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01.27.13  Phase I involves scent exchanges. Pet each cat’s cheek with separate soft, small towels and then place each cat’s pheromone-laced towel in the others sanctuary room in order for them to investigate the scents at will. Do scent exchanges twice a day, each time with a clean towel.

01.20.13 Cat posts, cat trees and other cat furniture should always be new and never used by a cat outside the household. Some infectious diseases are transmitted through pathogens on objects. In addition, cats mark territory through scratching and rubbing. Used cat furniture marked by other cats can stress cats and cause behavior problems.

01.13.13  Introducing cats to each other in a stress-free fashion can takes months and should never be rushed.  There are 3-4 phases to the process. Throughout the introduction, the cats should be kept separated from each other. Each needs their own sanctuary room where the other is not allowed until the final phase of the […]

01.06.13  After explaining why using force-free approaches for behavior change is extremely effective and do not have the negative fallout of punishment-based methods my client wrote the following: “Doing it the happy way will be much better”. She is right.

Aggression is a universal animal behavior. Cats, like all animals can become aggressive depending on the circumstances. One common aggressive behavior cats and other animals sometimes display is called redirected aggression. There are many flavors of aggression, all triggered by a variety of circumstances and expressed in a number of ways. Aggressive displays usually start […]

12.30.12 Too many cats are surrendered to shelters and euthanized for fixable behavior problems. Behaviors can be changed through environmental and behavior modifications along with other force-free methods. A certified cat behavior consultant can identify the behavior triggers and develop an effective plan.

In addition to feeding cats with the creative food containers described in last weeks’ blog-article,  meal times can be spiced up with food games and increased feeding times. Treasure hunts and treat rolls Treasure hunts are fun for everyone—cats and their humans. The goal of a treasure hunt is for cats to seek and find […]

12.16.12 Most people food is toxic for cats. Spices, including onion and garlic, sodium, fatty foods, chocolate, coffee and alcohol are examples from a long list of food that can kill or cause cats serious health issues. Check out WebMD for an extensive list of food that cats should never eat.

Some cats go into high gear as soon as they spot food. Meal times become feeding frenzies—a race starting the moment the food bowl hits the floor. They are voracious around food—inhaling their meal the instant it looms into view. Other household residents need to be vigilant. No meal is safe. The probability of eating […]

12.09.12. Most cats do not adjust well to abrupt changes. When transitioning to a new type of cat litter, do it gradually, mixing one cup of new litter in the old litter every day. Changing over to a new kind of litter takes between 7-10 days.