Cats are coveted for their unique, mysterious, and somewhat untamed ways. But, did you know that encouraging your cat’s wild side could help them live a longer, healthier, and happier life? In addition to routine wellness care at The Pony Express Veterinary Hospital, providing a physically safe and mentally enriching home environment for your cat is an excellent—and entertaining—way to promote feline well-being. 

Here’s what you need to know about your cat’s instinctive behaviors and how to encourage them in safe and satisfying ways.

Understanding natural feline behaviors

Many perceived cat behavior problems are simply natural behaviors with no appropriate outlet in the modern indoor-only environment. Such normal but problematic behaviors include:

  • Scratching
  • Climbing
  • Pouncing
  • Stalking and hunting
  • Accessing resources

When these behaviors are stifled, cats can experience frustration, boredom, and stress, which creates negative mental and physical changes and complications, such as:

  • Additional behavior problems — These include urine spraying or marking, defensive aggression, bullying of other pets, house soiling, excessive isolation or hiding, and destructive scratching
  • Stress-induced health conditions — Conditions include obesity, lethargy, feline idiopathic cystitis (i.e., bladder inflammation or FIC), anxiety, over- or under-grooming, and digestive problems.

These health and behavior changes can take a significant toll on your cat’s quality of life, strain the cat-owner relationship, and potentially shorten your cat’s lifespan. Fortunately, a few simple adjustments to your cat’s daily routine and environment can satisfy their emotional needs and help them enjoy a more calm and comfortable life.

Express yourself: How to encourage healthy cat behaviors at home

In today’s modern society, indoor-only living is the best and safest option for our feline friends. However, indoor spaces do not provide the mental stimulation and physical challenges of a cat’s natural outdoor habitat. Therefore, cat owners must find creative and safe opportunities to encourage normal cat behaviors. Here’s how you can enhance your home and routine to support your feline cohabitant.

  • Promote climbing and perching with cat-friendly vertical spaces — If your cat is literally climbing the walls, they’re not being mischievous—they’re simply looking for a higher vantage point. Cats climb and perch in safe resting places to observe large areas from above. Create vertical space for your cat by installing cat trees or play structures, window perches, or secure pet ramps so your cat can reach approved resting places, such as bookshelves or dressers.
  • Stalking and pouncing — Cats prefer to travel unnoticed through their environment and will often hide behind visual barriers (e.g, furniture, curtains). Hiding and stalking are also part of their predatory cycle. The feline hunting style involves stealthy prey observation, pursuit, and attack, and your cat needs an appropriate “hunting” outlet, such as interactive toys that inspire chase (e.g., a feather wand, motion-activated mouse, or a bird feeder installed near a window where they can observe, but not frighten, the birds). Additional enrichment ideas include hiding food-stuffed foraging toys that your cat “hunts” for and creating fun hiding places with floor plants, decorations, and strategically positioned furniture.

  • Scratching — Cats scratch to maintain the health and strength of their claws, communicate with other cats via pheromones, and to stretch their bodies and maintain flexibility. Unfortunately, inappropriate scratching is a destructive and potentially costly behavior. Promote healthy scratching by providing multiple scratching surfaces and stations throughout your home. Position scratching posts or mats near your cat’s basic resources, including food and water dishes, the litter box, and their preferred resting spot. If your cat continues scratching inappropriately, ask your veterinarian about cat attractant products, such as Feliscratch.

For more information, check out our previous article on feline scratching and its impact on emotional health.

  • Social interactions — Although cats are often regarded as aloof and independent, they are selectively social animals who want positive interactions with their human family. Take time to understand your cat’s preferences—for example, some cats prefer to snuggle with their owner, while others are content to be nearby. Know your cat’s preferences and build a routine of positive interactions throughout the day. 

Acknowledging and nurturing your cat’s natural behaviors supports better feline health and a stronger cat-owner bond. From climbing to hunting, each recommended activity enriches your cat’s emotional and physical life in the safety of the great indoors.

Occasional misbehavior can be a normal expression of your cat’s wild side, but drastic or persistent personality or behavior changes can signal underlying pain or illness. If you have questions or concerns about your cat’s behavior, contact The Pony Express Veterinary Hospital team or request an appointment online.