Owning a pet can be difficult at times. They can be quite fickle and stubborn. However, many pets possess characteristics that can be both endearing and amusing in equal measure. This is the case with felines.

Cats are cuddly little balls of fluff. But while they’re a lot of fun to pet and play with, don’t let the cute looks full you as they are highly independent and cunning. They are also known to be incredibly stubborn and “untrainable” which can make living with a cat as demanding as it is fun.

Cats Need an Outlet for Scratching

Even if your cat is the best behaved in the world, it’s still in its nature to scratch everything in its way – from furniture to floors, rugs and curtains. And no matter how many times you scold it, it will keep coming back, doing the same thing.

The best way to train your cat not to scratch things is the same way you teach a baby human not to do something: make it unpleasant, and give it other things to do. If you catch your cat scratching, reprimand the behaviour in a harsh voice and then shift its attention to a safe outlet for scratching.

In fact, there are cat specialised accessories designed to give cats’ claws an attractive and safe surface to sharpen their claws. When it comes to shopping for cat accessories Australia wide, pet stores offer a range of options from scratching posts to pieces of carpet-covered wood or sisal-covered cardboard tubes. Give your cat treats when it scratches the scratching toy, or even just rub its head or ears. If you have more than one cat, they’ll need more than one scratching accessory.

such as a scratching post—a—in every room of your house where there are places to be scratched.

To properly use the scratching cat accessories, put one in every room of the house the cat goes to. But remember, you can’t just put the scratching post in front of the place you want your cat to stop scratching. That gives the post the same value as the thing it’s trying to replace, which is not what you want. If you try this, you’ll find that your cat uses both the post and the furniture.

Place the post away from the cat’s favourite scratching spot and with some persistence, you should be able to use positive reinforcement to get it to prefer the post. You can also sprinkle some catnip to attract your pet to the post more easily.

The important thing is consistency: if there are two posts in one room and three in another, cats don’t know what they’re supposed to do. Once they prefer a certain kind of scratching surface they stick to it, so make sure your cat gets used to the post.

Treat Your Cat as an Individual

Cats are individuals, with their own personalities and preferences. Behave toward them as you would toward any other individual animal that is intelligent, has a fair bit of autonomy, and yet is completely dependent on you for its survival.

Treat your cat like a cat. Some people can’t do this to their cats, because they think of them as children. A child is not an individual, but an extension of yourself; you treat it the way you were treated by your parents or the way you wish someone had treated you. But a cat isn’t a child; it’s a small animal that lives in your house and relies on you entirely for its sustenance, health care, and safety. Your cat may love you, but its first duty is to love itself.

Observe Its Behaviour

If your cat shows signs of stress — say it’s scratching itself so much that it starts to bleed — don’t scold it or punish it. That will just make it worse. Instead, figure out what’s stressing it out and fix the problem: get more litter boxes if there isn’t enough space to avoid territorial fights; give it more attention if it’s feeling neglected; find ways to let it express its natural predatory tendencies if that’s what’s making your cat hiss more.

Keep It Warm

When it gets cold outside though, it will be up to you to make sure that you have blankets for them. They will want warm blankets that are just for them, so if you want to get a few for your cat, make sure that you choose the right ones.

It can be tricky trying to find the right cat blanket, but it can also be fun. You can shop for cat blankets in many stores for cat accessories Australia wide. You can even find really cute ones that are made out of fleece and look like little sweaters.

Don’t Let the Litter Box Frighten You

I’m about to tell you something that may change your life. Ready?

It’s not necessary to clean the cat litter box every day. Huh? What? I know, I know. That’s what I said when my friend first told me. It sounded crazy.

But it’s true. You can keep the box clean without having to pick up after your cat each time it goes to the bathroom. In fact, if you scoop out solids at least once a day, and add new litter once a week, you’ll keep things pretty fresh and the cats will probably be none the wiser. How can this be?

First, cats are incredibly fastidious about their toilet habits. They bury their waste carefully and cover it up; they don’t like exposed stools or urine or leaving traces of either around where other cats can see them. If the litter box is kept reasonably clean, your cat will be perfectly happy with it no matter how long it has been since you last changed the litter – and yes, they do notice and care how often you do that! The fact that they use it at all is really proof enough of its acceptability to them.

To Sum Up

At the end of the day, a lot of your cat’s behaviour revolves around its need to feel at home. Through a few simple adjustments, you can help make your place a home for both you and your cat. Consider these ideas for adding some comfort and fun to your cat’s dwelling. This will help your cat get along better with your family and ensure that all of you get to enjoy the time you spend together. And, of course, you’ll get plenty of cuddles in return!