Provide your cat with his/her own space that they can call their own. This space should include the basic necessities: food/water, litter box, scratching post, some toys and if possible a window for the cat to look out of.

1. Make sure to place the food bowl and litter pan away from any appliances (such as laundry machines, dryers or furnaces) and vents that can suddenly turn on and frighten the cat.
2. Please ensure food and water dishes are separate from the litter box. Cats prefer multiple large sized water dishes and prefer their water in a separate location from their food. 
3. Make sure that food & water are replaced daily and litter box scooped everyday
4. Provide more than one litter box for your cat – cats are clean and need choices, if one litter box is dirty they will go use another one. (The general rule for the number of litter boxes per household is 1 litter box per cat plus an additional one; i.e. If there are two cats to a household, you want to provide at least 3 litter boxes)
5. Provide a scratching post – this allows the cat to bring out their marking instinct and keeps the cat away from your furniture
6. If possible, provide places for the cat to climb. Either provide your cat with a ‘cat tree’ or place a perch in front of the window for the cat to look out – remember cats are curious creatures.
7. Make regular trips to your veterinarian to provide preventive health care. We want to resolve the issues before they become problems.

Having these basic necessities in your home creates a great environment for your feline. For more information on enriching your cat’s environment visit Indoor Pet Initiative.