Health & Safety Archives – Feline Behavior Solutions

Petting Aggression: Don’t be a Bite Victim!

Sometimes when you pet your cat she seems to enjoy the affection – she purrs, she stretches, maybe even gives a contented little meow. But in an instant, it's as if a flip gets switched and the predator within her pounces out! All of a sudden she latches on to your hand and chomps down on you with her teeth…hard. She may even wrap her paws around your hand and “bunny kick” your arm with her back feet, raking her hind claws against your skin. Ouch! How can a cat be so sweet one minute and such a ferocious ball of fury the next? You’ve fallen victim to what’s known as petting aggression, my friend.

Hiding Behavior in Cats

There are several reasons cats hide, and and most cats include hiding as a normal, healthy activity in their repertoire of behaviors. First, cats are both predators and prey in the wild - they are instinctually driven to hide and conceal themselves when they are sneaking up on a prospective prey item, and avoiding being prey for other predators (i.e., any carnivore that is larger than they are). Second, hiding in the home can be a stress-reducing, relaxing thing to do. Third, cats may hide when they are ill or not feeling well. If your cat all of a sudden decides to start hiding for long periods of time or changes her hiding behavior, you will want to make a trip to the veterinarian to make sure everything is ok.

Cat Care Options While You’re Away

Whether you're traveling for the winter holidays or any other time of the year, it's always smart to plan ahead when it comes to figuring out your cat care options while you're away. Pet-sitters get booked up very quickly weeks (and sometimes months) before holidays, so your options will become more limited the longer you wait to decide what your kitty will be doing while you're away from home. There are a number of options to consider depending on several factors: how long will you be gone, what is your budget, and perhaps most importantly, what will be best for your cat? Is your cat friendly, outgoing, and likes the attention of new people; or is she shy and skittish, and most comfortable in familiar surroundings? You'll want to answer all of these questions when deciding what to do, but here are some choices to guide you when you're figuring out what to do.

Pet Preparedness for Disasters by Jo Becker

Each June is recognized as National Pet Preparedness Month – a reminder to all of us to think forward and plan ahead for what might happen. What could we do to help ourselves in a given situation? What supplies or resources can we to gather now that could make life safer and more comfortable if disaster does strike?

Moving With Cats: The Secret is Planning Ahead

Do you have a move coming up? Moving can be one of the most stressful things we do in our lives, but it can be even more stressful if you have fur-kids to worry about. But don't despair - moving with cats doesn't have to be another thing to be stressed out about. I've got a moving plan for you and your cats that will take the worry out of this part of your move, at least!

Caring for your Senior Cat

My cat Jesse recently turned 17 and, while he has slowed down in the past few years, he's still a relatively healthy kitty and I'd say he's doing pretty good for an older gentleman. Cats are considered “senior” between the ages of around 11 and 14, and “geriatric” by age 15. If you're like me, you've noticed that your senior cat might be sleeping more and moving around a little less and that's pretty normal. However, it's really important that you pay special attention to your older cat and make sure his needs are met. And of course, a cat's physical, mental, and emotional needs change over time. But if you keep a few simple things in mind, your kitty can enjoy a long and healthy life!

Is Pumpkin Good For Cats?

Even though we usually associate pumpkins with autumn and feasting holidays (pumpkin pie, anyone?), pumpkin is actually available year-round for our dining pleasure...and health. This is great news for your kitty, because even though cats are obligate carnivores, pumpkin is a supplement you can easily incorporate into your cat’s diet that can help with several issues. Which means, as you may have heard, pumpkin is good for cats! The primary benefit of pumpkin is its naturally high dietary fiber content. If your kitty has occasional digestive issues, pumpkin can help with the following...

Cat Safety on Halloween – It’s not that Scary!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I mean, come on: Costumes + Candy = PAWesome! But honestly, it's probably not one of our pets' favorite days - lots of noise (including fireworks and firecrackers in some areas), unfamiliar people wearing masks, and potential hazards abound! On a holiday that is meant to be playfully creepy, if we don't keep the safety of our pets in mind, Halloween can be a truly frightening experience for them. But it doesn't have to be! Here are a few tips to keep your cats safe and spook-free throughout the week prior to, and following, Halloween.

Outdoor Catios for Enrichment and Entertainment

Catios have been all the rage lately, and if you're not thinking about building one for your indoor kitty, she might be missing out on a great opportunity for enrichment and entertainment! And because catios are easy to build, come in many sizes and price ranges, and are completely customizeable, there's probably a catio out there that will suit both you and your cat purrfectly.

How to Live With Cat Allergies

Funny story. I live with 5 cats, volunteer regularly with a no-kill cats-only rescue organization, and am a cat behaviorist. So, I come into close contact with a lot of cats on a consistent basis. And guess what...I'm allergic to cats! Oh, the irony of life sometimes! I wasn't always this way, but as we age, our immune system changes and sometimes people find themselves with allergies that they never had before. In my case, I met my husband. Not that he's entirely to blame, but I had a perfectly reasonable number of two cats when I met him, and he had three cats. After about a year of living in the same house with five cats, I realized that (while I had never had allergies before), my "seasonal" allergies (that I assumed were the result of me moving to the Pacific Northwest) just weren't going away. I joked that I was probably allergic to cats.

Trimming Claws for Gentle Paws

Are you up to snuff on your cat's nail-trimming needs? I hope that after reading today's post, you'll have the confidence to trim your cat's claws without fear of retribution from your kitty, because I'm going to share with you some expert advice. Literally, expert advice, since I met up with Laura Cochrane, DVM, a.k.a. Dr. Kind Klaws, at Purrington's Cat Lounge in Portland, Oregon, just last week. Purrington's is a magical place where adoptable cats frolic beneath David Bowie-inspired murals while you sip on coffee or Meowmosas, basking in their adorable antics. The Cat Adoption Team has partnered with Purrington's to supply cats to the lounge and at this time over 50 cats have been adopted! Dr. Cochrane was at Purrington's to demonstrate proper claw-trimming techniques, and also show us how to apply Soft Paws.

7 Ways to Be Your Cat’s Valentine

Valentines Day is just around the corner, I'm sure you're nibbling your fingernails wondering what you are going to do to show your furry family members just how much you love them. Well, never fear, because I've got you covered! And as an added treat, most of my suggestions don't involve spending a bundle of money to buy the trendiest new cat bed or Apple's next version of the iPee litterbox (someone please tell me this will exist some day!). In fact, these are things that you can do or try any time of year because they are good for your cats...you can be your cat's Valentine any time.

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