myKotty New year, new meowsibilities! As cat carers we want to give our furriends a stress-free, quality life and nothing says “a change for the better” quite like a fresh start and the Jan 1 card in your calendar. As most hoomans do, you too probably have, dear fabCat, some plans, goals and resolutions to achieve next year. More time for yourself and your kitty, going to the gym more, maybe a new hobby? All sounds great, but what about our cats’ plans? We asked some of the best experts on the matter – the fluffies members of our myKotty Dream Team. Here’s what they had to say:
I won’t be scratching on hooman furniture
“And there it goes, the unhappy look on my hooman’s face when I get my claws, once again, on the sofa… All I’m doing is checking if the material is durable enough. They say I shouldn’t, it’s not nice and that I have my scratchers. Well, what about them if they’re stashed in the hallway, don’t have my hooman’s scent at all and, worst of all, I have to stand there scratching in a draft! This year I plan on leaving the couch safe and sound, but we have to sign a deal first: can I, dear hooman, as for a new scratcher, please?”
Giving your cat a good amount of places to scratch is crucial for their behaviour, well-being and the condition of their claws. Your furniture might also get saved in the process. Cats can scratch out of boredom, but it’s mostly a need to leave their mark in socially significant places – they’re a part of your family and want to have their scent mixing with yours. What can you do so the couch doesn’t become a scratching post? It’s simple. Our VIGO and LUI scratchers, even the smaller one – TOBI, they fit perfectly beside the couch and give your kitty a great scratching space right where your kitty wants it.
More about why cats need to scratch in one of our latest articles:
I’ll take care of myself when hoomans are working at home office
“Meow, meow, meow… Can anyone give me some attention, please? I don’t know why you stopped leaving the house, hooman, you keep sitting at your desk all day and pretend you don’t see me, but I’m still here. If you’re not leaving me alone anymore, play with me, please. Just a little bit? I promise to bother you less when you’re working in your home office and I’ll take care of myself, but I need proper tools.”
Going from a typical day job at the office to working at home was one of the most challenging issues of 2020 for many people, but also the cats. Ones that were used to staying alone for the whole day knew exactly what to expect once their hoomans came back home. Food, playtime, cuddles. Now, as their carers stay at home all they, what’s stopping them from playing and giving food more often? Unfortunately, we can’t explain to the furries what a home office is or tell them to play by themselves. Some kitties deal with the issue better than others. With proper tools (like catnip and valerian kickers KungFu Cat Toy which don’t require much action from the hoomans), adjusting cat’s daily routine (with proper playtime and hunt-catch-kill-eat-groom-sleep cycle) as well as some help from cat TV, we believe everyone can survive life and home office with a cat 🙂
I’ll leave my fur on the cat bed, not hooman chairs
“Again with the comments on how my fur is everywhere and daily hoovering is necessary. If I can ignore the fluffs in my food bowl, so could you. But since it’s so difficult, I can help you, hooman. This year I’ll try sleeping on my cat beds, pillows and scratchers more. After all, I leave most of my fur and fluff wherever I spend most of my time.”
If your cat doesn’t have any health issues or a poor diet that negatively affects their condition, shedding is a natural process, just like it’s normal for us to lose our hair. Some kitties shed more, some less, but one thing’s for sure – you’ll always find some loose hair on your clothes, chairs or the floor. To minimise the shedding, before you sit down on your couch for a calm evening in, we recommend you, our dear fabCat, to observe all of your cat’s sleeping and resting spots.If there’s not that many of them and most are set far away from the social centre of the house, your cat won’t choose them over your couch. Notice that when your kitty changes positions while napping, that’s when they shed the most.
You kitty is turning his whiskers up and not accepting any cat beds? Variety is key. Set different cat beds in different places of your house and let the kitty choose their spot. Our PADI pillow will easily fit on the couch or your chair – you can put it on top to protect the furniture from fur or set it beside you on the floor, if your cat prefers to lay low on the ground. For ones who prefer sleeping high off the floor, our OTI bed will be perfect – set beside your bed or the couch will give your kitty their own place to sleep right on your level. And for the king of occupying soft and cosy pillows, our EMI bed in the shape of a chinese dumpling might be your best choice.
I won’t scream at 4 am… if you play with me before bedtime
“I don’t get how hoomans can sleep all night and not feel the need to get up bright and early. The best things in life happen at 4 am! And it gives plenty of time at night to get enough sleep, even for such a sleep connoisseur like me. Respecting eveyones’ customs, I will let my hoomans sleep as long as they need to. All I’m asking is, please play with me before you go to bed.”
There are plenty of reasons for your cat to get up early in the morning: hunger, boredom or natural hunting cycle, as cats are crepuscular and most active at dusk and dawn. If you’re not a fan of being woken up in the middle of the night, here are some ideas you might want to try out:
- Schedule playtime with your cat just before bedtime. If they get the chance to properly expel their energy in the evening, they’ll eat, groom and then sleep through the whole night, not disturbing you until you wake up.
- Give your cat a good place to sleep. While you have your bedroom, they are left alone on their huge, unprotected territory. What about cosy four walls just for your cat? Our MIA cat house will easily fit in your bedroom or living room. A safe and comfortable space is necessary for your kitty’s peace of mind.
I’ll stop sleeping on the keyboard and limit my work to supurrvising
“In 2020 I discovered new keyboard shortcuts and told your boss that you’ll be taking a break at 12 o’clock for some kitty cuddles. I know the message was a little encrypted, but every fabCat can easily understand the meaning – even your boss! I guess I’ll stop causing you trouble and in 2021 I promise not to sleep on your keyboard, at least when you’re working. Can I still supurrvise what you’re doing, or is it all a secret?”
A cat’s love for keyboards is one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in history. Maybe your kitty really appreciates discovering new shortcuts? After all, every time you leave your computer during work, there is a risk of finding a cat sleeping on top of the keyboard when you get back or your latest words deleted because of your furry friend strategically placing their head on the backspace key. What can you do?
The best idea would be to make it possible for your kitty to supurrvise your work as closely as possible. Our myKotty crew has always used our most mobile cat scratcher – TOBI – on our desk, where it doesn’t take too much space, but gives cats a perfect space to lay down and observe how the work is progressing. With a bigger desk or a chest of drawers nearby, you could even go as far as placing a PADI pillow there. That would be a luxury worthy of the best kitty CEO.
What do you, our dear fabCats, think about your cat’s new year’s resolutions? Are they entering 2021 with a purrfect confidence they can meet their goals, or will the keyboard, chair and your laptop seem too good of a sleeping place to let go and they’ll break their resolutions before January is over? Let us know in the comments and share any other good kitty resolutions that your furries might have for the new year 😼 Who will be heading out to conquer the world and who’ll just stick to discovering new cat food flavours?
