Cats are known to be territorial : each animal will have its favorite spots where it indeed prefers to stay. One thing to remember therefore : for our cats, each area has a pre-defined role !
This territoriality can be source of conflicts, especially in communal rooms : antagonisms between individuals can limit access to food and water. This can lead to weight loss or in the worst case scenario, even medical complications. Never a good thing in an animal shelter, that’s for sure !
Good news however : you can take advantage of this territoriality to lower the cat’s stress and make sure it gets what it needs for its nutrition.
The picture below explains you how to optimize the spatial organization of the cat’s environment. In structures like animal shelters, those simple details can definitely help you win big. Always take them into account when setting up a new cat condo or room !
And in communal rooms ? Very often, cats won’t equally share the space available to them. Therefore, use several feeding stations, scattered all around the room.
DR. EMMANUEL FONTAINE 