Caring for cats

The five key welfare needs are:

1. Environment — the need for a suitable environment and place to live
2. Diet — the need for a suitable diet
3. Behaviour — the need to express normal behaviour
4. Companionship — the need to consider your pet’s social needs
5. The need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Your cat's environment

What cats need:

Food and water bowls, bed and litter trays

• If you have more than one cat, they must have their own. Sharing these items can cause aggression amongst cats, chronic stress and lead to significant health problems. Ideally you should also have one additional set of items (one more than the number of cats in the house).

• Litter trays should be big enough for easy access and located in a safe and private area. Empty trays daily and clean with water and non-scented soap or mild detergent once a week.

Sleeping, resting and viewing areas

• Cats like to spend a lot of time sleeping and resting in quiet areas where they feel safe and secure. High sided cat beds and boxes are useful to give cats a sense of 'privacy'.

• Cats use elevated areas as vantage points from which to observe their surroundings. You can provide your cat with access to platforms, shelves, climbing posts or window ledges.

Safe contained areas on their property

• Cats should be confined to the owner's property, in the house, an outdoor enclosure and/or in a cat-proof backyard. Cats kept to their owner's property live three times longer than cats allowed to roam. Find out more about keeping your cat safe at home.

• Pet Census (2023) findings indicate that a third of respondents had a cat enclosure or run for their cats .

Diet

What cats need:

• Feed your cat an appropriate complete and balanced diet that matches their life stages to maintain keep them in good condition. Too little or too much food, or the wrong type of food can cause health problems for your cat.
• Give your cat access to clean water at all times.
• Check your cat's body condition (shape and weight) to decide how much to feed.
• Only give treats occasionally. When a treat is given, reduce the amount of food in your cat's main meal.

Behaviour

What cats need:

Socialisation

• Especially in the first 10 weeks of life, will help your cat grow into a calm and affectionate pet. This means gradually experiencing everyday sights and sounds, and meeting people (including children) and animals.

Play and exercise

• Cats need opportunity to play and exercise every day. This is particularly important for indoor cats. Play will prevent them from getting bored and gaining weight.

• Cats enjoy toys that move or make noise, and remind them of prey such as mice, birds, and insects. They need a variety of toys and toys should be rotated regularly to prevent boredom.  Examples of cheap toys: crumpled paper balls, paper bags to explore, cardboard boxes, and toilet paper tubes.

Scratching posts

• Scratching is a natural behaviour for cats. It sharpens claws, stretches muscles and leaves scent marks. Provide your cat with a scratching post. Putting catnip on scratching post is more likely to encourage your cat to use it (rather than other things, like the furniture). `

Companionship

What cats need:

• Cats usually prefer their own company. They generally tolerate living with a sibling. If you want to introduce a new cat or dog to your cat, some cats cope with change quicker than others. It is important to take it slow and do not put the new animal to right next to the existing cat immediately.

Social contact with owners

• Cats require plenty of social contact with owners. Set aside time each day to interact with your cat  for instance, patting, playing with, or grooming.
• If cats are in an enclosure, this can be achieved by access to the house through a cat door (and tunnel if applicable).
• It is important to always supervise young children when around cats. Children can be unintentionally rough, and this can result in injuries to both the child and the cat.
• You may need to seek professional advice if your cat develops behavioural problems.

Care when owners are away

• Cats must be cared for when owners go on holiday. This can involve taking a cat to a council registered cattery or arranging for a friend or neighbour to provide care in the cat's home.

Health

What cats need:

Take care to keep poisons and toxic plants and household chemicals away from cats.. Read more about toxic food and other hazards for cats.

Preventative health care

• Cats need preventative health care to live a long and happy life. This includes regular vaccinations, worming, flea treatments and dental care (through dental chews or brushing).
• Cats not intended for breeding should be desexed. This can safely be done from three months of age. Desexing can prevent certain health problems, such as some types of cancer. It can also prevent the development of problem behaviours, such as spraying.
• Find out more about desexing.

Microchipping and registration

• All cats three months of age must be registered with the local council. All cats being registered for the first time must also be permanently identified with a microchip.
• If you move to a new house, make sure you update your details with your local council and with the microchip registry.

Grooming

• Cats are excellent self-groomers, but they still need help getting hard-to-reach spots, especially when elderly.
• If your cat has short hair, brush them once per week and work from head to tail in the direction the coat grows.
• If your cat has long hair, you will need to brush every few days or even every day. Comb the fur in an upward motion to get rid of knots and remove dead hair and debris.

Transporting your cat

Make sure you transport your cat safely. If transporting your cat, ensure they are transported in a well-ventilated cage or cat carrier. The cage or container needs to be strapped into the car to prevent it from sliding around. Do not transport your cat in an enclosed vehicle boot.

Do not leave a cat in a car, even on a mild day. Regulations prohibit animals being left unattended in motor vehicles when the temperature is at, or exceeds, 28 degrees Celsius. The interior of a car can heat up quickly, cause heat stress and even the death of your cat. For more information, visit Prevention of Cruelty to Animals legislation.