6 Tips To Bond With Your Cat

Cats are often misunderstood but the love of a cat is like no other animal I have ever known. Here you will find 6 tips to bond with your cat that are simple and easy to understand.

**Please note that what is expressed here is based on my personal opinion as a registered animal therapy owner.

1. Patience Patience Patience

   

As most cat owners will agree, the cat you have has chosen you and not the other way around. So, be patient. Allow the cat time to come to you.  If you have recently brought the cat into your home it will require time to adapt to its new surroundings.

It takes time to get to know each other and form a “bond”. Kali-Ma and I have been together for over eight years now, but it took a good two years for us to really know each other and “bond”. Nothing with cats happens overnight, but everything that happens with cats is worth it.

2. Be Consistent

Cats like consistency and routine in their life.  I feed Kali-Ma twice a day at the same time.  I play with her every day before bed-time.  Every Saturday we have “spa” day where I give her a thorough brushing with the fermininator brush, apply her tooth gel for her teeth and trim her nails. She is accustomed to all of these things. I also then give her an Inaba treat. I spend time with her and she knows the routine. In the beginning, this routine helped to bond us. This routine also is good for her health.

Once your cat is acclimated to its surroundings be sure to regularly pet and touch your cat. Cats love to be massaged and rubbed – just not for too long! You and your cat will learn where and how long works best for your cat. Kali-Ma prefers to be stroked just behind her ears gently before she falls off to sleep in my lap.

3. Talk to your cat – OFTEN

   

I cannot stress this enough – talk to your cat! It may sound crazy but who cares? I talk to Kali-Ma all the time. Each morning I greet her and every night before my head hits the pillow she hears my voice. I talk to her while I am writing, cleaning, and even when we are out walking in the park. The other day when we walking a man sad “Oh I thought you we talking to your baby in the stroller and it’s a cat!” , and I replied, “Yes I was just talking to my cat”.

The first words I said to Kali-Ma when I adopted her were, “I got you”. I tell her that anytime she is afraid or whenever we face challenges “I got you”. So if someone hears me talking to her, that’s ok. She is my best friend.

4. Spend Time With Your Cat

   

The more time you spend with your cat the greater the bond. I take my cat with me everywhere I can on the weekends. She enjoys spending time outdoors. You can read how to enjoy the outdoors with your cat here: Enjoying The Outdoors With Your Cat

If your cat doesn’t want to go out then find what your cat likes. Maybe your cat is a lap cat while you watch tv, knit, or read. Find toys that your cat likes. It amazes me that my cat prefers an old box to the latest toy on the market. So I am sure you have something around your house that is hours of fun for your cat!

Sing to your cat if she likes it. My cat loves it when I sing to her. It calms her in car rides. The problem is she loves country music – which I cannot bear to listen to. We have come to a compromise on Barry Manilow. We both seem to agree on him 🙂

5. Learn How To Communicate With Your Cat

My cat communicates with me through the head bump. If we are out and about and she is ready to go home, she head bumps me. If I don’t pay attention then I get a little nibble on my arm. 

Every cat is different as we cat owners know all too well. Each cat is unique and they all have their own “style”. You will learn how your cat communicates with you by trial and error. Sometimes I can look at Kali-Ma and know what she wants.

Over time she has grown and it has changed. For five years she NEVER meowed or made a sound. Now she does. She meows when we are outside and she wants to get out of her stroller and walk on her leash. She is growing older and her communication is changing. That is ok – I can adapt! 🙂

The more time you spend with your cat the more you will know what they want and when they want it. If you don’t get it the first time, don’t worry, they will make sure you know what they want! LOL!

6. Love Your Cat

What seems so simple is not so simple for everyone. Love your cat as you would want someone to love you. Treat it with kindness and respect. You have been given a gift with four paws. Treasure this blessing. Talk to your cat in a voice that is kind and gentle. That voice you use at the office – leave it there. Be conscious of what you say and how you say it.  Cats are very intelligent beings and they pick up on every emotion you are emitting with your words.

Never abandon your cat, beat it, spank it, or harm it in any way. Do not use a water gun to try to “train it” as this will surely ruin any bond you have attempted to build between you. There are other reasons not to use a water gun on your cat and you can read them here: http://www.felinebehaviorsolutions.com/stop-spraying-cats-with-water/With love and patience a cat can be your greatest friend.

Final Thoughts

Cats are a special blessing. I personally believe they are angels with paws. Bonding with a cat takes a commitment of heart and time, but one with no greater reward on this earth. When I got Kali-Ma I thought she was wild. She ran from room to room and I had never had a cat like her.

5. Now, today, I cannot imagine a life without her.  She is the first thing I see every morning. Her face greets me at the door when I arrive home without fail every day. Each night when I say my prayers her paw is next to me and I give thanks for she is my precious gift. May you all know such love. Until next time….Happy Tails to you!