as you know these beauties have a lot of attitude too, so if you see tail hair upright with a little flick with just the end of the tail, she is acknowledging you but she has other better things to do than you!

Hissing and meows...

If your kitty gives a hiss or a snarl with an open mouth, she is communicating defensive aggression. When your kitty meows, she is probably greeting you or requesting you for some favour.

Though all these are mere signals to show what your cat means, it is important to observe the whole body language of your kitty to know what’s exactly on her mind.