In rural areas, feral cats are sometimes welcomed by farmers and other landowners as low-maintenance providers of rodent control in stables, barns, and feed stores. Some cat adoption centers have exploited this by offering farmers feral cats that they have collected and taken into care. …
Kittens love to play. In fact, it’s part of their normal behavioral development. However, realize that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Follow these “rules of play” to be sure that your approach is the correct one. When …
We associate the rhythmic chug of a cat’s purr with contentment—and in many cases it is a sign of a happy cat. However, cats may also purr when they’re anxious, giving birth, or injured. Kittens learn to purr at about one week old (before their …
The majority of domestic cats lead solitary lives and resent or fear competition for food, territory, and shelter. However, two or more cats that share a home can become friends, especially if they are littermates. Others, at best, cease hostilities and settle down together with …
By nature, cats are solitary creatures, although some cats are able to live quite happily in groups. Bringing a new cat into your home may change his whole outlook on the people and other animals around him. If you make introductions carefully and sensitively, your …
Cats are naturally active and need plenty of stimulation to ensure both mental and physical well-being. Teaching your cat good behavior and playing games are positive ways of interacting with your cat. Kind, effective training involves setting up house rules, rewarding “good” behavior, and ignoring …
Proper training is definitely the key to a happy owner-pet relationship. It establishes your dominance in the relationship between you and your cat right from the start, and it can help prevent many behavioral challenges from rearing their ugly heads later on. Solid training can …
The decision as to whether to have a cat declawed is certainly a controversial one, yet it is one that needs to be made based on individual circumstances. For indoor cats that refuse to stick to their scratching post, declawing is certainly a better solution …
Cats are notoriously choosy about who they will allow to touch them, let alone pick them up and pet them. Some cats simply do not like being picked up at all, and will struggle to get free. There are right and wrong ways to handle …
Scratching comes naturally to cats, which use this behavior to keep their retractable claws manicured and to mark their territories. As a result, scratching, though it might become destructive and annoying, should be viewed as a perfectly natural behavior. If your cat is engaged in …