Here are the Top Ten Tips from the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors.

Help for cat owners from APBC

Tip One:

Give your cat a stimulating home environment. This is particularly important if it is an ‘indoor’ cat. Think three dimensionally by providing comfy sleeping places high up as well as offering a variety of different level shelves for the cat to climb on.

Tip Two:

Cardboard boxes with a hole cut in the side, as well as paper bags, make great cheap toys for your cat, and can be easily replaced.

Tip Three:

Cats can be trained too! Clicker training is a kind and fun method of training your cat all sorts of tricks.

Tip Four:

In multi-cat households make sure that there is enough space for each of the cats to have some privacy. All cats like to have their own space.

Tip Five:

Do not assume that cats in the same house are happy to share their food bowls. Provide a choice of feeding locations – some cats prefer to eat on the ground, others in a high location.

Tip Six:

Do not scold your cat if it is having toileting problems as this may make the problem worse. Make a vet appointment for a check up.

Tip Seven:

Never force a cat to interact – they like to feel in control.

Tip Eight:

Hide dried food around the house for your cat to find during the day or provide it with a special activity ball so that it has to ‘hunt’ for its food. Cats need to hunt so make sure that suitable games are available to cater for this instinct.

Tip Nine:

Use fishing rod type cat toys to play with your cat or kitten and not your fingers as you may get scratched! Remember that adult cats need to play too – so play regular games with suitable toys.

Tip Ten:

A coir (coconut husk) door mat securely fixed to an upright wall makes an ideal scratching post and helps to keep your cat’s claws healthy. Spray or rub some ‘cat nip’ on it to make it even more attractive to your cat.