Unlike dogs who love to go for a ride in the car, most cats do not enjoy car travel and would far rather stay at home in their own environment. It doesn’t help that many cats associate a ride in the car with unpleasant activities such as going to the vet, the grooming salon or being left at the boarding cattery whilst you go on holiday. Here are a few tips to help make car …
Cat Speak 101 – Understanding What Your Cat is Saying
Cats have a complex and varied range of sounds which they communicate with, although most of this chatting is reserved for their owners and they rarely ‘talk’ to other cats. Oriental breeds such as Siamese are usually more talkative than other cats, although any cat can become a chatter-box. Here’s a quick guide to some of the most common sounds a cat makes: Meow – The …
Continue Reading about Cat Speak 101 – Understanding What Your Cat is Saying
Why Do Cats Knead?
Have you ever wondered why cats knead, or what you can do to make it less uncomfortable when they're kneading your lap? What is kneading? Kneading is a natural instinct for cats – it’s when they rhythmically alternate their paws, pushing one and then the other against a soft object such as your lap. All cats knead slightly differently, some don’t retract their claws at …
Understanding Wool Sucking Behaviour in Cats
Have you ever wondered why your cat likes to suck your wool blanket or favourite mohair jumper and how you can discourage this behaviour? Surprising enough, wool sucking is relatively common amongst cats. Felines with a tendency towards this behaviour usually prefer to suck on items such as wool blankets and jumpers but some will suckle another cat’s tail, or their own paw. …
Continue Reading about Understanding Wool Sucking Behaviour in Cats
How to Keep Your Cat Off the Kitchen Counter
Cats are naturally curious and jumping on kitchen counters (or counter-surfing) is a common behavioural problem. So, why do they do it? What are the alternatives? And, what measures can you take to keep your cat off the kitchen counter? What's the Attraction? Cats jump onto kitchen counters and tables for a number of reasons and not just because they know you won't like …
Continue Reading about How to Keep Your Cat Off the Kitchen Counter
Why Cats Scratch the Furniture
Cats like to scratch! Whilst this seemingly destructive act can be frustrating for cat owners it is normal cat behaviour. The good news is that you can save your furniture from the razor-sharp claws of your cat by first understanding why cats like to scratch and then training your cat to scratch in more appropriate places. Why cats like to scratch It is often assumed that …
Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?
It’s well known that humans need at least 7–8 hours of sleep to be able to function properly. Cats on the other hand can sleep for a whopping 15 hours a day, and some cats are known to spend 20 out of 24 hours asleep. Not surprising when you consider that they are related to the king of beasts – the lion – who also needs his 15 hours of beauty sleep. Are Cats Just …
How to Discipline Your Cat with Time-Out
As cat parents, we all know that our feline friends can sometimes exhibit aggressive or naughty behaviour. From scratching furniture to knocking things off shelves, or aggression towards other pets and people. That’s when we need to find appropriate techniques to help cats modify their behaviour. In this article, we’ll discuss whether cats understand time-outs, how to …
Continue Reading about How to Discipline Your Cat with Time-Out
The Healing Power of a Cats Purr
There is something very soothing about the sound of a cat purring. How often do you put your head alongside your cat to listen closely to the rhythmic sound of its vibrating purr? Why does a cat purr? We always assume that a cat only purrs when they are happy – whilst they are relaxing, eating, playing or being stroked by their favourite human. But cats also purr for …