The Daily Cat

Today in Behavior Basics

Are Cats Loners?

By Kim Boatman

The stereotype that cats are aloof loners who care more about their food and warm sleeping spots than they do about their humans has been around for years. If such comforts came without you and your companionship, your cat would be out the door, right? Not quite, believe it or not. Plenty of cat owners -- maybe even you -- with friendly, attention-needy felines serve as proof.

Fortunately, it’s not too late to start playing a vital role in your cat’s life. These simple steps can help create a great relationship with your beloved feline.

Cats Are Social
“Dogs, humans and almost all the other species we come in contact with are pack species,” says Dr. Tony Buffington, DVM, Ph.D., director of Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Indoor Cat Initiative. “Cats are solitary hunters,” he adds. “A lot of people misinterpret that to mean they are asocial. That’s not really what it means.”

Feral cats hunt alone, but they live in colonies, notes Ingrid Johnson, a Marietta, Ga., cat behaviorist. Supporting this more family-oriented view is a 2006 Harris Interactive survey that found that eight out of 10 veterinarians believe feral cats are in fact social by nature.

Signs of Cat Loneliness
Cats can’t pipe up and tell us they need more face-to-whisker time, but there are warning signs. Take note of the following behaviors, which can indicate your pet’s unhappiness:

Excessive grooming
Excessive meowing
Overeating or not eating
Coughing up hairballs because of the over-grooming
A decrease in activity and interaction

Curing Feline Distress
If you detect any of the indicators for loneliness, you can take steps to make sure your cat is not an unhappy feline. Here are some tips:

Visit your veterinarian first Since the symptoms of loneliness can mimic illness, it’s best to have your veterinarian examine your kitty. You’ll want to rule out physical causes, such as thyroid issues, infections or other health problems, which could be causing your cat’s distress.
Think pairs If possible, plan to have a cat “family.” For example, Johnson recommends adopting two cats at a time. “I always, always recommend adopting two cats,” she says. “I do not adopt out single cats unless they were raised as a single cat.” She further advises, “Don’t get one little kitten and make them an only child. I do not adopt out kittens unless they are in pairs.”
Choose companions wisely If you’re attempting to introduce a new kitty to be a companion for your cat, be cautious, say the experts. “If a cat is having problems, getting another cat is like taking a married couple that is having problems and saying, ‘You just need to have children,’” Dr. Buffington says, explaining that such introductions could even backfire, since you’d be adding yet another source of stress to an already maxed-out cat. She also instructs that you consider your cat’s energy level when bringing another cat into your home. As an example, if your kitty is a sedate 10-year-old, a frisky kitten might not make the best companion. “Don’t get a kitten (in this case). Get a pair of kittens so your 10-year-old doesn’t have to wrestle or rough and tumble,” advises Johnson.
Enrich your cat’s environment Your cat is certain to live a safer, healthier life as an indoor cat. But, like zoo animals, indoor cats are cut off from the more dangerous, yet stimulating, outside environment, says Dr. Buffington. “They are always at risk for loneliness in that situation.” It’s up to you to provide a rich, stimulating environment that engages your cat and prevents its loneliness. You’ll want to make sure your cat has places to climb and scratch, as well as toys that provide mental challenges and let your kitty act out its instinct to pursue prey. “People sometimes think cats will create their environment for themselves,” Dr. Buffington says, pointing out that’s false.
Be creative about play Too often, we buy cute cat toys on impulse at the pet store, then toss them in a basket. Instead, rotate toys in circulation so your cat doesn’t get bored. Grab a handful of toy mice, or other small toys, and toss them in a catnip marinade in a plastic bag before turning them over to your cat, says Johnson. Feline foraging toys, such as Play-N-Treat balls and the SlimCat, make your cat work for its dry food, since kitties must roll the balls and bat at the containers to get the pellets to dispense. Johnson feeds her cats dry food solely through such foraging toys. Working for the food is “positive frustration. It’s like a little Mensa toy for cats,” she says.

Always remember that your cat does need your interaction, concludes Johnson. “They have independent features and they don’t have that neediness of a dog, so we tend to forget about them,” she says. “But the idea of the loner cat is just folklore.”

About the Author

Kim Boatman is a journalist based in Northern California whose work has appeared in such publications as The Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press and San Jose Mercury News. She is a lifelong lover of animals and shares her home with three cats.

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I have a question

Why would our cat which we keep outside (fenced in), like to chase birds that are finding food on the grounds. We have found 5 dead birds recently, but have never seen the cat attack a bird, but we have seen her many times trying to catch them.

Posted by Earl shepherd on 2008-10-13 at 11:42:37

cats

i really appreciate the info i hav got here abt cats. i hav recently got home a kitten from the street. its weak n recovering gradually. gud to hav a animal lovers like u

Posted by Amitha on 2008-10-15 at 04:24:19

sleep

my cat is a kitten and sleeps all day and all night.Does that mean shes lonely? And i got her a scratching post but she scratches the couch,what do i do about that? Mstly she has a hudge litter box but nearly uses it. Im very worried about Milky.

Posted by kimberly on 2008-10-16 at 17:02:14

Cat

Why does my cat bring me articles, clothes hair ties, socks and put them by my bed while I am sleeping?

Posted by Donna on 2008-10-18 at 13:52:56

Kitty licks

I have a kitty that wants to lick me all the time. What does this mean? The licking sometimes drives me up the wall how can I get her to slow down on this. I can't even pet her without getting a bath.

Posted by Cheryl on 2008-10-25 at 21:51:17

My cat peeing on everything!!!

My 10 year old cat is starting to urinate on anything that's soft that's left on the floor, counter or anywhere in the house! It first started with either me or my husband going away - now it happens when we leave any bag out, any clothes being left on the floor, the laundry sink, etc. Now I find if any bag if left on the floor, or towels, blankets, he pees. He is lovable and affectionate, but seems to retaliate when we go away. Our household consists of 1 dog and 2 cats. We work all day and we dog-sit for other dogs quite often. He does this while there are other strange animals in the house or not. He seems happy, but he still will urinate in places you can't imagine. He had a clean bill of health for a vet 6 months ago. HELP!

Posted by Judy on 2008-10-29 at 20:14:41

cat loneliness

We have had our cat for 11 years. She has always gone outside and returned. When we got our 2 year old beagle last year , he chased the cat so much that once whe went outside, she wouldn't come back at all. Sometimes she was missing for weeks, but I left food out for her and we spotted her eating. I finally was able to catch her and bring her inside, but I have to keep her locked in a room where the dog can't bother her. I know she is lonely and bored and I spend time with her a couple of times a day, but my question is, is she better off going back out side and just living there but coming home to eat, or should I keep her locked away in a room. Is she too old to bring in another cat? Thank you.

Posted by anda on 2008-11-09 at 22:31:53

spraying

I inherited a litty about 1 year ago, who had been left after the owners moved away, he had been ill and is slowly getting back to heath. He is very afraid of my husband, although he has never been mean to him. He sprays now and then in the house, I have moved potty boxes around added more to allow for three cats etc. Don't know what to do... Is there a difference in spraying and squating to urinate? I have noticed him doing it both ways outside.

Posted by Mary on 2008-11-12 at 11:05:16

kitten behavior

my kitten of 7 months does not like to be held too much . she either meows and sqirms out of my hands. I'm constantly hugging and kissing her. I'm very loving and spoil her with my affections. Is this normal behavior?

Posted by liz on 2008-11-16 at 19:35:09

Cats ok by themselves for days?

I have a great cat and I am a flight attendant and have to leave her for 3 to 4 days by herself..I leave plenty of food and toys..but still wonder if she is ok by herself..Is there a way of knowing? Thank you for your response!

Posted by Beverly Rosen on 2008-11-22 at 16:38:18

cat ok by himself

We are going away for a week. A friend is coming in daily to feed cat and clean litter. Will the cat be ok? He's 6 mos. old and we adopted him a month ago. Thanks.

Posted by Linda Glass on 2008-12-13 at 13:35:50

female cat

she is one of three cats in the household. She is not spayed--recently has taken up residency at the top step of the basement--which leads to the litterbox and just sits--doesn't move unless coaxed to do so. Is not crying or displaying symptoms of agression--seems more protective of herself. Anyone have some info?

Posted by susan on 2008-12-19 at 09:12:47

cat in heat

how long will this last and can i get her spayed while she is in heat?

Posted by ruth szumigala on 2008-12-22 at 08:18:07

sad kitty?

we recently put down one of our special cats.does the remaining cat know the other one is missing?is she sad?

Posted by nicole on 2008-12-27 at 04:16:05

our cat

Is it possible to take an outside cat to a different location for 5 months and keep him inside? We are unable to leave him behind, and when he does go to camp with us, he hides under the trailer all day. I really want him to stay in, or how can I aclimate him to the two locations, so it is not so traumatic for him?

Posted by Linda Forrest on 2008-12-30 at 05:16:23

need a little help

Richard is 2 1/2 years old black & white looks like a bank robber. Fasination with water constantly in the sink, I made him a boat for the pool, he loves it . He rather stay inside. He likes trucks, but if I get a pizza and evey time he sprays it. He does NOT like my youngest son and I am always the looser. This is the forth time I got bit, always my left hand and it looks like I got bit by king cobra hand swells like baseball glove. I know he's just going after the first thing he sees, then he is very sorry. Im home now from no work, but when working, he puts his hands around my ankles and get dragged to the door. He follows me everywhere, constantly, I blocked him from watching animal planet cause he attacked the TV upon seeing a snake. Tell him once, "bed time" and in my bed he goes till he taps me on the head at 5AM on the dot. So he's good 98% of the time So I ask, my big thing is the biting and its quick. also he does not purr, but he does always signal with a throatal sound. & he doesnt purr beacause he cant do it correctly cause I used to yell at him while trying to sleep . Other kittens would put me to sleep purring in rythem. This guy has no rythem. Thanks for letting me vent a little. Sam

Posted by sam on 2009-01-07 at 10:06:14

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