Your cat’s tail serves many functions aside from tickling your nose when she walks cross your computer keyboard as you try to work or blocking the view as you attempt to read texts on your phone. One important function is that the tail contributes to the cat’s sense of balance. It serves as a natural ...
Read More »6 Reasons Why You shouldn’t Dress Cats in Halloween Costumes
Halloween is coming and costumes are on the minds of many people. Parents are helping their children pick out the perfect ones or they’re channeling their inner Martha Stewart and creating homemade costumes. When you open your door to trick-or-treaters this year, as every year before, you’ll not only see children dressed up, but ...
Read More »Cats and Children: 10 Things Every Parent Should Know
For many parents, the idea of kids and cats together is an absolute natural. For other parents though, it’s a scary thought that may get the family cat a one-way ticket to the local shelter. Children and cats can be wonderful companions for each other. My kids have had the most loving, playful, endearing relationships with ...
Read More »Reduce Your Cat’s Stress During Veterinary Exams
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to quickly figure out that going to the veterinary clinic is not high on a cat’s list of favorite places to visit. If you look at it from your cat’s perspective, it certainly makes sense. Without any warning, the cat is shoved into a carrier, put in a ...
Read More »Why Every Cat Needs Hiding Places
Since the early 1980s when I first started working with clients on their cats’ behavior problems, a big part of my consultations covered the importance of creating an environment that allows the cat to engage in natural behaviors, provides security and strengthens the cat/human bond. The umbrella term for these things is commonly referred ...
Read More »Pet Sitter or Boarding Kennel? Which One is Right for Your Cat?
Whether it’s that eight-hour drive to spend the holiday at Grandma’s house, or that long-awaited summer vacation, you’ll need to make arrangements for your cat. For some people, kitty will go where they go and for others, reservations are made at the local boarding facility. If your cat could make the choice though, I’d ...
Read More »Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
Listen to the audio version of this article When I talk to some people about how stress affects their cats, I sometimes get very strange looks. Back in 1982 when I first started my cat behavior consulting business, the idea of stress in cats was pretty much unheard of. I even remember being laughed ...
Read More »Cat Fights: What to do When Your Cats Turn on Each Other
It can be very confusing and frustrating when companion cats who have previously lived together in harmony, suddenly decide to engage in a turf war. In some cases, the cats have lived under one roof with an ongoing degree of tension that has now turned to outright hostility and aggression. Cat parents become understandably ...
Read More »Pam’s “Think Like a Cat” Reintroduction Method
When you have cats who aren’t getting along and all your attempts at behavior work have been unsuccessful, it may be time to do a reintroduction. If the aggression between your cats is severe or if they can’t even be within sight of each other without an immediate brawl taking place, then a reintroduction ...
Read More »Cat Kisses
Bebe’s Cat Kisses Many years ago, when I was working with Bebe, a feral cat who grew to become a much loved family member, I struggled with getting her to trust me. I worked with her in a way that would’ve tested the patience of the slowest snail, but I knew the only way to ...
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