A cat does not necessarily have to live as an outdoor cat. There are cats that are perfectly suitable as an apartment cat. Especially pedigree cats adapt well maintenance in the apartment. Then cats should not live alone, however, but be socialized with a second cat. Once the cat has enjoyed life as a free roamer, it will cope poorly with an apartment attitude and miss the free life steadily the. Apartment cats usually have a longer life expectancy than outdoor cats and are less susceptible to cat diseases. However, keeping them is more time-consuming and the cat hair spreads everywhere in the apartment.
What cat breeds are suitable for housing
The best known representative for apartment cats is the Persian cat. With its long and high-maintenance coat, it is only conditionally designed for life in the wild. Another representative is the Singapora, with a shoulder height of only 20 centimeters. It would have difficulty holding its own in the wild, despite its exuberant energy. The hairless Sphinx cat is also not designed for outdoor life. As a naked cat, it is very sensitive to UV light and the smallest skin lesions. In addition to these cats with special characteristics, cats that are suitable as apartment cats are those that have little desire for freedom or that do not know any other living space than the apartment. Possible cat breeds are:
- Ragdoll
- Maine Coone (Suitable for beginners)
- British Shorthair (suitable for working)
- Burma (may be suitable for allergy sufferers, as the breed has little hair)
- Balinesen
- Abyssinian cat
Prerequisite for keeping an indoor cat
If you want to keep a cat in the apartment, then the apartment should be large enough for it. Several rooms are an advantage. They offer the cat enough variety for entertainment and a place to retreat to when it gets too lively for the cat. Make your apartment cat-proof. Secure tilted windows with suitable devices. If you have a balcony, you should ask the landlord whether you can install a cat protection net. Minimieren Sie gerade bei jungen Katzen etwaige Gefahrenstellen in der Wohnung und auf dem Balkon. Create elevated resting areas for the cat so that it can observe its surroundings from above. It is advantageous to have a scratching post which, in addition to elevated lying areas, also offers climbing and hiding opportunities, as well as opportunities to sharpen the claws in a way that is gentle on the furniture.
What can cat owners do to make the cat feel comfortable in the apartment?
Despite a cat-friendly apartment, you should spend a lot of time with the cat on a regular basis to relieve boredom. Possibilities for this are with search games, intelligence games and hunting games. There are no limits to your imagination. By means of clicker training you practice small tricks with the cat. Stroking can be perfectly combined with grooming with cat brushes. Clean the litter box every day so that the cat feels comfortable.
Equipment for an apartment cat
- Cat food and snacks
- Cat litter box and cat litter
- Cat tree
- Cat toys
- Cat grass
How to keep an apartment cat healthy?
Apartment cats burn fewer calories than outdoor cats. Therefore, adjust the food so that the cat does not become overweight. It is not enough to feed the cat less, because then the cat will lack important nutrients. Commercially available food for apartment cats covers their daily needs. Muss eine Wohnungskatze geimpft werden? Every cat should be vaccinated against cat cold. For other diseases that outdoor cats can catch from other cats or in nature, you should consult with your veterinarian to determine if vaccination is necessary. Should I have an indoor cat spayed/neutered? When female cats become in heat (ready to conceive), they are in a permanently stressful state. If they do not come together with a male cat, female cats can become permanently in heat. When they are ready to breed, male cats mark their territory with urine. To do this, they stand with their rear end to a piece of furniture and spray the urine horizontally on the selected surface with their tails up. The distinctive smell spreads throughout the apartment. If a male cat is neutered, he will not do this. In addition, neutered Kate are less territorially fixed and the hours of nightly meowing because they smell a cat in heat for miles and fighting with other male cats is a thing of the past.
Should I let an apartment cat outdoors?
Purely apartment cats, who know nothing else, are happy and content in the apartment. They do not need outdoor access, but a place by the window from which they can observe life outside is enough for them. If a balcony belongs to the apartment, the cat can perceive fresh air and sounds there unfiltered and observe the surroundings. Make the balcony a cat-proof net and remove possible danger spots in advance. If the apartment has a garden, then it seems reasonable to make it accessible to the cat. However, cats may use this to escape. However, you can try a gradual acclimation by going outside together with your cat and finishing the stay in the fresh air together. Cats on a leash are rarely seen. This does not correspond to their natural urge to move. Cat harnesses are more designed to prevent cats from running away while traveling.