Feline Behavior

Why Does Your Cat’s Tongue Feel Like Sandpaper?

Feline Behavior, Feline Health| 5 Comments

cat-tongue

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Cat anatomy is endlessly fascinating to me. Cats have some unique anatomical abilities that they share with no other species, and this is true for their tongue as well. That sandpaper sensation is caused by what is one of nature’s perfect designs: the cat’s tongue allows her to groom and to consume her prey.Continue Reading

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Ask the Cat Behaviorist with Laura Cassiday: Jealousy Between Cats, Feeding Frenzy, and More

Feline Behavior| 16 Comments

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Laura Cassiday is a certified cat behavior consultant (CCBC) and owner of Pawsitive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training. Laura is certified through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She is also a Fear Free certified animal trainer. Laura recently published her first book, The Complete Guide to Adopting a Cat (affiliate link*.) She works with cat guardians remotely from all over the world, as well as in-person in her local area of Baltimore, Maryland. For more information, visit Pawsitive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training.Continue Reading

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Environmental Enrichment is Not One Size Fits All

Feline Behavior| 6 Comments

black-cat-cat-tree

Environmental enrichment for cats has become the hot topic in the cat world in recent years – and that’s a really good thing.

At their core, cats are wild animals. When we invite them to share our lives and homes, we can’t expect them to completely give up all their natural instincts. We have to look at our living space from the cat’s point of view and provide an environment that satisfied those instincts.Continue Reading

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The Importance of Playtime for Cats

Feline Behavior| 34 Comments

cat-play-tunnel

Playtime is vitally important to a cat’s mental and physical health, and it’s especially important for indoor cats. Even though cats may sleep up to 16 hours a day, when they’re awake, they need stimulation, and the best way to accomplish this is with play. In the wild, when lions, tigers and other wild cats aren’t sleeping, they’re either hunting, or teaching their young to hunt. And play is nothing more than channeling your domestic tiger’s hunting instinct into play.Continue Reading

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How to Keep Your Cat From Waking You Up (3 Tips That Work)

Feline Behavior| 117 Comments

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Do your cats wake you at the crack of dawn? Are they keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep? As much as we love our feline family members, most of us would prefer to not have that love expressed by a pounce on our chest at 4 am.Continue Reading

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How to Get Your Cat Used to the Carrier

Feline Behavior, Feline Health| 18 Comments

cat-carrier

A cat carrier is an important part of your cat’s life. For most cats, the only time they’re in a carrier is when they have to go to the veterinarian, so the association with carriers is often a negative and stressful one. But carriers can be vital in an emergency, and it’s crucial to get your cats used to the carrier so that they can associate it with a positive experience.Continue Reading

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What is Feline Direct Registering and Why Do Cats Do It?

Feline Behavior| 14 Comments

feline-direct-registering

Cats are mysterious creatures, and learning more about how and why they do the things they do is one of the joys of loving our beautiful companions. When I recently came across the term “feline direct registering” for the first time, I have to admit, my mind was blown. How was it possible that in all the years I’ve been working with and writing about cats, I had never come across this term?Continue Reading

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Yes, You Can Train Your Cat

Feline Behavior| 4 Comments

train-cat

Guest post by Nicole McCray

Cats can be more complex than dogs when it comes to training them, but this does not mean that they are untrainable. With some time, patience, and effort, you can train your cat.Continue Reading

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Cats Are Not Psychopaths

Feline Behavior| 14 Comments

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You may have seen the headlines: “Study: Cats May Legitimately Be Psychopaths.” “Is  Your Cat a Psychopath? Probably, Researchers Say.” “If Cats Were People, They’d Probably be Psychopaths, Scientists Say.” I cringed every time I saw one of those headlines, not just because they are simply ridiculous and ultimately harmful to cats, but also, because the referenced study is extremely flawed.Continue Reading

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Do Pheromone Diffusers Work? What You Need to Know!

Feline Behavior, Products| 35 Comments

feliway-multicat

Products containing artificial pheromones can be an important tool for dealing with feline behavior problems, whether it’s territorial aggression, urinary marking, or simply a stressful trip to the vet. Cats naturally emit these pheromones. They are used to mark their territory as safe and secure by rubbing the side of their face against against furniture, or even against you.Continue Reading

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