Behaviour

It’s common to see cats roughhousing, but that often leaves cat owners wondering: Are my cats fighting or playing? After all, if they’re playing, you want to encourage them. But if they’re fighting, you may need to intervene! In short, when cats fight, they have their ears pinned all the way back, the whites of

You have gotten so much satisfaction out of your one resident cat; you decide it’s time to introduce another feline into your home. So you go out and you bring home a cat either from a shelter, or you found a stray or visited a cattery. What is the first thing you need to do

Felines are predators. In the wild, all felines hunt. The silent paws, sharp teeth, excellent night vision and incredible physical abilities are all perfectly suited for the cat’s natural role as a solitary nocturnal hunter. In fact, the cat’s domestication in ancient Egypt had a lot to do with its hunting skills. The Egyptians brought

Cats? Kneading? Has TheCatSite become a baking site? Not to worry, we’re still here to talk about nothing but cats and cat behavior! And if you’re an experienced cat owner you probably know what we mean when we ask why cats “knead”. So why do they do that? No one knows for sure, but we

Thinking of getting a cat? How about your kids? What is the best way to introduce a cat to children? One at a time. If you have multiple kids, introduce one kid at a time to the cat. It’s easier for parents to keep an eye on a fast moving child and an even faster

Do you need to make the introductions between a cat and a dog? That’s not always easy and can even be risky. In addition to this article by Mary Anne Miller, we also suggest reading:How to Safely Introduce a Cat and a Dog Introducing Cats To Dogs Introducing a cat to a dog is not

Ever wonder about why your cat behaves the way he does? We’ve put together a concise FAQ in alphabetical order to answer the most commonly asked questions of “Why do cats….?” In this article, we bring you answers to the following 53(!) common cat behavior questions: Why Do Cats Arch Their Backs? Why Do Cats

If your cat bit or scratched you – or perhaps someone else – your first goal is to figure out why that attack took place. Feline aggression is a problem that many cat owners have to deal with. Understanding the reason behind the attacks is the first step in solving the problem. There are several

As you walk in or out of your home, does your cat dart for the door? Kitty’s habit of trying to dash out can be very worrying. It can be dangerous out there. So what can you do? How can you break this dangerous habit? There are several things you can do to prevent your

Bringing home a new cat? There’s always some stress involved with bringing home a new feline, even more so if you already have one or more cats living in your home. Making the introductions slowly and methodically is critical. But what happens when the newcomer is a kitten? Does that mean introductions will go more

Is your kitten going round and round in circles, trying to catch its own tail? Wondering what’s going on? Is he or she physically ok? And how about mentally? Many cats can be observed chasing their own tails, leaving owners baffled about this strange behavior. After all, cats are supposed to be smarter than that,

Having “invisible cat” problems? Is your cat nowhere to be seen? Wondering if and how to get your cat to come out of hiding? There are many possible reasons for your cat to be out of sight. Let’s go over different situations where a cat may be hiding and see what – if anything at

Cat waking you up at night? Does he or she meow loudly seeking your attention? Or maybe Kitty jumps on your bed and bats at your face with a curious paw? You’re not alone. Many owners come to this site with a similar complaint, asking how they can keep the cat from waking them up

Are you worried about Kitty’s recent change in behavior? Whether gradual or sudden, a change in your cat’s behavior should indeed be a cause for concern. Changes in feline behavior can mean many things. As owners, we have to watch out for such changes and take action when necessary. So, what to do? The answer

Do you have kittens that need to learn to use the litter box? Did you adopt a kitten who occasionally has litterbox accidents? Did you find a stray kitten and now need to introduce him to the concept of using a litter box? If the answer to any of the above questions is “yes”, then

If you love cats, chances are that you love petting cats. But is the feeling mutual? Do cats enjoy being petted? Let’s review this question in depth to see which cats like to be petted and why. We’ll even address the more common ways in which cats like to be petted… And some of the

Some cats are total love bugs and will gladly cuddle with any stranger. However, many seem more hesitant about bestowing their love on a human they’ve only recently met. If you adopt – or even just meet – a more discerning feline, you may be wondering: How to get a cat to like me? We

Introducing two adult cats to one another is never easy. If you researched the topic in advance, you’ll know it’s a long and challenging process. But what if you haven’t researched things and have gone about it the wrong way? What if you rushed the process, or worse, just put the two cats in a

Aria displays a different kind of anxiety, says vball91. “My husband says that when I’m gone, Aria is very clingy and needy and meows constantly.” Aria always wants to be on his lap but is much more insistent about it. “She could just be asking my husband where her personal slave is!” It’s a good

Clicker training for cats is much the same as clicker training for dogs, with one exception. The treat had better be worth the effort! Find what motivates your cat—is it a special treat or food? Time to play with that favorite toy? Maybe he just wants to sit and cuddle while you tell him how

Over the years, we’ve seen practically every possible behavioral issue in the Cat Behavior forum. Some of these behaviors can stem from stress, others from environmental aspects or a misunderstanding on the owner’s part of the nature of felines. Still, in many cases, the root of the problem is physical problems that have behavioral manifestations.

Cats have “besties,” BFFs and buddies. They have family and roommates. Just like humans, they grieve when a friend passes away. What can you do to help them through it? Keep in mind, a cat may not grieve every death. There will be cats Kitty views only as a roommate but not a close friend

There are several possible causes for feline aggression. While an attack can seem unprovoked, there is almost always a reason for it. We just need to try and figure out what it is. Our article about cat aggression towards people covers possible reasons, including redirected aggression. Let’s try and explore redirected aggression in cats, how

Too often we have people joining the forums begging for help with feline behaviors which disrupt their lives. “Help! I’m about to lose my mind because my cat won’t let me sleep at night!” “Why can’t I have any nice things? Kitty keeps breaking everything that I place on the shelf…” “My hands are covered

The only one you marked me wrong on was “rub my tummy”.  But trust me – I know many cats expose their tummies as a sign of trust, not inviting touching, but MY cat really DOES mean “please rub my tummy”, and I do it often. You have to learn the language of your own

If you suspect your cat is over-stressed, please refer to this article first: How to tell if your cat is stressed out.Please note that your veterinarian must first rule out, or treat, any medical problems. You can still implement the stress-reducing strategies listed in this article, but untreated medical conditions can cancel out your efforts

Experienced cat owners can easily tell what their cat’s body language and gestures mean. They know when Kitty is angry, hungry, sad or happy and they can tell when he or she is doting all over them, sending a crystal clear message of love. However, if you’re new to cats, you may be wondering what

Many of our members will tell you that “one cat just leads to another”, and that “cats are like chips, you can’t just stop at one”. People get a second (or third, or fourth…) cat for many reasons. Cat lovers cherish the thought of having yet another feline in their lives; they may want to

Occasionally, a member posts in the cat behavior forum asking for advice on what is clearly a stress-related behavioral issue. It soon becomes evident that the member is stressed too, often not due to the cat’s issue but to other life circumstances. It can be a vicious cycle: a stressed owner projects anxiety making the

Cats benefit hugely from interactive playtime, where the owner moves a cat toy around for them. It helps beat boredom, reduces stress, provides physical and mental exercise for Kitty, while at the same time cementing the special bond between human and feline. What is interactive playtime? When you toss a simple stuffed toy for a