Record resting places, separate resources and free exits to ask specific questions about the house.
Materials
- A printed or hand-drawn plan of the house1
- A pencil1
Step by step
- Draw the basic outline of the house if you do not have a printed plan.
- Mark the quiet places that cats already use to rest.
- Separately mark the locations of water, food, litter boxes, and scratching posts.
- Trace the exits and routes that must remain unlocked.
- Write down descriptive questions without assigning diagnoses to the observed behavior.
- Consult a veterinary professional if any observations affect health or well-being.
- Save the map and pencil when you finish the tour.
The meaning of practice
The map turns everyday observations into visible questions to guide attention; it does not diagnose or correct animal behavior.