Nothing creates a Cat Alert like a late appointment or a changed system. Cats, like many of us, consider an predictable existence more enjoyable.
They have a point.
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Cat routines appeal to a cat’s sense of anticipation and participation.
When cats think they know what will happen, and then it does, they feel that they are in control. They feel they understand how things work in their world. In the wild, they would create routines that maximize their food potential or let them visit their drinking spots reliably.
In our house, they can’t get as paws-on as they would like. And if they did, it wouldn’t work the way it would in the wild, where they are no cans or sink faucets. They need our help to make all this work for them. They need to know our partnership is reliable.
When we visit our coffee machine, we don’t expect to pour out hot chocolate. We might even like hot chocolate, but that’s not what we wanted when we went to the coffee machine.
This simple expectation has far reaching implications. If we start the day pouring hot chocolate out of our coffee pot, we will probably be cautious and apprehensive all day. When we change the routine without notice, this is what we do to our cats.
However, I’m also a big fan of shaking up the cat’s routine. What is the best way to do that? Well, suppose we went to our coffee machine, and instead of hot chocolate, and instead of whatever coffee we bought on sale, we actually poured out a cup of our favorite premium coffee, fresh-roasted just we way we like it.
This might be equally puzzling. But it’s far more welcome. We wanted coffee, we get a coffee upgrade.
So if we are going to be late, we should tell the cats. If the routines are going to be scrambled for a while, we should alert them to that fact. If we have to make them wonder what will happen next, let’s make it a pleasant surprise, instead of just a surprise.
This makes everyone happier.
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There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.
I feel like when I tell my cats that things will be different, for whatever period of time, that they have no idea what I’m talking about!
How would be the best way to communicate this with them?
Hi Michael. This subject is big, but in the meantime, we can start small. Signal in the morning that you are bringing home their favorite flavor by standing in front of the cupboard and announcing their favorite flavor isn’t there. Then produce it when you get back, with a big fuss, and announce it again, at dinner.
Cats soon pick up on our “announcement” body language, and will be eager to see what new tricks and treats you have in store.