Category: Cat Behavior
I am giving myself a virtual pat on the back for continuing to write my semi-new feature, Cat Bits & Bytes, on my home page every Tuesday. I have imposed my own rules for my Cat Bytes. My rules have made my Cat Bytes both fun to write and at times turns them into a […]
Candy is toxic for cats, dogs and other animals. Make sure that candies, cookies and other people food are not accessible to your resident companion animals. And while you’re at it, recycle the candy wrappers. If ingested, they can cause intestinal obstructions in cats and other animals.
Cats can feel trapped in covered litter boxes. Covered litter boxes also retain odors and most are too small for cats. Instead, use large, translucent plastic storage containers without lids as cat litter boxes.
Cats have an acute sense of smell. Scent is one of the ways that they relate and understand their environment. Scents can make or break new relationships. I preach scent exchanges when introducing cats to each other. Scent exchanges can either encourage friendships, or if forced upon cats can lead to violence and stress. There […]
Always use toys when playing with cats—never use hands! Cats who are played with using hands often have boundary issues. They do not understand why it’s OK to use their mouths and claws while playing and yet it’s not acceptable to bite or scratch at other times.
My book Naughty No More! has not disappeared. My publisher sold about 1/3 of the inventory to Pet Smart last August and then ordered a second reprinting. The book is scheduled to be back in the warehouse around October 20th. I have no idea how that equates in Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble time. Meantime […]
Whenever a cat displays a sudden change in behavior, take the cat to your veterinarian for a medical evaluation. Often what is perceived as behavior challenges are medical problems in need of immediate attention.
Punishment causes cats to be stressed, can escalate behaviors, weakens the bonds between cats and their people and cause other unwanted behaviors. Cats aren't being bad when they do behaviors that aren't appreciated. They are instinctually responding to something in their environment, a situation or a medical problem.
This blog entry is not for the faint of heart… if you are sensitive to issues pertaining to cat excrement, you might want to not read this. I support the green movement whenever possible. I’m glad to see people are concerned about what they are throwing away and how it impacts the environment. Having said […]
Keep your resident cat’s interests in mind when adding a cat to the household. Search for a cat who is similar in age and energy level to your cat. Also, your resident cat and potential adoptees should have histories of integrating successfully with other cats.