Cats are independent, scavenging animals that like to explore their environment on their own terms. They are also very affectionate and make excellent companions.
They are a great way to provide unconditional love and companionship, especially for women. But it’s important to choose the right cat for your lifestyle.
Indoor Cats
Indoor cats can be kept safe and healthy with the right care. However, they can become bored and lazy if they don’t get enough exercise.
Cats need to be allowed to explore their environment and have access to a range of resources that mimic the experiences they find in nature. Without these opportunities they may develop behavioural problems that can be hard to overcome.
Keeping a cat indoors can also be more expensive than letting them out, and it can be easier to acquire feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in some cases. It is important to consider all of these factors when deciding whether to keep a cat indoors or let them out.
Outdoor Cats
Outdoor cats are exposed to a variety of risks, including traffic, poisons, predators and diseases. They also are more likely to become lost or injured, and if not spayed or neutered, they can have unwanted litters of kittens that will lead to overpopulation in the area.
Besides being a safety concern, cats who live outside are more likely to contract parasites than indoor cats, and they can be easily infected by ticks or fleas when they wander in yards, gardens, sheds and wood piles. Flea and tick prevention year-round is essential for your cat’s safety.
Outdoor cats are also more prone to disease, and they are more likely to fight with other cats and infected animals such as foxes or coyotes. Many of these fights can result in serious wounds and infection, and they can also spread infectious diseases such as feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Keeping your cat indoors minimizes these risks.
Sibling Cats
Cat siblings often spend time together during the early weeks of kittenhood, bonding quickly and becoming each other’s most prized companions. They may stay close into adulthood or they can grow apart.
Unlike dogs, cats do not share taboos about incest, which means they will mate when their hormones tell them to. This is called inbreeding, and it can lead to genetic problems, including low fertility in females and immune deficiencies.
For this reason, it’s important that cats have access to basic resources like food, water, litter trays and scratching, playing and resting areas in separate places. This reduces competition for these key resources and reduces the risk of them ambushing each other.
Kittens
Kittens are cute, curious, and energetic. They love to explore, pounce and snarl, always trying to climb, jump and play.
The first week of a kitten’s life is an important time for development. By two weeks, they are able to open their eyes, and by four, their sense of smell is fully developed.
A major reason owners choose an indoor-only lifestyle is cat safety, with 85% of owners citing this as the primary factor (Table 6). Some cats may be less safe in an outdoor environment if they are not spayed or neutered, or if they have fleas or ticks.
Adult Cats
Whether you’re adopting a kitten or an adult, you can expect a cat to have its own unique lifestyle. This is because the cat’s personality and experiences are shaped by its genetics, early life experiences, and the environment in which it’s living now.
The typical cat routine involves waking, sleeping, hunting, grooming, eating, scratching and travelling. They are also crepuscular, which means they’re naturally more active at dusk and dawn, ideally when they can be found hunting or hiding in their territory.
While these cats don’t need as many vaccinations or health checks as kittens, it’s still a good idea to get your feline companion tested for baseline blood work. This will help you to know what your kitty’s normal values are and allow you to keep an eye on any issues that may arise, such as heart disease or diabetes.