The Myth That Cats Are Low-Maintenance

My cats Binx & Louie

I'm sure most people have heard this: cats are independent, they don't need much, and they're fine on their own. That couldn't be further from the truth. People innocently assume that they can leave cats alone with a food bowl, a litter box, and some water for a few days, and it's fine, but in reality it's not fine. This is the lie that hurts cats most, and it's so culturally embedded most people don't realize they believe it.

Cats are quiet. They don't bark when the doorbell rings, they use the litter box, and so we project this idea that they're "low maintenance" because of it. But quiet doesn't mean that their needs are met, and it doesn't mean that they're ok.

So, what do cats actually need?

Some of that depends on the individual cat, but more often than not the list below covers generally what cats need to live fulfilled, thriving lives.

So, here's a shortlist of what most cats need to thrive:

• Wet food. Cats are obligate carnivores, and primarily receive the bulk of their hydration through their diet. Cats have a low thirst drive, so anytime a client has told us that their cat drinks a lot of water i'm concerned (unless they're on a special diet that leads them to drink more water). But, dehydration in cats is a huge issue and chronic dehydration is a silent killer. If you haven't yet, please consider trying to get your cat to eat wet food: any kind will do, and any wet food is better than no wet food. Consider this guide when introducing wet food or new foods into your cat's diet.

• Real interactive play. Cats don't have phones, and generally don't watch tv (though I do have a few kitty clients who like to watch tv). So, it is up to us to provide enrichment for our cats... which also helps to decrease behaviors we might not like (e.g. yowling, begging, pawing at us to wake up). Don't forget to cycle your toys too! If you leave the same toys out all the time, they will get bored with those toys. Introduce new, safe enrichment activities like puzzles, tunnels, cat grass, cat nip. Cats need multiple full hunting sequence play sessions per day. Even play time spread out between 5-10min sessions a few times per day will make your cat a happier cat.

• Litter boxes. Highly debated topic. But the general rule is that you should have one litter box per cat + one. While not always feasible, please don't just have one litter box for 2 or 3 cats. Location of the litter boxes is also important, as we don't want another cat to ambush the other while using it, and it should not be in a high traffic area. They need to feel safe when using the litter box. Another thing to pay attention to is the size of the litter box! Make sure your kitty has a large enough litter box to suit their sizes.

• Vertical space. The often overlooked thing on this list. But if your cats are having trouble getting along or needing more enrichment, try making shelves for them or adding some shelves on your wall! Some people have even put up carpet on corners of their walls for their cats to use. Vertical space makes a big difference. Do the best with the space that you have. Here are some ideas.

• Regular vet check-ups. Cats are masters at hiding their pain, or that they're in pain at all. It's imperative your cat goes to the vet for a check-up at least once per year, though I recommend every six months. Doing so can mean the difference between catching a disease early and treating it early, and catching it too late.

What we sometimes see in client homes

The most common thing we see when we walk into a new client's home for the first time isn't neglect, it's the assumptions we've been talking about here. The multi-cat household with one litter box in a busy hallway, the 12-year-old cat on dry food only, whose kidneys are already showing signs at his last checkup, the single tall bookshelf that's the only vertical space in a two-cat home, so the cats compete for it constantly and their owners think they just "don't like each other."

None of these owners are bad pet parents, it's clear they love their cats. They just believed the myth.

My 3 cat household

Gus, one of my 3 cats

I personally live with 3 cats: Gus, Louie, and Binx. None of them are quiet. In fact, they're the most talkative cats i've ever had... especially Louie. So i've learned how to properly introduce cats, the vertical space my cats need to feel like they have a more expansive experience, and in general that all 3 of my cats have very different needs.

Gus is behaviorally complex and medicated for his anxiety. He is not a low-maintenance animal. He needs medication once per day on a schedule, a specific kind of enrichment, and a home environment that respects his nervous system. If I ever thought "cats are easy," Gus corrected that within the first week I rescued him.

Louie, arguably one of the cutest cats in the world

Louie and Binx are younger (3 going on 4), but have their own quirks. Louie is the most outgoing of them all, honestly more like a dog than a cat in some ways. He loves people... almost to a detriment. What I mean by that is Louie had a period of time where he was ingesting things he shouldn't be (parts of rubber can covers, gauze from his cone after a surgery, felt pieces of a cat bed). It was incredibly stressful. But I learned that it was due to his anxiety around not being with his people at night. We used to keep the cats out of the bedroom at night to help with sleep. But, after he had a surgery to remove an object he shouldn't have eaten, he ate the gauze from his recovery cone. He thankfully passed that in his stool, but that was with hospitalization and fluids in order to pass it. It was then that I realized he did that because he just wanted to be with his people. Since then, he's been steady and hasn't ingested anything he shouldn't. It's a work in progress as there are certain textures he loves, but we just don't keep them in the house or accessible to him. We learned through observation over time what it was he was telling us he needed and met him halfway. That's the least we can do for our cats.

What a cat sitter in Redwood City actually does

When we do cat visits at The Pet Bestie, we take all we have learned and apply it directly to your home and your cat(s). Feeding and litter box cleaning are always done first (unless otherwise noted by a cat parent). The remaining time is spent understanding your cat, quietly observing their body language, and having them guide us on what might be next. That might look like a play session, or, it might look like quietly existing next to each other while your cat observes. Both of those scenarios are care... Care that notices and then shifts according to what we see or hear. What isn't care is walking in, dumping food, scooping the box, and leaving.

Cats notice so much, they just don't always tell you out loud.

The TLDR

Not every cat needs the same level of attention, and that's the whole point of what we do at The Pet Bestie. Some cats appear easier than others, but if you spend enough time around any cat you know that because they are each an individual that they all have their specific quirks. It's really a matter of asking yourself if you're paying attention. Really, the point of this post isn't that cats are high-maintenance, the point is that cats need more than we have given them credit for. Things like: actual attention, just not always in the form we expect. And again, that's the whole point... to learn to not expect what we haven't already observed as a pattern, and to adapt. After all, our cats rely on us for all of their needs! So, take each day and learn from your cats, and see what ebbs and flows and changes over time. You might be surprised with what you find out.

The most common questions we get from cat parents

1. How often should I have someone check on my cat when I'm away?

   More often than most people think. We recommend at least one visit per day for cats, and two visits per day for cats who are anxious, senior, medically complex, or in multi-cat households. Cats are subtle communicators, so waiting 48 or 72 hours between visits means you miss the early warning signs of anything going wrong.

   
   

2. Why does my cat need wet food?

   Cats are obligate carnivores with a very low thirst drive, which means they get most of their hydration from what they eat, not from their water bowl. A dry-food-only diet is a common cause of chronic low-grade dehydration, which contributes to urinary issues, kidney trouble, and general unwellness over time. Even adding one serving of wet food a day makes a real difference. Use the guide linked here to help your kitty transition to new food.

3. Can I leave my cat alone for a long weekend?

   Please don't. Two or three full days without a visit is genuinely too long for cats, even the "independent" ones. Emergencies happen fast: a UTI, a blockage, a knocked-over water bowl, a cat who stops eating for reasons you can't see. A daily drop-in gives eyes on the animal every 24 hours, which is the minimum standard for responsible care.

4. Why is play so important for indoor cats?

   Indoor cats don't get to hunt, chase, stalk, or problem-solve the way their bodies are built to. Without real interactive play (10-15 minutes a day, with a wand toy or something they can chase), they get bored, stressed, and often develop behaviors people mistake for "personality" or "attitude." Yowling at 4am, overgrooming, aggression toward other pets, and refusing to eat are all often downstream of understimulation.

5. What should I look for in a cat sitter?

   Someone who understands that cats are different to dogs, and they have needs. Look for a cat sitter who reads body language, respects the hide, spends real time with your cat instead of just feeding and leaving, and sends honest updates (including the visits when your cat didn't come out). In Redwood City, the cat sitter you want is one who's Fear Free certified, insured, and structured enough to catch changes before you can (like us here at The Pet Bestie!)