How To Maintain A Cat-Friendly Home Whilst Spring Cleaning

The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the air is starting to feel just a little bit warmer. All of which can only mean one thing: it’s time to think about spring cleaning! But while we humans love bringing cleanliness and order into our homes, our feline companions may not be so enthusiastic. Let’s not forget, cats are creatures of habit. So, how do we balance our spring cleaning aspirations with our need for a cat-friendly home? Our experts have been exploring further.

By Jimmy Bratley 
BSc BVetMedSci BVMBVS MRCVS - Veterinary Advisor

Understanding the Impact of Decluttering on Cats

Unlike humans, cats enjoy the status quo. Any sudden changes in their environment, like moving furniture or removing items they’re familiar with, can often prove to be unsettling or distressing. Instead, cats much prefer stable, predictable environments, ideally ones they’ve marked with their comforting pheromones. This provides a sense of security and familiarity that cats love.

With all this in mind, it’s important to consider how many changes you make while keeping your house clean as your cats may not react well to lots of changes at once. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure a happy household for all!

Minimising the Impact of Cleaning on Your Cat

When it comes to spring-cleaning, remember these tips for a cat-friendly home:

Safe Cleaning Practices

When selecting cleaning products, ensure they’re safe for cats. Avoid harsh chemicals like bleach, quaternary ammonium, and phenols, as these can be harmful if digested by your cat. Opt for natural alternatives like baking soda and vinegar, and always store cleaning products securely and out of your cat’s reach. If your cat does ingest something harmful, contact your vet immediately with the product label in hand.

Cleaning Around Your Cat

Try to clean rooms when your cat isn’t in them. This helps avoid stress from the noise and activity associated with cleaning.

Maintain a Familiar Scent

It’s a good idea to wash your cat’s bedding, but make sure to always leave one item unwashed in their sleeping area. Having something that smells of them is essential for providing comfort and helping your cat to feel secure.

Give FELIWAY Optimum a Go

Keeping a house clean with cats can be tricky, but using a FELIWAY Optimum diffuser can help your cat to feel more serene and peaceful. Simply plug the pheromone diffuser into an electrical socket in the room your cat spends the most time in and FELIWAY Optimum will do its thing!

Creating a Safe Haven

On a similar note, ensure your cat has a quiet and safe space they can retreat to during cleaning. If this space is different from their usual spot, move your FELIWAY Optimum diffuser over to the new space.

Be Mindful of Small Items

After decluttering, ensure any small or potentially harmful items like batteries and plastic bags are out of reach. These can be a danger to inquisitive cats and can be easy to overlook.

Inspect and Rotate Toys

Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to check your cat’s toys for wear and tear, replacing them if needed. It can also be a good idea to keep some toys packed away as putting toys on a rotation helps to keep your cat’s interest piqued.

Manage Shedding

We hear a lot of cat parents asking how to keep their houses clean of cat hair around this time of year, and it’s no wonder! With the warmer weather, outdoor cats in particular begin to shed their winter coats. Regular grooming sessions will help to remove loose hair, while vacuuming will help to keep the house clean. Just remember, vacuum noise can be frightening, so do this when your cat is out of the room and keep to predictable times. For extra support, you could also try spraying FELIWAY Classic in your cat’s safe spaces.

Resource Assessment 

While decluttering, it’s a sensible time to evaluate your cat’s resources. This includes their food and water bowls, litter trays, and scratching posts. While these should all be cleaned regularly, you can use this opportunity to give them a deeper clean and inspect for any damage. Likewise, double-check they’re all still the best size for your cat. Kittens can grow quickly, and it might be time for a bigger litter tray!

Add Cat-Friendly Décor

If adding plants or flowers post-cleaning, ensure they’re suitable for a cat-friendly home. Be cautious with air fresheners too, as strong scents can be off-putting to cats’ sensitive noses.

Window Safety

If airing out rooms, be mindful of open windows. Indoor cats can be nosy and might be unable to resist the temptation of exploring.

Recognising Signs of an Unhappy Cat

When it comes to spring cleaning, remember that cats will often hide how they feel. They can still be distressed or unhappy even if you don’t notice at first glance. There are, however, a number of subtle hints we can look out for to check in on how our cats are coping.

Signs of stress in cats can include hiding more than usual, changes in eating habits, and increased vocalisation. Keep an eye out for these behaviours as you clean and rearrange your home. 

If you do notice your cat is hiding after all this cleaning, it’s best to leave them to come out in their own time. You shouldn’t force your cat into any situations they’re uncomfortable with as this is only likely to distress them further. Instead, concentrate on creating a serene, cat-friendly home for your cat to relax in. FELIWAY Optimum could be your cat’s best friend here!

Are you looking for more tips on helping your cat settle in at home? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to share all the advice we can! You can also stay informed with all the latest information about FELIWAY Optimum and all our products by signing up to our newsletter.