126 of the Derpest Cats Caught on Camera (New Photos)

Kitten and adoption were the next two factors thought to influence pet behavior. Speaking of the former, cat behaviourist Alice Chow-Gangin added: “The experiences of a cat in the first few months of its life will influence how it sees the world. For example, if kittens are never picked up in their first few months of life, they are more likely to fear being picked up.”

He also covered adoption as a fourth factor: “Often, owners only come into the picture at this stage. So you can see that a lot of things are out of their control in the beginning, but all is not lost.” There’s a lot you can do with handling, enrichment, and training your cat the first day you bring it home.

According to Ellis, it’s not just a matter of taking action. It all starts with awareness. “The problem is that society has a false perception that cats are ‘low maintenance.’ Most people just take a cat home, open a carrier, and hope for the best. That’s not right,” she said. said