caT TIpS
Tell Tail n Aug 2017 - Oct 2017 11C
ats are a highly, intelligent,
wilful and active species with
a high emotional quotient.
While the degree and ratio
of this combination may vary with
different cats, the core qualities always
remain the same.
Cats have an extremely innate sense
of hygiene, bonding and activity. How
each one fares in her or his human
ecosystem depends largely on how
the human receives and establishes a
relationship in terms of emotion, space
and interaction.
Thus, as a pet cat owner, one must
attempt to understand, work together
and establish a roadway of mutually
healthy living just as one would with a
child.
And this is not difficult - you just
need observation, a willingness to
understand and some compassion.
As an example, let us take potty
training.
n In the early days, the mother licks
to stimulate the kittens to do their
business. At this time, you must try
your best to keep the whelping box/
place she has given birth clean.
n Soon, kittens will start looking for
a corner that they demarcate as their
`toilet’ and will stick to it IF you keep it
clean.
n I keep a box of paper nearby and
change it several times a day or
whenever it is visibly dirty. Kittens and
cats will NOT use a dirty place/ tub
and will move places so one has to
make sure it is clean.
n In a couple of weeks, the kittens
start walking around and once shown,
love to use a litter box.
n If you want them to be disciplined
about sticking to the litter box, you
have to be disciplined about keeping
it clean and in a specific spot that they
know and can access easily.
I have five grown up cats and none
of them have ever littered anywhere
except their litter box! This happened
because we provide them with whatthey need to accomplish what we want
from them.
There are many such examples, in
how they play, communicate, have
their space of discipline and all of
these have the same root method :
communicate and understand rather
than be harsh (which may confuse
them and engender a nervous fear),
for they will often have a very sound
logic in what they do and convey - if
you are listening!litter Cleaning Schedule
n Wash the litter tub everyday. The tub
should not be left soiled.
n Put fresh mud everyday. You can
get clean normal mud or litter from a
shop.
n Scoop it twice or thrice a day so the
mud remains fresh for reuse for the
cats through the day.
n Keep the surroundings of the tub
clean.
n Repeat!
n Clean tub, happy kitty!Just listen to your cat
Cats talk to you, says Ritu Bharadwaj,
only if you listen. She also tells us how
litter training can be made easy