Pica is the term used for the behavior of eating or sucking non-food material. The most common material associated with pica is usually wool such as blankets, socks, shirts, or jackets. Pica is also sometimes referred to as wool eating. Some cats will nibble on just about anything though, such as paper, plastic, litter, ...
Read More »Author Archives: Pam Johnson-Bennett
Moving to a New Home With Your Cat
Cats don’t like change. Cats take comfort in predictability, familiarity, and routine. They’re also territorial so imagine how they must feel when they suddenly find themselves in a new location. Moving is stressful for humans so you can certainly understand how unhappy the whole thing makes the family cat. Everyone in the family except ...
Read More »Are Litter Box Liners a Good Idea?
In theory, litter box liners may seem like a convenient way to keep the litter box cleaner and make changing the litter a breeze. Unfortunately though, liners can create problems for the cats who use the litter box as well as the humans who try to clean it. A Less Than Perfect Fit for a ...
Read More »Why Do Cats Bury Food?
Not all cats do this, but if yours does, the behavior may have been puzzling to you. It’s a relatively common behavior and not one you need to worry about. The behavior typically looks the same as if the cat is trying to bury waste. You may notice your cat scraping her front paw ...
Read More »How to Trim Your Cat’s Nails
If your cat becomes Houdini and magically vanishes whenever you even think about trimming his nails, part of the problem might be he has learned to associate the procedure with restraint, discomfort, fear, or even pain. Even if you do manage to accomplish the nail trimming procedure, if you’ve had to wrap your cat ...
Read More »Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Cat
The decision to spay or neuter your cat will be one of the biggest decisions you make regarding your cat’s health and welfare as well as the welfare of other cats. The pet overpopulation problem is devastatingly serious and animals are being put to death every day because shelters simply don’t have the room. ...
Read More »Hyperesthesia Syndrome in Cats
This is also referred to as rolling skin disease, and in fact, the skin does ripple and twitch. It’s a condition that typically affects younger cats. The cause of hyperesthesia syndrome is unknown but some experts describe it as a neurotransmitter malfunction in the brain during periods of anxiety. It’s also believed by some to ...
Read More »Stress in Cats
Stress. It’s something most of us deal with on a regular basis. Whether it’s work-related, due to health issues, family problems, or because of financial concerns, there are so many opportunities for stress to set up camp in our lives. When you think of what indoor cats go through during the day do you ever ...
Read More »The Meaning of Your Cat’s Meow
Cats communicate to humans in so many ways but the one way that almost always gets our attention is the meow. Of course there are lots of other vocalizations cats do that are usually quite easy to interpret such as the growl, hiss, and spit. Whenever your cat growls or hisses at you there’s ...
Read More »Cats Need Water
Every life process relies on water. The body of the cat is made up of about 70% water. The natural prey cats would catch also contain approximately that same amount of water. Many people are under the false assumption that cats don’t need water or that they’re afraid of it. The cat’s ancestors came from ...
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