More and more, cat owners are understanding that there’s more to living with a cat than just caring for their physical needs. The word is out that cats love training and that their emotional needs are just as important.
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Posts by Jess Vankoningsveld, Behavior Specialist
If I fits, I sits… even in tape?
Most cat owners are aware that their cats LOVE boxes. The phrase “if I fits, I sits” is something every cat owner is aware of and we all delight in seeing our cats shove themselves into even the tiniest of boxes. We know that cats love boxes because they feel enclosed, safe and warm, and that even big cats in captivity will put themselves into boxes placed in their enclosures. Did you know, though, that if you tape a square onto the floor, it’s likely that your cat will put himself into that 2D square? Even more mind bending is
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How to greet a cat. Cat edition.
In the animal welfare world, we talk a lot about consent for touch with dogs, but this theory applies as much to cats as to dogs. You’ll often hear a cat parent say something like, “He likes attention, but only on his terms,” and to some, that is thought of as a bad thing, making cats less desirable as pets. The truth is that all of our pets at home deserve the same respect, the choice to move away when they want to, and to seek attention on their terms, without labeling them as “difficult,” which is often how we
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Why do cats purr?
It’s a long contested question, one that we’re getting closer to being able to answer, but it does remain one of the mysteries of the cat world to some degree. Newest research supposes that the purr comes from the muscles within the cat’s larynx. As the muscles move, they constrict the glottis and as the cat breathes in and out, the air vibrates and we hear purring.
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8 Ways to Keep Your Christmas Tree Safe from Your Cat (And vice-versa!)
Every year cat owners debate how to best keep their Christmas tree safe from their cats. Here are some tips that can help to make things a little easier!
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Cat got the zoomies? Should you be concerned?
Most people are familiar with the concept of dog “zoomies,” but it’s not as widely known that cats can, and do, absolutely have the zoomies, too. Those moments when your cat is spontaneously tearing around the house and you can’t get him to stop, even for his favorite treat? He’s likely in zoomie mode. Why does this happen? It could be that he just woke up from an epic cat nap! Cats can sleep up to 16 hours a day to conserve energy for hunting. When they wake up, the zoomies can happen because they’re reinvigorating their minds and
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Bringing Your New Kitten Home
Please remember: your new kitten could be frightened and confused, even if they were happy and outgoing when you met them at the shelter.
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Sassy cats!
Lots of people know or love what could be called a “sassy” cat. Often, when we say “sassy,” we mean a cat who just doesn’t like to be petted for too long, or has certain parts of their bodies that they object to being handled. These guys are usually cats who also feel pretty uncomfortable when we try to pick them up. Commonly, any of these actions performed by a human will result in a nip or bite. Before that bite, though, we’ve probably missed a whole series of behaviors and body language cues that were telling us to stop
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4 things everyone should consider before adopting a second (or third…) cat
Thinking of adding a cat or kitten to your feline crew at home? Here are some things to consider: Energy Level! – Adopting a kitten or cat with a similar energy level to the resident cat(s) is generally the best fit. Have a cat who lived with cats previously but it’s been a long time? Pick a cat with a positive known history with other cats. Cats don’t automatically like other cats just because they liked another cat at one time; the introductions still need to be slow and managed. Adopting a kitten for an older cat who’s lost a companion or to liven
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How to help a fearful kitty
To help a fearful kitty, the best thing you can do is to give that cat a safe room to call home, go slowly and be prepared with a lot of great food motivators.
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