Regular veterinary care is important for all pets, but cat owners will tell you that a visit to the vet’s office is stressful for many cats…and their people. Researchers at the University of California-Davis compared the reactions of cats during in-clinic vet visits vs. cats experiencing...
The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in the UK has created a video guide to help you interact with cats in a mindful way that makes it a positive experience for both cats and humans. They call it the “CAT” approach. Here’s what that means. C =...
Inside the Mind of a Cat is a new documentary now streaming on Netflix that explores the science of the sometimes-mysterious cat. Veterinarian Dr. Bruce Kornreich, director of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Feline Health Center, is featured in the film. He describes its...
The International Cat Care animal welfare organization has created a helpful guide to the different kinds of cats that you might see in your community. Whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural environment, it’s common to see cats in outdoor areas, but did you...
A study conducted by Japanese researchers shows that cats can link images of their human and feline companions with their names. The researchers studied face-name recognition in cats with a simple but effective test. Pet cats were shown images of familiar humans and cats and then...
A new study published in the journal Animals found that a group of 7 personality and behavior traits are common to virtually all domestic cats. Researchers gathered cat personality data from a data set of over 4300 cat owners. They factored breed differences into account to...
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has released updated 2021 Feline Senior Care Guidelines for veterinary health professionals, as well as updated resources for cat owners. While the full guidelines are designed to help veterinary practitioners care for senior cats, the AAFP has also created...
Researchers from the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare at the University of Guelph have developed a Cat Faces Study to find out if people can detect whether a cat is in a positive or negative situation, just by looking at the face...
Ask any cat lover what a “slow blink” is, and chances are they’ll know it’s a sure sign that their cat is enjoying their company. A recent study published in Scientific Reports analyzed this form of human-cat communication and found that both cats and humans...
Does your cat go crazy for catnip? Approximately 70-80% of cats are affected by catnip to some degree. What is it about this plant that provokes such a strong reaction in cats? Here’s a quick look at the science of catnip. Catnip, also called catmint, is...
An organization of cat care professionals in the UK called The Cat Group has created a very helpful “Kitten Checklist” for anyone thinking about adding a new kitten to their family! This user-friendly checklist was designed to help owners choose a happy and healthy kitten, whether...
A new research study published in the journal Current Biology has come to a conclusion that cat owners have known all along—cats form strong emotional bonds with their humans! The authors point out that although studies on canine behavior and cognition far outnumber those on feline...
A new research study on personality type and cat ownership provides some interesting insights into how our personalities can impact our cats’ lives. Researchers surveyed over 3,000 UK cat owners on their personality types based on the “Big Five Inventory” Agreeableness Conscientiousness Extroversion Neuroticism Openness They also...
As more and more cat owners are realizing the risks and hazards of declawing and letting their cats roam outdoors, they are faced with the issue of unwanted cat scratching behavior in the house. Why do cats scratch and how can you encourage appropriate scratching? Here’s...
A recent study of cats with a history of urinating outside of the litter box (called “periuria”) has shed some new light on the connection between feline health and litter box issues. A study published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery examined cats from...
Litter box issues, such as going outside of the box, are one of the most common cat behavior problems experienced by owners. Sometimes these problems are solved with an easy fix, like adding extra boxes in a multi-cat household, cleaning the box more often, or...
Most cat owners will tell you that there are some fairly common cat behavior problems they would like to solve…things like scratching the furniture, jumping on kitchen counters, or scratching/biting while getting pets are just a few examples. What impact does a little education for...
A recent study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior demonstrates the importance of environmental enrichment in the well-being of indoor cats. Indoor cats lead longer, safer and healthier lives than outdoor cats. But what about their emotional health? An indoor cat who does not experience...