Scruffing can exacerbate behavioral issues and make handling more difficult—and even harmful—over time. Although mother cats will carry their newborn kittens by the back of the neck to relocate them, they only do this when their kittens are very young and mostly immobile. Mother cats are sensitive to the amount of pressure they use [...]
Many cats develop arthritis, especially after age twelve. Animals can't tell us when they feel pain, so we have to watch subtleties in their behavior and body language. Older cats often hesitate before jumping down from surfaces. Although cats can climb, jump, and leap onto higher surfaces, most prefer walking up and down using [...]
Recently, I read a study on the relinquishment of animals in shelters and rehoming. It looked at demographics and the reasons people give up their dogs and cats or rehome them. Of course, since the research was based on people surveys, it may not be completely accurate — as people often make up reasons for [...]
Please note: Declawing is a painful and invasive procedure. It is an amputation. Botched surgeries are not uncommon. Pain and complications can last for months, if not years—and sometimes for the entire lifetime of the cat. Declawing can create behavioral problems such as timidity, avoidance of owners, hiding and retreating, biting (especially associated with [...]
If you have a cat who doesn't like to be picked up or held, try these techniques. Position yourself next to or slightly behind your cat. Place your outer arm underneath the cat's chest (and belly), and your other hand in front of the cat's chest to control the front legs. Pick up [...]
There is often confusion between feral and stray. It is important to be aware of the differences since "feral cat" is a label that is overused and can get a cat killed. This label can have dangerous consequences since most shelters will kill feral cats or people will assume the cats are unadoptable and [...]
When planning to adopt only one dog, cat, or another companion animal, don’t separate a bonded pair—even if one is especially cute or appealing. Look for a singleton. Shelters and rescues routinely separate bonded animals because they are quicker to be adopted, but this can lead to emotional and behavioral fallout—especially for an animal who [...]