Articles and information about life with cats.
When you think of enrichment for cats, you might first think of toys, cat trees, or treat puzzles. And these are all important things! But sensory enrichment—targeting your cat’s sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—can provide more great ideas. Just like us, cats experience the world through their senses. Offering safe, stimulating experiences can improve … Read more
Have you noticed your cat slowing down as they’ve gotten older? Are they playing less, jumping less, or sleeping more? Has their behavior changed–becoming less social or tolerant of petting? What about litter box use or relationships with other pets? Are they not as good as they used to be? Cats can experience many changes … Read more
Teaching a cat to accept medications is like any skill – you need patience, practice, and good rewards. Ideally, you would introduce this skill before you need it, but these strategies can work even if you need to give a pill today. Questions to Ask Medications can come in many forms and flavors. Based on … Read more
Cats need territory with options to get off the ground to explore, avoid, and more. Creating a cat-friendly home requires more than one cat tree in the corner, but you don’t have to turn the whole house into a cat-themed jungle gym. By paying attention to type, location, and connections, you can create vertical space … Read more
Getting ready to move with your cat? Planning ahead and supporting them afterwards can have a big impact on everyone’s stress levels. Are you packed and ready?Photo Credit: Michael Faeth/Pixabay.com Moving is Hard for Everyone Moving is stressful for everyone, human and feline. While you might be worried about the logistics and money, your cat … Read more
Leaving a beloved pet home while you travel can be a source of stress for many people. It can also be a very stressful experience for the pet. In the post Jessica Dwyer Bartlett, a professional pet sitter and cat behavior consultant, adds her insights on setting your cat and your pet sitter up for … Read more
UPDATED: May 2022 – This post was originally written in 2019. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of helping many families introduce or reintroduce their cats. I’ve also continued my education on the topic of cat social behavior. This post has been updated to reflect some changes in my thinking on the topic. Although generally … Read more
Play is an essential part of a cat’s life. It provides an outlet for energy, a way to build confidence and trust, and fills a natural need to hunt. Interactive play between you and your cat is typically the most valuable form of play you can provide. However, there’s another layer to the story. Routine … Read more
The past few months have brought me many cat guardians looking for help with annoying or aggressive behaviors. There are many reasons for these behaviors, but typically one of my first recommendations is around increased play. Behavior problems in cats can often be tied to boredom or lack of outlets for necessary behaviors. The next … Read more
Happy New Year! Was “work out more” on your resolution list? Might I suggest adding “help the cat” in front of that? “Help the cat work out more” – much better! Just as in people, exercise has lots of benefits for cats. Stretching and working muscles relieves tension and builds strength, physical activity helps maintain … Read more