Basic Training

Cats have a very special piece of equipment known as the Jacobson’s organ or vomeronasal organ. Located in the roof of the mouth, it contains ducts that lead to the mouth and to the nose. This is essentially a scent analyzer. It’s used primarily for analyzing pheromones (scent chemicals) from other cats, especially the ones ...

I am frequently asked about the right age for children when it comes to adding a companion animal to the family. In general, it depends on the particular child and the preparation and education done by the parent. My daughter, as a preschooler, was as gentle with our cats as I could’ve ever hoped for. ...

  When shopping for a carrier for your cat, you may be tempted to think bigger is better. You might feel it would be far more comfortable for your cat to be able to stretch out during travel. Larger Isn’t Necessarily Better When it Comes to Cat Carriers Actually, it’s not a comforting feeling for ...

  You’re sitting in a chair and your cat jumps up onto your lap and starts purring. He moves closer to your face and then literally butts his forehead against your cheek or chin. Sometimes it’s a gentle nudge and then at other times it’s almost a head-to-head bone-crusher. There are also times when kitty ...

  It still surprises so many people — even cat lovers themselves — that cats are trainable and behavior problems can often be resolved. Where we fail in tackling behavior problems is we assume the cat’s motivation is spite, anger, or stupidity. I promise you, your cat isn’t off in a corner plotting to do ...

  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 ...

  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 ...

  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 ...

Listen to the audio version of this article When using a toy to play with your cat, there are certain movements that will trigger the prey-drive and entice kitty into the game and there are other movements that won’t be as effective. Go in the Right Direction Playtime for a cat is similar to hunting. ...

Cats, despite what you may have been told, aren’t solitary creatures and many of them benefit from having feline companions. That said, cats are also territorial so the introduction process requires some finesse and patience. If you just toss the cats together with a they’ll work it out themselves mentality, you will put a tremendous ...