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 ...
Read More »Cat Myth: Cats Steal the Breath From Babies
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 ...
Read More »When Cats Develop Negative Associations with the Litter Box
Your cat has faithfully used the litter box for years and then suddenly starts eliminating on the carpet in your bedroom. Sometimes you’ve even found cat pee in the bathroom sink and the tub. What’s up with that? There are several reasons why a cat may suddenly stop using the litter box such as: ...
Read More »Why Does My Cat Always Want Attention When I’m on the Phone?
Is your cat’s behavior very predictable whenever the phone rings? It’s very common for the family cat to show up and start meowing and/or crawling all over the cat parent’s lap whenever a call comes in. What’s the story? Is your cat jealous of the phone? You may think so but the behavior may ...
Read More »9 Foods You Shouldn’t Feed Your Cat
When it comes to feeding your cat there are many foods you should avoid so this list is by no means a complete one but here are some foods you may be surprised to learn are toxic or unhealthy when it comes to feline nutrition. Onions Onions can be lethally toxic. Onions destroy the red ...
Read More »Cat Myth: Cats are Aloof and Independent
I began doing cat behavior consulting in 1982. Back then, it was very common to hear people referring to one myth or the other about cats. Many people were resigned to living with a cat who had behavior problems. Many didn’t feel it was worth putting much time and effort into it because everyone knew ...
Read More »Do Cats Deliberately Misbehave?
My office receives a large number of requests concerning cat behavior problems and it’s alarming to me whenever I hear people refer to their cats as spiteful, or they’re sure a beloved cat’s motivation behind a particular behavior is anger or revenge. Really? Do you believe your cat is capable of plotting a behavior as ...
Read More »Do You Have Too Many Cats?
A question I am often asked is “when will I know if I have too many cats?” People are usually looking for me to give a definite number such as 5, 10, or maybe 15. The truth is, for some people, two cats are too many based on things very specific to their particular ...
Read More »Ten Tips for Tubby Tabbies
I am always amazed at the number of overweight cats I see during my in-home behavior consultations. What’s even more surprising is that many of the cat parents are unaware their cats are even considered to be overweight. Many people also don’t realize the health risks associated with obesity in humans can apply to our ...
Read More »10 Signs That Your Cat may be in Pain
Cats are very stoic and it’s easy for human family members to miss signs of pain or discomfort. For an animal, it’s also important for survival to not display signs of physical weakness, if at all possible. When you are in pain, the doctor or nurse will ask you to rate your pain on ...
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