You may think that cats have to go outside to be happy. But cats would disagree with you (and so would local birds!) Actually, close to two-thirds of owned cats live indoors either exclusively or for a majority of the time. Cats can live a happy and healthy life indoors with their families. Allowing...
Over the decades, humans have come up with a variety of terms for domestic cats. We refer to pet cats, feral cats, wild cats, alley cats, stray cats, barn cats and, more recently, community cats. They’re all the same species ( Felis catus); the terms we use simply describe their lifestyle, ownership...
Everything from our household cleaning habits to the way we interact with our cats can cause anxiety and stress. And when cats face multiple sources of stress, they can become very unhappy. Cat stress can lead to problematic behaviors, like peeing outside the litter box, and it can also affect their...
Scratching is a normal, instinctive cat behavior. Cats have a need to scratch. They do it to express emotions, like excitement or stress, to mark objects with their scent (they have scent glands in their paws), to remove the dead part of their nails and, often, just to get a good stretch. It’s also...
I've put it off for months, but the dreaded day is here. An hour before the appointment time, I grab the cat carrier from the garage and, faking a nonchalance I’m far from feeling, enter the living room. Nellie isn’t fooled. Even though she’s my “easy” cat, the only one I can pick up, the one who...
Cats can be finicky about their bathroom habits, so keeping your cat's litter box up to their standards is very important. You don’t need to teach your cat what to do with a litter box; instinct will generally take over. You do need to provide an acceptable, accessible litter box and show your cat...
It’s a horrible, panic-inducing situation: Your cat has gone missing. What can you do to get your beloved companion safely back home? First, don’t give up. Persistence is key, and you may need a combination of search strategies. A systematic approach based on typical lost cat behavior, as well as...
When we think of “aggression,” we may think of a variety of motivations and impulses deriving from our own experience as humans. Fortunately, aggression in cats is easier to make sense of and typically derives from two impulses: fear and mistrust. These are the most likely scenarios to cause fear...
Loree O’Hagan’s new home in Great Cacapon, West Virginia, came with four bedrooms, a wrap-around deck, a view of the mountains—and a family of feral cats. That last detail wasn’t mentioned in the seller’s disclosure report, but O’Hagan and her husband got an inkling on moving day, when they spotted...
The choice to spay or neuter your pet may be one of the most important decisions you make impacting their long-term health—and your wallet! Your pet's health and longevity The average lifespan of spayed and neutered cats and dogs is demonstrably longer than the lifespan of those not. A University of...
It's common to see baby wild animals outside during spring as a new generation makes its way into the world. Sometimes you’ll even see these babies alone, with no parent in sight. For animal lovers, the instinct to help can be difficult to ignore. But unless the animal is truly orphaned or injured...
Dogs peeing in unwanted spots, whether it’s in the house or on top of a flower garden in the backyard, can be stressful for pet owners. But with some work and patience, you can address the problem and help prevent future incidents. If you have already successfully completed potty training, your dog...
