cats need routine in their lives because they get stressed easily with changes.
the first routine that cats eat is scheduled meal times.
it's unsanitary to leave food out all day. additionally
constantly grazing on food only promotes hunger and weight gain.
instead, feed your cats specifically portion meals at routine scheduled meal times.
jericho eats his main meals at specific times during the day.
and he also hunts for treats.
hiding treats around your home is great for mental stimulation and enrichment.
you can replicate the hunting experience very easily by hiding treats for your cat to hunt.
these feeding routines will help your cat feel safe and comfortable in his territory.
yes your home is your cat's territory.
hey friends it's jess and jericho here to talk about cat routines.
everyone loves routines because they offer stability. and routines also make
cats feel stable, comfortable, and safe.
just imagine if you lived outside and you had to fight for your survival.
you had to hunt for food and find clean places to go to the bathroom and quiet areas to sleep.
you would want to have routines in place too.
you wouldn't want your day full of surprises.
these instincts are ingrained in all cats even if they've never been outside.
another plus to routine scheduled meal times
is that your cat will use the litter box at the same time.
and that makes clean up much easier for you.
and that's the next routine that cats need daily litter box maintenance.
unfortunately many people overlook the importance of clean litter box and the litter box location.
but think about your bathroom. you like it clean right?
if your bathroom was dirty you'd stress. and if it remains dirty you could develop health issues.
the same goes for your cats!
your cat's litter box should be in a quiet, low traffic area that's private and easily accessible.
don't move it around. keep it in the same place.
we should scoop waste as our cat goes and completely clean it out once weekly.
a clean, well-maintained litter box can help prevent stress,
behavior issues, and health issues.
and remember cats get stressed very easily.
so going back to their wild side. imagine that you lived outside.
you have a nice, quiet, peaceful, clean place to do your business.
and the next day you come back and it's compromised.
now you have to spend valuable, precious time looking for a new,
clean, quiet place to do your business.
stressful right?
well our cats get stressed when we don't take care of the litter box properly.
keep the litter box in the same spot and clean it daily.
also keeping track of your cat's litter box deposits can give you a
good indication of what's going on on the inside.
knowing your cat intimately is the best tool you have in preventive care.
so keeping track of eating habits and litter box habits is a great way to pinpoint
what's going on if a problem does come up.
most health issues have symptoms like loss of appetite or frequent urination.
or if your cat is struggling to use the bathroom and isn't
urinating that's a sign that he could be blocked.
and that's a life-threatening issue.
the next routine that your cat needs is daily play sessions.
the indoor version of hunting is playing so we
need to play with our cats daily to release energy.
many people have said to me "my cat isn't interested in playing"
but i'm always able to get those cats to play.
playing with your cat is absolutely crucial for his happiness.
all cats are natural-born hunters even if they've never been outside.
make your cat hunt for toys and treats to satisfy these natural instincts.
another routine that cats might like is a nice petting and massage session.
so this is a great way to kind of inspect your cat's skin and fur.
you can feel around for lumps and you can look for hair loss.
and this is this is much nicer than just poking around and kind of like
separating their fur to look around.
just lightly massage them and pet them.
maybe after your cat eats he's nice and full. he's gonna go down for a nap.
so that's a perfect time to use a petting a massage session.
the next routine that your cat will appreciate is coming and going routines.
what i mean by this is when you leave your home and then when you come back.
naturally we're going to feel bad for leaving our cats at
home all day while we're working or while we're running errands.
but i feel like some people might overdo it. you know when they leave their home and
kind of make this big deal about it.
like oh my gosh you know i'm so sorry for leaving you and lots of kisses and this and that.
it's well intentioned but cats pick up on our energy.
and that kind of nervous,
almost "i'm never gonna see you again" over embellished attitude kind of sets cats off.
and it kind of makes them feel like
"is she coming home?" or like "what's going on?" you know what i mean?
it's it's kind of like "is the world ending?"
you're just leaving for a couple of hours but you're
acting like you're leaving for a month. you know?
like you're not gonna see your cat in a month.
and again this is natural behavior. we feel bad for leaving our cats.
we love our cats, we want them to know that.
but instead of you know going over the top and acting like you're not
going to see your cat in a month, just make it quick and painless.
like it's no big deal.
i mean it's your daily routine.
you're leaving at the same time for work and then you're coming home around the same time for work.
your cat understands this routine.
so for example with jericho when i leave the apartment i just look at
him and i say "jericho i'll be right back" and then i leave.
and then when i come back he comes to the door and he's excited to see me.
he starts scratching on his post. and i use that opportunity to start playing with him.
so that's a great way to have a routine within a routine.
whenever you come home, immediately you can start playing with your cat for five minutes.
i know it's difficult you want to wind down and you just got home from work.
but playing with your cat is pretty much the best way that you can end your work day right?
i mean they're funny to watch when they play and you know they're very engaging and very funny so
that's a great way to to do a coming and going routine.
the next routine that's helpful for you and your cat is bedtime routine.
so going to bed at the same time every day tells your body it's time to wind down.
it's time to de-stress, get some rest, reboot for the next day.
so going to bed at the same time every day
is helpful for you but it's also helpful for your cat.
jericho actually sits on the counter and stares at me until i turn the light off.
he's like "i'm not coming to bed until i know for sure that you're staying in bed."
you might be wondering, how do i keep track of all this stuff?
i keep track of all of jericho's information using my cat care binder printable.
you can check out my cat care binder printable in the pinned comments.
thanks for watching!