Cat owners know that the way they raise their cats will have an impact on everyone's lives. But how can you tell when you are a permissive cat owner? More importantly, how can you make changes if you notice that you have turned into a permissive cat owner?
Feeding Habits
Cats should be kept to a strictly cat food diet. It will help regulate their digestive system and overall health. But have you started to allow your cat to eat your leftover spaghetti or a piece of ham that is on your plate? A tiny piece of spaghetti or ham might seem insignificant to you, but to a cat, it can make a big difference to their weight and overall health. It is also a bad habit to get cats into and if you regularly feed them your leftovers, you will notice more than an expanding feline waistline. Your cats will come to expect it and start to demand that you feed them human food. Some cats become aggressive if they do not get what they want. It is best to just avoid giving them human food altogether, even if it is a piece of broccoli.
Sleeping Arrangements
Domestic animals are pampered by well meaning and indulgent pet owners. While cats receive a lot of attention and care from their cat owners, they are also being treated more and more like little, furry humans. Even if your cat has a cat bed, do you regularly allow your cat to sleep in ten other parts of the home? Does your cat push your spouse out of bed so that he can nestle into your arms instead? Cats deserve to be treated with care, but they should not come before your spouse. Cats should be taught that they have their own bed. If they are allowed to sleep with you and your spouse, this should be regulated too so that the cat does not think he has free rein all the time. For example, while you are at work, cats do not need to be sleeping in your bed.
Punishment
Some cat owners love their cats so much that they hate the very idea of punishing them. But rather than watch as kitty tears up your brand new couch or opens the kitchen drawers and pulls out the kitchen utensils, cat owners should nip this mischievous behaviour in the bud. Simply using a water bottle each time your cat misbehaves can help to curb this sort of thing and teach cats that they will not be overindulged to the point of spoiling them.
Just as parents must be careful to instil the right values into their children thereby avoiding raising children who are used to getting their own way, cat owners must do the same. Letting kitty have everything she wants will not make her a pleasant cat to be around.
