Category: Animal behavior
12.21.14 Opening holiday presents are fun for everyone—including the family cats. Keep an eye on your cats and kittens during the festivities. Make sure they do not become tangled in ribbons or other wrappings. Don’t let them play with fragile ornaments or small objects that can easily be chewed up or swallowed. Place candy, cookies and other food in […]
Not everyone can provide good homes for cats and other pets. In addition to the costs for food and vet care, they need daily attention, clean litter boxes, love and a safe environment. Instead of surprising someone with a cat for Christmas, get their feedback. Not everyone is ready for the responsibilities that comes with […]
12.07.14 It is common for people to keep Christmas trees fresh during the holiday season by placing them in stands filled with water. Christmas tree water is toxic for animals. It contains phenols from the tree, fire retardants as well as preservatives. Help keep your pets safe by investing in a Christmas tree stand that […]
11.30.14 Most holiday plants are toxic to cats. They can kill or cause painful intestinal upsets if swallowed. Poisonous plants include: Mistletoe, Poinsettia, Holly, Bittersweet, Boxwood, Lilies and Christmas trees. In addition to commercial Xmas trees being sprayed with poisonous fire retardant, pine is toxic and the needles can pierce intestines and cause other injuries. Always […]
11.23.14 Cats often show trust, relaxation and affection to their people and other cats through slowly blinking with half closed eyes. This action is referred to as cat kisses. People, mimicking cat kisses can also communicate to felines that they feel relaxed and trusting around them. Depending on the circumstances and the individual cats, their […]
11.16.14 One of the many ways that cats show their people affection is by head bunting them—rubbing their foreheads, temples and sides of their heads on their favorite people, cats, dogs and other companions. They leave their scent on whomever they head butt, mingling their scents with their companions. The behavior is a social and […]
11.09.14 Cats have many ways of displaying affection towards their favorite people. One of the sweet ways cats show people affection is through their tails. Sometimes cats will slightly raise the fur around the base while quivering the tail tips. Another way they use them to show affection is by wrapping them around the hands, […]
11.02.14 Cats use a variety of ways to mark territories and objects. Cats, who have not been fixed, typically mark their territories through urine and fecal marking. Other ways cats show ownership is by scratching objects and by lip/mouth rubbing them.
10.26.14 Cats sweat through sweat glands that are located on their paw pads. They do not have sweat glands all over their bodies like people do. Hot temperatures, stress and excitement can cause cats to sweat. Sometimes cats who are frightened, stressed or hot leave damp little paw prints where they walk.
10.19.14 Have you wondered why cats back down trees? Because they have no flexibility in their ankles, their claws always point in one direction. Margays and Snow Leopards have flexible ankles, allowing them to climb down head first.