Giving attention to your cat is the best need of your cat. To make your cats happy and secure, you should give them your attention.If you have a question in your mind regarding “How Much Attention Do Cats Need?”, then this article is for you.
How Much Attention Do Cats Need?
It depends upon the cat how much attention she requires.
Some cats need extra attention from their owner, and some cats need a little bit of the attention of their owner.
It’s good for your cat to give some time to your cat on a regular basis.
GIVING ATTENTION TO CAT:
While giving attention to your cat, first you have to know that and you have to ensure that “How Much Attention Your Cat Needs?”
So, while determining how much attention to give to your cat, first you have to consider their personality. If your cat doesn’t move around you, lives outdoors or doesn’t attract you etc, it means she needs your less attention.
BUT
If your cat moves around you, shows attractive behavior towards you, or shows her affection etc, it means your cat needs your extra attention. So, give attention to your cats, how they need your attention.
If your cat needs your extra attention, give it extra attention, while if your cat needs less attention, then give her attention to how much she needs,
However, cats are independent and if you give them more extra attention greater then thier need, they will start hating you.
SCHEDULING TIME FOR CATS:
If you are going to get a cat and if you have an extremely busy life, you have a busy day, and you can’t give your time and attention to your cat, then my personal opinion is to not have a cat.
Because a cat needs its owner’s time and attention both. If you have a cat, then you have to take out time for her.
A lot of people just buy a cat and they don’t have much time for their cats.
Moreover, if you have a cat and you have a busy schedule, take out some time from your busy schedule and give that time to your cat. Cats really need their owner’s attention if you don’t give attention to your cat, it can adopt destructive behaviour. Which is dangerous for both you and your cat.
How much time should I give my cat?
You should spend 30 to 60 minutes with your cat in a day, while if you are extremely busy at your work, then you should spend at least 20 minutes with your cat in a day.
GIVING ATTENTION TO INDOOR CATS VS OUTDOOR CATS:
There is a difference between giving attention to indoor cats and outdoor cats.
Actually, indoor cats require some more attention from their owners. While outdoor cats require less attention from their owmer.
However, indoor cats are less independent, and outdoor cats are more independent.
It’s important to give attention to outdoor cats, but mostly outdoor cats require their owner’s attention once in a while.
Why Outdoor Cats Need Less Attention Of Their Owners?
Outdoor cats are independent and they get a lot of stimulation from outside. That’s why they need less affection and attention from their owner.
Why Indoor Cats Need Less Attention Of Their Owners?
Indoor cats are less independent, they become bored easily because they don’t have much to do all the day, they don’t have anyone to play with, they start hunting inside and they feel lonely. That’s why indoor cats require more attention from their owner.
Do kittens Need More Attention Or Adult Cats?
Kittens need more attention than adult cats. A few weeks or months, kittens need to be feed after a few hours regularly, and they also need to be trained and learn new things from their owner.
While adult cats are mature and independent, they need less attention.
SIGNS YOUR CATS NEEDS MORE ATTENTION:
There are some signs if you are not giving attention to your cat and your cat needs your attention.
Some of those signs are as follow:
- The cat will become destructive, and it will start breaking everything in the house, also called destructive behavior.
- When you don’t give proper attention to your cat, and they feel bored, then cats Adopt destructive behavior. The cat’s destructive behavior means the cat needs the attention of its owner.
- A cat that wants more attention starts scratching at everything such as scratching on your furniture.
- They will stop using their litter box even if they go to the washroom, but they don’t use their litter box.
- Your cat will come to you and start rubbing its face with you.
- Your cat will start copying you, which means they will follow you.
- If you are sitting, they come to you and if you are using a laptop, they will sit on your laptop.
- Aging Cats.
These are all signs and indications that your cat needs your attention on a daily basis.
Why do aging cats need extra attention?
How much attention do cats need? this question’s answer is different young cats and agied cats. Actually aging cats need more attention because cats change with age. When cats become older, their behavior changes, such as they become dull, forgetting the location where is litter box, ill or becoming more aggressive. That’s why they need extra attention.
GIVING ATTENTION TO CAT:
Giving attention to cats or how much attention do cats need? doesn’t only mean the minutes of clock or to play and spend some time with the cat. Giving attention to your cat means spending time with the cat, playing with her as well as taking care of her basic and all needs.
If you want to give attention to your cat, you need to fulfill your cat’s needs. Such as
- Cats need food.
- They need fresh water.
- They need to be checked by a veterinarian after 6 months or at least once a year.
- If they are sick or injured, you should take them to a vet.
- They need to be groomed, their grooming includes trimming nails, giving a bath, and hair combing.
- Comfortable places to sit and sleep.
- Litterbox
- Give her a lot of toys to play with.
- Give her a place to hide.
- Play and talk with them.
GIVING TOO MUCH ATTENTON TO CAT:
No doubt, cats enjoy human attention. But you should give your cat the attention that she needs. Don’t give your cat too much attenton, or don’t force them. How much attention do cats need? it not about only giving the attention to the cat it has different factors as listed below.
Cat’s have their own personal space if you give them too much attenton, means you’re going in their personal space, which cats hate.
You should respect the basic needs of cats, but don’t force them. While dogs enjoy it if their owners give them extra attention, on the other hand, cats hate this.
When you are giving attention to your cat, always be patient, don’t touch them or don’t pet your cat while they are sleeping or eating. Just leave them alone if they are angry. Don’t try to enter their personal space. Be gentle and be nice to them.
Moreover, giving attention to cats is a good thing and a basic need of every cat, but giving extra attention to them means you are making them angry.
If your cat becomes angry, just wait, because after a few hours, when your cat cools down, then, normally and slowly, you can pet your cat.
WHEN TO GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE CAT:
When your cat feels bored, you should give her special attention, because if she feels bored, then she can have,
- Stress and Anxiety:
If your pet feline has stress and anxiety, there can be a lot of different reasons behind this. One main reason is, when cat owners don’t give their cat proper time and attention, they can have stress and anxiety or they can also have depression.
However, due to stress, cats can have many other diseases, such as pica. In pica, cats have started eating non-food items like plastic, carpet, cloth and wool etc.
- Destroying Everything:
If you are ignoring your pet cat, not giving time to her, not playing with her or you’re not fulfilling her needs, then it will adopt destructive behaviour and she will start breaking everything.
This also happens because of stress. When cats have a lot of stress, they adopt this behavior.
To change this behavior, give attention and time to your cat regularly, play with your cat, or provide a lot of toys for your cat.
If its behavior doesn’t change, then take your cat to your vet.
- Medical Issue:
If your cat is feeling any illnesses or has got any type of injury, or needs urgent medical help, pay attention to your cat if you see your cat is sick, or dull, it means your cat needs veterinary help.
Always pay attention to your cat and its behavior.
So, this was all about How Much Attention Do Cats Need?