While many cat owners are satisfied with owning a house cat, there are some people who choose to bring an exotic cat into their home. Exotic cats require a significantly different pet care procedure than house cats, since they tend to be more “wild” in demeanor. In addition to this, exotic cats usually have very specific dietary requirements, which may require investing in a specially formulated cat food formula. It may be initially difficult to understand an exotic cat’s temperament and behavior, since it tends to be very different from that of most domesticated cats.
Exotic Cat Character and Temperament
Exotic cats such as Servals, Caracals and Bobcats tend to be very playful by nature. They are classified as outdoor cats, and love to chase other small animals. However, this means that if you choose to own an exotic cat, you may have to exercise extreme caution in regards to any other pets in your home. Most exotic cats are hunters by nature, and may require extensive exercise in order to keep from becoming hyperactive.
Because of their temperament, most exotic cats can be initially difficult to train. However, many of the same rules of training house cats also apply to exotic cats. Positive reinforcement training tends to work the best, having the highest success rate in training exotic cats. Forcing a training program on your exotic cat can have disastrous results, potentially creating behavioral issues later in your exotic cat’s life. Being loving, patient and gentle with your exotic cat is the best method to use when implementing a training program.
Exotic Cat Feeding
As far as diet, most exotic cats will have a specialized diet required by their breed. However, most exotic cats require an extremely high amount of raw protein in order to maintain good health. Many people choose to put their exotic cats on a raw food diet, since it is much closer to how an exotic cat would eat in the wild. Depending on the breed of your exotic cat, you can usually research the best type of protein sources to use in their diet.
Exotic Cat Training
Just like domesticated cats, many wild cats will be very receptive to the use of catnip toys in training. Catnip can be a very valuable tool in keeping your exotic cat’s attention, and can be used to help reinforce many different training concepts. The best training tip to follow, however, is to use constant positive reinforcement. Any type of negative reinforcement can cause your exotic cat to engage in rebellious behavior, which is very detrimental to the training process. Try to refrain from excessively scolding your exotic cat, instead focusing on giving them rewards for good behavior.
Exotic Pet Care Don’ts
It’s not recommended that you de-fang or de-claw your exotic cat. Even though this may initially seem like the best procedure to maintain control of your exotic cat, it can actually contribute to behavioral problems. Most cats that lack fangs or claws may become excessively aggressive, since their lack of protective fangs or claws may make them feel vulnerable. However, each cat is different. Consult your veterinarian, and decide on the best method of care that should be used for your exotic cat.