MeowWiki Celebrates Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day

January is Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day—a day dedicated to helping cat owners see things from the perspective of their feline companions. The holiday was created by Ruth and Thomas Roy of WellCat, with the goal of encouraging pet owners to better understand their cats and help them live a better life.

Cat owners are encouraged to think of questions that their cats might ask and then to answer them from the cat’s perspective. “By putting themselves in the cat’s shoes (or paws), cat owners will begin to better understand feline behavior,” said Adrienne Jade, owner of MeowWiki. “By going through this exercise, owners may realize how they can make their cat’s lives more enjoyable and rewarding. It may also help cat owners realize that troublesome behavior is actually a cat expressing their natural needs and desires.”

To help cat owners celebrate the holiday, MeowWiki has rounded up a few examples of questions that cats might ask their owners and how participating in the holiday might improve human and feline relationships.

For example, cats might wonder why owners are so upset when they pee on the carpet. “Usually when a cat pees on the carpet, there is a good reason for it,” said Jade. “It may be that the litter box is not kept clean or is located in a difficult location, such as a cold, dark basement. A cat might also not want to share a litter box with another cat. Perhaps a change in kitty litter is the issue. It is even possible that peeing on carpet indicates a health issue that requires a visit to a veterinarian.”

Another question that a cat might ask is “Why does my owner get upset when the sofa gets used as a scratching post?” Scratching is a normal behavior for cats. It keeps their claws from getting too long, helps prevent boredom, and acts as a stress reliever. If a cat doesn’t have a suitable scratching place, using the furniture might be their solution.

“Cats don’t scratch furniture because they are bad or trying to ruin it,” said Jade. “They simply need a suitable outlet that will satisfy their natural need to scratch. Investing in a scratching post or climbing tower is an easy solution that will satisfy a cat’s need to scratch and will protect valuable furniture from being destroyed.”

Understanding the unique personality and needs of a cat will go a long way to understanding and preventing troublesome behavior. For example, some breeds of cats—such as the Bengal cat—have higher energy levels and a greater need to explore or play. For this reason, Bengal cats often get into trouble if they don’t have enough toys, games, and climbing apparatuses to keep them occupied.

“By asking and answering questions their cat might ask, owners may have their eyes opened about feline behaviors that have been causing issues,” said Jade. “Finding solutions to these problems will help keep every member of the household happy and prevent cats from being taken to an animal shelter.”

MeowWiki provides information on feline health issues and different cat breeds to cat owners across the country. The site also sponsors a monthly pet contest and animal shelter charities giveaway, which provides $500 donations to cat rescues and animal shelters across the country.