Cats

The Abyssinian’s distinctive sleek profile, with large ears and almond-shaped eyes, resembles the ancient cats of Egypt. Miller calls the breed’s communication skills, non-vocal in particular, extremely high, and says that they thrive on receiving and giving affection. Thanks to the Aby’s excellent memory and learning capacity, he’ll know where toys are hidden and how to open doors. They’re also nurturing. Miller once brought an unconscious bird into her home, and her male Aby licked its face,seemingly trying to make the bird feel better. “This made me realize his lack of real predatory instinct,” she says. “[He knew] the bird was a creature that needed nurturing.”,We all believe our own cats are the world’s smartest, even if they haven’t scored a scholarship to Harvard. So, we turned to Joan Miller, chair of outreach and education at the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), for her take on the cat world’s smartest breeds. Miller stresses that all cats are “capable of learning tricks, harness-leash walking or household rules.” She mentions that cats also “have the ability to relate words to hand gestures.” And while cats will adapt their natural behaviors to training, in the end, cats always “want some control and power to make choices.”

We’ve all been there. You buy your cat a nice, fancy toy, and then… you catch them playing with a random piece of plastic instead. Why bother at all? There are many reasons to offer your cat a toy. And not just one, but a variety of toys. Toys provide your cat with mental stimulation, physical exertion, and opportunities for bonding with you through playtime. Toys in your home actually create a more natural environment for your cat—similar to what they would experience in the wild. “It’s a much more natural lifestyle when they’re engaging with toys and engaging with their environment,” says Sandra Mitchell, DVM, a traveling veterinarian and owner of All Creatures Veterinary Services based near Bangor, Maine. “Especially if you have the right toys that mimic the natural behaviors of cats—hunting, clawing things, stalking, food acquisition, and all those.” So what are the right toys? There are teasers, puzzles, balls, and lasers, to name a few. How do you choose? To help you find the best toys for your cat, we tested 31 of Chewy’s top-rated toys in real-world conditions. We rated each toy on the following attributes: engagement level, safety, design, and value. The toys on this list are considered stimulating, safe (when used properly), well made with smart features, and all for a reasonable price.

Image via iStock.com/OlgaChan By Kate Hughes Most cat lovers have at least a passing familiarity with hairless cats like the Sphynx cat. According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the Sphynx cat’s hairlessness originated as a genetic mutation in the 1960s. These kitties aren’t always completely naked—sometimes they have a downy fur over their entire body or a little bit of fur on their noses and ears—but compared to other cats, they might as well be bald. With the unique look of the Sphynx cat comes some challenges for owners—namely, keeping their skin healthy and keeping these naked kitties warm, especially in cold weather. If you’re thinking about adopting a Sphynx kitten or adult cat, here are some things you need to know before taking the plunge. Keeping a Hairless Cat Warm When the temperature drops, Sphynx cats need a few more accommodations than typical kitties. According to Kirsten Kranz, founder and executive director of the Wisconsin-based Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue, if the temperature is uncomfortable for you, it’s worse for Sphynx cats. “We may be naked, but at least we’re wearing clothes,” she says. Kranz encounters many Sphynxes through her work, and has owned several as well. There are two main options for keeping Sphynx cats warm—cat apparel and blankets.

Cats have amazing ears that can detect sounds far beyond human or even canine hearing. They can swivel their ears 180 degrees and move them independently of each other. This makes cat ears not just useful for hunting, but also an expressive communication tool.   If you’ve ever noticed your cat’s ears shift from perked up to flattened out and angled sideways like a “T,” that’s cat airplane ears—and your cat’s subtle way of expressing discomfort.  

Best for: Anyone (and we mean anyone) craving a low-maintenance, tropical aesthetic. This upright, fronded palm will add some tropical vibes to your space (no travel required). Marino tells us that the Parlor Palm has been cultivated since the Victorian era. Both then and now, it’s prized for its resilience to indoor conditions. Featuring several thin, compact stalks and dark green fronds, this beachy babe is suitable for new plant parents, thanks to its low-effort care requirements. Plant Care Tips: “Unlike the palm trees you see at the beach, this palm is not suited for intense, direct sun. Instead, the Parlor Palm thrives in medium to bright indirect light. It can also tolerate low and indirect light,” says Marino, who recommends watering this plant every one to two weeks, allowing the soil to dry in between waterings. “Expect to water more often in brighter light and less often in lower light. Oh, and this plant can benefit from extra humidity,” she notes, so consider homing it in your bathroom if it gets adequate light or investing in a humidifier. Shop at The Sill,When aspiring plant parents go shopping for trendy, popular houseplants, they have more to worry about than humidity requirements if they happen to have pets: Just like certain foods are toxic to pets, many plants also contain substances that can potentially harm your dog or cat. But you should know that there are still many indoor plants that are safe for cats and dogs. And you know what? They’re just as trendy as those ultra-hip snake plants and fiddle-leaf fig trees (which are toxic to pets, by the way). So you can keep up with the “plantfluencers” blooming all over your Instagram feed, we spoke with Erin Marino, director of marketing at plant delivery service The Sill, to learn of the pet-safe popular houseplants that are quickly gaining must-have status. Check out the four “it” plants pet parents should consider below.

Meditation is a great way to recharge, find a sense of inner calm and deal with stressful emotions. Know what else helps to promote a sense of calm? Our pets. (A 2019 Washington State University study found that 10 minutes of cuddling or stroking a pet can lead to a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol). Follow these instructions for a pet-friendly mediation sesh from Josephine Atluri, a certified meditation teacher and host of the podcast, “Responding to Life.” Pick a place that is free from as much distraction as possible. Have your pet lie next to you or on your lap to increase the combined mood-boosting effects of your pet’s presence and the meditation. Begin your meditation by focusing on your breath: Taking a deep inhale and then exhale, expanding your belly and releasing any tension held in your body. Gently and rhythmically stroke your pet while focusing on your breath to deepen both of your relaxation. Start in short increments and build your way up to longer durations. If your pet wants to get up any point though, let them. This should be an enjoyable experience for both of you!,For many of us, the holidays, while fun and joyful, can also sometimes be a bit stressful. Shopping, entertaining, travel, end-of-year deadlines, hustle and bustle—whatever it is that has you tossing and turning, suffering an achy neck or fueling up on sugar and coffee—it all adds up. Don’t just live with it; instead set aside time for some much-needed TLC. And that goes for your pets, too. They pick up on your vibe, and add to that all the new sights and smells and they may be feeling a little anxiety, too. To help you and your fur friend relax, we rounded up five ways to de-stress this holiday season.

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