Family and Home

Being protective of resources is a natural instinct for all animals but it can become an issue when it creates stress, triggers aggression, and impacts the relationship of the companion animals in your home. Resource guarding can be triggered by a concern for the availability of food, favorite resting areas, toys, the litter box, and ...

  Surprisingly, you may be sending a mixed message to your cat when attempting to train or correct behavior issues. We’ve all done it at some point – we’ve unintentionally rewarded the cat for the very behavior we didn’t want displayed. How does this happen? It’s an easy and common mistake. Communication Confusion and Your ...

  Chances are, if you’re looking for your cat somewhere in your house she’s probably in an elevated location. When it comes to napping or just chilling out, cats often prefer being above ground level. Being able to safely climb is an important aspect of your cat’s daily life. Climbing to an elevated spot enable ...

  Thunderstorms can be very unsettling. Typically, when it comes to our pets, we think of dogs as the ones who end up shaking, crying, or hiding when Mother Nature displays a sound and light show, but many cats also become nervous. If thunderstorms cause anxiety to your cat, here are nine tips to help ...

  Listen to the audio version of this article With a dog, a popular position for petting is often the belly rub. To most dogs, nothing feels as enjoyable as when you endlessly scratch and rub that tender tummy. Try that with a cat, however, and you’ll most likely end up with a scratched hand. Why ...

This common type of aggression is the result of a cat becoming aroused or agitated by something he can’t get to and then lashing out at the nearest human, cat, or dog within reach. Redirected aggression is sometimes misdiagnosed as idiopathic aggression because the cat can stay aroused for quite a while, and by the ...

For your cat, mealtime should be healthy, tasty, peaceful, and secure. Many cat parents focus on the first two things but don’t pay enough attention to the last two. When your cat walks over to the food bowl she shouldn’t have to worry about whether she can eat in peace or whether she’s going to ...

  Listen to the audio version of this article When you have a multicat household, everyone may get along famously or you may have some issues ranging from mild, occasional squabbles, to full-time turf wars. Since cats are territorial, you can help ease much of the multicat stress by making sure there are adequate resources ...

  As Christmas approaches, the whirlwind of preparations begins – shopping, decorating, baking, and all of the joyful chaos associated with this wonderful season. Since there are so many changes that take place in the household at this time of year, it’s crucial not to overlook your cat’s safety and health. Take a few minutes ...

  No, cats are not baby killers. They don’t steal anyone’s breath and they’re not plotting to injure your sleeping infant. This myth probably started because some cats enjoyed curling up next to the warmth of babies. A cat may even have sniffed the baby’s mouth due to the scent of milk on the breath ...