Have you ever wondered what mood your pet is in? Because animals cannot communicate with us using words, we often do not recognize that our pets tell us everything we need to know about their health, happiness, and needs – just in less words (or none). Today, Cloud Peak is going to inform you about your cat and what they’re telling you! We will also give you tips to increase your animal’s happiness. If you have any questions, give us a call at (307) 347-2781, and we’ll help you out.
Your feline friend has a few different ways that they communicate their happiness, including:
- Tail is straight up. This is one of the easiest signs to recognize as your cat being happy. Tail positioning can be a great visual way to determine how your animal feels. If your fur baby’s tail is straight up, they are feeling happy. If there’s a little hook or vibration on the tip of the tail, your cat is better than happy!
- Purring. Cats do not only purr while happy – sometimes purring is used to self-soothe. Oftentimes, they purr when they’re content or happy, or just for attention. Use the other indicators on the list in conjunction with the purring.
- Tummy up. If your animal is rolling onto their back, exposing their belly, they feel comfortable with you. By showing you their tummy, they become vulnerable. When they do this, your cat is letting you know that they feel safe around you.
- Rubbing cheek. Cats have scent glands on their cheeks, so when they rub their cheeks onto a surface, they are claiming it as their property. Your cat will constantly try to leave their scent on you to deter other cats from coming too close. This is a good indicator that you are doing a good job taking care of the critter, as cats do not do anything they don’t want to.
Now that you know what signs to look for, let’s go over some ways you can increase your cat’s happiness.
What You Can Do
Cats have a high play drive. They are very intelligent creatures and need a good amount of mental stimulation to be happy. Toys like scratching posts, balls, stuffed animals, and teasers are a great way for you to spend time with your pet, as well as engage them mentally. Giving your fur ball a view is also a great way for them to mentally engage, even when you’re not there. For example, if there’s a birdfeeder right outside a window, then make sure that your cat can see the animals that visit. Give them places to climb and explore, because that will definitely keep them engaged.
Along with keeping your cat’s brain healthy, it is extremely important to keep your cat’s body healthy. Cats need more nutrients than dogs do, which means that they need more specialized care than dogs do. Felines need a high amount of protein in their diet. There are high amounts of protein in meat, especially, which make it a great base for your cat’s diet. That being said, you should not be giving your animal raw meat or raw eggs. Cats can still get salmonella from these raw protein sources, so it’s extremely important that any meat is thoroughly cooked and has all the bones removed. Another concept to be wary of when feeding your feline is that cats are naturally lactose intolerant, despite what the movies tell us. Avoid giving your cat any form of dairy, as it will most likely lead to medical issues. Although there are replacements for milk and dairy products, keep in mind that most of them are made with soy. Soy is not necessarily bad for your pet, but soy is very difficult for cats to digest, which could also lead to medical problems. If you want to learn more about your cat’s diet and how you can give them what they need, click this link!
Keeping your cat consistently happy and healthy is a big responsibility, but you do not need to do it on your own. At Cloud Peak, we love all our clients and we want to see that each and every one of them get the care they need and deserve. If you have any questions about your cat and what you can do to improve their life, give us a call at (307) 347-2781, and we will happily guide you through any suggestions. If you want to take a look at some of our other content, take a look at our website!
