Cats

Catnip Better known for producing a “kitty high,” catnip has also been shown to increase the amount of time cats spend sleeping. Catnip products are available in many forms, including sprays, treats, and parts of the plant itself. Pheromones The vomeronasal organ detects pheromones, including the feline facial pheromones that promote a sense of well-being in cats. Pheromone sprays, collars, and diffusers are all available.,Being a cat can be stressful—no, really! Think about what a cat’s life out in nature looks like: lots of hunting and eating what you catch, monitoring your surroundings for threats, and napping when you feel safe. While this might sound demanding, it’s what cats are wired to do. Now think about a domestic cat’s home life in comparison. Often, they’re either bored or are being harassed by a housemate they can’t escape from. This can actually be more stressful than living the life of a solitary hunter. It’s no wonder that calming herbs and supplements for cats are so popular now.

I have a client whose cat loves going places. He’ll jump right into a carrier in the car, just to get driven around. He loves his car rides! Unfortunately, most cat owners aren’t that lucky. The average cat hates travel, mostly because they hate the carrier. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Whether you plan on moving with cats, or are headed to the animal hospital to see the veterinarian, you can help your stressed cat feel more comfortable during pet travel. It just takes time and training.

We all want our cats to be happy and healthy—that’s a given. Providing them with a nutritious, high-quality cat food is one way to ensure just that. But with so many varieties of high-quality cat food on the market, knowing which one is the right choice for your fur baby can be confusing. What even is “high quality” cat food anyway? For starters, it has to meet the nutritional standards set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This is essential for any cat food, says Dr. Katy J. Nelson, DVM, Chewy’s resident veterinarian. An easy way to be sure of that is to look on the package for the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement. High quality food also has high-quality ingredients with nutritional benefits, like: Protein: provides energy and is essential for growth, the transport of nutrients and oxygen delivery Amino acids: build and repair tissues, help maintain healthy skin and coat, support the immune system, and muscle activity, making glucose, as well as transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body Fatty acids: maintain healthy skin and coat, and are essential for joint health and a healthy immune system Vitamins and minerals: to ensure that the pet’s nutrient requirements are met Depending on the specific brand and ingredients, some may ease health problems (like weight control formulas for paunchy pets), while others—including high-protein diets for active cats—satisfy a particular nutritional need. To help you figure out the best option for your favorite feline, we’re breaking down the various categories and detailing what you need to know. As with any change in a pet’s diet, be sure to talk to your veterinarian before switching to a high-quality cat food.

Image via iStock.com/ClarkandCompany By Kate Hughes Though cats have a reputation for lounging around and napping, that’s not all that they do. Beyond the typical house cat owner, there are also people who rely on cats to keep spaces like barns and sheds critter-free. Barn cats, as most people refer to them, are working cats with a job to do. Additionally, many of the people who keep barn cats don’t necessarily consider them pets, especially if they’re feral—that is, they have not been socialized with people. Even if a barn cat isn’t necessarily considered a pet, these animals do require a certain level of care, especially considering that their environment is not quite as controlled as someone’s living room. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about adopting a barn cat. What Is a Barn Cat? The term “barn cat” can apply to any cat that helps keep a barn or other outdoor area vermin-free. That said, certain cats might be a better fit for the barn cat life. Keri Heise is the adoption program manager of Animal Allies Humane Society in Duluth, Minnesota. Her organization finds homes for both pet cats and barn cats, and they make a clear delineation between the two. “We tend not to adopt social cats out as barn cats, since they make good pets. Feral cats that would otherwise be euthanized are great working cats and can live long, full lives helping keep someone’s barn mouse-free,” she explains. Heise notes that her organization recognizes two types of barn cats—feral and semi-social. “Semi-social cats have been around people and are somewhat used to them. They won’t want to interact with people though, and they tend to get aggressive if you push them,” she describes. “Feral cats have never socialized with people. They’re wild animals; you’re basically dealing with a raccoon that looks like a cat.”

Spotted cat breeds are sought after for their exotic beauty. Some even have the blood of their wild counterparts coursing through their veins. But they’re much more domesticated than their wild cousins and make great pets. “Many people dream of being able to have one of the big, beautiful wild cats in their living room. But that being pretty unrealistic, the next best thing is one of the small domestic cats with the look of their bigger kin,” says Vickie Fisher, treasurer for The International Cat Association (TICA). Check out these six spotted cat breeds:

Fostering kittens is a huge task and, depending on the reason the kittens were orphaned, can be difficult to do. But with the right tips, tricks, and “don’t forgets,” you’ll be set up for success as you hand-raise a kitten. Setting Expectations for Fostering Kittens First and foremost, it is important to remind you that no one—not even the most devoted of owners—can raise a kitten as well as a mother cat can. Cats not only take care of all basic needs of their kittens, but they also teach them the skills they need to know to be a cat—and that is something we are not able to do when fostering kittens. We can try to guide the kittens in the right direction and set realistic expectations, but in reality, we simply speak a different language from our feline friends. Imagine someone trying to teach you a new task in a foreign language; hand signals can only go so far. But with successful fostering, kittens are still able to grow and thrive.

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Many essential oils — including lavender oil — are toxic to cats and should never be given to cats orally or applied topically, in my opinion. These products can be rapidly absorbed through the digestive tract or through the skin, and then travel to the liver where they are metabolized. The feline liver is deficient in many enzymes, and it might be unable to metabolize these compounds properly, which leads to toxicity. If cats even inhale some of these oils, it can lead to problems because the oils can get absorbed from the lungs into the bloodstream and then to the liver. I doubt that a lavender-scented hand lotion has enough lavender oil to cause problems for your cat, especially because the smell is not wafting through the apartment where the cat can’t avoid breathing it. However, avoid petting the cat directly immediately after using lavender-scented hand lotion to avoid possibly getting it on the cat’s fur and becoming ingested during grooming. Posted By: Chewy Editorial Featured Image: By KDdesignphoto/Shutterstock,Q.

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A cat showing you their butt is a normal behavior among cats themselves, particularly among feline friends. It likely means they trust you and probably want attention. 1. They Trust You This particular presentation could be your cat’s way of demonstrating that they trust you or feels affectionate toward you. “If the cat is being friendly to the person by purring and rubbing on them, has relaxed ears and a relaxed body, and then puts his rear end in their face, it’s likely a friendly gesture,” says Fisher. 2. They Want Attention It could also be because they want something from you, like to be petted or food, and “rubbing and purring did not get them the attention they were seeking,” Fisher says. Well, putting their butt in your face is certainly one way of getting attention. It could also be a sign that we need to notice the other ways that our cats try to communicate with us—before they reach the Butt-in-Face stage.,My cat frequently turns around and puts her floofy behind in my face. Doesn’t matter if I’m on my computer in the middle of a Zoom meeting or watching TV on the couch. Why do cats stick their butt in your face? Is this normal?