What Do Cats Like? One of These May Surprise You!

What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you think of cats? FINICKY. They seem to be perpetually “over it” and not entirely amused or happy with us mere mortals and our weak offerings to them. We can buy them the most expensive foods, treats, toys and beds and yet most of us feel like we miss the mark. So what do cats like? How can we please them and make them happy so they know how much we love them?

While every cat is unique and has its own preferences, it turns out there are things that are fairly universal when it comes to what cats like (or even love). Here are some of them:

Sleeping

This comes as no surprise if you share your home and life with a cat. When they’re not eating, cleaning themselves or knocking stuff off of shelves, your cat is probably taking a cat nap. Guess that’s where the name comes from!

The average cat will sleep anywhere between 15 to 16 hours per day. Older cats and kittens sleep around 20 hours a day! If you’re worried your cat is sleeping too much, they most likely aren’t. But if you do have real concerns, please speak with your vet.

Cleanliness

Cats are fastidious creatures. They love to groom themselves and each other and will spend anywhere from three to six hours a day doing so. Heck, our cats love grooming so much that they will even groom us sometimes – which is not great when they’ve just eaten a stinky fishy dinner!

If you look at your cat’s tongue close up, you’ll see it has coarse ridges on it, which helps your cat remove dirt and other debris from its coat while also helping to disperse oil.

A Clean Bathroom!

And speaking of cleanliness, your cat would really appreciate it if you made sure her litter box was always clean and ready for her. If you have a multi-cat household, you’ll want to be sure you have enough litter boxes. The general rule of thumb is to have one litter box per cat plus one more. These should be placed in different areas of your home and in a quiet setting. Your cat likes quiet and privacy, too!

Cats Like Love Scratching

You may think your cat is scratching the furniture to p*ss you off, but the truth is cats have an instinct to scratch things for a few reasons:

• They love to stretch their bodies, especially their spines and limbs
• They want to mark their territory visually and with scent to tell other cats, “Back off, this is my turf!”
• They want to loosen and remove the claw husk, the outer layer of their nail

Your cat will happily claw and scratch only those things you deem acceptable, but you’ve got to make certain you provide those items. Cats love cat trees they can scratch as well as those cardboard toys. Be sure to offer plenty of these around your home.

High Places

Did you know your cat was an ancestor of the African wildcat (Felis sylvestris lybica)? This cat is still in existence and like our modern house cats, it is both predator and prey in its natural environment. Being up in high trees allows the African wildcat to see their prey coming so they can get ready to pounce.  And when fleeing predators, this cat, and all cats, will quickly escape up into a tree. 

Our domestic cats to this day have an instinct to be up as high as they can. From up on a high shelf or fireplace mantel they can survey their home turf and escape from the dog or small child that is chasing them.

YOU

That’s right, your cat likes you. It may even love you. We think of cats as these aloof, solitary creatures and part of that reason is because they hunt alone and not in packs like dogs. But you may be surprised to learn that according to a recent study, cats prefer social interaction with humans to food!

The study was conducted at Oregon State University and it showed a majority of cats prefer social interaction with people over food, which came in second. The study included both pet cats and shelter cats and the majority from each group chose to interact with people more than eating food.

Cats express their affection for us differently than dogs do. A dog will jump all over you and lick your face like crazy. Your cat will most likely not do that, but they will pur, rub against you and sleep near (or on) you. These are sure signs they not only like but love you very much.

Cats Like Whatever Makes Us Less Stressed

Cats don’t like it when we are stressed and in a bad mood. One of the things that tends to put humans in a stressful state is dealing with high vet bills. Veterinary medicine has come a long way in recent years and we’re now able to help our fur babies live much longer lives. But the cost to give them excellent care has also increased significantly. If your cat were to suddenly become seriously ill or injured and you were hit with a bill for thousands of dollars, could you pay it? Or would you have to make a heartbreaking decision?

A pet health insurance plan can help you pay those vet bills you would otherwise not be able to afford. Monthly premiums start as low as $10 and some plans will reimburse you for up to 90% of the bill! Imagine getting a bill for $3,000 and having $2,700 of it paid for by someone else.

It only takes 2 minutes to get a free customized quote from the top providers in the country.

References:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/science/cats-love-people.html?_r=1 “Empirical Evidence: Cats Love people”

https://www.diamondpet.com/blog/behavior/psychology/cats-favorite-things/ “A Few of Your Feline’s Favorite Things.”

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/10-tips-keep-your-cat-happy-indoors “10 tips to keep your cat happy indoors”

The information contained on this blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary care. Always consult with your veterinarian before making any changes to your pet's health care or treatment plan.

The authors of this blog are not veterinarians and do not claim to be experts in pet health. The information provided here is based on our own experiences and research, as well as information from reputable sources. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information.

We encourage you to do your own research and consult with your veterinarian before making any decisions about your pet's health.