Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat

by Jackson Galaxy

When it comes to one-cat homes, the question I’m always asked is this: “I’ve got an only cat, I work twelve hours a day, and I know he’s bored. I feel so guilty. . . . Does he need a friend?” There are several components to that statement that we have to look at. I fully believe that cats should live with other cats. Unfortunately, what you see many times on my show are worst-case scenarios of cats who would definitely rather not. But in general, cats are communal animals who have been victimized by the stereotype of being asocial, aloof loners.

Then comes time to put on the cat detective hat and take inventory when you get home: Is there destruction? Things used as toys that shouldn’t be? Objects that have been ingested? Then yes, my friend, you have a bored cat.

I believe the maternal ideal is, for the most part, more about human projection than reality. That is to say, it’s not something that your cat spends her days pining about. So, all of these factors lead to a fairly safe conclusion: a kitten will not bring out the “mothering” instinct in your older cat, and will more likely drive her crazy.

FIV+ and FIV– cats can live together beautifully. There’s not a problem, except if the FIV+ cat is very cat aggressive. That’s when the line has to be drawn, because a deep bite wound is more likely than anything else to transmit the virus from cat to cat. Casual touching, and sharing food dishes and litterboxes are not an issue.

In my opinion, the main criterion to factor in to matchmaking is to match cats by energy level. Even the cat’s history should have less of an impact on your decision. I’d say that the first thing to do before even going to the shelter is to think about what personality type best complements your cat’s.

In general, you should try to complement rather than bring home a carbon copy.

If you have the choice of bringing home two kittens or one, for the sake of the kittens, bring home two. Having a feline friend is better for them and better for you, and, as counterintuitive as it may seem, I guarantee they will be less work!

There is no such thing as one cat’s box. You want to have n+1 litterboxes, but each litterbox is a communal signpost and should have every cat’s scent in it. In the cat’s social world, there is no sense of the proprietary.

Another way of saying this is that for the most part, the best way to approach a cat is just to ignore them. This is especially true with fearful cats. Back off, get low (meaning off your feet, not hovering over the top of them), and let them come to you.

So, to review, the Three-Step Handshake breaks down like this: Step 1—The Slow Blink: Present yourself in a completely nonthreatening way to the cat. Step 2—The Scent Offering: Offer the cat something that smells like you. I like to use the earpiece of my glasses or a pen. Step 3—The One-Finger “Handshake”: Offer your hand to the cat in a relaxed way. Take one finger and let the cat sniff it like he did the glasses or pen, and bring that finger toward the spot between and just above the eyes. Allow him to push into your finger; he will press in so you can gently rub his nose and up to the forehead (a more in-depth exploration of this technique in a moment).

Tail swishing—usually means that the Energetic Balloon is ready to pop. As the tail goes from an intermittent twitch to a swish, things are increasing in intensity. Unchecked, this behavior will finally graduate to wagging like a happy dog . . . except they are not dogs, and they are definitely not happy! At this point—right before the pop—it’s like your cat is screaming at you.

When you nonchalantly say things like “he hates me” or “he’s the devil incarnate,” it paints your cat in a way that can’t be unpainted. When you name your cat “Devil Kitty,” “Bastard Cat,” or “Satan,” please, do us all a favor—especially your cat—and change his name to something more dignified . . . or at least a name you would bestow upon a human. Whatever your justification might be, it’s not a valid reason for such a negative label. It’s an unnecessary form of devaluing him that will conspire, on one level or another, to weaken your relationship.

What I’m reminding you of there is that while we are running around, postulating, theorizing, and throwing all kinds of behavioral spaghetti against the wall, seeing what will stick, the cat is actually saying “OUCH!” The upshot is, if you see something out of place, either visually, behaviorally, or just on a gut level, go to the vet.

Urinating or defecating outside of the litterbox: There are lots of possible medical reasons, including cystitis, crystals, infection, kidney disease, digestive problems, diabetes, and the list goes on. Two clues to look for that usually signify a physical component: eliminating directly outside the litterbox, sometimes by inches, and very small amounts of pee spread out by a matter of steps.

Changes in behavior, such as sudden-onset aggression: If a person in your life suddenly had a radical change in personality, you would be concerned. If your cat is suddenly lashing out—either toward human or animal family members—there’s a solid chance that, just like us, he’s got a shorter fuse because he’s dealing with pain or discomfort of some sort.

Nighttime activity or an increase in vocalizations: Hyperthyroidism is a common medical condition in older cats that can increase activity and vocalization. Older cats who are experiencing worsening vision, hearing, or the onset of dementia may also become loud or disoriented at night when the lights go out.

Excessive sleeping: You now know that cats don’t just sleep all the time. If your cat has become completely withdrawn or lost interest in all of the things, people, or activities that once gave her joy, that is a cry for help—just as it would be for a human.

As of the writing of this book, over 58 percent of cats are overweight, with some 15 percent of cats qualifying as obese.

If you are asking “How can I sleep through the night without strangling my cat?” you need to be aware that the idea that cats are nocturnal animals is a fallacy. People just think this is the price you pay for having a cat. But your cat being up all night is a symptom of your failure to provide Routine, Ritual, and Rhythm. Cats actually aren’t nocturnal. They live on a crepuscular rhythm, and naturally want to get up at dusk and dawn when their prey is most active.

The Hard Part: It’s 3:00 a.m., and your cat is waking you up. Your cat should be down for the count, but she is not. This is tough, but you have to IGNORE HER. COMPLETELY.

overgrooming could be a response to anxiety. For some cats, it can be a self-soothing behavior, like nail-biting in humans. There are possible clues to the cause: A cat who is licking all over is usually itchy. A cat who is licking in one particular area is more likely to be experiencing pain.

If your cat is “perimeter marking”—that is, targeting the perimeter of the house—this typically indicates territorial stress, a Napoleonic response to a perceived threat.

Make sure litterboxes have multiple exits, and don’t give your cats a covered box with the only opening facing the wall. In other words, avoid dead ends and ambush zones!

Common Signs of Medical Issues Vocalizing while in the litterbox The “poop and run” that often indicates pain or discomfort Small, marblelike poop nuggets, or conversely, soft stool that looks like pudding Really stinky poop Blood in the urine Dark, crystallized urine