For people who love cats

People who live with a cat soon learn its habits. There is the favourite chair, the hour it wants feeding and the window it watches from.

What a cat needs

Defra's code of practice for the welfare of cats says that cats typically live for about 14 years, and that some live much longer.

In England and Wales, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 sets out a duty for the person responsible for an animal. That person must take reasonable steps to meet the animal's needs, as far as good practice requires. The Act names five of them:

The code also says that you stay responsible for your cat while you are away. Whoever looks after your cat is responsible too.

Play, rest and a place to scratch

The code describes most cats as playful animals that enjoy socialising with people. It says cats are intelligent and can get bored, so they need things to think about.

The RSPCA says domestic cats sleep for 12 to 18 hours a day. The code adds that cats like to rest in high places where they feel safe.

Every cat needs somewhere to scratch. The code asks for a scratching place tall enough for the cat to stretch out fully, such as a sturdy post.

The code also covers training. Owners should never shout at or punish a cat, and should use only reward-based training, such as food, toys and praise.

Reading a cat's body language

Cats Protection points out that a cat's face is less expressive than a dog's. So the small signs say a lot.

The charity lists signs of a happy cat. They include an upright tail, slow blinking and ears that sit forward and relaxed.

A cat that seems relaxed around you may enjoy a slow blink in return. Cats Protection suggests blinking slowly with your head tipped a little to one side. Some cats blink back.

A purr can mean more than one thing. Cats Protection says cats sometimes purr when they are stressed, at the vet, or in pain. Cats Protection suggests watching the rest of the cat's body language, and what is happening around it.

A few things cats are

The RSPCA describes cats as meat eaters. In its words, they can't survive without the nutrients found in animal-based food.

Cats keep themselves clean. The RSPCA explains that tiny hooks on a cat's tongue help it groom its coat.

Cats hold territory. The RSPCA says a cat will defend its patch against other cats, and marks it by scratching and spraying.

The microchip

In England, owners must have their cat microchipped and registered on a database by the time it is 20 weeks old. GOV.UK says this includes cats that usually stay indoors.

Owners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland decide for themselves whether to have a cat chipped. GOV.UK says a chip makes it more likely that a lost or stolen cat is found.

Owners have to keep the details on the database up to date, for example after moving house. The database company is the one to contact.

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