BEHAVIOR

Adult cats dont meow at each other. A kitten will meow to let its mother know its hungry or cold, but once it is weaned, it will no longer meow to communicate with those of its own species.

If your cat starts biting or scratching you while you’re petting her, you immediately know she has had enough and stop. Or if she’s...

Aggression is second only to litter box issues when it comes to reasons people with cats make an appointment to see a veterinary behaviorist....

If your cat “goes” in spots other than the litter box, you’re not alone. Inappropriate elimination is the most common concern among cat owners. And...

While cat owners know their pets are bonded to them, felines are often thought of as uninterested in collaborating with people. It’s believed all...

It’s often assumed that while dogs can have strong attachments to their human caregivers and feel more secure in their presence, cats don’t share...

You fall out of a 19th-story window, and the word splat is in your very near future. A cat falls 19 stories, and she glides earthward to live another day. It really happened several years ago when a white fluff ball named Sugar dropped out of her owners high-rise window and walked away to enjoy her eight remaining lives with only some minor bruising on her lungs but no broken bones, no lacerations, no anything. What is it that makes cats nimble enough to be able to land safely, even from great heights?

My cat scratched me on my arm, and a few days later I developed a bump there. But then I went on to develop a fever and also felt very tired. I went to the doctor, who said I had cat scratch fever and that it would resolve on its own. Does that sound right?

Perhaps your cat is aggressive to the point that you cant defuse the situation on your own. Or he keeps getting into the linen closet despite all your efforts to keep him out of there. Or he wont stop climbing on the table while youre eating. Where do you turn? To an animal behaviorist, of course.

Your cat rolls over on her back and presents her belly to you, so you return the apparent gesture of affection by stroking it, as you would for a dog. But instead of relaxing and enjoying the moment, she turns into the feline version of Cujo, scratching and biting you to make you stop. Why did she show you her belly if she didnt want you anywhere near it?

Ever notice how people who are allergic to cats and pay them no attention are the ones cats come up to? And how people who bend over backwards to make friends with cats are the ones whose efforts are often rebuffed? Its because generally, cats are naturally wary and would prefer to be the ones to take the social initiative.

If your cat lashes out at you or hisses and growls, or if shes swishing her tail back and forth, you know shes not happy. But can you tell her mood by the state of her pupils? Or how her whiskers look? You might think your cat is apt to keep her emotions to herself, but the signs described here will let you know if she feels somethings amiss.