It should be noted that the desire to pamper a cat generally stems from a love for the animal, combined with an awareness that providing some additional attention might also improve the nature of the cat/owner relationship.

It can be helpful to look at the cat pampering landscape as being divided into three main components. There is emotional pampering, physical pampering and food pampering.

Emotional pampering is an area often overlooked by those who are not cat owners. They see only the outward signs of a pampered pet (the toys, etc.) and miss out on this aspect completely.

Emotional pampering is probably the most effective means of developing a stronger bond with one's cat. Put simply, it involves providing the animal with unconditional love and demonstrating that love frequently in any number of forms.

Some will lavish attention on a cat in the form of praise. For others it may be a cutesy song and a belly rub. There are limitless variations and permutations on emotional pampering. Regardless of the exact technique used, however, there is one common thread?the attempt to show the cat just how much they are loved.

Physical pampering involves proving the pet with special ?extras? to improve the quality of their life and to convey to them how highly they are regarded. Emotional pampering may have a physical component (i.e. the aforementioned belly rub), but physical pampering involves more involved actions.

Examples of physical pampering may include when an owner combs out a longhaired cat's fur. Owners who carefully trim back the nails of their cats are providing a kind of physical pampering. One of the most obvious examples of physical kitty pampering is the cat massage. The owner of the pet provides the cat with a light rubdown.

Food pampering involves providing the cat with edible proofs of one's caring. This can be as simple as a few factory-produced cat treat snacks in the evening or can take the form of a special homemade cat food prepared fresh by the owner and served warm to the pet. Food pampering is a commonly used technique because multiple options are so readily available.

Many owners will purchase ?gourmet? cat food in order to give their favorite pet a more enjoyable culinary experience. Owners who want to impress upon the animals just how much they care regularly treat some cats to special foods and snacks.

Cat pampering can take many forms. It can range from the simple prolonged petting of a lap cat in the evening to the building of a complicated series of cat toys in the form of a ?kitty condo.? In between the extremes are literally an endless series of ways by which one could spoil their cat.

Cat owners have long recognized that pampering a cat is not merely an interesting diversion. It also has some very real advantages to both the cat and the owner. They are able to develop a closer, more significant bond. The cat/owner relationship can be very important to some people and this is their chief goal in pampering the animal. Others are more altruistically concerned with providing cats with whatever is necessary to improve the overall quality of their lives.

Regardless of motivation, many are trying to pamper their cats. One of the best ways of finding a pet pampering strategy that will really work for an owner is to review a guide on the subject matter in order to discover helpful hints and an overview of pampering techniques. Even those who do not make use of a singly strategy still usually find themselves inspired by what they have encountered. Whether the owner's predilections lean toward emotional, physical or food pampering, they are sure to find ideas that will help them to pamper their cat effectively.