July 2024

Is your cat constantly meowing for your attention? Does your cat paw at you when you are busy with work? You give him food, you give him water, you think maybe he has a full litter box. You check, nada. You run around looking for the problem, while your cat follows, his meowing only getting more louder and frequent. You pause and sit down, he perches next to you gently rubbing his head against your side. You give him a couple little scritches (light scratches on his head) and all of sudden the wailing stops. A different sound takes its place. Gentle purring. The sound of a happy cat.

That is how you keep a cat happy. Cats are like people in a way. They have their needs yes, and most of the time, it’s almost as if that’s all a cat really wants from us. You’ve heard the stereotypes of cats who rule their households. How it is their world and we humans are just living in it (the jury is still out on that one), but to a cat, their sustenance comes directly from you. Their affections grow because you are the provider in their small little world. You give them gifts. You make them happy by giving them these small (to us) gifts.

What is your cat’s love language?

Cats bond with their owners, some bonds are stronger than others, but chances are your cat cares enough to see you every day. To make sure you are there at the very least. Some cats aren’t as physically demanding. Some don’t like to be held, some like to be held just enough, and some would rather be smothered with affection. As a cat owner, my cat Bruce is the third, he LOVES affection. So much so that when I am on the phone with another human he will begin meowing conversely.

It’s really easy to make him happy. I simply pick him up and he begins purring. Find out what kind of language your cat is speaking. What does your cat like? I like to think that cats have their own love languages as well. The key to a cat’s heart may be the little laser he loves to chase, maybe it’s a small treat, and maybe it’s cuddles. Get to know your cat, and make that effort to keep them happy. Remember, they may be a small part of our world, but to them, we are their whole world. So give them that time and help them fulfill their own sense of happiness.