Smart Holiday Resolutions for Cat Owners: Make 2026 a Purr-fect Year

Aerial Design and Build
6 days ago
3 min read

A Let’s Be SMART guide to happier cats, safer rescues, and a more compassionate

A new year always inspires change - new goals, new routines, new mindsets. But at Let’s Be SMART in Greece, we believe that 2026 shouldn’t just be about our fresh start… it should also be about a life-changing start for the cats who depend on us - whether they live in our homes or in our rescue sanctuary in Attica, only 15 minutes from Athens International Airport.

The holidays can leave cats emotionally overloaded - house guests, noise, scents, disrupted feeding times, travel, and yes… even extra cuddles they didn’t consent to. Many cat guardians don’t notice the signs until January, when small stressors turn into behaviour changes: hiding, irritability, over-grooming, spraying, or refusing food.

So this January, let’s make resolutions that are smart, kind, and feline-approved.

Here are our most engaging, real-world, shelter-inspired resolutions for cat owners in Athens and beyond:

1. Rebuild routine after holiday disruption

Cats feel safest when days are predictable.

Set: regular feeding times, scheduled play sessions, quiet hours for decompression

Try adjusting your schedule gradually so your cat doesn’t feel trapped by sudden structure.

SMART tip: Routine + choice = calm cat, not control-conflicted cat.

2. Make your home smell like their home

New year cleanings often introduce unfamiliar scents - which can trigger territory stress.

Choose mild, non-chemical fragrances.

Refresh their favourite blankets before deep cleaning rooms.

If your cat is particularly sensitive, pheromone support can help them feel safer.

3. Upgrade enrichment instead of expectations 🎣

Bored cats stress more.

Add: scratching posts, puzzle feeders, window perches (even in winter!), vertical shelves or climbing spaces

Short, frequent play disrupts stress cycles better than one long session.

Want to donate enrichment to real rescue cats? Visit our sanctuary support page

👉 https://www.letsbesmart-greece.org/donations

4. Respect their ‘I need control’ personality

Many stressed cats don’t seek comfort - they retreat.

Don’t force affection, lifting, or hugs.

Let them initiate connection.

At our Attica sanctuary, we see the biggest progress in cats who are given time and autonomy to trust again.

Want to meet cats who are learning trust right now?

Book a sanctuary visit - 15 minutes from Athens Airport

👉 Contact: administration@letsbesmart.org

5. Travel SMART, not stressful

Planning pet trips in 2026? Make travel supportive:

soft carrier familiarisation weeks before
reat pairing + scent anchors inside the carrier
calm transport timing (mid-day, not night)
safe balcony or leash time on warm days for adventure cats

6. Turn love into lifesaving

January is the #1 month people consider adoption.

Imagine a rescue cat’s 2026 resolution if they could speak:

“I wish for a warm home. A routine. And someone who understands me.”

You can make that wish real.

Don’t just plan a purr-fect year - share one with a rescue cat

👉 https://www.letsbesmart-greece.org/adoptions

7. Join a movement, not just a moment

Athens is filled with community cats who already live alongside us every day.

But coexistence becomes powerful when it becomes conscious and educated.

This year, help within your street, your neighbourhood, or at our sanctuary.

2026 can be the smartest year for cats yet - if we turn resolutions into actions.

Adopt, sponsor, volunteer, or visit our sanctuary in Attica. Because the smartest humans don’t just dream of change - they purr-form it.