After all, if we don't, they're either going to seek it out themselves (like a dog drinking from the toilet), or they're going to end up dehydrated, or both.

The trouble is, even when we replace water in their bowls, sometimes our furry friends are surprisingly picky. A lot of cats, for example, simply don't like standing water. They'd much rather drink from a faucet than from a still bowl of water, no matter how fresh it is.

There's a solution to this: automatic pet water fountains. These can be a great idea, but are there any drawbacks? What should you keep in mind, and why should you consider investing in a fountain for your fur babies?

What Are Automatic Pet Water Fountains?

The usual way of keeping your pet hydrated is a bowl that you fill with fresh water, and empty and refill every so often so the water is fresh and cool.

The general advice is to change your pet's water at least once a day, and more often if they drink too much of it, spill it, or if it gets dirty, such as if some stray food is dropped into it, or if dust and pet hair settles in it.

Automatic fountains are essentially water bowls that come with additional features to circulate the water. Some of them are little more than a pump and a cone in the center of the bowl, so water in the bottom is circulated to the top and spills down the side, continually filtering and circulating the water.

Others have small fountain-like streams. Some have added features, like the ability to plumb them into a water line directly so they always have fresh water or a mechanism to cool the water they circulate. There are as many different designs as there are brands selling them.

The goal of an automatic fountain is usually to keep water circulating, usually with a filter to keep particulates, dust, hair, and other debris out of it as much as possible. This makes it a much more pleasant experience for your beloved cat or dog to have a slurp when they're thirsty.

Believe it or not, some pets will avoid water even if it's available and will even potentially dehydrate themselves if that water is not to their liking.

Different individuals have different inclinations, as well. I've seen formerly feral cats happily drink from a muddy puddle, while a picky pup might turn their nose up at water they didn't see poured for them, even if you poured it just moments ago.

Do Cats Like Automatic Pet Water Fountains?

When you think about an automatic pet water fountain, you're probably thinking about cats.

Cats are traditionally the picky bunch, who might turn their nose up at a food if they've had it too often and who might have a strong and vocally expressed preference for a thin drip from the bathroom faucet rather than their water bowl.

Automatic water fountains are so often associated with cats that if you simply Google "automatic pet water fountain," the vast majority of the results are for cats, with a few token results for "cats and dogs" thrown in and very few specifically about dogs.

Of course, cats are picky about everything, so they may or may not like the type of automatic water fountain you get. If they turn their nose up at one, consider trying a different style before writing it off entirely.

Do Dogs Like Automatic Pet Water Fountains?

Most of the time, when you think of a dog having a drink, it's a bowl of water hastily splashed down at a dog park, or a park fountain with a doggy bowl at the bottom, or even a public-use bowl outside a local business (which you might consider passing by, as they can be a vector for disease).

If your canine companion will happily schlop schlop schlop out of any old bowl they find, do you need a fancy, pricey automatic fountain?

The truth is, there are some pretty good reasons to get an automatic fountain for a dog as well. Dogs can be just as picky as cats, sometimes.

They may also simply run out of water faster, and automatic fountains tend to have a larger capacity than a dog bowl, especially the ones that can be plumbed into your water lines. So, keep in mind that the benefits of a pet water fountain aren't just for cats; dogs can love them, too!

What Are the Benefits of Using Automatic Pet Water Fountains?

There are a lot of benefits to having an automatic water fountain for your pets, so let's go through them.

#1: They help guarantee your pet has access to fresh, clean water at all times.

Automatic water fountains typically have a larger capacity than a standard water bowl, both because they're physically larger and because they have internal workings like the pump and hoses that contain even more water.

They're often designed to not run dry in all but the most arid climates, as long as you're around to top them off once a day or so.

If you've ever come home from a long shift at work and had to immediately refill your pet's water bowl because it ran dry while you were out, you know how valuable it could be to have a larger capacity water source available for them.

Some people even resort to leaving a sink running, though, of course, that also racks up your water bills, something none of us want.

#2: They help keep the water your pets are drinking clean.

One of the biggest benefits to an automatic water fountain is not just circulating the water, but filtering it.

Some of them just use simple mesh filters to keep out pet hair and stray kibble, but others have more detailed filters, even up to activated charcoal similar to what you would have in your own Brita or Pur filters.

The longer water stays stagnant, the grosser it can get. Everything from pet dander and dirt from paws to microorganisms and parasites can start to make a home in a pet's water bowl.

While you're unlikely to have serious issues if you're changing the water every day, it's still nicer for you and your pets to have filtered water going for them, right?

Some of our pets are also much more sensitive to the quality of their water than others. You might think the water is fine, but if there's enough dirt, or oil, or other contaminants in the water that your pet can smell it, they might not want to drink – and will end up dehydrated because of it.

#3: They can be more enticing to your pets.

One of the natural instincts that both cats and dogs possess is an instinct to pursue fresh water. Most animals have an inherent awareness that stagnant water means water that might be dirty, full of germs or parasites, or that will otherwise make them sick when they drink it.

Some, especially the stray and feral animals we rescue, learn this the hard way. Others just have a nudge in the back of their fuzzy little brains that says the sound of running water is more enticing than a stagnant pool.

The noise of running water is, in fact, often the point. The gentle burble of a water fountain can be very compelling and can help ensure that your cats or dogs (or both!) are going to drink more water throughout the day, ensuring they stay hydrated.

This can be especially valuable if you have a pet with kidney issues, where hydration is even more important.

#4: They can help keep the water a cooler temperature.

Think about beverages you enjoy. What is more satisfying: a hot cup of coffee or a room-temperature cup of coffee? Which would you rather drink on a hot day: water that has been sitting out in the sun and is a balmy 75 degrees or water that is a crisp, cool 40?

A pet water fountain is unlikely to be keeping water at refrigerator temperature, but the circulation helps use evaporative cooling, plus passive systems like a simple metal construction to disperse heat, and keep the water cooler.

Cooler water, even by just a few degrees, is more refreshing than water that is at room temperature. This, too, helps entice your pets to drink and stay hydrated.

Are There Drawbacks to Using Automatic Pet Water Fountains?

If all of that sounds great, should you rush out to buy an automatic water fountain for your cats, dogs, and anyone else in the household? Maybe, but keep in mind that there are some drawbacks to using these automated fountains.

#1: They can be fairly expensive.

A simple cat or dog bowl might not cost more than $10 at your local pet supply store. Meanwhile, automatic fountains can range anywhere from $25 for a cheap, imported, maybe-not-so-high-quality device, all the way up to $90, $100, or even more for high-quality fountains. Some of the most advanced, easily-maintainable, app-controlled fountains can be well over $100.

Add to this the fact that these are moving devices, with electronics and pumps and hoses and multiple points of failure, and you might end up buying a new one every few years, as opposed to a bowl, which you probably won't need to replace for the lifetime of your pet. Then again, as pet parents, we know our little fuzz balls can be expensive, so it's par for the course.

#2: They need regular cleaning.

There's no way to run a water fountain without it needing cleaning sooner or later. The particulate filters need cleaning when dirt and hair end up in the water and get caught in them.

Charcoal and other filters need replacing on a schedule, when they get gummed up enough that they inhibit the flow of water. Even hoses might need replacing if enough time passes that they get clogged up or turn brittle and risk breaking and making a mess.

This goes doubly depending on the kind of water you're using for your pet's fountain. Most tap water, for example, has a fairly high mineral content, and those minerals build up and can clog up the fountain or stain it over time. The longer you go without cleaning off mineralization, the harder it is to do so.

Note: it may be tempting to use distilled water to avoid this issue. Unfortunately, while we tend to think of water as "empty," it's usually not.

Sources of bottled water, spring water, or even mineral water contain just that: minerals, some of which your pets need to stay healthy. Long-term distilled water consumption runs the risk of, in particular, magnesium deficiency.

There's also a small but non-zero risk of a poorly made or damaged water fountain shorting out and zapping your pet. Generally speaking, a short like that will trip a breaker (or a fuse in the device) before it becomes a hazard, but the cheapest of the cheap devices might not. That's why I always recommend looking for quality, not just the cheapest option on the shelves.

#3: They can be noisy, which might be irritating to you.

This is a more minor concern, but depending on the kind of fountain you get, it might have a fairly noisy pump.

The ideal of a fountain is that the noise you hear is the trickling sound of water, not the grinding of an electric motor, but the cheaper the fountain, the less likely it is to be quiet about its job.

Some people can easily tune out this noise, while others are deeply annoyed by it. Then again, some people – especially if you've ever lived through a burst pipe or other water issue – might find the sound of running water to be somewhat triggering. It's a balancing act.

A particularly noisy pet water fountain also runs the risk of being annoying to your pet, which is a bigger issue. If the noise of a pump drives them away, it's not a good investment.

Should You Get an Automatic Pet Water Fountain?

Truthfully? The answer is probably yes. The benefits are high enough, and the drawbacks are manageable enough that the balance is worth it.

Just make sure to use the right kind of water, keep the device well-maintained, and don't get one that is overly cheap or unnecessarily complex. I don't know why anyone would need an automatic fountain controlled by an app, do you?

Once your pets enjoy some fresh burbling water, they won't want to go back, and neither will you.

Do you have any questions about anything I discussed in this article? If so, I'm always more than happy to help however I can, so leave your questions in the comments section down below!

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Cats are one of the species that experience this cycle, along with dogs, horses, cattle, goats, and more. The question is, as a cat parent, what should you know about your cat going into heat, and what should you keep an eye on? Let's talk about it.

An Overview of the Cat Estrus Cycle

First, let's talk about the estrus cycle in cats. It can broadly be broken into four segments, which cycle back into the first when the fourth is finished.

The first stage is proestrus, which is when estrogen levels start to rise. It's entirely invisible to humans, but male cats can sometimes detect this rise. They might start to show a bit more interest in your female cat, but she won't be interested yet. This phase only lasts a couple of days.

The second stage is estrus, what we call being in heat. This can last anywhere from three days at the shortest to 21 days at the longest, though it usually only lasts for about a week. This is when your cat is in heat and will display behaviors relating to the bodily process. I'll talk more about those in a bit.

During this stage, your cat will either mate with a male cat or she won't. If she does, it will either result in a pregnancy or it won't. So, there are three possible outcomes.

• Pregnancy. In cats, this lasts about two months, after which you'll have a fresh new litter of kittens to enjoy.

• Metestrus. If your cat mates but no pregnancy occurs, this metestrus phase is a sort of cooldown phase that lasts 30-40 days before her cycle starts back up.

• Interestrus. If your cat doesn't mate, the interestrus phase occurs, which lasts 1-3 weeks.

After this phase, she will enter Anestrus, where hormones and behaviors return to normal. Then, if she's still in her cycle, it will restart with proestrus.

Cats only enter this cycle during certain times of the year, which is governed in part by seasonality and the hours of daylight they are exposed to. This means it's subject in part to geography, as well as weather and human conditions. If you maintain stable hours with a sunlamp, you might find that it has an impact on your cat's cycle.

Generally speaking, cat cycles start in the spring from February to April and continue through about October before tapering off for the winter. And hey, that makes sense; a predator doesn't want to have additional nutritional requirements, as well as hindered mobility and potential health issues, during the time of year when food is more likely to be scarce and the environment is more likely to be bad.

What Age Do Cats Start Going Into Heat?

Most cats enter this phase of their reproductive cycle somewhere around 5-9 months of age. Sometimes, kittens can start even earlier, as young as 3-4 months old, while others might go as long as 18 months before their first experience.

What makes the difference? It's a combination of factors. It can depend on their breed, their weight, and even the time of year.

On the opposite end of the scale, you might wonder if cats enter a menopause and stop this cycle when they reach a certain age. In actuality, they don't; their estrus cycle can continue well into their senior years and will be with them for the majority of their life. However, age-related issues like tumors, dysregulated hormones, and other problems can disrupt the cycle.

What are the Behaviors of a Cat in Heat?

If your female cat is entering the phase of her estrus cycle where she's "in heat," it will generally be pretty obvious. The behaviors are pronounced. However, first-time cat parents might not recognize what they're seeing.

The first and most obvious behavior is making a lot of noise. Female cats in heat make noises and vocalizations that, to be honest, can sound very distressing, like she's in pain. It's really just a mating call; she's letting male cats around her know she's up for grabs. It can be quite a change of character for usually quiet cats, though it might not be obvious if your cat is usually a chatterbox.

The second behavior, and arguably the most annoying of them all, is spraying. This is usually a male cat behavior, but female cats in heat might spray urine to mark their territory and spread around the scent that male cats will be attracted to. Unfortunately for us humans, it smells awful, and we really don't want it in the house.

Another behavior is simply restlessness. Your cat knows something is going on, and she wants something, and when she isn't getting it, she'll wander and look for it. She might hang out and pace areas where other cats hang out or spend time at a door or window where she can smell cats outside. She's on the prowl!

Another behavior, and one that can be concerning to new pet parents, is a lack of appetite. When your cat is in heat, she has one thing on her mind, and it's not food or drink. Keep a close eye on her, and make sure she's eating and drinking at least once every 12 hours; if not, take her to the vet.

There's a pretty good chance that she's also going to be very affectionate and seeking your attention. She'll rub her face against you a lot, wrap her tail around you as she passes by, and seek out cuddles and a lap to sit on. She might not stay long because of the restlessness, but the affection helps calm her down a little.

A few of the more physical signs include:

• Swelling of the vulva and genital area.

• Excessive grooming, especially of the genital area.

• Hanging out by the door and trying to escape when she gets the chance.

• Lifting her rear in the air while she poses. When all else fails, the open invitation is the best she's got.

One or two of these signs might be a coincidence, but if they represent a change from your cat's normal behavior, or when multiple combine, you've got a cat in heat.

What Can You Do About a Cat in Heat?

If your fur baby is in heat, you have to decide what you want to do about it.

One thing is certain: a cat in heat is, more often than not, an annoyance. She'll be noisy, needy, and might spray, which is awful to deal with. Not to mention, if she tries to escape, it's a danger to her and to local wildlife.

What you can do mostly depends on the outcome you want. There are, basically, three options.

Option One: Find a Mate

This option is the best option for breeders, usually of purebred cats. I'm generally not hugely in favor of breeders – there are so many strays and forlorn cats living in shelters that need your help already – but the fact is, there's a niche for them, and they aren't going away.

If your goal is kittens, you'll need a mate for your queen for the next litter. How you handle that depends on all sorts of different factors, including genetic testing, purebred certification, and other factors.

Option Two: Manage the Behaviors

If you like your cat the way she is, but you wish she'd tone it down a little, you can try to distract her and keep her from the worst and most annoying behaviors.

Consider things like:

• Setting aside a calm, isolated, comfortable space for her that is cloistered away from loud noises, distractions, and other cats.

• Dim the lights, draw the curtains, and try to keep things calm. Imagine she has a migraine, and you're on the right track.

• Keep her litter box clean and accessible. She's less likely to spray if she can use the litter box comfortably.

• Make use of toys, treats, and catnip while spending extra time to care for your fur baby while she's struggling.

• Stay patient, especially if she's young enough that this is disruptive to her training. It's a biological imperative, and there's not much you can do to stop it.

• Know when to leave her alone. Even if she's being extra affectionate, if she nips or swipes at you, she's probably serious about it, so don't bug her.

Make sure to be vigilant. If she tries to sneak out and escape when you bring in the groceries, you're going to have a heck of a time catching her. You also want to watch out for things like vaginal discharge or signs of an infection, which can be dangerous or life-threatening.

Option Three: Have Her Spayed

The third (and best) option is generally to have her spayed.

Spayed female cats don't go into heat unless the surgery wasn't successful or there's another issue, which I'll discuss a bit below. It's the only way to prevent a cat from going into heat.

Preventing estrus isn't the only reason to spay a cat, either. Spaying is important for her overall health. Spaying before her first cycle can reduce her chances of breast cancer by over 90% and can reduce the risk of ovarian, uterine, and other reproductive cancers as well. It also prevents uterine infections like pyometra, which can be fatal.

There are also side benefits. Cats with diabetes or epilepsy need medications to be healthy, but changes in hormones can disrupt those medications. Spaying her brings stability to those hormones.

Cats in Heat FAQ

Now, let's wrap things up with a few questions you might have that I didn't cover above.

My cat is spayed; why is she going into heat?

If your cat was spayed, she shouldn't be going into heat. If she is, there's a possibility that your vet missed some tissue when they performed the operation and that leftover tissue is causing the cycle of hormones to surge. It's called Ovarian Remnant Syndrome and will need another surgery to correct it.

There are a few other reasons why she might be exhibiting heat-like behaviors, too. Adrenal tumors produce hormones that can cause the cycle. An infection called a pyometra can also occur and cause symptoms. In some cases, if your cat is exposed to products containing estrogen, like topical creams or other drugs, it can cause similar effects as well.

The good news is that all of these require the same reaction: taking your cat to the vet to see what's up and figure out what to do next.

Can male cats go into heat?

Yes and no. Male cats don't go into heat because the estrus cycle is specifically related to female reproductive organs.

However, male cats do have their own behaviors, which are actually a reaction to female cat estrus; they might do more urine marking, they might be more restless, and they might try to escape to find a mate if one isn't available, but they can sense one nearby. Neutered males don't exhibit these behaviors, just like spayed female cats don't go into heat.

Is being in heat painful?

As any human woman can attest, the menstrual cycle can be immensely uncomfortable or painful. Is the same true for cats? Fortunately, no. Some of her behaviors are similar to how she'll act if she's in pain, but I promise she isn't.

She also won't have a period the way we do. There should be no blood involved in the process, so if you notice any, she might have a UTI or other issue you should talk to your vet about.

So, there you have it: a guide to cats in heat. Do you have any questions I missed? If so, be sure to let me know in the comments!

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Some commercial cat foods are full of filler. Some include sub-par ingredients that might not be bad right now but can be bad in the long term, especially if contaminants build up in your cat's system. Sometimes, they just include allergens, and your cat has a sensitive stomach and can't handle them.

There are plenty of reasons to consider making DIY, homemade cat food. But there's also a lot to consider. Let's talk about it!

Should You Make DIY Cat Food?

The first question that might come to mind is whether or not you should even consider making homemade cat food.

In my opinion, yes! There are a few good reasons to do it.

You know everything that goes into your cat's food when you make it yourself.

This is possibly the biggest reason; you know everything that goes into a recipe you make. With commercial cat foods, you often see ingredients listed that you might not know what they are or you might not like. Things like:

• Poultry by-product meal

• Corn gluten meal

• Soybean meal

• Dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product

• Natural flavors

Since the FDA doesn't regulate pet foods as much as it regulates human foods – and we already have a lot of shortcuts and tricky information in our own food – it can be very difficult to read the ingredients on a pet food label and understand what's truly in the food.

To be clear, most of the time, the ingredients are fine for your cat. It might not be the best possible food, but it's not likely to actively hurt them. The trouble is, you can't necessarily tell that, and there seems to be a scandal every year or two about pet food hurting pets.

You can customize their food if they have allergies or sensitive stomachs.

This is a big one. Unlike human food, where allergens need to be disclosed, including if it was produced in a facility that also handles allergens, you don't get that kind of quality assurance with cat foods.

If your cat has an allergy to a given ingredient, it can be hard to tell if a commercial cat food has that ingredient in it. Even if it doesn't, if it's made in the same facility as a food that does, it can end up cross-contaminated, and there's no way you can tell until your fur baby starts showing signs of digestive distress.

When you DIY some homemade cat food, you know everything that goes into it and everything that doesn't.

You can change the recipe when your cat gets tired of it.

Raise your hand if your cat is a picky eater and turns their nose up at food on a regular basis, even food they've enjoyed in the past.

Everyone? Alright, hands down.

Most cats are at least somewhat picky eaters, and even if they aren't actively dismissive of the food you give them, there's a good chance they'll just want to change things up from time to time. When you buy normal cat food in bulk, that's pretty hard; what are you going to do with the extra 20 lbs. of kibble if they won't touch it anymore?

When you make their food, it's easy enough to mix up the main protein or a couple of key ingredients to get something new for them to enjoy. You also don't need to make huge batches and let some of it go bad, and if they decide mid-batch they don't care for it, you can freeze it for later.

You can usually make cat food cheaper than buying their food.

Another benefit to making your own cat food is that it ends up being cheaper at the end of the day. Depending on the kind of food you're buying for your cat, it can cost anywhere from $1.50 to $7 per day. When you make your own, the cost of the ingredients will work out to be less than $1.50 per day, almost no matter what you want to do.

Obviously, this can vary depending on how you source your ingredients. People with local butchers or with lower costs for certain ingredients locally can come out further ahead.

People who have trouble sourcing key ingredients might be more comparable to cheaper commercial cat foods. In those cases, the difference in quality is important enough to balance the scales.

It does take time to make your own cat food, but honestly, less than you might think.

You can also often do it on the side while you're making food for yourself, so you don't need to spend a dedicated chunk of time making your cat's food. Even then, it's still fine for most people.

If all of that hasn't convinced you to start making DIY cat food, I don't know what will.

What Does DIY Cat Food Need to Include?

Cats are obligate carnivores, but that doesn't mean you can just grind up some chicken breasts and call it good enough. They still need enough nutrition, including vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other ingredients, which means you need a good list of what to include.

You'll want to include:

• A primary protein. Most people start with chicken, but a variety of different primary proteins can work. Pork, eggs, beef, and even more exotic meats like duck, quail, and others are all fine.

• Supplements. Often, the meat you choose won't have all of the nutrients your cat needs. Cats evolved to catch and eat whole prey like birds and mice, including things like bones, organs, and blood. You'll need to replace those with added supplements like taurine, fish oil, and omega-3s.

• Fiber. You don't need a lot of fiber for homemade cat food, but you should have some. A good option is barley powder, which is relatively cheap and serves as a good filler when used in moderation.

Some people recommend grinding up the bones of poultry. Your cat can benefit from the calcium and other nutrients in the bones, but you need to make sure not to cook them so they don't turn sharp and brittle.

Should you cook the protein? That's actually up to you and your cat. Some cats prefer cooked meat, while others like it raw. As long as you cook it without spices, you're fine.

Overcooking the meat can destroy some of the nutrients in it and make it less pleasant for your furry friend to eat, so most people start with raw meat. That said, raw meat does have the potential for bacterial contamination, so keep an eye out for signs of infection after starting a homemade raw cat food diet.

What Should You Leave Out of DIY Cat Food?

One of the benefits of making cat food at home is that it's easy to make a fairly simple recipe. There are a lot of things you generally want to leave out of the food you make, though.

First of all, make sure you avoid any of the human food ingredients that are toxic or bad for cats. I have a whole post about it here, but to replicate the list:

• Alcohols

• Yeasts

• Chocolate

• Coffee and Tea

• Citrus Fruits

• Coconut

• Dairy Products

• Grapes

• Eggs

• Alliums like Onions and Garlic

• Nuts

• Xylitol

• Tomatoes

• Salt

You also want to avoid fillers in excess. A little bit of fiber filler and carbohydrates are fine, but too much will end up hurting your cat in the long term, and that's what you're trying to avoid in the first place.

What about oils? Oils are a good way to get some healthy fats, vitamins, and supplemental nutrients into cat food, but you need to use them in moderation and only use the right kinds of oils. Fish oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and flaxseed oil are fine, but don't use too much.

Should You Change DIY Cat Food Recipes?

I already mentioned this a little bit above, but there's a pretty good chance that your cat, even if they initially love the DIY cat food recipe you make, is going to get tired of it over time.

I generally recommend only making 1-2 weeks' worth of food at a time so that if they start to get tired of it, you don't have a lot of wasted food they won't eat.

You can change the recipe from time to time, so long as you're as close to nutritionally complete with each recipe as you can be.

What's a Good Recipe for DIY Cat Food?

There are as many recipes for DIY cat food as there are people making them.

Rather than reproduce any here, here are a few links to recipes you can read up on and decide if you want to use them:

• Beef and Barley Cat Food from Cats Magazine

• 5 Vet-Approved Homemade Cat Foods from Cats.com

• Two Options for Homemade Cat Food from Know Better Pet Food

As you can see, they're all pretty simple and don't require a lot of time, equipment, or expensive ingredients. It's easy enough to change them up to suit your fur baby's needs, too.

DIY Cat Food FAQ

Now, let's cover a few points I didn't have space for in the main post, as well as some questions I've been asked about DIY cat foods.

Is DIY cat food cheaper?

Almost always, yes, but various factors can cause the numbers to not quite line up.

If you're going for gourmet, organic meats and high-tier supplements to make your DIY cat food, it's going to be comparatively more expensive than other kinds of homemade cat food recipes. It can be comparable in expense to the cheaper or even mid-range cat foods you would buy at the store.

On the other hand, if you're normally feeding your cat expensive organic food because they have nutritional sensitivities or other issues, making your own food will pretty much always be cheaper.

If cost is your primary concern, consider keeping track of the price of ingredients and doing the math for yourself. It will probably work out in favor of homemade cat food!

Is DIY cat food better for cats?

If you make it right, yes!

This is one of the biggest issues, though.

Many commercial cat foods are engineered to be nutritionally complete, but they may also have excessive amounts of some nutrients or too much filler.

They might also just not be high quality. A lot of these pet foods tend to use scraps and refuse from other meat processing, so the starting ingredients aren't great, and the added nutrients are of lower quality to avoid being too expensive.

While they keep your cat fed, they might not keep your cat healthy. It's why obesity, kidney issues, and other problems can be common in our furry friends.

When you make your cat food at home, you have full control over the ingredients and can make it as high quality as you want. As long as you make sure you're giving them all of the nutrients they need, you'll be good. I recommend running your recipe by your vet to make sure it has everything your fur baby needs.

Should DIY cat food be different for cats of different ages?

Yes!

Kittens, adult cats, and senior cats all need different nutrition to stay healthy. Kittens need more calories and a different balance of nutrients to stay healthy and grow big and strong. Meanwhile, senior cats are more likely to have health issues that need a dietary adjustment.

The post above is pretty much entirely focused on otherwise healthy (or slightly obese) adult cats. Make sure to talk to your vet about homemade food for kittens or for senior cats with different health needs to guarantee that you're giving them what they need.

As always, if you have any questions about this article, please feel free to let me know! I'd be more than happy to help however I can!

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So, if your cat suddenly yowls while prowling in the grass or stalking something on the wall in another room, and you notice a paw or cheek swelling up, what should you do? Can your cat be allergic to stings? Is it an emergency? Let's talk about it.

Can Your Cat Be Allergic to Bee or Wasp Stings?

I have good news and bad news on this front.

The good news is, it's very rare for cats to be allergic to bee, wasp, and other insect stings. The bad news is, it's not impossible, which means if this is the first time your cat has ever been stung, you need to keep a close eye on them and be ready to bring them to the emergency vet ASAP if something goes wrong.

What are the symptoms of serious allergic reactions?

If your cat is allergic to whatever stung them, they can display serious symptoms, probably right away. Pain and swelling are normal, but serious allergic reactions include symptoms like:

• Weakness or collapsing.

• Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing, as well as panting.

• Hives.

• Vomiting.

• Severe swelling, particularly around the nose, face, and throat.

• Excessive drooling, which can indicate swelling in the throat.

• Seizures, which are an emergency no matter why they occur.

• Diarrhea, which can indicate an internal sting if they ate the bug.

Additionally, some kinds of insect stings are worse than others, and cats can be hypersensitive to some and not others. Knowing what kind of stinging insects are present in your area can help you determine if it's likely to be bad.

If you're worried about stings but your cat hasn't been stung before, consider talking to your vet about emergency antihistamines. You can usually give your cat a bit of Benadryl or another antihistamine as a preventative measure if they've been stung, but you want to make sure you know how much to give them, which can vary depending on their age, size, breed, and any existing health issues.

TL;DR: If your cat has some swelling in an innocuous place like a paw and is generally acting like they're sore but otherwise fine, just keep an eye on them. If they experience any severe or unusual symptoms, it's emergency vet time.

If your cat has ever had a serious allergic reaction to anything – an insect sting, food, or anything else – your vet will probably prescribe an EpiPen to keep on hand for emergencies. Make sure to use it if you see signs of a serious allergic reaction, and then head to the vet ASAP.

What Should You Do if Your Cat is Stung by a Wasp or Bee?

If your cat is stung, you'll want to first review the above and make sure it isn't serious. Beyond that, you can administer first aid. Here's what to do.

Step 0: Vacate the area if necessary

I'm putting this as a brief step zero because it's usually not necessary, but in some cases, it might be. Basically, if you and your fur baby are out exploring the yard, or you're hanging out in the garage, or something of the sort, you might encounter not just one stinging insect but a whole nest of them. If your cat has disturbed a hive insect that goes and brings its pals, it can go from an annoyance to extremely dangerous very quickly. Even cats that aren't allergic to insect stings can suffer extreme consequences if they're stung dozens of times!

So, if you happen to be in a place where you and your cat are at risk of disturbing a whole nest of stinging bugs, grab them and get out of there. Everything else comes after.

Step 1: See if you can recover the insect

Sometimes, whatever stung your cat will still be there. Some bees and wasps have barbed stingers that can stick in place, often with the whole insect still attached. Other times, a tenacious wasp might stick around to try to sting again. They can be surprisingly vindictive!

Locate the site of the sting and check to see if the insect is still there. You can use something like a credit card or other flat object to scrape the insect away (and potentially capture it in a cup if you think you need to) and make sure to check for a stinger left behind as well. If the insect isn't still there, you should still check for the stinger.

Note: don't use tweezers! For much the same reason you shouldn't use them on ticks, tweezers put pressure on the insect and can squeeze more venom or contaminants into your cat. Not only does this make it more painful, it can cause infections.

You don't need to keep the bee or wasp alive or even keep it. It's not really like spiders or snakes, where knowing the exact species can influence treatment or antivenom. It's more just so that if there happen to be extremely bad stinging wasps and less bad ones, you know what to expect.

The main goal is to get it away from you and your cat and out of the house if necessary. I don't really advocate for killing pollinators, but if that's what you need to do to keep yourself and your fur baby safe, so be it.

Step 2: Soothe the sting

Your next goal is to soothe the site of the sting as much as you can.

The biggest challenge here is wrangling your cat. In the initial aftermath of the sting – when it can do the most good – your cat probably won't want to be grabbed and hassled. Instead, you may be better off letting them settle a bit before you try to handle it. On the other hand, some cats will come right to you to make it better, so you never can tell.

There are a few ways you can soothe a bee or wasp sting.

One option is a cool to cold moist towel or washcloth. Cold can help numb and soothe the area, reduce immediate inflammation, and reduce any itching or pain that comes from the site of the sting. A damp, cold towel is the easiest option for a cat, but it can warm up relatively quickly. Ice can be more soothing and last longer, but a severe enough temperature difference can be shocking enough on its own to startle your cat and make them uncomfortable, which won't help.

If they won't sit still for the cold application, another option is to make a thick paste out of a little water and a bunch of baking soda. This is a home remedy with folklore that claims the baking soda can neutralize the venom of an insect sting. There hasn't been any real research to tell if this is true or not, but some people swear by it.

Step 3: Consider the cone

Or, well, not a cone, but an Elizabethan collar or another preventative measure. Since the site of the sting will be irritated, swollen, painful, and potentially itchy, you want to prevent your cat from scratching or biting themselves raw over it. If they're allowed to keep poking at it, they'll end up delaying the healing, which doesn't help anyone.

It depends on how bad the sting is, how reactive your cat is to it, and how effectively it can be soothed through other means. Some cats will just deal with it and will largely leave it alone, but others can't stop poking at it. So, a collar, a shirt, or another protective measure might be necessary.

Step 4: Evaluate if special feeding will be necessary

The two most common places where cats are stung are their paws and their face. This is because cats don't have a whole lot of ways they can interact with the world around them, so they'll paw at, pounce, sniff at, and even bite at things like bees and wasps, at least until they learn how to recognize it. These are also the areas with the thinnest fur; many bees and wasps might not even be able to penetrate through a cat's fur coat for a casual sting. They'd have to really work at it.

If your cat was stung on the face, even if it doesn't swell up in a way that hinders their breathing, it can still make it awkward for them to eat. So, if they have trouble eating (or drinking) due to a swollen cheek, lip, or other part of their face, you may need to hand-feed them for a day or two until the swelling goes down enough that they can eat on their own.

You might also consider adding water to soften up their kibble or dry food. It's not just a way to make it easier for them to eat, either. They may not want to drink as much as they should, so adding water to their food helps keep them hydrated.

Should you give your cat antihistamines?

Above, I mentioned the possibility of giving your cat something like Benadryl to help them deal with the reaction to the sting. Should you do so?

The answer here is probably not unless you have a good reason to do so. For a cat that doesn't have an allergic reaction to a bee sting, the irritation, pain, and swelling are just coming from the toxin, not so much from the histamine reaction. That means that something like Benadryl might help a little because it sedates your fur baby, but it's not going to do much more than that.

The antihistamine is primarily for either buying time to get to the vet in the case of a severe reaction or in the case where they do have an allergic reaction, but it's generally mild. Either way, you should consult with your vet to know whether or not you should give them any, and if so, how much of what.

It's also important to know that different antihistamines work differently, and some of them are dangerous for cats. Pet-friendly antihistamines are medications like chlorpheniramine, but they're generally very slow-acting, so they aren't good for a sudden sting.

Benadryl – diphenhydramine – is generally considered safe for pets, but some can be overly sensitive to it, and they don't need very much. It can cause toxicity, which has a variety of symptoms. Other antihistamines can also be bad for cats. You might also have a form of antihistamine that also includes pain medications or other compounds that can be dangerous.

It's usually best to talk to your vet before administering any medications. If your cat is suffering from a sting in a significant way, your vet can do more than just an antihistamine, too, like giving them IV fluids, corticosteroids, or a stronger medication like epinephrine.

Let it heal

Finally, all you can really do after the initial soothing is let it heal. Whether your cat needs a collar or just a day in a dark room away from annoyances, bee stings generally go away in 1-2 days as long as the symptoms are mild. All your fur baby needs is love, care, and time, as long as nothing dangerous is happening. You can give them that, right?

Fortunately, after a sting, cats often learn what a stinging insect looks like and will be able to avoid going after them again, as rare as they are to get inside in the first place.

As always, if you have any questions about anything I discussed in this article, please feel free to let me know. I always love helping my readers however I can!

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Well, unfortunately, our fur babies don't know English and can't really think in terms of conceptual idioms. You can tell them not to bite the hand that feeds, but when they're riled up, there's a pretty good chance they still will. And, unlike people acting out, cats that bite the hand that feeds are literally biting a literal hand. Ouch!

Cats aren't really trying to hurt you when they bite you, but it can still be painful, especially if they weren't socialized as kittens and don't know how to control their teeth. Obviously, you don't want to get bitten by your kitten, so how do you deal with cat biting? Read on to find out!

Why Cats Bite

First, let's talk about why cats bite in the first place.

Much like dogs, cats don't have a lot of ways they can interact with the world around them. They aren't as outgoing and exploratory as dogs – they aren't going to be putting everything they can in their mouths – but they still have to interact in some way. Biting is one of those behaviors they use to interact with and learn about the world around them.

While we tend to view biting as a negative behavior (because it hurts), it's actually not usually negative; it's neutral or even a little positive. It's an instinctual behavior, and it can come from many causes.

Cat Biting Cause #1: Affection Biting

The first cause for cat biting is actually a sign of affection. It's not really a full-mouth bite but more of a little nip or nibble.

It can happen as a sort of progression from mutual grooming; your cat is cuddling, licks at you a bit, and decides they've found something they want to pick at a bit more and uses their teeth to do it.

Normally, cats do this to each other to help pick away knotted fur or remove parasites from each other, but you probably don't have those. So, what are they biting at? It doesn't have to be much. A bit of body hair, a skin tag, a fingertip.

There's not really much of anything wrong with this kind of biting other than the fact that it can be unpleasant for you if they bite the wrong thing.

A similar and related kind of cat biting is when they're bored. This is a kind of affection biting, but it's because they're seeking affection. They want you to play, so they may start trying to bat at and bite at your hands or feet to get you to give them attention.

Cat Biting Cause #2: Play

This one is most common with cats playing with each other but can occur when you're playing with them. One of the ways cats play with each other is with faux hunting.

One will stalk and pounce on the other, they'll tussle a bit, and separate. Then, the roles reverse, and the hunter becomes the hunted. This kind of back-and-forth play is a good way to teach hunting behaviors and socialization without much risk of issues.

With cat-on-cat playing, as long as they're not yowling and trying to escape, it's all fun and games. Cats are pretty good at letting each other know when enough is enough, and the play session will end before either goes overboard.

If you're playing with your cat, there's a decent chance they'll nip at you while you're engaging with them. Sometimes, it's cause #3 below, but other times, it's just how they interact with you.

Cat Biting Cause #3: Overstimulation

A third and potentially related cause of cat biting is overstimulation. This can occur in two different scenarios.

The first is during cuddling and petting or brushing. You're sitting there idly stroking your cat's fur while they doze or simply enjoy it. Maybe you rub at their face a little, scratch behind their ears, whatever you and they enjoy.

Have you ever been hanging out and generally enjoying yourself, but it starts to get to be too much? Maybe a noise in the background starts to bother you more and more.

Maybe the feeling of a fabric pressed against your skin is starting to chafe. Cats can experience the same sort of thing! It's called overstimulation. They may enjoy you petting them and scratching behind their ears, but if you do it too much, they're going to tip over beyond enjoyment and into irritation.

In this case, they'll probably nip at your hand when you try to keep petting them. This nip is a warning; your cat is saying "please stop" in as polite a way as they can manage.

They'd like to continue sitting near you, but they want you to stop touching them. If you keep on petting them, they'll get more aggravated and will probably just leave.

The other scenario where overstimulation biting occurs is during play. If you're playing with them with your hand – going after their belly, flopping them around, picking them up, and putting them down – they may have enough of it. They'll bat at your hands, maybe kick at you with their hind legs, and eventually escalate into nipping at you.

Some cats do this as part of play, while others use it to signal that they're done with playing and it's time to stop. If you keep aggressively playing with them, they'll get more and more aggressive in return until either you stop or they leave.

Cat Biting Cause #4: Fear

This one is a very different kind of bite. The first two causes are from cats that generally know and trust you and who are just warning you a little bit to settle down. This third cause is from a cat that doesn't know you and doesn't trust you.

Cats may be ferocious hunters, but they're still small, and they're vulnerable to larger predators. As such, they really don't like the feeling of being hunted, cornered, or threatened.

Cats can try to bite if you're cornering them or stalking them, and they feel like they have no way out except through violence.

This is most common with ferals or strays that have not been socialized in a while and can happen a lot when you're trying to TNVR them to make your local environment safer for them.

The less well-socialized a cat is, the more likely they are to feel this way and to bite out of reaction. They'll also swipe at you, hiss at you, spit or snarl at you, and generally make it clear that they don't want you to approach.

Cat Biting Cause #5: Pain

Another major cause of cat biting is pain.

One thing most of us know about cats is that they really don't like showing when they're feeling bad. Showing weakness in the wild is a good way to be singled out by a predator, after all. That means when a cat is in pain, whether it's from an injury, infection, illness, or disease, they're going to do everything they can to hide it.

As a cat parent, you'll hopefully be able to recognize this based on a change in behavior. They'll be more withdrawn, less energetic, have less of an appetite, and likely will hide more. When you notice this, you can bring your furry child to the vet to get them checked out, though coaxing them out so you can take them might be difficult.

If you're still able to interact with your cat while they're in pain, the good news is it's probably not that bad. The bad news is it can seem like a sudden change in attitude or behavior when you touch the wrong spot, and they lash out.

Really, it's not much different from someone poking you when you're in pain and you swatting at them to go away. If you poke a bruise, cut, sensitive patch of skin, or area with internal pain, your cat may react with a bite.

How to Get Your Cat to Stop Biting

The first thing you need to do to get your cat to stop biting is to identify why they're biting in the first place.

Start by asking yourself a question: are they biting on their own initiative, or are they biting out of a reaction?

If your cat is biting on their own initiative, it's usually because they're seeking attention. You can train away this behavior by redirecting biting; when they start to bite at you, redirect them with a toy that they're allowed to bite instead of your appendages.

If your cat is biting out of a reaction – which is going to be the most common cause by far – you need to identify what they're reacting to.

• If they're biting when you touch a certain place, stop touching that place. If they are reacting badly and have other behavioral changes, consider taking them to the vet in case something is wrong.
• If they're biting when you haven't changed what you're doing for a while – like idly petting them while cuddling or watching TV – it's their way of telling you they've had enough of what you're doing, and you should stop.
• If they're biting when you're playing with them, it's probably overstimulation, and it's a sign that you need to dial back on what you're doing to let them calm down a bit before re-engaging. That, or switch to a toy that they can bite without causing you problems.

If you can recognize that the reason they're biting is because of something you're doing, it's easy enough to stop doing whatever that is.

The biggest exception is if you're trying to corner them to, say, take them to the vet, which is really the wrong approach in the first place.

The vet should be a relatively pleasant experience if you can make it one, such as by helping your cat be more comfortable with their carrier so it's not a sign of an unpleasant time.

Cat Biting FAQ

Let's wrap things up with a few questions you might have. If I haven't answered your question, feel free to ask in the comments!

Is cat biting normal?

It sure is! Cats don't have a lot of options when it comes to play, fighting, defensiveness, or interaction with the world around them. It really comes down to body language, noises, paws and claws, and biting. Of course, they're going to use every tool at their disposal, depending on the circumstances.

Is biting a sign that your cat is sick?

It can be. If your cat is sick, they certainly won't want to be touched, but they're more likely to go hide from you than they are to stick around and bite if you try to pet them. Sometimes, though, they can have an injury that doesn't cause them active pain, but they'll bite if you touch it and it hurts.

Reactionary biting out of nowhere can be a sign that something vet-worthy is happening, though, so keep it in mind when and call your vet if it happens for seemingly no reason.

Can you train cats to stop biting?

Yup! Much like any form of animal training, and especially cat training, it's all about redirecting their behaviors into something you prefer while rewarding them for doing what you want rather than what you don't.

If your cat is very young – such as within their first six to twelve months of age – they will probably be more bitey than older cats. When that's the case, they may grow out of it as they get older, and training might not even be necessary.

Is there anything to avoid when training a cat to stop biting?

There is, yes. The biggest thing you need to avoid is punishment. If you do something like swat at your cat when they bite, they may respond with more aggression, or they might feel like it's more play and will escalate, depending on the situation. Either way, it results in more biting, not less. Even things like punishment by removing something aren't necessarily going to teach them not to bite.

Is there anything else I didn't cover? If so, let me know!

The idea that they're natural enemies has a foundation in reality, though, so it's something you need to know and account for when you're introducing the two.

If you have a household with established cats, and you want to bring a new puppy into the fold, you need to do so very carefully. If your cats get the wrong first impression, it can set the tone for their whole relationship, and the last thing you want is antagonism between your beloved furry children.

So, let's talk about what you need to do to successfully introduce a new puppy to your cats!

Why Cats and Dogs Don't Get Along

Cartoons may have you believe that cats and dogs do nothing but fight, but there are also plenty of adorable photos showing the exact opposite, and that copacetic relationship is what you really want.

But why is it that cats and dogs so often don't get along? Well, it comes down almost entirely to behaviors.

The dog prey drive.

For example, dogs have an engrained prey drive instinct. This is the same instinct that compels dogs to play fetch, chase squirrels, and – in the case of herding breeds – round up livestock or even people.

So, when they see something smaller than them, like a cat, they're likely to try to chase it around. For a cat, of course, that's incredibly stressful and terrifying; they feel like they're being, well, chased and hunted.

Even if the dog doesn't do anything to them but say hi, lick, or play when they catch them, the cat is likely going to be very stressed about the whole process.

Dogs are also usually larger than cats, so it's a lot easier for the cat to feel threatened by them, even if the adorable doggo is just a huge puppy.

Body language of cats and dogs.

There are also fundamental differences in body language. In a dog, wagging a tail is a sign of happiness; for a cat, a swishing tail is a sign of agitation and irritation. So, a dog seeing a cat's tail swishing around might interpret it as a time to play and be social, while the cat just wants to be left alone.

Eye contact is also a big one. Cats lock eyes and stare when they're afraid or hunting; dogs lock eyes and watch when they're having a good time. Cats that are comfortable and happy tend to do long blinks and look away; dogs don't.

When you're bringing a dog into an established cat household, it's also important to realize that this feels like an intrusion on their territory.

Cats are pretty territorial and like to lay claim to their areas, and when a dog is added to the mix, it's another animal – another predator – taking over some of their space.

Depending on how defensive your cats are, this can be a huge source of stress and defensiveness.

How to Introduce a Puppy to Established Cats

If you want to bring a new puppy into a household with established cats, you need to go about things the right way.

Otherwise, you're going to have a lifetime of stress, fighting, and vigilance to make sure they don't hurt one another. Fortunately, this isn't uncommon, and introducing the dog as a puppy is the best option.

It's even better if you can have the cats socialized with dogs when they're kittens, but that's not always possible.

So, how do you go about the process?

Laying the groundwork for cats and dogs to coexist.

The first thing you need to do is make sure your cats have a lot of freedom they can use to escape the dog. Cats, when they're stressed and have had enough, prefer to retreat and hide to chill.

If they don't have a place they can go to relax and feel safe, they'll get more and more stressed until they lash out.

First, make sure there's a room where your cats can access, but your puppy isn't allowed. This might be a bathroom, a bedroom, or even a closet, but it needs to be a hiding place the dog can't get into so the cats can feel safe there.

Make sure they have the essentials in that room, including a litter box, food and water, toys, and a scratching post. This ideally won't be a permanent arrangement, but you definitely need it as long as your animals aren't comfortable with each other yet.

It might also be a good idea to set up some high perches and shelves where your cat can retreat to and your puppy can't.

Cats also like high places, and they can provide a bit of sanctuary from a rambunctious and energetic puppy, as well as a place your cat can go to watch this new creature without having to fully hide.

And, of course, remember that you're going to have to supervise every interaction between your new puppy and your cats for at least the next few weeks, if not months, until you're sure they're on good terms with each other.

Start with a barrier.

Just like when you're introducing two cats to each other, introducing a puppy to cats means you're going to need to keep them separate. You can't just bring a new puppy into the house, let them run wild, and expect things to work out.

Generally, you will want to designate one room or space for your puppy to be their sanctuary room, just like your cats have one. This is where your puppy will be confined outside of times when you take them on walks, to the vet, and for puppy training.

This will likely last for at least 3-4 days, and more likely for a week, depending on how the animals react to knowing each other is there.

To help foster some faint interactions, feed them on opposite sides of the same door, where they can smell and hear each other but not interact with each other. This helps them get used to the presence of the other animal in small doses.

Train your puppy early.

Speaking of puppy training, you definitely want to be working on the basic commands ASAP. In particular, you need them to be able to obey commands like "sit," "stay," "come," and "leave it" so that you can control them when they're interacting with your cats.

If you notice your puppy is harassing your cats and your cats aren't enjoying it, you need to be able to separate them, and a command is the easiest way to do so.

Start face to face meetings.

Once your critters are more comfortable with one another on the other side of a door, you can start to let them meet face-to-face.

It's best to avoid using either one of their sanctuary rooms for this, though some people prefer to set up something like a baby gate to keep the dog in theirs while the cats can see them.

Another option is to put your puppy in a harness and on their leash, and hold them by you while you allow the cats to roam as they want.

They'll likely be skeptical and skittish, but when they realize the dog can't chase them down or go after them, they'll feel a bit better exploring and watching from a distance.

For your part, this is where you really want to have managed some level of obedience training. If you can keep your pupper calm at your side, despite their instincts to go say hi to the new friends, it helps keep the cats calmer and friendlier.

Generally, you want to keep these meetings pretty short. It also helps if you have a friend or family member who can help supervise the cats, as well.

Finally, you want to have treats for both creatures on hand. Treats will help keep your puppy calmer and distracted from staring at the cats, and treats for the cats can help teach them that they're safe to eat and enjoy space and time despite the puppy being there.

If either side exhibits aggression, make sure to redirect that aggression, usually with a treat or a toy. It's all part of animal training, using positive reinforcement to distract away from problematic behaviors and reinforce better behaviors.

Progress to more unfettered social time.

Once your cats and your dog are more comfortable with each other's presence in the same room, you can start letting your puppy off their leash and allowing the two to interact.

You want the leash still attached, so you can stop them if a problem occurs, but ideally that won't happen.

If all goes well, you can continue to perform these meetings for longer and longer amounts of time until there's no need to keep supervising them.

If there's a squabble or a problem, you'll need to dial back and spend a bit more time on socialization.

It's still a good idea to keep the fuzzy babies separated when you aren't there to supervise, at least until you're sure they get along, so no problems happen when you're not available to redirect.

Puppy and Cat Introduction FAQ

Let's wrap things up with some common questions you might have.

Why do cats and dogs not get along?

It's mostly a matter of body language, honestly! Cats and dogs have similar body shapes and similar actions, but they interpret those actions in almost completely opposite ways, so when a cat is signaling, "Don't come close, I don't want to deal with you," your puppy reads it as "Come play with me!" and when your puppy is staring at the new friend in excitement and playfulness, your cat reads it as aggressive and hunting behavior.

Once your furry friends are familiar with each other, they get to know how to deal with these things, but the socialization process takes time.

How long does it take to socialize a puppy with cats?

This can depend a lot on the personalities of both the puppy and the cats. Some cats don't care much and take to any new friend almost immediately.

Others are very standoffish and will be defensive for a long time. Expect at least a month or two of socialization before you can let them be, and possibly more.

One thing to be aware of is that if you have cats that were strays or have had bad experiences with dogs in the past, it's going to be even harder to socialize them.

It should be possible, just time-consuming, so know what you're getting into before you sign the paperwork to adopt the puppy. There's nothing worse for the puppy or the people than having to surrender a puppy back to a shelter when they don't fit in with your existing household.

Does the breed of the puppy matter?

A little, but not as much as you might think. Different dogs of the same breed can have very different personalities, after all.

Dogs with more of a prey drive will have a harder time with initial socialization, and dogs with high energy levels will be more difficult for a cat to get used to. Larger puppies can present more of a challenge to cats as well, though small breed dogs can be more defensive.

Every dog presents their own challenges, though, so don't assume a rigid schedule is going to work. Adapt to the interactions you see!

What should you watch out for?

The biggest is when one animal bullies the other. We usually think of dogs as the dominant in these relationships because they're larger, but cats can be aggressive enough to counteract that and harass the puppy into submission.

Unfortunately, this stresses out the puppy and can lead to them lashing out when they're larger, which can injure or even kill a cat. Definitely make sure you're an advocate and mediator for both sides so they can't build up this kind of relationship.

You should also make sure that you feed them properly, in ways that they can't steal each other's food. Defensiveness over food is one of the biggest causes of problems between cats and dogs, so make sure to mediate it.

Do you have any other questions that I didn't cover in this article? If so, be sure to let me know in the comments section! I'd be more than happy to help you out.

Let's walk through the five main stages of kitten growth on their way to adulthood, with images to illustrate what they look like.

#1: Fresh, Newborn Kittens

First up, take a look at this image. These are two kittens carefully cradled in a towel, but if you didn't know what they were, you could easily be convinced they were any number of different kinds of animals.

Kittens at this stage of life are extremely vulnerable, which is why mother cats don't leave their side. Their eyes are closed, so they can't see anything around them. Their ears work, but they're folded over, and anyway, a kitten this young – only hours or a few days at most – is unlikely to know what any of those noises it hears mean.

Kittens of this age are completely helpless. They can't move, they can't walk, they generally can't even do more than make noises. They can't keep themselves warm and rely on cuddling with mama to transfer body heat. They're still figuring out how to digest food, and they need help to even eliminate waste.

When kittens are this young, they're spending the vast majority of their time sleeping, growing, and "waking up" to life. They can purr, and they can cry, and they can eat, and that's about it.

This is a very critical time for kittens. Mama needs to be in a comfortable place and attended to to ensure she has her own nutrients to produce milk for the kittens. The kittens seek out milk to eat when they aren't sleeping, and mama keeps them warm, grooms them, helps ensure they can eliminate, and protects them.

If left unattended, kittens of this age are extremely vulnerable and can pass away at any moment. If they get too cold or aren't fed, they can pass, or they can end up with poor growth or health issues as they get older. If you're caring for a kitten of this age – especially if mama didn't make it for one reason or another – you're going to be giving up sleep so you can attend to them because they aren't going to make it through the night on their own without assistance.

The biggest concerns at this stage

Kittens that are only a few hours or a few days old are extremely vulnerable, weak, and still developing. They don't do much more than sleep, externally, but they're very active internally, getting their organs sorted out, strengthening their tiny skeletons, growing muscles, and more.

Kittens at this age are very vulnerable to starvation, dehydration, and the cold. They need active care.

#2: Two-Week-Old Kittens

For number two, take a look at this picture. From one to about three weeks old, kittens are rapidly developing and starting to transform from helpless lumps of fur and hunger into living beings. They're still very dependent on mama, but they aren't quite as helpless. They can move a little and often love to pile together on top of one another in their litter so they can share body heat and enjoy their purring and socialization.

While they're starting to look and act more like kittens, they're still relatively helpless. They can move a little, but they're shaky and stumble around, wobble, and generally aren't confident in themselves. Most of their movement will be crawling around the pile with one another, or maneuvering to seek out mama for some more food. They still need to be eating regularly.

Physically, they're developing more. They're growing in size, though you can still easily hold them in one hand. Their ears are perking up, and they're opening their eyes so they can start to see the world around them.

One striking feature of kittens of this age is that their eyes are a clear, vibrant blue. This is because the cells that produce the pigment that will give them their final eye color aren't active yet and won't be for at least the first six or so weeks of the life of the kitten. As they age, their true eye color will fade in, and you'll be able to tell what kind of eyes they have by the time they're about two months old.

It can be pretty fun interacting with kittens of this age, as long as you're very careful and have permission from mama. Mama will be very defensive if she doesn't trust you, and with good reason: her babies still need her. But, the kittens are able to start wandering by the time they're two weeks and change, and while they're very wobbly, they may happily wobble their little ways over to you, especially if you're warm.

In some cases, if mama trusts you a lot, she may bring her babies to you for warmth and protection while she gets a spare moment to herself. It's quite adorable when it happens, but of course, you're then stuck being mama and protecting these kittens for however long you get to be their nest.

At this age, kittens can knead, though they can't really control their claws, so there's a bit of risk in letting them knead on your tender flesh. They will also hiss – or try to hiss, anyway – at anything unfamiliar and scary. You may notice that some kittens hiss more than others; the ones who don't hiss as much may just turn out to be the brave troublemakers of the family.

The biggest concerns at this stage

At this stage of development, the biggest concerns are feeding and getting into trouble. As kittens get more mobile but are still not very confident, they can run the risk of getting into places they shouldn't or trying to eat things they shouldn't. Most of the time, while they still need some active care, they'll stick close to mama – and mama will keep them close – so they'll be a little safer.

#3: Month-Old Kittens

Next up, we have an image like this, along with billions of other kitten pictures on the internet.

By the time a kitten is around a month old, they're starting to reach the point where they're active and developing their personalities. They're going to be more confident on their feet and won't have that kitten wobble. They won't exactly be jumping up on the couch, but they know their claws can help them climb, so they'll happily try to make their way up the furniture, the curtains, nearby pants, and other surfaces they can hook into.

They're also developing their voices more, their eyes are starting to turn the colors they'll be as adults, and they're going to be more curious. You can start to play with them with toys, they'll start to learn to pounce and play with each other, and they'll be learning behaviors from their mama like grooming.

At this age, you can start giving the kittens some "solid" food – that is, wet food. They still can't eat dry food, and their teeth are only just starting to come in, so they can't crunch through the harder kibble you give mama.

This is also when you can start providing a litter box for the kittens to use. They might not know what to do right away, but litter training should be done as early as feasible to engrain the habits in the cats as they age.

While caring for kittens at this age is no longer about around-the-clock care and feeding, it's still important to spend time and effort on it. This is the most important time for kitten socialization, with each other and with you. You want kittens to be accepting and sociable with other cats and with humans so they don't end up scaredy-cats. You'll get to see them develop their own personalities and preferences and can adapt your training to their little kitten minds.

The biggest concerns at this stage

At this point, kittens are starting to get rambunctious but don't have a good awareness of danger. They are also going to be vulnerable to illnesses. A surprising number of kittens at this age end up falling ill or ending up with an injury because they tried a jump they couldn't handle or a fellow littermate caught a claw in the wrong place at the wrong time. I've seen a few kittens lose eyes at this age, though they adapt quickly, and it doesn't seem to hinder their development all that much as they go.

#4: 1–3-Month-Old Kittens

After your kitten has reached a month old, they'll look a lot like this. They may be a little gangly, and they're rapidly growing during this period as they age into their adult size. They may look a little scruffy as their fur smooths out, and they'll definitely have a lot more energy and curiosity.

At this age, they can control their claws, they'll be working on finishing teething as their molars come in, and their mama will probably stop feeding them. This is when you transition to full wet food (and make sure to seek out a kitten formula to make sure they get all of their nutrients) and work more on litter training. You want to avoid dehydration, constipation, and other distress as much as possible.

Around six weeks is when you should start getting vaccines for your kittens. Vet trips to check up have been regular up to this point, so you should have a lot of guidance on how to proceed.

The biggest concerns at this stage

Curiosity can get the best of a kitten at this stage, and they can get into a lot of trouble. Most professional fosters set aside a dedicated kitten room with plenty of enrichment and, critically, nothing they can chew on or dig into that will hurt them. Illness is also a concern, which is why vaccinations are important.

#5: Full Kittenhood

At this point, kittens have aged into full cats. They aren't full sized yet, and they have a lot more energy than their older brethren, but they're still essentially cats. You can transition them fully to wet food and start introducing semi-dry food. You can work on more training, socialization, and more health checkups.

This is also around the age when foster kittens can start to be adopted. Unless kittens were born in your care, or you're a worker at a shelter or care facility, you probably won't encounter the earlier stages of kitten very often.

These are some of the most fun, rambunctious, playful, and entertaining cats you can encounter. They're also prone to getting into trouble, figuring out how to stake their territory, developing a social hierarchy amongst their litter or other household cats, and figuring out precisely how much respect they should be giving you. Training is in full force now, so make the most of it.

The biggest concerns at this stage

At this point, you need to do things like check for parasites, intercede in more serious cat fights, and get your fur babies fixed to prevent hormonal problems and unwanted additional kittens. Other than that, it's all about caring for them as you would any other cat.

Kitten Development FAQ

Time for some frequently asked questions!

How can you tell how old a kitten is?

Other than some signs, like their eyes being closed or blue, their ears being folded, or the confidence in their walk, it's a sliding scale. A kitten with slightly stunted growth might appear younger than it is. Of course, if you're encountering such a kitten and you don't know a specific age, it also kind of doesn't matter; you just need to get them the care they require to succeed in life.

When can you give kittens food?

Kittens start to wean off of their mother's milk around 3-4 weeks of age, and you can start supplementing their diet with some kitten-formulated wet food. After that, around two months is when you can start giving them semi-wet and dry food.

When should you vaccinate kittens?

Kitten vaccines start around 6-8 weeks old, though different vaccines have different schedules. Talk to your vet about a specific schedule and stick to it, and it will be easy to handle.

Do you have any other questions? Feel free to ask me below!

For longer trips, though, cats need to be cared for. You might be able to leave your fur baby with a friend or family member for a few weeks or months while you travel, but sometimes, that option just isn't available. If you're going abroad for a significant length of time – teaching ESL in another country, moving for a job, caring for family in another nation for an extended time, or whatever other reason brings you across the border – you may want to figure out how to bring your cat.

If you're looking for the same sort of information but for your dog instead, check out this guide I wrote. While a lot of the information is the same across both of these, there are some unique peculiarities between species you'll want to know.

Can You Travel Internationally with Your Cat?

This is a surprisingly tricky question to answer. The fact is, every country in the world is able to set its own rules and laws. Some of them don't let you travel to them at all, some prohibit bringing pets of any sort into the country, some have restrictions on the types and breeds of pets you can bring in, and some are completely open to any companion you're taking with you.

It's also important to keep in mind that coming back to the USA has its own requirements. Most of the time, if you have everything you need to travel out of the country, you'll have everything you need to come back, but you should still take the time to double-check before your return trip.

Can You Travel to Another Country with a FIV+ Cat?

FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus, is generally more well-controlled than some other pet-borne diseases like rabies. As such, most countries don't restrict cats with FIV. You'll need to have an appropriate health certificate, vaccination records, and possibly lab test results, but you won't be outright prohibited, at least as far as I know. If you know of a country that does prohibit FIV+ cats, let me know in the comments!

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that FIV makes your cat more susceptible to infections and diseases, and when you travel, you risk picking up something that isn't local to you (obviously). The stress of a flight, the need to be shipped along with other animals, and the new germ profile of wherever you land might put your fur baby at risk. It's often a good idea to find a place for your FIV+ kitty to live back home while you travel, as much as you might want to bring them with you.

How Do You Find the Rules for International Travel with a Cat?

Every country is allowed to set its own rules for importing pets, which means you need to be able to find those rules so you can follow them. For example, you may need a valid international pet health certificate, you may need to apply to bring your cat with you in advance, and there may be specific limitations on certain kinds of pets. With cats, you're probably fine as far as breed restrictions go, though you may have issues if you have an exotic breed like a serval, caracal, or other larger semi-wild cat breeds. Dogs tend to have more breed-based travel restrictions than cats.

There are a few ways you can find the information necessary to travel with your cat to another country. One of the easiest is to find that country's embassy information. Most countries have a foreign embassy in Washington D.C. and have information on contacting them that is publicly available on this page. By calling, emailing, or otherwise reaching out to them, you can learn their restrictions on pets.

Another option is to visit the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service page, which lists various countries and their pet travel requirements. There are also frequently websites for those individual country governments you can check as well.

What if you're traveling to multiple countries in a single trip?

If you plan to, for example, fly into a country in Southeast Asia and then travel throughout the region from country to country, staying in different places for just a month or two at a time, then you'll have to contend with a wide range of different regulations.

If you're traveling to one country and back, you only need to know that country's restrictions. If you're traveling between foreign nations before returning home, you'll need to know the restrictions on each nation. You don't want to get halfway through a trip and find one particular country that prohibits your cat from entering, right?

Sometimes, this is easy. The European Union largely has one set of codified rules for most of its member nations. Other countries stipulate their own rules, and it can be a mess to deal with. You also might have different restrictions depending on whether you're driving across the borders with your cat or flying internationally with your cat.

What Information and Supplies Do You Need to Travel Internationally with Your Cat?

There's a lot you'll need before you can travel to another country with your cat.

Get a USDA-Endorsed pet health certificate.

A pet health certificate is just a piece of paperwork that says your pet is in good health and is up to date on their vaccinations. Most of the time, your vet can give you this certificate quickly and easily.

A USDA-endorsed pet health certificate is a little more complicated. It's the same paperwork, but you can only get it from a USDA-endorsed veterinarian. It generally costs a fee to get your certificate endorsed. This certificate is frequently required as an internationally-recognized standard for validation.

Obviously, your cat needs to be in good health and updated on their vaccinations in order to get this certificate. The last thing you want is to commit an international crime by lying about your cat's health! Rabies vaccinations are extra important in particular, so make sure your cat is boosted as necessary before you travel.

The USDA has a whole page dedicated to this paperwork and an office you can call to ask any questions you may have, so check it out here.

Some places have alternative options you can investigate. For example, the EU has a Pet Passport system. It's rather similar to the USDA health certificate but is broadly recognized and available throughout the EU. If your trip involves numerous EU countries, getting one of these pet passports might be a good idea.

Get an ISO-certified microchip.

The International Organization for Standardization is the global organization responsible for setting standards for all sorts of things, including technology. Two standards – ISO 11784 and ISO 11785 – are relevant to microchips for pets. They outline things like how the chip needs to be made, and what kind of data, in what formats, it should contain.

You don't need to know what the standards are, but you probably do need to make sure your cat has an ISO-certified microchip. That way, if the worst happens and your fur baby escapes while you're traveling, local vets can scan for a valid chip with information they can read and can find you. Obviously, make sure it has relevant information on it that the vet can use to contact you.

There are a lot of quirks to how microchip numbers and standards are handled, and what databases they connect to, so you might want to familiarize yourself with them, or at least the type and brand of chip your cat has, before you travel.

Check applications, approvals, and timelines.

Some countries essentially let you bring a cat along and just review your documentation at customs. Others require advance approval and an application process you need to have submitted well in advance. This process can take months, so make sure you do your research well in advance of when you're planning to bring your cat to the country with you and have all of your paperwork squared away.

Are There Other Details to Know About Traveling Internationally with Your Cat?

Of course. There will always be more details, so I'll cover everything I can to try to help you travel more smoothly.

Make sure to scout your accommodations ahead of time. With dogs, you have to worry about things like dog parks nearby, how dog-friendly the local establishments are, and so on. Cats don't have the same needs, but you do need to make sure any place you're staying, for short term or long term, allows your cat. You don't want to show up at a hotel, condo, or apartment only to find your cat isn't allowed, right?

Have your accessories ready to go. There's a lot you might want to make sure you have to make travel a smoother experience.

• A sturdy, breathable carrier for your cat while they're being moved throughout airports, planes, and accommodations.
• A collar that is easy to remove for airport security if necessary and reliable enough to stay in place around an anxious kitty.
• A harness, for times when your cat needs to be out of the carrier but still controlled. Make sure you spend some time getting them used to it in advance!
• Folding or collapsible bowls for food and water. Especially for very long flights, you'll probably need to give your fur baby some nourishment.
• A portable litter box and sealable bags. You may not be able to dispose of your cat's waste on a plane, so some backup to secure it without making the flight unpleasant for everyone is a good idea.

Consider the availability of food and medicine. This is especially relevant if your cat is on a special diet for health reasons; you may not be able to find the right kinds of foods or even certain medications where you're traveling. Unfortunately, some places around the world don't give as much consideration or care to cats. You might also want to make sure you have a vet lined up in advance in case something happens. You want to know where to go in an emergency, after all.

Pay attention to the flight planning itself. I have a whole guide on flying with a cat, so check that out and plan ahead. Chances are, if your cat is too big, if you have more than one cat, or if you're on certain airlines, you may not be allowed to bring your cat with you in the cabin, and they may need to fly cargo. Make sure you're planning ahead!

One detail is that some vets might recommend anxiety medications before a flight, especially if it's a longer flight. However, some airlines might prohibit sedating or medicating a pet before a flight because it can become a health risk. Double-check the details.

Give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new environs. Cats are creatures of routine, habit, and stability. Once you arrive at your destination, they will probably find the smallest, darkest space they can to hide in for a while until they feel more comfortable. It can take them days or even weeks to get used to their new home, so make sure to give them that space and time.

If all goes well, you'll have a comforting friend in a new living situation, and you'll only need to repeat the process when you return. Hopefully, all goes well for you! If you have additional advice or perspective, or if you have questions I missed, let me know in the comments as well.

Cat grass is actually a treat for cats, but there's a lot to know about it, so let's give it a look!

What is Cat Grass?

Surprisingly enough, cat grass is exactly what it sounds like: it's grass. For cats!

No, seriously, that's pretty much all it is. There are a handful of different species of grass that have all been branded "cat grass" because it's not a species of grass; it's a category of product.

What makes it different from the grass you have outside? A lot of things, actually.

• The species. I said there are a handful of species of grass labeled cat grass, but the grass you have in your yard will probably be a different variety of grass, which is also probably quite regional to where you live.
• The consistency. Cat grass is a single pot with a single kind of grass in it. A yard is going to have a bunch of different kinds of plants, from clovers to flowers to weeds, and you never know what's safe and what isn't in that mix.
• The cleanliness. Cat grass grown on your own can be carefully controlled for what you put on it. Cat grass from a store likely only used some mild fertilizer, if anything, and is free from harmful pesticides and chemicals that your cat could ingest if they eat grass outside. Oops; spoilers for the purpose of cat grass there.

Cat grass is meant to be a safe way for a cat to indulge in certain urges, while getting some health benefits at the same time.

What Species is Cat Grass?

Cat grass can technically be any species of grass grown for use as a cat treat. Cat grass growers generally pick one of a few common grass species, however.

These species include:

• Arrhenatherum elatius, the oatgrass.
• Hordeum vulgare, the barley grass.
• Triticum aestivum, the wheatgrass.
• Lolium perenne, the ryegrass.

Sometimes, a packet of cat grass seeds might be a mixture of some or all of these rather than just one.

These are all generally known to be safe for cats to consume, and they're relatively fast and easy to grow without having to set up special care conditions. Cat grass can grow just fine with consistent watering and some light from a window, and you don't need much more than that.

What is Cat Grass Used For?

I already spoiled it up above, but it's basically just a treat for cats.

If you're wondering why grass, a plant, can be a treat for obligate carnivores (that is, meat-eaters), it's not actually something we know. There are some theories, though.

The biggest is just that cats were formerly wild animals, and wild animals need to stalk, hunt, and kill their prey to survive. Whether it's a lion hunting a wildebeest in the African savannahs or your neighbor's feral cat colony hunting the local population of songbirds, they pounce, they kill, and they eat what they kill.

Sometimes, a cat will take their prey back to where they live, to feed kittens (or to try to teach you how to hunt.) Other times, they just eat where they sit, if they feel comfortable enough in their position to do so.

Well, while a cat is chowing down on their prey right there in the grasslands or the yard, they aren't exactly being cautious with it. They're probably getting bits of grass in those bites, along with the meat of the creature they caught.

Over time, cats developed the habit of eating more grass after they ate their prey. As it turns out, evolutionarily speaking, cats that ate grass alongside their meals had less digestive upset, had an easier time coughing up hairballs and passing the little bones and hair and feathers caught in their systems, and were generally healthier. So, cats that ate grass passed that habit along, and now most cats have that urge to get a little grass in their diets.

What Are the Benefits of Cat Grass for Cats?

I already kind of mentioned some of these in that last paragraph, but let's go over them in a bit more detail.

Cat grass helps with digestion. This is especially true for cats that eat rodents or birds, because they're going to end up eating things like fur, feathers, and small bones that will otherwise mess with their digestive systems and need to be expelled. Cat grass helps handle these without causing more problems down the line.

Cat grass provides dietary fiber. Fiber is great for helping your fur baby absorb more water when they drink and for helping smooth out digestion in other ways. It's also very helpful for cats that are sick or have diarrhea, as it can help pull water out of their intestines and firm up their stool.

Cat grass contains trace vitamins and minerals. A variety of nutrients cats can use, including folic acid, vitamins A and D, and a handful of trace minerals, are all present in cat grass. Your cat can get what they need from the food you give them, but wild cats get some of it from grass as well, and the instinct to consume grass will stay even if your cat has robust food at home.

Cat grass can help soothe the stomach. Grass can also help steady your fur baby's stomach when they're eating, especially if they ate too fast and now they've got some tummy rumbles bothering them.

Cat grass might potentially help ease pain. Chlorophyll, the thing that makes plants green, has some antibiotic, anti-pain, and anti-inflammation properties. It's nowhere near strong enough to replace modern medicine, but it's something that can help a cat that just isn't feeling quite comfortable.

There's also some thinking that if a cat has internal parasites in the digestive system, like a tapeworm, the grass can actually wrap around and pull out that parasite. Again, it's not as valuable as an actual antiparasitic medication, but it's not nothing.

Other than the dietary and health benefits, there are a few behavioral benefits. Finding, playing with, and chewing on cat grass can be an enrichment activity, especially if you move where you keep the grass. Some people find that cats who eat cat grass have better breath. And, of course, if your cat is busy chewing on cat grass, they aren't eating the plants you want to keep around.

Is Cat Grass Safe for Cats?

Now we get to the biggest question: is cat grass even safe? After all, cats are prone to chew on all kinds of plants, including plants like the toxic houseplants I listed in this guide. So, if your cat can't instinctively know when a plant is safe or not, how do you know cat grass is safe?

Fortunately, the answer is yes.

Cat grass is a selection of grasses specifically chosen because they're fast-growing, hearty, can survive being chewed on, and are safe for cats to eat. It's a lot safer than any random house plants or, worse, the grass in your yard, which could have all sorts of chemicals on it, and you'd never know.

Just make sure to get your cat grass from a trustworthy source, or grow your own. It's quite easy to grow, even.

Are There Side Effects of Cat Grass?

Not really! If your cat eats way too much grass, then they might throw up some of it, but that's basically the worst that can happen.

How Can You Grow Your Own Cat Grass?

If you don't want to keep buying cat grass every few weeks when the current batch has been eaten down and dies, you'll want to get in the habit of growing your own. Fortunately, it's very simple. All you need is:

• Small pots, preferably durable, resilient pots that won't break if your cat knocks over a pot. Some people like heavy pots that can't be tipped over, and others resign themselves to cleaning up spilled dirt on occasion. It's up to you.
• Cat grass seeds, which can be bought at nearly any nursery or at any greenhouse online.
• Dirt. A generic seed starting blend is all you need, and you can buy large sacks of it for cheap.
• A spray bottle and a small watering can.
• A good source of light. If you don't have a convenient window to grow your cat grass, you'll want to invest in a small grow light.

To grow cat grass, fill a pot with soil and scatter some grass seeds across it. You don't need a ton, but you want enough to make the pot somewhat dense with plants. Cover the seeds in another quarter inch of soil and water it thoroughly. After this, keep the soil damp but not saturated. The seeds should sprout in around 3-7 days.

After that point, make sure they get bright light, and keep them misted with a spray bottle. Once the grass is around four inches tall, you can start giving it to your cat. Start new pots every couple of weeks, so you always have one ready to go; cat grass lasts for about two weeks before your cat will either have eaten it down or it will die back on its own.

Alternatively, you can check out some of our products:

• Cat Grass Growing Kit
• Cat Grass Growing Kit Plus
• Cat Grass Growing Kit Ultimate

These kits give you everything you need to grow grass, including pots, substrate, seeds, and a spray bottle, as well as instructions on how to grow the grass and when to give it to your fur baby. We make it easy for you!

Cat Grass FAQs

Now, let's answer some of the more common questions I've seen about cat grass. If you have one that I didn't cover above, feel free to ask it in the comments, and I'll get back to you!

Are cat grass and catnip the same thing?

Not at all! Catnip is distantly related to mint and contains a chemical called nepetalactone, which is the one that drives cats wild if they're receptive to it. I have a whole guide to catnip here if you're interested in learning more. Cat grass, meanwhile, is a cereal grain plant when it's still young. Wheat, barley, rye, and oats are all cat grasses. If those plants survived long enough to seed, you'd be able to harvest those grains!

Are there different kinds of cat grass?

Yes and no. While there are different species of grasses that are called cat grass, they're all more or less the same kind of thing. All cat grasses are cereal grain plants when they're young and tender enough for a cat to enjoy taking a nibble.

Is cat grass safe to give your cats?

Yes, assuming it's actually cat grass. This is why you need to buy it from a reputable seller or grow your own. If you're buying from someone you don't know or trust, you never know if the plants you grow are actually cat grass or if they're something else that could potentially be toxic.

Additionally, you need to make sure you aren't just letting your cat out to chew on your yard. You never know what kinds of parasites, insects, chemicals, or poisons in the soil can seep into or linger on the plants in your yard, and they can make your fur baby sick. Stick with controlled grass indoors, please!

Will cat grass help prevent your cats from chewing on other plants?

Possibly! Your cat is going to explore and chew on whatever they want, so the goal is to make sure the cat grass is easier and more accessible to them whenever they want to chew on some greenery. If they can wander to their favorite sunny windowsill and find some cat grass, they're a lot more likely to be content with it when the alternative is breaking into a closed room and finding a high shelf with your other plants.

Did I miss any questions you may have about cat grass? If so, be sure to leave a comment down below, and I'll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible!

Try as we might, it's so often difficult to fully subdue the unpleasant odors that come with the litterbox. Fortunately, there are a few things you can try that you may not have thought of before, and might help do the job.

#1: Change the Litter

First up is the simplest possible solution: just go change the litter! When a litter box smells bad, it's a good indication that it's time to change it. Usually, you should be changing the litter in your cat's litter box at least twice a week. If you have more than one cat and they often use the same box, you'll need to change it even more often. (Of course, if you have more than one cat, you should have more than one litter box, too.)

Some litters, especially the clumping style, are meant to be scoopable to avoid litter waste. Instead of dumping out the whole box, you scoop the clumped-up nastiness, discard it, and then change the full thing every few weeks. If you use this kind of litter and your box still smells, it's definitely time to clean it out. In fact, you probably want to fully wash and sanitize the box as well as change the litter. It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it!

#2: Change the Litter

No, you're not experiencing déjà vu; this is the same headline. But, this time, I mean change the type of litter you're using. You might go from clumping to crystals, or from a natural sawdust or newspaper-style litter to clay litter, or something else. Check out my post, Clumps or Crystals: Which Cat Litter Type Works Best, for more information on the different kinds of litter.

There are generally two reasons why your litter might have poor odor control. One is that some kinds of litter just aren't meant for that. People use these kinds of litter more for the safety, ethics, or environmental concerns and to deal with the odor. But, if you can't handle the odor, you might need to switch to a litter with better odor control.

The other is if the litter is unpleasant for your fur baby in some way, and they're actually going outside or at the edge of the litter box. The odor might be coming from the outside or underneath the litter box, not inside it, but it can be hard to tell.

Either way, changing the type of litter you use might be a good solution.

#3: Put the Litter Box in an Enclosure

Another option is to put your litter box in some kind of enclosure. Litter boxes with lids, flaps, or even a simple curtain can serve two purposes. First, they help isolate the litter box from the rest of your house so the odors don't spread. Second, they help keep the litter box out of sight. Some people find it intensely unpleasant to see a litter box, so this can help.

This is another topic I've written about. Check out 5 Clever Ideas to Hide Your Cat's Litter Box in an Enclosure for more information.

Keep in mind that some cats really don't like having their litter box hidden in an enclosed space. They're comfortable in a small space, but they aren't comfortable with the enclosed smells, so this can increase the chance of litter issues if you don't keep it clean.

#4: Put the Litter Box in a Better Location

If you have the option, you might want to try putting the litter box in a different location. I know this isn't always possible if you live in a small apartment or small home, but if you have the space, finding a better place for it is a good option.

What is the right location? Generally, you want a well-ventilated location that is away from the living and dining spaces in your home. This way you aren't dealing with odors where you spend your time or where you cook and eat. Ventilation is especially important because it helps keep those odors from building up and concentrating.

If you have the opportunity, keeping a window cracked nearby or even installing a vent fan similar to a bathroom fan can help a lot.

#5: Change Your Cat's Diet

We are what we eat. Cat poo and cat pee both reflect what your fur baby is eating, and if their diet doesn't wholly agree with them, it can have an impact on the odors they leave behind.

Consider talking to your vet about dietary changes, especially if your cat has any health issues that could be affected by a change in diet.

#6: Change the Litter Box Itself

There are two reasons you want to change your litter box.

The first is that litter boxes wear down over time. When you scrub them clean, whatever you use to scrub will abrade the surface. Even if you're just hosing it down and you're not scrubbing it, your cat will dig and scratch to bury their waste, and their little claws can leave scratches on the surface of the box. Many litters can be very mildly abrasive, too, and can damage a box over time.

All of the little scratches and grooves in the box are places where bacteria can grow, and those bacteria cause the worst odors a litter box can produce. So, if your box doesn't seem to get clean and odor-free when you clean it, it might be time for a new one. Usually, the best practice is to get a new box every year.

The second reason is if there's an issue and your cat isn't behaving right in the box. For example, if they splash when they go and pee gets on the edges or over the side of the box, you might want a higher-sided box or a box with a lid. If your cat is larger, you might need a box with more surface area so they have room. Getting a box they find comfortable helps eliminate litter issues and keep odors down.

#7: Consider Toilet Training

Did you know that you can train a cat to use the toilet? It's true! There are "litter boxes" that sit over the toilet seat, so when your cat goes to do their business, it just falls through into the toilet and can be flushed easily.

Just make sure you never flush litter. Since litter is made to absorb liquid, it can very quickly clog up your pipes and cause all kinds of expensive plumbing problems.

This does only work if you have a cat that can take to the training, if you don't mind having to move the contraption when you need to go, and if you aren't bothered by seeing a full toilet when you walk in. It's definitely not a solution for everyone, but it's an option you can try.

#8: Try Outdoor Training

Another training-based option is to train your cat to go outside like a dog. You'll need to supervise them and make sure you have a place for them to go, but they can be trained to think of going outside as going to the litter box.

Just make sure this doesn't transition into just letting your cat go outside unsupervised. Outdoor cats suffer a lot in our world and are at risk from everything from cars to predators to diseases. It's just not healthy for them or for our environment.

#9: Check for Medical Issues

Obviously, no one wants to think that their fur baby is having a hard time. One of the difficult realities of being a cat parent is that cats really don't like to admit when they're feeling bad. They might be a little more standoffish, or they might go and hide themselves away, but it's only in times of real distress that they'll show signs.

That doesn't mean that you can't figure it out, though. You know what they do when they're happy and healthy, so if you notice behavioral changes, it might indicate that they're sick or in pain.

More importantly, litter box behavior and their leavings can be another sign. Extreme odor, diarrhea, and other problems – including missing the litter box entirely – can be signs of an illness or infection. It very well could be worth talking to your vet!

I don't have space here to go over everything, but fortunately, I wrote a whole guide for you to read. Cat Poop Issues: What is Normal, Constipation, Diarrhea, and More. Check it out, and let me know if you have any questions!

Cat Litter Odor Control FAQs

Now, let's answer any of the lingering questions you might have.

Why does cat litter smell so bad?

It's a bunch of different things. First, cat pee is just really intense, and ammonia – one of the primary byproducts of their diet – smells really, really strong and really, really bad to humans. It's just something we're very sensitive to because it's naturally dangerous to us. Think of it as a biological warning to stay away.

Especially foul smells might mean your cat needs a different diet, or you need a different litter, or even that you just need to change the litter more often.

How often should you clean your litter box?

As often as it needs it! If the box smells, clean it.

Depending on the kind of litter you use, you may need to scoop it daily and change it weekly, or scoop it every 2-3 days and change it every 2-3 weeks. Other litters need to be entirely replaced every day or two.

Cleaning the whole box itself should also be done at LEAST monthly, if not weekly. The longer you wait, the worse it will be when you need to clean it, and trust me, you want to make that job easier on yourself.

Should you use a deodorizer?

There are a lot of different products like Febreze and other odor-control sprays and chemicals that can help, but at a cost. The problem is, while they cover up litter box odors for you, the scent of the spray can be very strong and very irritating to your fur baby and might cause them to avoid the litter box. It's usually not worth it, in my experience.

Can baking soda help eliminate litter box odors?

Yes, but it's not necessarily as helpful as you think.

The best thing to do is put a small layer of baking soda in the bottom of the litter box before you fill it with litter. That way, anything that seeps down past the litter can be absorbed and deodorized by the baking soda. This needs to be replaced every time you replace your litter, and it might mean cleaning the box more often.

The other option is to leave an open box of baking soda near the litter box. This is a common technique, and it can work, but it's not necessarily as useful as you might hope. Plus, you risk a mess if your fur baby knocks it over, and if you're in a humid environment, it can absorb moisture from the air and stop working pretty quickly. Still, it might be worth a try.

So, what do you think? Have you tried any of the options above, and if so, how did they work for you? Do you have something to add that I forgot? Let me know in the comments! It's a problem we all have to deal with, after all, so the more we help each other out, the better off we'll all be.

What you don't see is all of the other cats, the ones that scream and cry every second they're in a car, having the most miserable time of their lives. For a good reason, these videos don't make it to the big stage.

No one likes to make their cat suffer, but sometimes, there's just no way around a car trip. Whether it's a quick journey to the vet or a move across the state or country, your poor fur baby is going to be stressed and afraid, right? Or is there a way to train your cat to be more accepting of a car ride?

How to Train a Cat to Enjoy the Car

Some cats enjoy car rides and have a keen sense of adventure already. Most cats, though, need to be trained to enjoy the experience. Fortunately, this is both very possible and not terribly difficult, as long as you do it right. It takes a little while, though, so you need to be training your fur baby well in advance of any trip you need to take.

The first thing you want to do is lay the groundwork with a couple of useful forms of training that will make it easier for your cat to handle a road trip.

Leash and Harness Training for Cats

Start with leash and harness training. Leash and harness training is a critical part of keeping your fur baby safe outside. Cats don't really respond well to a traditional collar leash like a dog might, but a body harness works well, with the caveat that they need to be used to it. Cats that aren't used to something like a harness will think they're being pressed on and will usually just flop over, though some may struggle to escape.

Harness training is best done early, but you can get even an older adult cat used to it with enough time. Once they're comfortable with it, you can be a lot more confident when you need to keep them close while at a rest stop, in a hotel, or just wandering around your vehicle.

Carrier Training for Cats

Once leash training is down, work on carrier training.

Truthfully, many cat parents work on carrier training before harness training, and that's fine, too. It doesn't matter what order you do it in as long as it gets done.

• Start by getting a comfortable, strong, and reliable carrier. There are thousands of options out there, so you can find one that suits your preferences fairly easily.
• Leave the carrier out and open so they can get used to it. Don't try to force them into it; make sure it's a safe location for them.
• Start taking them on short trips with the carrier, such as around the block. It's important that their experiences aren't all terrible trips to the vet!

Once they're aware that the carrier can lead to somewhere fun and enjoyable – and usually has a treat at the end – they'll be a lot more comfortable with it. I know I'm glossing over a lot here, but I have a whole guide to carrier training you can read here.

Car Ride Training for Cats

While you're doing this, you should also do some basic car training. Generally, this starts as an add-on to carrier training, bringing them in their carrier around the block or on a short trip, always with a reward to help keep them happy.

You can gradually expand this to longer trips, trips to the vet, trips to visit friends, and more. The more positive experiences your cat has with the carrier and car, the better.

Travel Litter and Food Training for Cats

Finally, you should do some training for a mobile litter box and feeding mat. You may not need much training for this, or you may want to verify it works.

Basically, for longer trips, you need to have ways to feed your cat and ways for them to relieve themselves. There are travel bowls and travel litter boxes you can use effectively, but you need to have them in advance and get your fur baby used to using them; otherwise, they might not know what they're meant for. Fortunately, this is usually the easiest part of the training process.

Getting Your Trip Planning in Order

Before going on a long road trip with a cat, there are several things you should do to get your affairs in order.

First, bring your fur baby to the vet to make sure they're in good health. Trips, even with a well-trained cat, can be stressful and exacerbate health issues and illness. This can also help you plan how often you'll need to stop, especially if your fur baby has anxiety or an incontinence issue.

Second, ensure they're up to date on their vaccinations, and make sure they're microchipped with the most accurate information. Getting ID tags on a collar is a good idea too. If all goes well, your cat will be by your side for the entire trip. If things go poorly, though, and they get lost, you want as much chance as possible that they're found and you're contacted.

Third, know where you're going to be stopping a long the way, including both pit stops for potty breaks, and pet-friendly hotels to stay in overnight. Some pet-friendly hotels include certain La Quintas and Hilton hotels, but always call to ask ahead of time – the last thing you need is for your overnight stay to be cut off because of your fur baby, and you absolutely can't just leave them in the car overnight.

Fourth, gather all of the relevant items you'll need, including paperwork, medications, toys, grooming items, and so on. It can help to keep an eye on everything you use throughout a given week and add it to a checklist, as well as certain essentials like paperwork.

Extra Tips for a Smooth Road Trip

Now let's talk about a few added tips that can make your cat-based road trip experience a little better.

Consider purchasing puppy pads. These are absorbent pads that soak up and help deodorize urine. Lining your cat's carrier with these will help deal with any accidents your fur baby may have, especially if you can't train the fear out of them ahead of time. You'll still probably want something like a towel to separate your cat from the pads, in case they find it to be an unpleasant texture, but you can play around and experiment with these layouts.

You may also want to skip breakfast on the day of the trip. If your cat isn't fully used to a car ride, the motion they experience might give them motion sickness, and skipping breakfast helps reduce the chances of vomiting.

Don't open the windows when you're traveling at speed; instead, use your car's HVAC. Cats have very sensitive ears, and road noise is immense and very stressful for them. Similarly, never leave them alone in a car; heat can build up to lethal levels in a very short amount of time. Remember, cats are quite sensitive to changes in temperature.

If you have more than one cat, make sure you use more than one carrier. Even if your cats get along under normal circumstances, a longer road trip can make them frustrated and scared, and they may lash out at one another. The last thing you need to deal with on the highway is a catfight!

Finally, be VERY careful about allowing your cat to roam about the vehicle. While it's adorable to see them perched on a windowsill or lounging in the back window, it can be dangerous if they get up on the dashboard in front of you, try to give you face nuzzles while you're navigating, or crawl under your feet and disrupt the pedals. Plus, there's always the risk of accidents or other issues if they're loose, and those are miserable to deal with.

Cats in Cars FAQ

To wrap up, let's answer some of the most common questions about traveling with a cat, especially long distances.

Why Do Cats Dislike Car Rides?

There are a few reasons. Some cats don't like the sense of motion when they aren't in control of that motion; it's basically motion sickness for people, but in cats. Others don't like the noise of a car. Many times, though, it comes down to your cat not being used to the carrier, the car, or the ride.

Add to this the fact that many cats only experience car rides when an unpleasant vet trip is on the other end, and you can see why they wouldn't enjoy the experience! Fortunately, you can train all of this out of most cars.

Can Cats be Trained to Enjoy a Car Ride?

Certainly! You can do a surprising amount of training with cats as long as you take it slow, use plenty of treats as rewards along the way, and maintain consistency with your training.

As long as you aren't just hopping into an immediate huge road trip, you'll usually be better off than you might expect.

What Are the Four Kinds of Training Necessary for a Road Trip with a Cat?

To make sure a cat is trained to handle a road trip, especially a longer one, you need four kinds of training.

These are leash and harness training, carrier training, car ride training, and travel litter training. I go into greater detail with these above.

Are There Ways to Help Keep a Cat Calm on a Road Trip?

Of course! There are a few options, and you should talk to your vet before you try them out.

Some options include:

• A thundershirt. These are essentially just clothes you can use to swaddle your fur baby. Swaddling in a "purrito" is awkward for a longer trip, but a thundershirt allows a bit more mobility, so you can leave them in it for a little longer. You still want breaks to allow them to stretch and move, though!
• A calming collar. These use cat pheromones to help keep your cat in a calmer mental state. They don't always work, so make sure your cat is receptive to them.
• CBD oil. CBD is broadly used as an anti-anxiety medication, and while results can vary from cat to cat, it's something you might consider.
• Catnip. Some cats find catnip very calming; others go crazy for it. If your cat snoozes on the 'nip, it can be a great option.
• Medications for anxiety. There are a variety of mild sedatives and anti-anxiety medications your vet might prescribe if nothing else works. Again, talk to your vet about your options.

Which options work best will depend on your fur baby, so be sure to test your options ahead of time.

What Items Should You Pack for a Road Trip with a Cat?

There are a lot of items to consider.

Here's a checklist!

• A carrier your cat is comfortable in.
• Food and water.
• Food and water bowls.
• Treats to reward your cat for a job well done along the way.
• Litter, a litter box, and litter tools.
• Puppy pads and mats for cleanliness.
• A harness and leash.
• Cat toys to keep them occupied and distracted.
• A cat bed, especially one they've used, and is soaked with their scent.
• Anti-anxiety aids like CBD, medications, or catnip.
• A scratching box so they don't scratch your car's upholstery.
• Any medications they need.
• IDs, paperwork, vaccination records, and other records.

If you have something to add to this list – or a tip you've developed from your own long road trips with your fur baby – let me know in the comments below!

So, what are the stages of life for a cat? No, I'm not talking about their development from potat to big long (from Mary Cagle's adorable art). I'm talking about age-related divisions in the life cycle, according to the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. These organizations review the general behaviors, concerns, and lives of cats across all breeds and geographic areas and put out advice to vets and cat parents on how to handle their cats at each stage of life.

Let's talk about the four stages of life as a cat and what they mean to you as a cat parent!

The First Stage: Kitten

The first stage is the kitten stage, and it lasts from the time the kitten is born to the time they turn one year old. Kitten is the stage of development with the most physical change, going from mewling, barely mobile creatures that haven't even opened their eyes to rambunctious balls of fluff that get into anything and everything to small versions of what they'll be as adults. In one year, it's roughly equivalent to the first ten years of human development, from helpless baby to wandering toddler to curious child to pre-teen youth.

As a kitten, vet checkups should be as frequent as necessary for the first few weeks and months of their life for vaccinations, health examinations, genetic testing, and spaying/neutering.

Throughout this stage, you should keep an eye on your kitty and look for the subtle signs of illness, stress, and pain, like aversion to touch, hiding, shying away from contact, lack of appetite, and more. You'll want to get a good grasp of their normal behavior and personality so you can form a good mental concept of how they act and develop an awareness of when they aren't acting normal.

At the kitten stage, you'll also want to get started on training.

• Train them to be more comfortable with a carrier so it's not a fight every time you need to take them to the vet.
• Train them to allow basic grooming as necessary, such as tooth and foot inspections, so they're used to you handling them.
• Train them with scratching etiquette so they can scratch the things you have for them to scratch, and keep their paws off the furniture, drapes, and doorframes.
• Train yourself on how to properly discipline a cat without causing problems down the line.

You'll also want to socialize them so they don't react with fear, anxiety, and stress every time someone new visits the house.

The kitten stage is also when you should be scheduling routine checkups with your vet and getting any genetic testing done to identify if they may have genetic diseases or susceptibility to certain ailments, and you'll want to microchip them. Yes, even indoor-only cats should be chipped, so if they ever escape, it's easy to contact you.

If you're a new pet parent, you may also want to give some thought to things like pet insurance and even pet life insurance. Taking care of a cat can be expensive, especially if they're a breed with a genetic predisposition to certain diseases that aren't fatal but require ongoing treatment.

Keeping care of food and feeding is important in this stage, as is litter box training. Make sure you have all of the necessary supplies, including brushes, nail trimmers, litter boxes and litter, food and water bowls, food, flea treatments, beds, scratching posts or boxes, toys, and more. While you're certainly going to be buying things for your fur baby all the time, you need a certain minimum amount of stuff to get off on the right foot.

There will be a lot of learning, a lot of settling in, a lot of adjustment and change, and a lot of scares during this time. Hopefully, it will all be healthy and entertaining, but in case things go poorly, it happens all the time. Your vet knows how to handle pretty much any kitten issue that could possibly come up, and in all but the most extreme cases, there will be a positive outcome. The kitten stage is a time of love, growth, and exploration, and it will be a joy, even if it has ups and downs.

The Second Stage: Young Adult

The young adult stage is the second stage of cat development. It's the longest of the cat life stages and broadly encompasses the time between turning one year old and turning six years old. This is the entire stretch of time between becoming a teenager in human years, all the way up to hitting a milestone age like 40. It's a long time for a cat!

During this time, your fur baby will be slowing down a bit and settling into their routine. They'll still be playful and active, but they aren't going to be quite as crazy, and since they'll have done a lot of exploration already – and ideally, you've trained them effectively – you won't have to worry as much about them doing things like getting stuck in the walls, chewing on household products, or running headlong into the furniture.

Young adult cats generally need annual vet checkups, but you otherwise only need to bring them in if there's something wrong. By this point, you should be pretty familiar with their behavior and personality and can tell more clearly when something is wrong. You still need to keep up with some training and reinforcement and make sure not to make mistakes that lead to anti-training, especially around litter box issues.

At this point, your biggest concerns are generally going to be things like vomiting and diarrhea, hairballs, and changes in food, litter, and grooming habits. These are your main signs that something could be going wrong, and they're things to mention to your vet if they occur.

Your vet checkups during this time will primarily focus on overall health, as well as monitoring primary organs like the heart and lungs, as well as oral health. You also will want to monitor nutrition and food intake to help ensure your cat stays a healthy weight.

You will probably need to adjust the various cat products you own throughout this time. Things like litter boxes may need to be changed to larger boxes to accommodate a larger cat, and you may need additional litter boxes for a multi-cat household. The same goes for things like the litter itself, for toys, for beds, and more.

This is also the age when certain early-onset diseases can start to become apparent, especially during the later years of the young adult stage. The two most common issues tend to be dental problems and obesity, though, so keep a careful eye on those.

The Third Stage: Mature Adult

The third stage of the development of a cat is the mature adult stage. This is when they're firmly settled in as a mature, older cat. They're starting to slow down and are generally going to prefer spending time snuggling, napping in the sun, or hanging out and spending time with you instead of playing or running to and fro, but they generally still have some energy and will always have their moments.

This stage lasts from the time the cat turns 7 to about the time they turn 10. It's more or less equivalent to middle age for people, ranging from our 40-60-year age spans.

During this time, a generally healthy cat will still only need vet checkups once a year. You'll still need to keep an eye on them for changes in behavior and signs of illness, but by the time you're seven years deep into being a cat parent, you're going to have a pretty good grasp on what to watch for.

At this age, you want to keep an eye on changes in appetite, hydration, vocalization, evening activity, mobility, grooming, and litter box habits. You'll also want to watch for signs of vision issues, as this is the age when some cats start to lose their sight.

Vets will be checking more on abdominal, muscle, and bone health at this age. They'll check for heart and lung health, of course, but they'll also be checking thyroid levels, kidney function, eye performance, and tooth health if your cat still has otherwise healthy teeth until this point. The older they get, the more the vet will check for signs of joint pain and arthritis.

Frequently, this is the age where things like kidney issues come forward, which usually require careful dietary management. Be prepared to shift to a healthier (and more expensive) food and to have a medication you'll need to start giving your fur baby. If they start showing signs of mobility issues and pain, you may also need to make adjustments to make it easier for them to access their litter box and their bed.

When petting and grooming your cat, be sure to keep an eye out for lumps and other signs of disease. Cats can develop all manner of tumors, many of which are benign but may still need to be removed so they don't put pressure on a joint, but some of which can be cancerous. It's a terrible and terrifying thing to experience, but it's the reality for cats as they get older.

The Fourth Stage: Senior

The fourth and final primary stage of life for a cat is the senior cat stage. During this time, your cat will be showing their age. Any age over 10 is a good age for a cat to reach, though, of course, some cats have lived much longer than that. This is equivalent to older middle age for humans, all the way to our senior and twilight years.

In the senior years, your cat is going to be slowing down. They'll be less mobile, less agile, and more prone to sleeping the day away rather than playing, though their playful side will still be apparent when they're in the mood.

Vet checkups during this time should be at least once every six months, and if your cat has any known issues, it may need to be every three months or even more frequently.

As they get older, your cat will likely start to develop some kind of issue. They may get less effective at grooming, so you may need to pick up the slack. They may develop a neurological disorder. They may lose their teeth or their eyesight. You may find signs of cancer, and they may need surgeries to remove tumors, chemotherapy to help, or even amputation in the case of a joint or limb-based tumor that can't be safely removed otherwise.

You will almost definitely need to adjust your home's layout for the comfort and accessibility needs of your cat, and you'll probably need to watch for litter box issues simply out of incontinence.

For some cats, you may even notice a behavioral regression. Some cats seem to return to the kitten stage, even if their bodies don't really support it. This is a cognitive issue, and while it's not immediately harmful, it can indicate other issues that will need support.

It's harder to generalize across the senior years for a cat because some cats might pass away relatively early, while others seem to hang on like nothing in the world can possibly disturb them. The best we can do as cat parents is provide the best, most comfortable lives we can and enjoy our moments with them.

So, now that this article is all wrapped up, I'd like to turn to you, the readers! Do you have any memorable stories about your furry little babies that you'd like to share? I'd absolutely love to hear them, so be sure to share your stories in the comments section!

There are ways to train your fur baby to not do those things, but it's just that: training. For example, I wrote a whole post on how you can get them to stop scratching your good furniture, which you can read here.

One of the most common pieces of advice for dissuading a cat from some behavior or another is to reach for a spray bottle and give them a quick spritz. The idea is that it's unpleasant enough that your cat will learn after it happens a few times that they shouldn't be doing that behavior.

The trouble is, this is a pretty terrible way to train a cat. Here are five reasons why you absolutely should ditch the spray bottle and try a different form of training.

#5: It's Stressful

One of the biggest reasons why you should ditch the spray bottle is that it's a very stressful experience. Most cats aren't exactly fond of being wet, especially unexpectedly.

Outdoor cats caught in the rain often find trees, bushes, or porches to camp out on or under until the rain lets up, and cats inside are going to avoid the shower or bath whenever they can. Some may like the faucet, but only on their own terms and as a source of water to drink, not just to dip their face in.

Remember, too, that a sudden spray from a spray bottle isn't silent. Often, there's a sort of hissing noise attached to it. It's not just about the noise, though; it's about the noise coming from you. Do you like being hissed at? Neither do they.

Often, the spray bottle is just a nasty surprise and a stressful event. Your cat is likely to stop their behavior, sure, but they'll also probably flee, hide, and might not come back out for hours at a time.

Stress is also terrible for other reasons. A stressed cat is more likely to have anxiety issues. They might lash out more or generally be less sociable. They may start to have litter box issues. Increased aggression isn't unusual either.

There are also long-term health impacts to chronic stress, as well, like the increased risk of urinary tract infections and other issues.

#4: It Might Not Be Appropriate

Another reason why the spray bottle isn't a good idea is that you might be misusing it.

Now, far be it from me to tell you how to train your cat or what behaviors you should and shouldn't tolerate. Your living situation, your cat's personality, and the unique issues you face are all specific to you, and you have to make the best decisions for you, your fur baby, and your family.

But, there are a lot of people who try to use some kind of discipline (technically called "positive punishment") like a spray bottle to dissuade a cat from things you can never train them to stop doing. Behaviors such as:

• Hissing. Cats hiss when they're afraid or stressed, and spraying them with a spray bottle is just going to make it worse and further associate you with a source of stress.
• Scratching. There is no way to get a cat to not scratch. It's such a deeply ingrained instinctive behavior that even declawed cats will try it. You have to redirect scratching, not stop it entirely.
• Exploring. Yes, sometimes your cat gets up on furniture or in places they shouldn't be, and you want to dissuade that, but there are better ways to do it than trying to spray them down.

Often, this means you're punishing your cat for something they simply cannot help, a natural behavior and a reaction that you're only making worse.

If your cat is anxious, spraying them just makes them more anxious. If your cat is exploring, spraying them isn't going to get them to stop exploring, it's just going to mean they're damp while they do it.

#3: It Hurts Your Relationship

Perhaps the worst outcome of spraying your cat with a spray bottle is that they draw the wrong association.

They aren't necessarily recognizing that their behavior triggers the spray, especially if they can do the behavior and not get sprayed (for example, when you aren't home.)

No, what they're doing is associating an annoying and stressful behavior with you. They're only sprayed when you're around, right? What else could it be?

At first, you might not notice anything wrong. But then, maybe you notice that instead of curling up on your lap, they start to prefer to lay on the other side of the couch.

Maybe when you try to pet them, they're a little more standoffish. Maybe they're more defensive, and when you make a sudden noise or movement, it scares them more than it used to.

Over time, you eventually realize that they're avoiding you. They aren't enjoying your presence and comfort like they used to.

All you've done is added stress and strain to your bond with your fur baby, and taught them that you're not always safe and comfortable.

#2: It Creates an Aversion to Water

Most cats – though not all cats – dislike water as it is. They prefer to keep themselves clean and don't take kindly to puddles, baths, or other immersion in water.

If they slip and fall when you're in the bath, and they're trying to explore, you have a wet and panicking cat struggling to get out, and that can be dangerous for both of you.

When you make water a source of unpleasantness, though, you may be developing longer-term fears and aversions in your kitty. Maybe they will start avoiding the bathroom entirely.

Maybe they hate it when you water the houseplants, especially if you use a spray bottle to mist them. Maybe they start to run and hide when you do the dishes or take a shower. In the most extreme cases, they may even start to avoid their water dish.

#1: It Doesn't Work

So here's the kicker: even if all of these other drawbacks don't dissuade you, this one should. It just doesn't work!

For one thing, one of the biggest and most important factors in training is consistency. To successfully train a behavior, cat, dog, or any other animal, you need to be consistent with enforcement.

That means any time your cat does the behavior, you need to be there to redirect it or stop them and reward them for not performing that behavior.

So what happens if they do it at night when they're prowling in their little nocturnal lives, and you're asleep? What happens if they do it when you're at work, out grocery shopping, or just in another room watching TV? Nothing. That's why they tend to associate it more with you than with the behavior.

It's also possible that your cat won't care. Many people tell stories of trying to use a spray bottle to stop their cat from doing something destructive, and while it works the first few times, eventually, your kitty just realizes it's a little bit of water and nothing else.

At that point? It's no longer a punishment. Some cats even learn to enjoy it or make a game of it. They find being sprayed to be pleasant, actually, and so they start to intentionally seek out ways to get you to spray.

Honestly, this is the better outcome. You'd rather have your cat think of it as a fun game rather than associating you with something unpleasant and stressful. Either way, though, it's an association with you, not the behavior, so it's not really an effective way to train a cat.

What to Do Instead

Using a spray bottle was, for a long time, recommended as a way to dissuade a cat from a behavior, because it was a safer alternative than something worse, like swatting at your cat, scruffing them, or otherwise doing something that is even closer to abuse.

But, the more time passes, the more standards change, and these days even spraying a cat is viewed as abuse by some people.

The question is, what can you do instead? Obviously, your cat has some behaviors you want to dissuade, but if a spray bottle isn't the answer, what is?

First, figure out what is causing the behavior you want to stop. Some behaviors are natural, like exploration, jumping up onto high places, and scratching. There's no trigger for these, and because of that, they aren't behaviors you can stop.

Other behaviors, like hissing, swatting, intentional destruction, and similar actions, tend to have more specific triggers. Maybe an item they try to destroy is making a noise that bothers them, or maybe they're hissing because they're stressed and startled.

If the behavior is triggered by a specific stressor, your job is to remove that stressor. For example, maybe you have a plug-in air freshener that sprays the air every hour, and the noise it makes sounds like a hiss and stresses out your fur baby. Once you remove it, the behavior will stop.

If the behavior is one without a removable trigger, you can proceed with the next step. That step is to watch for signs the behavior is going to happen.

For example, if your cat loves to jump up onto the kitchen counters and you want to train them not to, watch for when they're perched and poised to jump.

This is where consistency comes into play. You need to be available to watch for any instance of the behavior happening, or make sure someone else is around to monitor for it, so that the right redirection can take place.

At this point, you redirect the behavior with a reward. If your cat is poised to jump up onto the counter, toss a treat behind them. They'll very likely be distracted and turn for the treat and will forget about jumping up.

Toys may also work, though we all know our fur babies often ignore toys if they aren't in the mood. That's why a small, high-value treat can be the better choice.

Now, this isn't easy, and you're going to need to keep at it for a good long while. Remember, too, that some behaviors will never go away.

You can't stop a cat from scratching any more than you can stop them from meowing, purring, or being fuzzy and adorable.

Remember, as with all animal training, you need to use positive reinforcement to redirect the behavior into something preferable. Punishment doesn't work and is often stressful, cruel, and even dangerous, depending on the kind of punishment.

You're distracting them and rewarding them for choosing not to do something they were about to do.

• Don't forget to provide alternatives to some behaviors. Your cat is going to scratch, so make sure they have a dedicated scratching surface to use instead of the furniture.
• Make sure to track down specific triggers causing stress and negative behaviors and remove them whenever possible.

It takes time, patience, and consistency, but it's the only real way to go about it. Plus, it maintains and even builds your bond with your beloved fur baby, and who doesn't want that?

Finally, if nothing you do seems to work and you can't get your cat to redirect their behaviors, can't identify triggers, and can't seem to figure out what's wrong, talk to a vet or cat behaviorist.

There may be something else going on, like a trigger they can hear, but you can't, a scent that bothers them, or even a medical issue. This is especially true if this is a behavior they didn't use to exhibit but started suddenly.

Have you ever dealt with a misbehaving feline and needed to get into redirection training? Tell me your story! I love hearing about your pets and their adventures in the comments.

Adopting and taking care of a stray cat is incredibly fulfilling, and it's definitely not uncommon. There's an entire subreddit dedicated to the so-called Cat Distribution System, even. Sometimes, the cats find you.

If you want to adopt a stray, there are a lot of things you should do, and a bunch you shouldn't, if you want all to go well. So, let's talk about it!

Stray vs Feral

Before getting into the tips I have for adopting a stray cat, it's worth briefly touching on the difference between stray cats and feral cats. While many people use the terms interchangeably, there's a pretty distinct difference between these two types of "community cats."

Stray cats are cats that are at least somewhat socialized, but are now living on their own outdoors for some reason. Maybe they were abandoned, maybe they got lost. The point is, they have had some contact with humans and know how to interact, even if they aren't entirely comfortable in doing so.

Feral cats, on the other hand, have had either no human contact or have spent so many years without human contact that they're essentially wild animals. They tend to be more fearful and defensive, and even if you get into their good graces and adopt them, they're still likely to have firm boundaries, like an aversion to belly rubs, a keen defensiveness about their personal space, and a preference of staying at arm's length.

There are a few important differences in how to handle ferals versus strays; ferals are harder to get to trust you and take longer to warm up to you, and may be a lot harder – and potentially more dangerous – to try to wrangle in the first place. If you aren't well-versed in dealing with feral animals, you need to be cautious of feral cats, while strays tend to be easier to socialize.

How will you know the difference? Well, if you're considering adopting a stray cat, chances are it's not feral because a feral cat isn't going to let you get anywhere close to it.

Note that for the purposes of this post, I'm mostly talking about adopting a stray off the street. Several of the steps in this post focus on seeking the original family of the animal and taking initial care steps, but if you're adopting a stray that was surrendered to a shelter, the shelter will have done a lot of that for you already. Adopting from a shelter is generally the better way to go, but as the Cat Delivery System above shows, that's not always how it works out.

Anyway, with that out of the way, let's talk about the do's and don'ts of adopting stray cats.

DO Try to Find the Cat's Home

Before considering adopting a stray, the absolute first thing you should do – after basic necessities, of course – is trying to find out if the cat is a lost pet or beloved runaway and has a home they should be returned to. Cats love to explore; they sneak out through cracked doors or open windows all the time, and sometimes, they go on even bigger adventures.

All the while, there are pet parents and potentially children suffering in the absence of their beloved feline family member. As much as you might like to care for the cat yourself, you'd much rather make their day bringing them home, right?

Obviously, if the cat has a collar, you know better. But what you might not see is if the cat has a microchip. So, your first order of business should be taking the cat to the vet to get them scanned for a chip. If they have a chip, that chip should have contact information for the cat's family and can make it easy to reach out and return their feline friend.

If the cat has no chip, that doesn't mean they're free and clear, though. You should still do at least a few of these:

• Post on your city's local Facebook page and in Lost Pet groups.
• Post on your local Nextdoor for lost and found pets.
• Post on your local subreddit if there is one for your area.
• Contact local vets and see if they have a notice for the lost animal.
• Make and print out some "found cat" posters to put up around your neighborhood and in frequently visited local businesses.
• Check if there are lost pet notifications with the local police department and animal control.

How long you keep up your efforts and how hard you look is up to you. It's certainly possible that the cat has no active family or home or that the family moved away and will never see the posts. It's always good to make a good-faith effort to find their home, though.

What if the cat has a family? You might be bonding with the fuzzy feline, but it's still almost always better to give them back. In rare cases, you may be able to negotiate a hand-over, particularly if there's some reason, such as one spouse passing away and the other not particularly wanting the cat. Otherwise, though, just feel good about reuniting them.

If you find that your heart grew three sizes after experiencing even just a couple of days of having a cat in your home, why not take a trip to your local shelter? I can pretty much guarantee you they have plenty of local strays and abandoned cats in need of homes, and this is the perfect time for you to pick one up.

DO Double-Check Local Laws

Depending on where you live, there may be laws as to how long you need to keep up efforts to find the family of a stray and how long you have to have been caring for them before they legally can become yours. Your local animal shelters will likely know.

These laws and regulations can vary from city to city, county to county, and state to state, so I can't really give you details here.

DO Bring the Cat to a Vet

I already mentioned bringing the cat to the vet to check for a microchip, but it's a good idea to bring them in for a full checkup regardless. You want to check for and address issues like fleas, worms, and other parasites, as well as any injuries or diseases, malnutrition, and more.

You can also have them checked to see if they're intact or if they were previously spayed/neutered (and if there are signs that they were a catch-and-release, like a clipped ear). There are also various tests you can run to check for things like FIV or other illnesses that can dramatically impact the needs of the cat when you're caring for them.

Fortunately, most vets are more than happy to do all of this, though with the current widespread vet shortage, many might not be able to take you on as a permanent patient afterward.

DO Get the Necessities

While bringing a cat into your home can be done with a bare minimum of makeshift items, it's a good idea to make sure you have the real necessities as soon as possible.

Necessities include:

• A litter box, if not more than one. Generally, you want one litter box for general use and one per cat if you have more than one cat. Some cats end up territorial around "their" box, and you don't want accidents because of it.
• Bowls for food and water, preferably wide-based and difficult to knock over.
• Food. If the cat has been eating food at a shelter or from a home that puts food out for strays, try to match the food if you can; otherwise, get something healthy and inoffensive to minimize digestive upset.
• Scratching posts to help give the cat something to scratch while you train them not to scratch the furniture.
• Grooming supplies. Many strays will need some solid grooming, including the potential for sanitary trims, nail clipping, and plenty of brushing.
• A carrier. You need something to keep the cat in for trips to the vet, after all.

Other items, like toys, treats, and catnip, can come soon but don't need to be in your immediate first purchase of supplies if you don't want to foot the entire bill right off the bat.

DON'T Rush the Cat

Most stray cats, unless they're very young kittens, are going to have habits, behaviors, boundaries, and a keen sense of independence that comes from having lived and survived on their own for however long they were living on the streets. They may also be shy, standoffish, or just not want to be touched.

The faster you try to treat them like a housecat, by petting them, picking them up, and otherwise bothering them, the more likely they are to develop negative associations with you. Often, the stray cat will hide and be averse to touch for days or weeks. The process of winning their trust and bonding with them can be a slow and time-consuming adventure.

To that end, it can be important to learn a cat's body language and figure out exactly how it applies to the stray you're working on adopting. It's also a very good idea to have some safe space set aside for them, where they can go to retreat and feel comfortable and where you won't bother them.

DON'T Dive Into New Food Right Away

Stray cats are often used to eating whatever scraps, garbage, birds, rodents, and insects they can find. Many are eating unhealthy diets or are malnourished, and it's not uncommon for some to have low-grade poisoning from contaminated foods.

Food – good, real food, along with treats – is a key way you can start to win their trust. But, you also have to be careful not to make any of the common food-based mistakes, such as:

• Feeding inconsistently. Your goal is to be viewed right away as the unfailing, regular provider of food.
• Feeding too much. Cats that have experienced food insecurity are more likely to gorge themselves and make themselves sick.
• Overdoing it with the treats. While you certainly want to have treats on hand for rewards, making them too common can be a problem later on.

Food will play an important role in building trust, so try to make sure it doesn't turn against them.

DO Be Patient with Behavioral Problems

Stray cats are rarely well-trained, and even if they were trained before they ended up on the streets, some of those behaviors might no longer be well-reinforced. You need to be patient and understanding about their behaviors, from exploring to scratching to litter accidents.

In many ways, you'll effectively be training a new kitten, except an older cat has behaviors already ingrained in them that can be harder to counteract, and they may not take to training as quickly. It can still be done – you can always teach an animal new tricks as long as they aren't going senile – but you have to be patient and consistent with them.

In the meantime, don't be afraid to clean up the occasional accident. Remember, as well, that cat-proofing your home is an ongoing process unless you have other cats already.

DON'T Adopt a Stray if You're Not Financially Stable

Adopting an animal is a long-term commitment, and it's one you need to be well aware of before you take the leap. If you can't guarantee that you can care for the stray, you need to instead work with a local rescue or humane society to find them a loving home that can.

It sucks to hear, and I know that many people adopt animals when they really shouldn't. Still, nothing is more heartbreaking than a cat that is just learning to trust again, having to be given up for adoption or, worse, put back on the streets because the vet bills, food, and other costs are too much for you. Do what's best for the cat!

Have you ever adopted a stray cat? If so, what was your experience like? I'd love to hear all your stories about your fur babies, so be sure to leave those in the comments section below!

What is the average lifespan for a domestic house cat? What factors influence it, and what can you expect?

The Broad Answer

First, let's start with the broadest answer.

The average lifespan for a domesticated house cat is 13-17 years.

If you adopt a newborn kitten around the same time you have a human child, they'll grow up together, and the cat will likely pass away sometime in their teenage years. This might be early and will probably be one of their earliest experiences with a significant loss, or it might be later when they're getting ready to move out of the house and onto college or a career.

While 13-17 years is a fairly broad range, it also doesn't tell the whole story.

What's the Longest a Cat Can Live?

With immaculate genetics, consistent vet care, and a little luck, a cat can live quite a bit longer than what the average implies.

The oldest cat on record, and current holder of the world record, was a cat named Crème Puff. Crème Puff was born in 1967 and died in 2005, making her 38 years old when she died. That's over twice the average! What helped Crème Puff live so long? Likely a combination of care, activity, and genetics.

Crème Puff is an outlier, of course; her exceptional lifespan is something to be envied and enjoyed, and not something to base your own expectations on. Most cats won't make it nearly that long; a cat living to be 20 is already exceptional in a lot of cases.

Is There a Difference Between Indoor and Outdoor Cats?

This is a big one. You may have heard that cats should be kept indoors for a bunch of different reasons, and one of the big ones is that indoor cats just plain live longer.

That's true.

Outdoor cats, left unsupervised, live half as long: 7-9 years.

Now, that's for feral cats that are born, raised, and left to their own devices to scrounge for whatever food they can catch, suffer whatever illnesses they develop, heal (or don't) from injuries they receive, and generally have no one to care for them.

Unfortunately, even cared-for outdoor cats can have shorter lifespans for a bunch of different reasons.

• Catching diseases and parasites from the outdoors, even when a vet treats them, puts stress on the body, can damage organs, and can lead to other problems down the line.
• Spending time outdoors can lead to conflicts with other animals, including other cats, dogs, coyotes, other predators, and native wildlife, all of which can lead to injuries.
• Cats outdoors don't have the kind of supervision over their behavior or diets they have indoors, and they can eat something that has been poisoned or is toxic to them.
• In areas where summers are extremely hot and winters extremely cold, the weather can be a significant factor as well.
• Cars are an omnipresent danger, and thousands of cats are killed by vehicles every year.
• In rare and unfortunate cases, cat-hating people in your community might abuse or kill your fur baby.

Even a cat that stays away from roads, gets lucky with other animals, and doesn't eat anything toxic can still be exposed to allergens, pollution, and parasites, all of which cause problems that don't just hurt in the now; they shorten the future as well.

Outdoor cats that are cared for but are still left to their own devices – such as cats that have shelter in a barn or garage but aren't let inside or cats that can come and go as they please but still spend some nights outdoors – will naturally live somewhere in between the two averages.

Do Different Breeds of Cat Live Different Lengths of Time?

Since genetics play a pretty big role in aging, the answer here is also yes. Some cats live longer than average, and some live shorter amounts of time; these "breed averages" can still vary, but you can expect to adjust your planning either upwards or downwards depending on the cat you're adopting.

Breed Average Lifespans:

• Abyssinian: 9-15 years
• Devon Rex: 9-15 years
• Javanese: 10-15 years
• LaPerm: 10-15 years
• Cornish Rex: 11-15 years
• Siberian: 11-15 years
• Bengal: 12-16 years
• Birman: 12-16 years
• Maine Coon: 12-15 years
• Munchkin: 12-14 years
• Ragdoll: 12-17 years
• Sphynx: 13-15 years
• Norwegian Forest Cat: 14-16 years
• American Shorthair: 15-20 years
• Siamese: 15-20 years
• Burmese: 16-18 years
• Balinese: 18-22 years

Additionally, most of the time, a purebred cat is going to have a shorter lifespan than a "mutt" cat, as more diverse genetics tend to lead to more resiliency against various ailments. Some breeds are susceptible to things like kidney problems and other issues over time, and larger breeds are often (though not always) shorter-lived because of those inherent traits.

Again, breed is only one factor in the lifespan of a cat, and while it can be an important one, it's far from the only factor in play.

Do Different Colors of Cat Live Different Lengths of Time?

While you might scoff and say "no" to this out of hand, if you think about it, is there something to it? Do orange cats pass quicker when they don't have control of the brain cell? Do black cats suffer from bad luck?

Honestly, the biggest reason I bring this up is simply because I've seen many people ask about tabbies. Tabby cats have the same lifespan as their breed because tabby is just a coloration and pattern, not a breed.

In general, no, different colors of cat don't live different lengths of time. The color of the coat, in some cases, can indicate a particular genetic ancestry, though – such as seal point or color point being more typical of purebred cats – but for the most part, it's all the same cat underneath.

One potential exception to this is black cats if they're outdoor cats, and only because there are terrible people who are superstitious about them and do terrible things to them. Even if you have an outdoor cat, if they're a black cat, bring them in around Halloween please.

What Factors Affect the Lifespan of a Cat?

If you're worried about how long your fur baby will be with you, and you want to do everything you can to make sure they live a long and happy life with you, what factors should you consider? It's pretty much all that you would expect.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet. A proper diet is probably one of the most important things you can do to keep your cat going for as long as possible. A good diet means three things.

• A diet that is low on unnecessary fillers you commonly find in cheaper foods.
• A diet that is focused on the nutrients and vitamins a cat needs – primarily meat.
• A diet that adapts to changing health and keeps things like allergies and hormones in consideration.

You can't pick a food and stick with it indefinitely. Kittens need different nutrients in different amounts than adult or senior cats. Cats with thyroid or kidney issues need special diets. There are all sorts of different ways you may need to adjust your cat's diet over time to make sure they get what they need without the things they don't.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight. Cats have a range of weights they should be in depending on their age, breed, and size. If your cat is underweight, they may be ill and not eating, and they should be seen by a vet right away. If they're overweight, they can develop issues like diabetes, organ damage, and other problems that, even once you address them and bring your cat back to a healthy weight, will tend to linger.

Keeping to a Healthy Activity Level. The healthiest and longest-lived cats tend to be cats that have plenty of stimulation and enriching activities in their homes. They run, they jump, they play. You want to help engage their hunting instincts in a safe and controlled way. The exercise keeps them healthy, the stimulation keeps them from developing anxiety or other cognitive issues, and it all helps you bond more closely with your feline friend.

Keeping Away from Sources of Danger. Partly, this comes back to keeping your cats inside, where they aren't going to run into predators, vehicles, or other issues. Inside, though, it also means keeping certain areas (like attics or crawl spaces) closed off, keeping dangerous houseplants out of their reach or out of the house entirely, keeping toxic chemicals and dangerous foods locked up, and so on. The fewer threats to life and limb that you have lying around, the better the environment will be for your fur baby.

Getting Swift Veterinary Care When Necessary. Sooner or later, something will happen to your cat. Maybe they get sick, maybe they catch something, maybe they pick up parasites from a mouse that gets into the house, who knows. They might also develop tumors or other mysterious lumps just from genetics, age, or stray cosmic rays. Knowing when to bring your fur baby to the vet and have them looked after is critical for their long-term health.

I'm not saying you need to rush them to the emergency vet at the first sign of anything going wrong. That would be expensive and unnecessary. Instead, just make sure you keep an eye on them, notice changes outside of the norm, and address them as necessary.

Minimizing Unnecessary Sources of Stress. Stress and anxiety can do serious long-term damage in ways you never notice. Stress builds up the stress hormone cortisol, which causes further damage and stress to the bodily systems of anything – person or animal – who experiences it. Keeping stress down is critical for long-term health.

What Are the Signs of Aging in Cats?

How do cats progress as they get older? Other than getting larger, more active, and then less active, and eventually slowing down, there are a lot of little things that happen as your fur baby ages.

• Their immune systems get weaker, and they can become more susceptible to diseases.
• Their skin can grow thinner and more fragile, and they can develop rashes or infections more easily.
• They may lose the attention or focus to groom themselves and may not groom themselves well, thoroughly, or consistently.
• They may start to develop issues with controlling their bladder or bowels and might miss the litter box.
• They can lose their sense of hearing and their eyesight, partially or totally.
• They can develop dental disease, may need to have teeth pulled, and may need to switch to a softer diet because they have trouble chewing.
• They can develop feline arthritis and other joint issues, which reduces their mobility and makes it harder for them to jump around, move, or be active.
• They may develop kidney issues that need to be monitored over time.
• They can develop tumors, cancers, and other issues that can require surgery or advanced treatment to address.

Older cats tend to be slower, more lethargic, and more content to just spend time with you, sleeping near you or with you, and just enjoying cozy, warm spots. The rambunctious days of their youth are behind them, and trust me; they appreciate every moment of their life with you.

It's always a heartbreaking event to have to put down a beloved feline friend, but sooner or later – unless they pass happily in their sleep – they will probably need the intervention. When quality of life is no longer possible, it's better to let them have a comfortable way out than to drag them along in pain for your own comfort.

Fortunately, there are many resources available to help you through the loss of a beloved pet. Groups like Lap of Love, the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, and even the country's mental health services can all help you out.

Just remember; they may be just a part of your life, but you are there for the whole of their life, and that's worth something.

Now that we're at the end of this article, I'd love to hear from you, the readers! How old is your feline friend? Do you have any favorite stories about them? Be sure to share them in the comments section down below! I absolutely love hearing about all your fur babies.

It's one thing if they're digging in the garbage or getting into some hidden treats you've kept in a cupboard. It's quite another experience altogether if they're getting into something much less savory, like your cat's litter box.

Cats and dogs? Cohabitating? It'll never work! The truth is, though, cats and dogs can get along great. They have different instinctual body language and interpret each other's behaviors in different ways, but that doesn't mean they have to be aggressive to one another. They can be friends and love each other just as much as we love them.

The biggest issue comes with the territory of caring for animals. While you can take your dog outside to go potty, cats generally should stay indoors, and that's what the litter box is for. So when your pooch decides to investigate that litter box and finds some tasty treats, well, not only is it gross, but you might wonder if it's dangerous.

Is cat litter dangerous to your dog if they eat it, or is it more or less harmless? The answer is a firm "it depends."

Cat Litter and the Differences Between Cats and Dogs

Many pet products are designed to be harmless to their respective creatures, but different kinds of animals have different needs. Something harmless to dogs might cause digestive distress or other damage to cats, and vice versa. They have different nutritional needs, after all, and can be sensitive to different kinds of chemicals.

A big example is xylitol. Xylitol is fine – even beneficial – in humans. It's used as a sugar substitute that doesn't rot your teeth, so it's increasingly found in everything from candies to peanut butter.

As any responsible dog parent knows, though, xylitol is toxic to dogs. It lowers their blood sugar to potentially dangerous levels and can cause organ damage, especially if your pooch gets into a tub of xylitol-infused peanut butter and has no self-control.

Cats, though, don't much care about the ingredient. Xylitol doesn't seem to have much of an impact on cats at all.

So, it just goes to show that different substances have different impacts on different pets, and it's not always clear or obvious what does and doesn't have an impact.

Cat litter is explicitly made to serve three goals.

• It serves as a substrate media for cats to bury their waste, since cats prefer to find some place they can dig and bury their leavings to help avoid detection or contamination where they hang out.
• It absorbs moisture and, more importantly, the odors that develop from your cat's waste, so you don't have to smell it throughout your house.
• It often (though not always) has material properties that allow it to clump up when moistened to make it easy to clean a litter box without wasting excessive amounts of cat litter.

You might notice that the safety of the cat isn't on this list. In fact, one of the most common kinds of cat litter – bentonite clay litter – is actually toxic to cats, because sodium bentonite is dangerous.

Not only can it be toxic, it can also clump up inside your fur baby, hardening into an impossible-to-pass lump that causes an impacted bowel.

Not great!

So why is this allowed? Well, the simple answer is that cats have zero desire to eat their refuse or their litter. It's simply not a problem outside of extreme circumstances, and if your cat is suffering in such an extreme circumstance, there are much bigger problems to address as well.

What about dogs, though? Is cat litter harmful to dogs? There are two factors to consider.

Factor 1: What Kind of Litter Did Your Dog Eat?

The first question is, what kind of litter are you using? Different kinds of cat litter have different material and chemical properties.

There are actually a bunch of different kinds of cat litter. They come in two categories: clumping and non-clumping. Within each category, there are a bunch of different types of materials available as well. You can read a bigger breakdown of these types of cat litter in my guide to litters, here.

Paper product litter is generally made from recycled paper products. It's sterilized and cleaned, so there aren't things like toxic inks in the pellets.

It's generally non-toxic to animals, but if your dog eats too much of it, it can cause an intestinal blockage, which can be serious. More on the repercussions later, by the way.

Silica or "crystal" cat litter is made with a silica gel kind of product. Silica gel is used as a desiccant, which means it absorbs moisture. This is useful in cat litter for absorbing urine and for odor control. But, if your dog eats it, the moisture inside them can be absorbed into it.

Those silica gel packets say "do not eat" on them, after all. Fortunately, in small amounts, silica gel can be passed just like anything else your dog eats. It doesn't clump up, so it won't form a blockage. All you need to do is make sure your pooch drinks plenty of water.

Clay cat litter is made from bentonite clay. This is the archetypal clumping cat litter; the clay pellets, when they get wet, get sticky, and stick to both waste and one another.

This means they absorb moisture and turn into blockages, making it one of the more dangerous kinds of cat litter for dogs. Some bentonite clay can also include trace amounts of quartz, which can be carcinogenic when inhaled (causing silicosis), which is bad for everyone and everything.

Grain cat litter, like corn litter, or wood litter, like pine litter, are all generally safer. They aren't typically going to be as good at their jobs as the main clay or silica litters, but they'll also be less dangerous if your dog eats a mouthful.

Factor 2: How Much Litter Did Your Dog Eat?

Here's the thing: your dog isn't going after the litter. You know that, I know that, and as much as we don't like to think about it, it's simply a fact.

Your dog is after those little nuggets of leavings your cat buries; the litter they eat along the way just happens because it's stuck to those nuggets.

That means that when your dog is eating cat litter, they're doing it with very little in the way of actual litter as their goal.

They might take a mouthful while they find a turd to eat, but they're generally not just chowing down on the litter box unless it hasn't been cleaned in a long time, and again, in that case, you have bigger problems.

In general terms, if your dog has only eaten a small amount of cat litter, they're fine. A tiny amount of cat litter probably won't be toxic to any but the smallest dogs, and the issues with dehydration and internal clumping generally only happen if a lot of litter is eaten at once.

What Are the Problems with Your Dog Eating Cat Litter?

So, if your dog has decided to dig into the litter box for a snack, what are the primary risks?

Toxicity. As mentioned above, cat litter is usually not toxic to dogs. That said, if you get scented cat litter, perfumed litter, or litter with some kind of additive to it, it's possible that your fur baby can be sensitive to that ingredient, or it could include a chemical that is toxic to your pooch. This is why unscented litters are generally better.

Allergies. Similar to toxicity, your dog might have an allergic reaction to some component of the litter. This is, again, most common with scented litters and perfume compounds, which are usually chemicals that can cause various problems, even in people or cats as well as dogs.

You can also identify if your dog is going to have a reaction through a skin test, and if so, change litters ASAP to avoid a problem down the road.

Intestinal blockages. Clumping litters in particular can cause blockages internally when they clump up and get stuck in the bowels. Depending on where in the system they get stuck, this can range from simple constipation all the way to an impacted bowel that might require surgery to correct. Usually, small amounts of litter won't cause this, and non-clumping litters usually won't either.

Dehydration. Cat litter is almost always designed to absorb moisture because moisture is what allows bacteria to grow and what causes the stench of waste. Moisture is also what keeps every living thing alive and is what allows the bowels to work properly.

Dehydration causes all kinds of problems, and if litter in the gut is absorbing too much moisture from the surrounding digestive system, your dog is going to suffer from it. Fortunately, in all but the most extreme cases, all you need to do is get your pooch to drink more, and it'll be fine.

Infections. This one doesn't have anything to do with the litter, but rather with your cat's refuse. Cats can carry parasites, including worms, and bacteria like salmonella.

If your dog eats their droppings, then your dog can contract one of those infections as well. Now, ideally you have antiparasitic treatments for all of your animals and the only risk is bacteria, but it's still something that can crop up at any time.

Other than extreme levels of internal blockage, dehydration, or allergic reaction, none of these are going to be life-threatening, at least not right away. Still, it's something you need to watch for.

Signs Your Dog is Suffering from Eating Cat Litter

Normally, it should be fairly easy to determine if your dog is eating cat litter. Dogs aren't the most subtle or crafty of God's creatures, after all. Still, you should pay attention to their behavior and keep an eye out for symptoms of impending problems.

Look for:

• Irregular bowel movements or constipation that can indicate an internal blockage or problem.
• Lethargy and other signs of dehydration.
• Symptoms of intestinal parasites and worms.

Your dog may also vomit, and that vomit might contain litter and can be a sign that they ate more than what came up and that you may want to get them checked out.

As mentioned, the majority of the time, your dog won't be in an immediately life-threatening condition, and you can call your vet and schedule an appointment in the next few days to have them checked over.

If they seem to be struggling with dehydration, lethargy, or a complete inability to potty, then you should be more concerned and consider the emergency vet.

Stopping Your Dog from Eating Cat Litter

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and if you want your fur baby to stay away from the litter, your best option is physical separation.

You have a few options here.

• Buy an enclosed litter box with a small door that your dog can't get in through, but your cat can. Cats also tend to prefer more protected and enclosed spaces for their litter needs, so this serves double duty.
• Use a baby gate or other barrier that your cat can bypass, but your dog can't, to separate the area where you keep your litter.
• Make sure your dog has enough activity and engagement so they don't get bored and start getting into things they shouldn't.
• Consider training your cat to use the toilet instead of a litter box and, eventually, get rid of litter entirely.

These are some of the most common options. You may also just be able to train your dog well enough to stay away from the enticing litter box treasures. In rare cases, you might even be able to train your cat to go outside on a harness to do their business, just like your dog.

Really, there are plenty of options for you to explore. Which one has worked best for you? Be sure to let me know in the comments section, down below! I always love hearing from you all!

Cleaning Their Mouths

When you have a bit of food stuck on your lips, a drip of sauce, or a bit of powder from chips or something, you lick your lips to clean them off, right? Well, most people do, though some take a napkin and put it to work. Cats don't use napkins, though, so they resort to their tongues for cleaning their furry little faces. When they eat and have residue on their faces, or when they drink and there's still water on the fur around their mouth, that adorable little tongue dips out and helps clean them off.

Really, it's all just a part of their standard grooming routine. Cats use their tongues to groom themselves from tip to tail, and licking their lips is just that tip put into action.

Cats are actually pretty fastidious about cleaning themselves after a meal. That's because, despite being small predators, they're still small, and other, larger predators might stalk them down if they still smell like food. Even if your fur baby lives a happy and comfortable life indoors, their instincts tell them to clean themselves up so the lingering scent doesn't give them away.

Dental Issues

Other than grooming, the second most common reason cats lick their lips is because they have some kind of dental issue. Keep an eye out for frequent or excessive lip licking and associated drooling, especially if either one is unusual for your fur baby. These can indicate a tooth cavity, an abscess, a broken tooth, or another kind of oral infection or sore. Anything that causes irritation and pain will make them lick at their lips and face in an attempt to try to soothe the irritation away.

Other symptoms can include:

• A decline in appetite. When it hurts to open their mouth or to put pressure on a tooth or part of their gums, they aren't going to want to do anything that makes them do so, including eating. Pain can also suppress appetite.
• Paying at their face. When licking doesn't help, there aren't many other ways your cat can interact with their own face, and pawing at it is one such way. In some cases, they may even attempt to use a claw to pick at their mouth, but that's not terribly common.
• A bad odor from their face. Cats don't exactly have fresh, minty breath, but when they have a worse odor than usual – something foul and wrong-smelling – it's possible that it's an infection you're smelling. Since cats love to stick their paws and faces in your face, you're probably at least somewhat used to the smell of their normal breath, so you should be able to notice if something is unusual.

The four most common dental issues in cats are gingivitis, periodontitis, oral tumors, and a condition called tooth resorption. Gingivitis is gum disease, and periodontitis is a more advanced version of gum disease that occurs if gingivitis is left unchecked. Oral tumors can be anything from cysts to cancer and can be anywhere from harmless to extremely dangerous. Tooth resorption is a rare and unusual problem where the cat's body, for some reason, decides that the tooth is a foreign body and rejects it.

Dental issues are important to get checked out. Infections need to be treated right away, and in the case of an infected or broken tooth, it probably needs to be pulled to prevent more pain and to help encourage your fur baby to eat. Don't let the issue linger and hope it'll resolve itself.

You can help forestall dental issues by training your cat to accept you brushing their teeth, and dry food can help scrape teeth clean, but there's no substitute for regular dental checkups as well.

Dry Mouth

We tend to think of dry mouth as a symptom of something else, usually the side effect of some kind of medication. In cats, that's still true, but it can also be caused by certain diseases or illnesses, like kidney or liver problems, dehydration, or even endocrine disorders.

Dry mouth is also potentially alleviated by working the mouth to get the salivary glands to function a bit, which is why your cat might lick their lips in an attempt to alleviate it. Excessive lip licking but with a dry tongue and mouth can be a sign of one of these issues, and while it's not as immediately serious as most of the other things on this list, you might still want to consider calling your vet, especially if it doesn't lighten up in a day or two.

Eating Something Bad

If your cat ate something they shouldn't have, it's possible that it has done something to their mouth that they don't like, and they're licking to try to get rid of the feeling. Eating something mildly toxic, for example, can lead to tingling or numb lips. They might also be excessively salivating and licking to try to keep it cleaned up because it's otherwise unpleasant on their face. The same thing can happen if they do something like, for example, try to catch a stinging or biting insect and have it bite or sting them on the lips or even inside their mouth.

There are a lot of different things in the world around us that can cause this kind of issue. Toxic plants are everywhere, including many common houseplants. Bees and wasps can get inside at any time. Even household chemicals can cause problems.

Mild symptoms may resolve on their own, but you still may want to call a vet to make sure. If your cat is having other symptoms, like vomiting, breathing problems, diarrhea, or a severe lack of drinking or eating, definitely take them in ASAP to get checked out. Some toxic plants and substances can be deadly in a very short amount of time.

Nausea

Somewhat related to toxicity, nausea can cause your cat to salivate excessively or just lick their lips in an attempt to forestall the feeling. Cats aren't exactly known for trying not to throw up, but if they're just feeling bad, the physiological reactions are going to happen one way or the other.

Nausea is also usually accompanied by other symptoms, like drooling, chewing, dehydration, and dry heaving. And, of course, vomiting, which may or may not solve the issue depending on what it is that's causing the problem. If they can purge it from their system with a quick vomit, that's great for them; otherwise, they might be sick, and the cause will keep them suffering until it runs its course or is treated.

If your fur baby is constantly nauseous and vomiting, dehydration can be a serious worry. On top of that, it can be a sign of something like kidney failure or diabetes going unchecked. All of these need a vet to address them with, at minimum, fluids to help keep them going. Again, don't hesitate to call your vet or bring your fur baby in for a look.

Allergic Reactions

Toxicity is one thing, but there are other reasons why the mouth (and nose, and eyes, and airways) can be irritated: allergies. Whether it's an allergy to a cleaning product, an allergy to a food ingredient, or an allergy to some kind of seasonal dust or pollen, cats can have allergies just the same as we can. But, where we can just pop an antihistamine to take care of it for the day, your fur baby can't do anything until you notice.

Allergic reactions can cause itchy eyes, nose, and mouth, which are the main symptoms likely to cause them to lick their lips. If their allergies are more respiratory, they might have labored breathing, wheezing, or sneezing. Watery eyes are also common. On the other hand, if it's a topical allergy, it's more likely to be something they stuck their face in that is irritating the skin of their lips and nose.

If you suspect allergies, call your vet, and they can help you determine if it's something they need to help treat or if you can just work on eliminating the cause from your home or from their food.

Fear and Anxiety

One of the less physical reasons for lip smacking and licking is anxiety and fear. Licking their lips is what is known as a "displacement behavior" that occurs when your cat is forcibly put in a situation they don't like and can't really escape. It's common in veterinary offices, in fact, when a cat that doesn't like the vet is brought to the exam table, some try to fight, some try to flee, and others exhibit a displacement behavior.

Lip licking is a sort of grooming behavior that can be used to alleviate fear and anxiety, but without taking their eyes off whatever is making them anxious or afraid. You might see it if two cats are in the middle of a stare-down, or if your cat is confronting an unknown animal, or a change in scenery, or an unknown person, or themselves in a mirror. Anything causing them a spike of stress might be alleviated with a little licking of the lips.

Compulsive Disorders

Another reason why your cat might lick their lips constantly is if they have a kind of obsessive/compulsive disorder. Some cats have what is basically an OCD-style tic that makes them constantly groom themselves. Left to their own devices, they might end up licking and picking at their skin until they've pulled out all of their hair, leaving bald spots known as Behavioral Alopecia.

These can be primary – that is, a kind of neurological issue that doesn't have an external cause – or secondary, such as if they have a kind of dermatitis that irritates them into excessively grooming an area. Some parasites and problems like ringworm can also cause it.

How can you tell if lip licking is part of this? Well, these kinds of compulsive disorders generally aren't limited to lip licking and extend to excessive grooming of all kinds. So, if they're constantly grooming themselves well beyond what they normally should, it's a sign that they may have something more going on.

Other Causes for Excessive Lip Licking in Cats

There are, of course, a whole lot of other reasons why your cat might be licking their lips more than usual. For example, maybe they have something caught in their teeth, and it's part of the work they're doing to dislodge it. Or maybe they injured their lip or nose somewhere, with a small cut or scrape, and licking helps soothe it while it heals. These kinds of issues aren't usually dangerous outside of extreme cases, but they're still relevant.

Fortunately, you can usually tell if your fur baby is suffering from something more dangerous because they'll have other symptoms. Vomiting, trouble breathing, and lack of appetite are the kinds of things you need to watch for in general, and they are usually the same sorts of responses to anything going wrong. At a minimum, call your vet and discuss the issue; in extreme cases, take them to the emergency vet to make sure they're seen as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if they're licking their lips a lot but are otherwise acting just fine, you probably don't need to worry. It's really only when things get out of hand and there are other symptoms in play that you need to worry about it. Otherwise, it might just be a good opportunity to get a few of those adorable mlems on camera to share on your favorite social networks.

So there you have it; all of the main reasons why your cat might be licking their lips a lot more than normal. If you have any questions – about cat behavior in general, even – feel free to ask in the comments below!

The Toes

Each cat is different, unique, and beautiful, but most of them have pretty much the same feet. Most cats have five toes on their front paws and four on the back. Imagine your own feet without the little toe and your hands with smaller, almost vestigial thumbs, and you're on the right track.

Why do cats only have four toes on their back feet? There's no real reason for it; that's just how evolution worked out. It hasn't been evolutionarily advantageous to have more or fewer toes on the front or hind legs – sort of – so cats haven't evolved to have more or fewer toes.

There's one exception to this, which is polydactyly. Polydactyly is a genetic condition where a cat is born with extra toes. Sometimes it's one extra toe per foot, and sometimes it's more. The world record goes to Jake and Paws, two different cats (one Canadian and one American) who had 28 toes total. Usually, polydactyly only affects the front paws, so a cat will have four toes on the back feet and a whole lot more on the front.

Interestingly, polydactyl cats aren't necessarily evolutionarily advantaged. But, humans chose to attribute them with good luck, and they often were brought aboard ships as mousers and for good luck. In Europe, though, they were often hunted as witch familiars, those poor babies. Fortunately, we're beyond that these days and recognize it for what it is: a genetic mutation and nothing more.

In cats with a normal number of toes, the fifth "thumb" toe on the front leg is called a dew claw or dew toe. They're sort of like thumbs in that they're more flexible and usable as tools compared to their normal toes. When you see a kitty stretch out their toes and splay their claws, you can see how much range of motion they have.

Speaking of splaying out their toes, in between those toes is where the sweat glands live. Cats, like dogs, don't have sweat glands all over their bodies the way we do because sweat can't really evaporate when it's covered by fur. Cats can pant when they're overheated, but they will generally try to find a cool, shady place to rest instead. The sweat that comes out of their paws helps cool them as well by evaporating and cooling the blood vessels in their little toe beans.

The Claws

Cat claws are often viewed similarly to our fingernails, but they're a little different.

Our fingernails aren't connected to our bodies very well, which is why they can be torn off through accidents and why they grow in a straight line from the cuticle. Cat claws are made of the same kind of material, keratin (which is the same material that composes fur and our hair and nails too), but they actually grow directly out of the toe bones of the cat's toes.

Another difference is that a cat's claw is more of a tube than a flat line. For us, if a nail is trimmed too far back, it exposes the sensitive skin in the nail bed, but that's just about it. For a cat, there's a nerve and blood vessel in the middle of the claw called the "quick"; trimming too much of the claw can cut this, which is painful and will bleed. That's part of why you need to keep them calm when trimming their nails.

This is also why declawing is an inhumane practice and should be abandoned. It's bad enough if you imagine that you had to have your nails pulled off and the nailbed cauterized to prevent them from growing back. For cats, the only way to stop the nail from growing back is to cut off the bone it grows from, which is the equivalent of cutting off your fingertips at the last knuckle. It's a terrible thing to do!

Claws also grow from the inside out. They're layered like an onion, and the outer layers can be chipped or broken off. If a cat scratches a harder surface to sharpen their claws and mark their territory, they may even leave these shards behind. This is also why it's important not to cut too deep when you trim a cat's nails; they don't just grow outwards from the back, they grow outwards from the center, so they can remain sensitive for a lot longer than if we trim our own nails too much.

The Toe Beans

Those toe beans we love so much are technically called paw pads. Cats have three "sets" of paw pads or beans. One set is small and separate for each toe, and are called the digital pads. No, not because they're electronic or computerized; because they're part of the "digit" of the paw.

The second pad is the large one in the center of their paws. These are called the metacarpal pads, because they're positioned under the metacarpal bones in the paw. (They're also called the metatarsal pads for the back paws, since rear/lower digits are technically the tarsals rather than the carpals.)

Finally, they have a third pad, further back and up across from where the dew toe and dew claw are. This is the carpal pad, and they only exist on the front paws.

What are the toe beans? Well, they aren't beans, that's for sure.

Paw pads are cushions that provide a soft surface for a cat to walk on and land from their jumps. They're made large of adipose tissue – which is stored fat – and collagen to bind it together. That's not all they are, though. The outer surface of the paw pads is a tougher skin that can withstand impacts and minor abrasions, though it can still be punctured if your cat steps on a thorn or a bit of broken glass or something of the sort. Inside each toe bean is a bundle of nerves, blood vessels to keep it all supplied with nutrients and healthy, and scent glands.

Scent glands are an important part of cat anatomy and behavior. They're sacs filled with a pheromone, something other cats can smell, and unique to the cat. They have these scent glands in their faces (which is why they rub their faces on everything), under their tails (to leave a scent behind when they do their business), and in their paws, which leave their scent when they knead and when they scratch. Pheromones are pretty complicated and fascinating, so I encourage further reading if biology interests you.

The Walk

A fun thing about how cats walk is what parts of their foot anatomy touch the ground.

In humans, when we walk, our heels, the balls of our feet, and our toes all touch the ground. This is called plantigrade walking. It's good for balance and stability and facilitates both a smoother walk and more flexibility in how we position ourselves. Other human-like animals that can walk upright also have similar kinds of walking. The Asian black bear, for example, can also walk plantigrade if it wants to.

Cats, dogs, and other animals with a similar skeleton and structure walk slightly differently. In these animals, the "heel" is actually raised; it's the part that sticks a bit backward and is an inch or so off the ground. Cats walk with the balls of their feet in the position where our heels would be and support themselves on the balls and toes. Since they're primarily supported by their digits, this is called digitigrade walking.

There's a third kind of walking, in a way that is essentially tiptoe to us. These animals grow a bunch of support structures around their toes to form a relatively flat, broad surface to support their legs. Can you guess what kinds of animals walk in this style? Horses and elephants are a couple of examples.

The different structure of the foot, the array of muscles that support it, the resilience of the toe beans themselves; all of this combines with the fact that cats are small and light, and is what allows them to be so light on their feet, so agile, able to spring into motion, climb, jump, fall, and land without issue.

Care and Grooming

Cats are reputed to be able to keep themselves pretty clean, but it's still a good idea to groom your fur baby from time to time, to look for issues they can't deal with on their own, and to make sure they're healthy overall. Some cats, when they're sick or anxious, will over-groom or under-groom, and that can be a sign that you should bring them to the vet for a checkup.

So, when you clean and groom your kitty, what should you do?

Clean their paws with a damp, soft cloth. There probably won't be much visible dirt, but you can wipe away grim, pathogens, and oils, allowing your fur baby a clean start. You don't want to use harsh chemicals or cleaners, though; only use water or at most a mild soap, which you rinse away after. Remember, cats groom themselves with their tongues, so any residue you leave on their paws will likely be ingested.

Check for damage. Cuts, scrapes, swelling, oozing, bad smells, redness, rashes, and other issues can accumulate. If your cat is swiping at a stinging or biting insect, steps on a thorn, gets a sliver in their paw, or otherwise cuts or damages their poor toe beans, it can easily end up infected, and you need to have it looked at if it doesn't heal in short order. If your fur baby is limping, it can be a sign of an injury, so check that foot as well.

Checking the toe beans for signs of dry or cracked skin is also important. You usually don't need anything like a paw balm (those are better for dogs) but if they have damaged paw pads, you may need to help out.

Trim the nails. You don't need to trim a cat's nails constantly – you only need to do it once or twice a month – but it can help keep shorter nails from catching on carpets, furniture, or anything else they're climbing on. It also means when they're playing with you and each other, or when they're kneading you, they won't be as prickly or at risk of accidentally scratching you.

Check between the toes. Sometimes, dirt and debris can get stuck between your fur baby's toes and cause them issues. Usually they can pick and lick this clean, but sometimes it's stubborn, and they may need assistance.

Do you need to trim their toe fur? This varies. Most short and even medium-coat cats don't need their fur to be trimmed unless there's an infection, injury, or other reason to get it out of the way. Longer-coat cats like Maine Coons might benefit from the occasional trim, but it's usually a rarity. They'll be fine unless that stray fur is causing problems, such as overheating.

What if your fur baby doesn't like you touching their feet? Unfortunately, this is common with cats, especially those who were strays before they were adopted. You can train them to be better about it, but it will take some time and plenty of treats. Don't try to force them or restrain them; that will just traumatize them and make it harder in the future.

Do you have any other questions? If so, feel free to ask! We've only covered the tip of the cat here – since their paws are just the tips of their legs, after all – but I love talking and answering questions as much as I can. Let me know if you have questions or if I didn't explain something well enough, and I'll get right back to you!

Better Cat Care Begins Here

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• Why do cats knead or "make biscuits"
• Why do cats bite or pull on their nails
• Why do cats like to touch your face
• Why do cats pant like a dog

And plenty more. So, now let's talk about one of the simplest – and yet most adorable – behaviors that a cat can display. What is it? Well, obviously, if you read the title of this post, you already know. It's when your fur baby is looking for a place to curl up and doze, and they choose your lap (or chest, or stomach, or the crook of your arm, or anywhere else next to you.)

What does it mean when they choose to sleep on you instead of in their bed, up on their cat tree, or in that cozy sunbeam breaking through the curtains?

How Cats Choose a Place to Sleep

It's important to know how a cat chooses where they want to sleep. They're predators, but they're also small and vulnerable to the predations of larger animals. In the wild, a cat has to be cautious of other cats, dogs, coyotes, and big cats like mountain lions. They can't just pick a nice warm spot and sleep there; they need to find someplace they can consider safe.

What makes a location safe? Well, that varies.

Cats like to sleep somewhere relatively enclosed. This is why when you hear tales of people finding stray cats having kittens nearby, it's usually in a hedge, under a dense shrub, under a porch, in a crawlspace, in a garage or barn, or another closed-off area. It's someplace they can get into, where they have shelter from the elements, and where other animals are less likely to be. They will also choose somewhere up high if they can since many of the animals that threaten them can't climb as well as they can. That's why they "get stuck" in trees and on rooftops from time to time.

You can often see that same behavior in our domesticated feline friends. They'll find a place on top of a shelf, in a nook around the TV, in a drawer or cupboard, or – as is so often adorably observed online – in a box.

Another big element of safety, though, is the scent. Cats have a fairly keen sense of smell (nothing like a dog's, but still better than ours), and they leave scent markings around their area. That's why they rub their faces and paws on you and on the things in their domain, and it's why they scratch at surfaces. They would also scent mark using urine if they aren't fixed and/or trained away from doing so.

So, when your cat is looking for a place to sleep, their first priority is safety, and their second priority is comfort.

So, why do they choose you?

Why Your Cat Chooses to Sleep With (or on) You

If your cat is choosing to sleep next to, curled up with, or on top of you, they're doing so because of one of a few different reasons.

The first and most common for dedicated cat parents is that your fur baby has bonded with you. Cats aren't really the aloof, standoffish, and independent creatures they're made out to be. They have plenty of complex social behaviors, and they form bonds. Those bonds are often formed with other cats (like their parents, siblings, littermates, and other friendly strays around them in the cat colony), but they can also be formed with people.

So, the number one reason why your cat chooses to sleep with you is because they've bonded with you. This is actually a combination of several factors, though.

A related reason is that your cat feels safe with you. They know you aren't going to do anything to hurt or threaten them – at least not on purpose. Because really, who among us hasn't accidentally kicked or stepped on our loving fur baby in the middle of the night when we can't even see them? It's always heart-wrenching, but at least they forgive us.

Cats need to feel safe to sleep. Ideally, they'll feel safe all throughout your home because you've made it safe for them. Out of the whole home, though, they'll want to prioritize spending time with the cats or people they've bonded with, and that means hanging out with you. Since cats do a lot of sleeping, that's going to be their primary trust activity.

Another reason is the scent marks of safety. There's an amusing anecdote somewhere on X: a couple have two cats, and they always have the same routine of settling in their respective chairs for the evening. Their cats each go to their favorite person and take up a position on the arm of the chair to spend time with them. Then, one day, the two decided to switch spots and see what the cats would do.

Much to their chagrin, the cats went to their usual spots. The parents, heartily amused, determined that the cats didn't have a favorite person at all but rather just a favorite spot.

That's only half true. The full truth is, the chair you spend every day sitting in – or the bed you spend every night sleeping in – is saturated with your scent. If you give your cat the choice between a brand-new chair you're sitting in, or the chair that you've sat in every night for years, they're going to detect strong saturated scents from the one you spent so much time in. It's familiar, comfortable, and safe.

So, part of safety is feeling secure with the scents around them, and what better place to bathe in your scent than right on top of you in bed or on a chair?

Another reason why cats like to sleep on people is simply because cats like to be somewhere warm. Cats already have a higher body temperature than we do, which means that keeping our houses at a temperature comfortable for us is a little chilly for them. They certainly make up for it with their fur coats, but they'll happily soak up the sun in a window and enjoy even more warmth. So, why would they want to sleep on you? Your body heat is warmer than the floors and other surfaces, so you're a nice warm place to curl up and doze.

One other possible reason is hormones. We get good hormones like oxytocin when we spend time with our fur babies, and dogs definitely get some when they spend time with us, so it's not out of the question that cats do, too. Unfortunately, vets aren't sure whether or not that's true just yet, so for now, it's just a theory.

Finally, cats are just social sleepers. There are a million different adorable cat pictures on the internet of two or more cats curled up in a pile to sleep, in on and around one another. Well, if they don't have other cats to snuggle up to, they'll just as likely pick the next best thing, which is you. After all, you're part of the pack as well; even if you don't partake in grooming, you don't really talk right, and you don't scratch the furniture.

Is It Bad to Sleep With Your Cat?

Some people believe that it's bad in some way to sleep with their cats. Some people view cats as dirty and that the cat will soil their beds. There's a little truth to that, sure. If your cat is ill, they can vomit or lose bowel or bladder control on your sheets, and no one likes to wake up to those telltale noises that mean hours of suffering at three in the morning.

Truth be told, most of the time, it's fine to let your cat sleep with you. There are three reasons why it might be bad, though, so let's cover them.

The first is parasites. If your cat has brought in some kind of parasite with them – most notably, fleas – letting them sleep with you can spread the parasite to you. At the very least, it can infest your sheets, and that's unpleasant for everyone involved.

If your cat is an indoor-only fur baby and they don't have the opportunity to pick up parasites, this probably isn't much of a concern. It's worse for cats that go outside from time to time, especially if they do so unsupervised, which I don't recommend.

The second reason is bacteria. It's kind of the same thing, really; cats can catch illnesses and bring them into the home with them. While cats like to keep themselves groomed and cleaned as much as they can, they don't exactly go wash themselves with soap, and the bacteria they carry can cause problems with you if you're susceptible to it. In particular, if you're immunocompromised, on antibiotics, or otherwise vulnerable, you should sadly try not to let your fur baby snuggle up to you while you're sleeping. Fortunately, while cats can potentially carry diseases, as can parasites on them, a well-cared-for fur baby isn't going to have much you have to worry about unless you have other reasons to be concerned for yourself.

The third reason is allergies. You may keep your allergies under control through shots or pills during the day, but at night, they can run wild. The worst part, though, isn't the allergies themselves. Chronic inflammation from constant low-level allergic reactions is pretty bad, but more than that, allergy attacks during the night will break up and disrupt your sleep and reduce the quality of the sleep you get. Since everything from heart attacks to colds is increased because of poor quality sleep, you really want to do what's best for you.

If you aren't concerned about any of these, you're probably fine with letting your fur baby sleep with you at night. Of course, since cats like to be nocturnal, they'll probably be restless and won't stick around too long at a time. They have better things they could be doing, like prowling.

Take special care if you have babies or young children to care for. You shouldn't let your cat sleep with them. First, if the cat is startled by the baby abruptly waking, screaming, or flailing around, they can react with a bite or scratch, and that's dangerous. Second, a cat curling up on their chest or head to sleep can even cause unintentional suffocation. It's always better to be safe than sorry when a non-fur baby is involved.

Finally, if your cat is sick in any way, you really want to keep them somewhere where they aren't going to be transmitting it to other cats or to you. It can feel bad to try to isolate them when they're suffering, but you can spend time comforting them when you're comfortable yourself. You don't want to make yourself feel worse just to make them feel better; you can't care for them if you're suffering, too, right?

Of course, not every cat even wants to sleep in your human bed with you. Some may be content to be curled up at your feet, or even just somewhere else in the room. As long as they can share the space with you, that may be enough for their fuzzy little minds.

So, there you have it! A thorough explanation of why cats like to sleep on you, with you, around you, and share space with you. Isn't it a wonderful feeling to know that your fur baby has chosen you as their beloved human, their littermate, their bonded packmate, and their friend? There are few better feelings when acting as a pet parent than earning that trust and love from our beloved feline friends.

Do you have any other common cat behavior questions you wonder about or would like explained? If so, feel free to leave them in the comments below! I'm always on the lookout for ways to answer your questions and engage with my community, so I look forward to hearing from you.

So it might come as a bit of a surprise to look at a cat and see a strange, hanging bag or flap of skin on their bellies. It seems to run counter to the idea of a slick predator to have such a weird excess bit of flesh, right?

Well, it's not actually all that strange. These flaps of excess flesh are only skin deep, and they serve a few important purposes. This unique anatomical feature is called a primordial pouch. Let's talk about them!

What and Where is a Primordial Pouch?

The primordial pouch is a hanging bit of excess skin and cutaneous flesh that dangles loose around the lower belly of a cat. It sags, hangs low, and dangles between the legs, and it often seems like it should get in the way. Cats with larger primordial pouches have a comedic vision to them when they trot happily along because the pouch sways back and forth with their step. There are countless images online of the primordial pouch if you search, but a great one is this one from Chewy.

There's actually not a ton more to it. The pouch doesn't move locations on cats. It's not full of sensitive organs or glands or anything like that. It's just fur, skin, and subcutaneous fat, and nothing else. Technically, it runs the whole length of their belly, but it's most prominent near their hind legs.

In fact, if you think about humans and weight loss, you might have an interesting take on the pouch. If a person is obese and loses a lot of weight, their skin – which had stretched out to accommodate all that extra fat – doesn't shrink back in. It ends up sagging and empty around their stomachs. The middle image in this illustration is a good example. In humans, this is often known as a FUPA, or Fatty Upper Pelvic Area.

People give a lot of pet names to the primordial pouch, likely because it's a tedious and scientific phrase to say. People often call it things like Jelly Belly, Tum-Tum, or cookie pouch, but I've also seen people refer to it as the snack pack, pudding belly, fluff armor, coin purse, or Swiffer.

So, you might think that a cat with a saggy belly is a cat that was overweight or obese and lost that weight but still has the skin to show for it. Fortunately, though, that's not actually true. Brand-new kittens and elderly cats alike, healthy all their lives, can have very pronounced primordial pouches.

Do All Cats Have a Primordial Pouch?

This is a slightly tricky question to answer.

The actual answer is "yes," all cats have primordial pouches. In fact, it's not even limited to our fuzzy housecat friends! Big cats, including tigers, lions, cheetahs, jaguars, pumas, mountain lions, and every other large feline has a primordial pouch. It's simply a genetic commonality between felines of all sizes and species.

"But my cat doesn't have a primordial pouch!" I've met plenty of cats in my time and plenty of cat parents, and we all have an example of a cat that doesn't seem to have a primordial pouch. The fact of the matter is, anatomically, they definitely have one. It's just that, for some cats, it's smaller or tighter or less pronounced; in other cats, it's larger and dangly and more obvious.

That said, there are three factors that can make a primordial pouch more obvious.

The first is mealtime. Cats that have just had a large meal or have eaten well recently will likely have larger and more visible primordial pouches.

The second is obesity. Above, I mentioned that the primordial pouch isn't caused by obesity, and it's true it's not. However, cats that are obese are going to have larger and more visible primordial pouches. Cats that were obese and have successfully lost weight are likely to have the FUPA effect, making their primordial pouches look larger, as well.

The third factor is age. As a living creature gets older, their skin will lose elasticity. This is because the protein that keeps skin stretchy and firm, collagen, is produced in lower and lower quantities the older you get. This happens in other animals as well, not just cats or humans. The older something gets, the slower that collage production is, and the saggier and more wrinkly their skin can get.

Primordial pouches are also more commonly seen on male cats than female cats. All of them have it; it's just often more visible for males.

Do Some Breeds Have More Pronounced Primordial Pouches?

Yes! Some breeds are genetically predisposed to having larger, stretchier, and more visible primordial pouches. Some examples of breeds with larger or more distinct pouches are the Japanese Bobtail, the Bengal, the Pixie Bob, the Abyssinian, and the Egyptian Mau.

Most of our domestic housecats are "mutts" or mixed breeds, so it's a lot harder to be general about them. Since it's a genetic factor, a housecat with 1% genetic Mau or Bengal in its history might have a more pronounced pouch, while another – even one that's 50% Bengal – might take after its other parent and have a smaller or less visible pouch.

So, you can't necessarily tell breed or anything based on the primordial pouch; it's just a variable genetic factor in cats we can't control.

Why Do Cats Have Primordial Pouches?

Now, this is one of those serious questions that takes a lot of discussion to answer. Except, not really. The truth is, while we have some theories about why primordial pouches exist, there's no definitive answer. It's not like an organ like the lungs where it exists so we can breathe, after all.

At a basic level, cats have primordial pouches because some much older species of proto-cat had something similar, and nothing in evolutionary pressure has gotten rid of it. It doesn't do them any harm – and in fact, can be beneficial in some circumstances – so cats with it compete just as well as a species as cats with smaller or almost-nonexistent primordial pouches.

That's really just how evolution works. There's no plan behind things; the pouch doesn't have to have a specific purpose; it just has to be not enough of a detriment – or enough of an advantage – that cats with it survive more than cats without it, breeding more with other cats and producing more cats with it until most or all cats have it. Pretty much any quirk of biology or genetics comes from this selection process.

What Purpose Do Primordial Pouches Serve?

So, if a primordial pouch is somehow beneficial to cats such that more cats with it survive than cats without it, what are those benefits?

This is where science isn't entirely sure what the "purpose" of the pouch is. It serves three functions, but whether or not any of those are quote-unquote "intended" or just side effects of something else that no longer serves its original function is something we'll probably never have an answer to.

So, what are those three functions?

The first is protection. Soft, stretchy skin is more resilient to injury or attack than firmer, tighter skin. A claw snagging in the skin of the primordial pouch is more likely to drag the whole pouch down while the cat under assault can defend itself. It's not impervious to injury, of course – it's still just skin – but moving with an attack rather than standing and resisting it is beneficial. This is especially true when cats fight other cats. If you've ever gone for your fur baby's belly and had their hind legs come up and kick at your wrist, that's a way cats can defend their bellies. The claws on those hind legs can shred whatever is coming for them. Two cats tussling can defend against each other's legs with the primordial pouch.

All of that is supposition and is probably the least likely of the three possible functions for the primordial pouch.

The second one is flexibility. Have you ever gone for a big stretch, particularly after you've had a meal, and felt like you're going to burst? Your skin is a limiting factor; you can't stretch too far because your skin could actually tear, though it will probably stop you out of pain before you reach that point.

Cats don't have that same issue. The primordial pouch lets them be a lot more flexible, including stretching out for very long running strides or twisting to right themselves while falling or to avoid an obstacle. The pouch allows them flexibility, and flexibility allows them to adapt and survive more easily.

The third possible reason why a primordial pouch exists is as a way to make it easier for a cat to gorge when they have food available. Remember, for much of history, food wasn't always readily available. Predators need to hunt, prey needs to forage, and when food is plenty, the animal needs to be able to stock up as much of that energy as possible.

In fact, that's why we humans get obese and why other animals do too. We live in times of plenty (despite food scarcity caused by economics and sociopolitical deprivation that is definitely not a topic for our lovely pet blog), and that means we, and our fur babies, have plenty of food to eat. Well, if you eat too much, your body stockpiles the excess calories, usually as fat. This is a hedge against when the weather turns, the winter comes, and you don't have forage readily available.

Bears are the biggest example of this in nature. They spend all year stocking up and fattening up, then spend all winter hibernating and living off of that stored energy.

Well, cats are very small and can only pack on so many additional fat stores before it impacts their health in a negative way. The primordial pouch allows them to gorge more, almost like a chipmunk cheek, but for the stomach.

Since cats don't need to worry about food scarcity anymore, this purpose isn't really prominent, so cats without the pouch can breed just as much as cats with it. It's possible in another few hundred years, the pouch may be much less common.

Can a Primordial Pouch Cause Health Issues?

Not really, no! The primordial pouch is just skin and fat, so it's not going to cause or develop problems that don't show up elsewhere. That said, you always want to keep an eye on your fur baby's overall health, and that includes parts of their anatomy that may not be familiar to you. The primordial pouch should be loose and flexible; if their stomach is hard and tight when it shouldn't be, or if there are odd lumps or distensions, you'll want to talk to a vet.

For cats with larger and more prominent pouches, especially cats that have shorter legs and are lower to the ground, the pouch can drag and get dirty and matted more easily. Your fur baby can probably groom it themselves, but sometimes a go-over with a good cat brush can be a great idea, too.

A primordial pouch doesn't mean your fur baby is obese, and an obese fur baby isn't going to necessarily develop a more pronounced pouch than they already had.

Really, the only danger of a primordial pouch is to you when you go in for some snuggles or pets and get a surprise kick or chomp from a frisky feline that wants to play. But then, we all know the belly is a trap, right?

So, do your cats have pronounced pouches, or are they sleek and taut? Did you notice it growing over time, and did your cat have obesity? Chime in and add to the discussion! You know I love hearing stories of your fur babies! And if you want to know more, or you have any questions, let me know, and I'll see if I can answer them or even add them to the post.

For me, one of the best things about our little furry feline friends is their sleek, fluffy fur coats. Whether they're a coarse, wiry domestic shorthair or a majestic, fluffy long-hair with a grooming to-do list a mile long, that fur is iconic.

It's understandably distressing if your fur baby is, well, having trouble being a fur baby.

Bald patches in any animal are generally not a great sign, though they can have a lot of different causes, some worse than others.

Are Cat Bald Patches Dangerous?

Before digging into specific causes and their treatments, you probably want to know right off the bad how worried you should be. If your fur baby has a bald patch, should you rush them to the emergency vet, should you insist on an appointment as soon as possible, or should you just keep an eye on it until your next scheduled appointment?

The answer is right around the middle, but it does depend on the cause of the issue.

In general, you're going to want to call your vet and explain the situation. You don't need to rush them to the vet unless there are other signs of problems of a more serious variety, which I'll go through as we get to them. Usually, though, a bald patch is a sign of something you can adjust or treat at home, and you only need a vet to look at it to verify that it's not something worse. An urgent but not emergency appointment – sometime in the next week or so – is probably all you need.

That said, if left untreated, bald patches can turn into skin lesions and sores, and those can be the source of infections or other dangers, and that's much more urgent. You need to have your vet take a look at your furry friend, regardless of whether or not you think it's immediately dangerous, just in case there's an underlying issue.

What Causes Cat Bald Patches?

There are a variety of different problems that can cause bald patches, so let's go through them and evaluate their symptoms, prognosis, and treatment options.

Parasites

The first and one of the most common reasons why a cat can end up with bald patches is because of some kind of parasite. Most of the time, this is fleas, but it can also be caused by mites and other external parasites.

Fleas and mites don't actually cause bald patches; instead, it's an allergic reaction, a kind of topical dermatitis caused by flea bites or mite bites. The allergic reaction, the inflammation, and your fur baby grooming the area and trying to alleviate it all lead to hair loss in the area.

In extreme cases, mange – which is a mite infection – can also lead to hair loss. Mange is characteristic in appearance and tends to come with crustiness and other skin problems as well, so it's a lot more noticeable than just hair loss and bald patches, though.

Bald patches caused by fleas and other parasites are generally not a huge cause for concern beyond the obvious: you have fleas or mites that you need to address. Cat flea treatments are medications that prevent fleas from reproducing and work great for months at a time. You'll generally need to give your cat an anti-parasitic treatment.

If your fur baby is constantly licking at the bald patches, it means they're either itchy or painful, and they're trying to soothe it. In these cases, it won't heal well without help, so your vet may give them an antihistamine or a steroid shot, which can reduce the inflammation and irritation, allowing the area to heal and the fur to regrow.

The only way this is dangerous is if you don't treat the parasites or if the skin irritation is so advanced that it's leaving open sores that get infected. Otherwise, it's irritating and painful for your fur baby but not life-threatening.

Skin Infections

Along the same lines as parasites are various sorts of skin infections. The most common to affect cats is ringworm. Despite its name, ringworm isn't actually a worm. It's actually a kind of fungal infection, usually presenting itself as a round lesion on the skin. It's irritating, dry, itchy, painful, and prone to cracking and spreading, all of which means your cat will try to soothe it with grooming. Skin irritation and fungal infections combined with grooming can result in rapid, localized hair loss and spread.

Ringworm is a little more dangerous for two reasons. The first is that it needs a lab test to appropriately diagnose, and in that time, it can spread, especially to other animals. More than that, though, it can even spread to humans. You'll need to be careful when handling your fur baby, keep anything they come into contact with washed or cleaned and make sure to treat it aggressively to keep it from spreading to you or other cats in the house.

There are other skin infections besides ringworm that can crop up, but they tend to be a bit less common. All of them generally need a vet to look at them, a lab test to diagnose them, and a treatment to take care of them. Which ones, specifically, depend on the cause of the infection.

Other Allergies

Allergies come in more than just reactions to parasites like fleas. Just like we people can be allergic to all kinds of things, so can our kitties. I've heard of everything from pollen allergies to dust allergies to protein allergies in cats! Some of them are a lot harder to handle than others, but some just require periodic allergic shots or pills.

When your fur baby has bald patches, it can be an allergic reaction, and that reaction can be to either something they came into contact with or something they ate.

• Long-term, low-level reactions to something in their food can cause chronic inflammation, which, building up over time, can manifest as skin irritation and bald patches or general hair thinning and hair loss.
• Rubbing up against something they're allergic to, like a plant with an irritating sap along the lines of poison ivy or poison oak or a plant with pollen they're allergic to, can lead to the same sort of topical irritation and allergic reaction as above. It's less likely to result in bald patches right away, but if your fur baby over-grooms the area, it can lead to a loss of fur.
• Some insect stings and bites can cause the same kinds of irritations. Many insects can't make it through a fur coat, but some can; a wasp sting or bee sting, in particular, can lead to a longer-lasting irritation that they groom until the skin is bald.

If you want to learn more about cat allergies, VCA has a great resource here. It can get you started in knowing what to look for and when there may be an emergency involved.

Usually, allergies like this aren't going to be a huge health emergency. It's only if your cat starts having trouble breathing or other issues that you need to rush them to the vet. Chronic, long-term allergies to food are more likely to just cause low-level unpleasantness on an ongoing basis. It sucks, but it's not immediately life-threatening.

How do you solve this problem? It depends on the allergy. You may need to identify an environmental allergen and remove it, give them allergy shots to combat it, or change foods or grooming supplies to remove an allergy-inducing ingredient from their lives. It all depends on what caused it.

Stress and Anxiety

Have you ever met someone who has anxiety? There's a good chance that they have some kind of nervous tic. Some people tap their feet or hands constantly. Some fidget or pace. Some even pick at their hair.

Well, cats can react the same way. When they're anxious and stressed, they need to alleviate it somehow, but they have very few options available to them. After all, they don't have hands! Now, think about what a mama cat does to soothe her kittens when they're young and scared; she grooms them. Comfort licks can soothe and relieve anxiety and stress in kittens, and older cats maintain that habit.

What this means is that cats under stress or suffering from anxiety are likely to spend more time grooming themselves than they otherwise would. Often, they'll end up focusing on the same few spots, like their flanks, which end up with bald spots because of the over-grooming. Of course, this leads to more stress and more grooming and becomes an ongoing problem.

There are a few ways to address this. The first is to figure out why they're stressed or anxious and alleviate the issue. There are a lot of possible causes for cat anxiety, ranging from rearranging the house or moving food/litter/bedding from where they're used to, to illness, pain, or injury, to separation anxiety. Figuring out the cause allows you to alleviate it.

You may also need to use an anti-anxiety medication. These medications can include things like gabapentin, fluoxetine, alprazolam, and even CBD. Make sure you talk to your vet before administering any kind of medication, of course.

Thyroid Problems

One of the more common problems domestic cats develop over time is thyroid issues. The thyroid is an important part of the hormonal system, and any imbalance in hormones can cause all kinds of problems. A thyroid issue can lead to a bunch of different issues with your kitty's fur coat, including a loss of luster, greasy fur, matted fur, and a lack of grooming. Hair loss, of course, is also common.

Thyroid issues also cause other symptoms, including increased thirst, changes in weight, hunger or loss of appetite, and lethargy or hyperactivity. If it sounds like that's basically every possible extreme, it's because an over-active and an under-active thyroid are both problems in opposite ways.

While thyroid issues are dangerous, they are also common enough that we know very well how to treat them. You may need to give your cat pills for the rest of their life, or you may give them a kind of radiation treatment that kills the thyroid to prevent it from flooding their system with hormones, or there may be other treatments.

It's also possible that a tumor or cancer of the thyroid or another hormone-producing organ is causing the problem as well. These need to be treated on a case-by-case basis, obviously.

Other Issues

There are a few other reasons why your fur baby might be getting bald spots.

One of the more common with outdoor cats is an injury, particularly an injury when fighting with another cat or another animal. These other critters aren't exactly washing their hands, and even a minor scrape from a claw can lead to an infected wound. Of course, if an infected wound has caused a bald patch, it should be pretty obvious what it is and that it requires some fast treatment.

There are also various sorts of cancers that can cause hair loss. Leukemia is a common one; either the cancer causes hair loss or the treatment does. In these cases, though, the bald patches are probably the least of your worries.

Some cats also have a genetic cognitive condition where they over-groom, as a sort of feline obsessive-compulsive disorder. This can be mitigated with regular shots, but it's something you need to keep an eye on for their whole lives and can get worse as they get older.

Regardless of the core issue, a few things are generally true:

• Hair loss and bald patches in a cat are signs of something underlying wrong, whether it's a health issue, a hormone issue, an injury, or an allergy.
• Hair will grow back once the underlying issue is handled, as long as it doesn't cause scarring on the skin that prevents fur from growing.
• You will almost always need a vet to examine and determine the cause of the issue, though it's usually not an emergency situation.

Have you had a cat that struggles with hair loss? Let me know about it and what you did!

What if I told you that you could play video games with your cat?

No, I don't mean a tiny cat VR headset (which is brilliant satire, by the way), and they certainly aren't going to do much more than lay on a controller if you give them one. And forget about browsing the app store for something to suit their preferences… they can't read!

What cats can do, though, is see what's on a screen. Every funny moment of a cat pouncing at a bird on a big-screen TV only to bounce off the flat screen is a testament to that fact.

So what if you found a video game that they can play using your devices? There are quite a few of them out there, so I've found five that are a hoot to try.

They all follow more or less the same formula, but the variance between them can be enough to make it worth trying each of them to find the one that you and your cat like the most.

What You Need to Play a Video Game with Your Cat

Before we begin, we need to prepare. If you want to play a video game with your cat, you need to do it the right way.

First, you want a tablet. A phone can work, but there's a decent chance you want to be using your phone, not letting your cat dominate it.

Plus, phones are smaller and easier to swipe around and off surfaces; if you let your cat play with your phone, they could bat it off a table and break it. Nobody wants that! Your cat can't even pay for the damage, the pesky freeloader.

What kind of tablet? The two major ecosystems are Android and Apple. Either one can work, but they have their own ecosystems, so the games available for one might not be available for the other. I've put together a list for each below.

As for price and capabilities, if all you're doing is using it as a cat toy, you can buy an older, used version, so the price isn't really a concern. Cat-centric video games aren't particularly intensive, either. Just get something you're fine with using as a cat toy.

Second, you want some kind of case or mount for it. A silicone case is the best for two reasons. The first is that it's resilient and durable, as well as shock-absorbent.

If your furry friend manages to shove your tablet off a table with one of these cases, it's more likely to bounce than break. The second reason is to prevent that from happening at all; a silicone case is very "grippy" and will keep the tablet from sliding at all.

Of course, you can alleviate some of these problems by putting the tablet on the floor instead of on a table or other higher-up surface.

Third, you want a screen protector for the tablet. Our fuzzy little friends have claws, and those claws can leave scrapes and scratches on a screen, especially when they're pouncing or swiping at it.

Note: You can get around a lot of the problems of a damaged tablet by using a projector system to display your game right on the floor. This has the benefit of being larger and more interactive for your fur baby. You need a projector that has a camera, records feedback, and can detect your cat's actions and make the game react. The issue is that these are significantly more expensive than your average tablet, so this isn't really the best option unless you're really dedicated to having a cat playroom with virtual gaming.

I also recommend some grooming tools to help keep your cat's claws trimmed. Shorter claws are less likely to hook into a case or crease in the tablet and drag it around and aren't as likely to scratch a screen or tear a screen protector off.

Finally, you'll want some treats on hand. I'll get into the "why" for that a little later.

Five Android Video Games for Cats

First, let's start off with the games you'll find on the Android Google Play app store. These are the options you have for using a Google, Samsung, or other Android-format tablet as your cat's gaming device.

1: Mouse for Cats

Mouse for Cats is one of the oldest cat-focused video games on the market. It's fairly simple; a digital mouse wanders the screen and pops when your cat "catches" it by pouncing or swiping at the screen. You can configure the app to choose whether or not the mice can run off-screen (which can distract some cats by making them look elsewhere for the mice), how many mice are on screen at a time, and more.

The biggest downside to the app is that it has some fairly annoying ads in between levels, and there's no way to disable them, so you need some active supervision for your cat's screen time.

2: Pocket Ponds

Pocket Ponds is a more detailed game that's designed for both you and your fur baby to play together. Rather than catching fish, though, taps and pawing at the screen feeds and cares for your koi.

Then, when your cat tires of the game, you can take over and get to work with the management side, breeding newer and more interesting fish, upgrading your pond, and more. Really, who wouldn't love to co-op with their kitten?

3: Cat Games: Games for Cats

This is a fairly simple set of games, all of which follow the same "catch the critter" formula. There are a variety of different critters to catch, including flies, bees, hamsters, and mice, so your fur baby can get some variety.

Some people report that this game has some annoying ads and some annoying sound bites, so feel free to evaluate it at your leisure.

4: Cat Fishing 2

Cat Fishing 2 is fairly similar to the above games, particularly Mouse for Cats, except with aquatic critters. Fish, crabs, frogs, and other little creatures roam the screen for your cat to catch and pop, earning them points.

In an interesting twist, this game was made by Nestle Purina, so it's designed for cats first and foremost.

5: Cat Alone 2

If you've spotted a pattern that all these cat games are just variations on "cat chases and touches critter on screen" as a concept, you're right. That's how cats mostly play, after all, so it makes sense that it's what the games are all about.

Cat Alone 2 has a variety of creatures to catch, including spiders, and has a unique selfie feature where it can periodically take a picture of your cat so you can see how engaged they are with the game.

Five Apple Video Games for Cats

If you've grabbed an Apple iPad instead of a Google device, you're going to be browsing the Apple App Store instead of Google Play for your app needs. Here are the five best cat-first games I've seen.

1: Mouse for Cats

This is the same game as the one mentioned in the Android section. In fact, it was an Apple game first and was only ported to Android later.

Otherwise, the games are the same; a mouse wanders the screen for your cat to catch, and you can configure various options about the mice and the number of mice on screen at once to keep your kitty captivated.

2: Pocket Ponds 2

Both Pocket Pond 1 and 2 exist on the Android and Apple app stores, so I've chosen to link to one for one and the other for the other. They're basically the same game, but with different kinds of fish and decorations, different progression, and other details changed.

Many people say that Pocket Ponds 1 is "harder" than 2, but when your cat is doing all the "work," it really doesn't matter.

3: Cat Fishing 2

Once again, this is another app that works for both Android and iOS platforms. Cat Fishing 2 has some convenient development behind it from Nestle, so it's a little more polished than some of the other apps out there.

In particular, it's harder to accidentally exit the game, which happens a lot with some of the less well-designed apps out there for cats.

4: Cat Alone 2

This one deserves a spot on both lists because, again, the cat selfie feature is pretty hilarious sometimes.

Catching your cat in the act of zeroing in on a creepy crawling is incredible, and those pictures make for great posts on Instagram and other social networks.

5: Cat Games

Wrapping up the iOS list, Cat Games is another variation on the same theme.

It features a few creatures you don't see in other games, like flamingos and bats, and it has a more cartoony aesthetic than some of the other games, but otherwise, it's basically the same thing.

The Laser Pointer Issue

In cat care, there's an opinion that cycles through communities fairly often, which is that laser pointers are a bad toy for cats. The reasoning is pretty simple: cats like to hunt, but more than that, they need to feel the fulfillment of actually catching their prey. This is why something like a feather wand or other physical toy is better than a laser because a cat can never catch a laser and will get frustrated at the constant hunt with no resolution.

Video games have the same issue: since your cat is just touching a screen, they don't have anything to grab and chew on.

There are ways to handle this, including ending with pointing the laser at a physical toy. You can't really get that with video games, though. That's why I recommended treats; when playtime is over, bring in a treat and reward them.

Help! My Cat Doesn't Play Video Games

Some cats have preferences. Not every cat will want to play with a screen, either because there's no real feedback for them or because it just doesn't interest them. They may want something more 3D than 2D to play with, or maybe the game is off-putting for another reason.

The truth is, every cat is different. Playing video games with your cat isn't necessarily going to work, and some cats just won't get engaged with an app no matter what.

If you're worried about whether or not your cat is going to be interested in a video game – particularly if you're trying to avoid spending a hundred bucks or so on a tablet they might not use – you can get any of these apps on your phone first and give them a try. If your cat is interested in them on a phone, they'll be just as interested in them on a tablet. That way, you can know whether or not the investment will be worthwhile.

Finally, to wrap things up, I wanted to make a special note that screen time and app-based play should not be the only way you play with your fur baby. For one thing, these apps stimulate hunting instincts, but unlike chasing a toy or laser pointer, your cat isn't actually getting any exercise while playing these games. You might end up with a cat that has the zoomies or is unnaturally frustrated because only some of their needs are being catered to.

Always try to keep your fur baby in the best health possible. That means, among other things, appropriate kinds of play. Video games can distract your furry feline friend while you're getting work done or otherwise can't play with them when they're active, but they should only be a supplement, not the main way you interact with your cat.

Have you ever played video games with your cat before? If so, what were their favorites? I'd love to hear all about your experiences and favorite stories, so be sure to leave those in the comments section!

Maybe your only experience with nail biting is the phrase and the use of exaggerated nail biting in cartoons. Maybe you even nibble them yourself.

You may have thoughts, feelings, and connotations about nail biting in your mind, and that can trigger some anxiety when you see your kitty doing the same thing.

Nail biting is common in cats. The question is, is it harmful? Let's talk about it!

What is Nail Biting, Chewing, and Pulling?

Cats do a lot to groom themselves and keep themselves tidy. Their adorable brush-like tongues comb through their fur, their curved claws scratch those hard-to-reach itches all over their bodies, and their teeth nibble at mats, things caught in fur, and anything else that needs a little bit of picking at.

Nail biting and chewing are just part of this routine. It happens when your fur baby uses their teeth to catch and pull at their nails, often while they're busy licking at their paws and cleaning in between their toes. Gotta keep those beans clean!

So why does this come across as a cause for concern? Two reasons, basically.

The first is that from a sheer physical perspective, it just seems so violent! Your fur baby is picking at, pulling, chewing, and biting their claws, and those tugs can be loud when they pop. How can something that looks and sounds like that not be painful or dangerous?

The second is the human condition. We people don't generally chew or bite our nails, particularly not as part of self-care and grooming.

But we do perform nail care, from clipping them to cleaning under and around them to full-on manicures. Cats just don't have access to any of those things, at least not of their own volition. They make do with what they have.

Why Cats Bite Their Nails

So why do cats bite and pull at their nails? There are a bunch of possible reasons.

The biggest reason is plain old grooming. Cat claws are pretty much constantly in contact with some kind of surface, and even indoors, there's a good chance there's dirt and debris around that they get into. As their claws wear down, they can crack and split, and dirt can get into them. It's a lot like when you have dirt or grime under your own nails; you want to clean it out, right? And you might use the little tools designed for the purpose – just called nail cleaners – but your fur baby can't do that. Not only do they not have tools or thumbs to use them, but their claws are shaped differently.

So, there's a decent chance your fur baby has dirt in their nails, and they just want to clean them out. Normally, licking will do the job well enough, but for stubborn dirt or little bits of debris stuck to their claws, they might need to use a bit more force.

Beyond just cleaning, it's also important to know how cat nails work in the first place.

For us, when our nails grow, they push outwards from the cuticle. It's a lot like hair in a way, in that it grows from the root, though, of course, our nails don't periodically fall out and start over the way hair does.

Cat claws kind of do the same thing, but they don't grow from the toe outwards, but from the quick outwards. It's a lot like rings in a tree: newer layers of claw growing up from the middle of the nail, hardening as they grow further out, and becoming the sharp, tough shell our fur babies use to scratch and scrape and climb.

Well, as new layers grow up in the middle, older layers on the outside need to be shed. Cats scratching at furniture, trees, scratching posts, doorframes, and other objects both mark their territory and shed those outer layers of claw. This is also why, when your cat is biting their nails, sometimes you find fragments of nails left behind when they're done. This is especially common if part of the nail chips away or breaks, leaving a rough hangnail that bothers them.

This isn't "ripping out their nails"; it's just the feline equivalent of giving their nails a trim. The whole process is like a fuzzy little manicure.

It's also possible that, while it looks like your fur baby is biting their nails, that's not actually the case. They might be chewing at the area between their toes or even using their claws to pick at something caught in their teeth. Regardless, though, it's all going back to one thing: grooming. It's perfectly natural and fine to let it happen.

When is Nail Chewing Abnormal?

Like everything else in this world, moderation is key. Most of the time, if your cat is chewing and biting their nails, it's perfectly fine. In fact, the fact that they're even willing to do their grooming in front of you is a show of trust; some cats prefer to hide away in a comfortable spot to do that grooming, and you might never see it.

Sometimes, though, nail biting can get excessive and cause problems or be a sign of other problems. What are those other problems? What can cause excess nail biting?

A toe or nail injury is one of the most common reasons why your cat might be excessively biting or chewing at their nails. A broken claw, for example, is a common cause. If a claw breaks, it can be sensitive and even painful, and licking, biting, and chewing can be a soothing behavior to alleviate or control that pain. It's also a way to keep a broken nail clean to help avoid infection, though, of course, our fur babies don't have the cleanest mouths, and it's still not exactly sterile.

Similarly, toe injuries like cuts, scrapes, or punctures can be painful and irritating, and they may be chewing and licking at their feet to try to soothe those injuries. If you notice your fur baby is chewing their nails but they're also bleeding, that can be a sign that something is wrong.

A related issue is if you or a groomer were trying to trim their nails and did it wrong. Too short nails can expose the sensitive inner core of the nail itself, including the quick, which leads to bleeding, pain (because of the nerve in the nail), and irritation. Your fur baby will probably lick and chew at them to make them feel better and ease that pain.

The opposite issue – nails that grow too long – can lead to the same sort of behavior. Usually, your cat will have ways to keep their nails shorter, usually through scratching things like wooden surfaces like they might find on furniture and doorframes or floors. If they can't do that, they might turn to chewing as a way to help shed a layer or three of nail to make it more comfortable to walk. Overgrown and ingrown nails are a problem with cats that are passively neglected and aren't capable of caring for their own nails.

Along the same lines, an infection can lead to excessive chewing and licking. Infections are irritating and painful, and they cause swelling, and all of this is something your fur baby wants to deal with but doesn't have the tools to handle. Until our feline friends invent their own version of modern pharmaceuticals, they'll just have to be content with licking and picking until we notice and bring them to a vet for a checkup.

Finally, there's a whole category of mental and cognitive issues that can lead to nail biting and picking. This is actually a lot like how it occurs in humans; nail biting is a stimulating activity that can occupy the mind and soothe the body despite being broadly detrimental if it's done in excess. Things that can cause it include:

• Boredom. Cats that have nothing to do, no one to play with, and no trouble to get into are going to need some source of stimulation, and nail biting may be one that they turn to. This can be especially reinforced if, when you notice it, you give them attention; it teaches them that they can get attention from nail biting.
• Anxiety. All sorts of negative and compulsive behaviors can crop up in our beloved fur babies when some major life change happens, including moving houses (or just a major rearranging of the furniture), an injury or illness, the loss of a partner animal or a roommate; just about any major change, really. Cats are creatures of habit, and when those habits are disturbed, they can resort to more primal and less comfortable behaviors, including nail biting.
• Stress and frustration. An example from Dr. Nicolas Dodman is that something as simple as a squirrel or bird that likes to sit outside your window and taunt your cat can be a source of frustration; it's right there, priming their hunting instincts, but they can't do anything about it. That frustration needs to be let out somehow, and nail biting can be one way they get that stress relief.

With all that in mind, then, you have two more questions: how can you tell when nail biting is abnormal, and how can you stop it?

Is My Cat's Nail Biting Bad?

Truthfully, most of the time, you'll be able to tell if your cat is biting their nails to an excessive degree. You might notice that it's particularly violent or happens seemingly constantly and that their nails are short, bleeding, broken, or otherwise damaged.

If you're concerned, you can schedule a vet trip, but this is definitely not emergency vet territory unless there are signs of an injury or infection. If your fur baby's toes are swollen, leaking pus, or bleeding, then you will want a more urgent vet trip.

How to Minimize Cat Nail Biting

First of all, if you think your cat is biting their nails excessively, consult with your vet. They can advise you as to whether or not it's likely to be a medical issue that could require medication to treat, like an injury or an infection.

Secondly, if your cat is biting their nails but it's not excessive or compulsive, it's generally not a problem. Normal nail biting is just part of grooming, and you shouldn't try to stop it any more than you'd want to stop them from licking their fur.

If they have excessive nail biting, and it's not caused by an infection or injury, you have a few options.

First, find ways to alleviate their stress. Small amounts of aromatherapy, making sure they have a safe space they can go to hide where they won't be bothered, and establishing a routine are all helpful here.

Most importantly, make sure they have things they can scratch. I know you don't want them scratching the walls or the furniture, but they are going to scratch something; it's just a matter of what. Provide them with scratching surfaces that you allow and encourage them to scratch.

Ideally, you want to have several different kinds of surfaces so they can care for their nails in different ways. A good trio would be a wooden post they can scratch, a sisal post, and one of those disposable cardboard pads they can go to town on. All three of these serve different purposes and suit different needs. You can read more about scratching posts here.

Put scratching posts and objects in different areas as well. You want them to be able to be used as territory markings as well as grooming tools, after all.

It can also be a good idea to help keep your fur baby's nails trimmed yourself. Some cats don't mind their paws being handled and their claws being trimmed – as long as you're careful not to hit the quick – but others absolutely hate it. Don't stress your cat out fighting with them! As long as they can care for their own paws, you shouldn't make things worse, but if they do have problems, professional grooming or vet care can help.

So, after reading this article, did you have any questions about nail biting, why cats do it, or anything else related to the topic? If you do, be sure to leave me a comment down below, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible! I'm always more than happy to help my readers however I can!

It's an unfortunate fact that not all cats and dogs have pet parents to care for them. In particular, stray cats can be found in pretty much every location around the world, making a living for themselves hunting rodents, lounging in barns, and approaching the friendliest neighbors – cautiously – when they want something.

Most neighborhoods have a few people who are willing to feed and care for these stray kitties, but it's important that you do it properly. Otherwise, you could be putting them at risk. So, what should you do, what should you avoid, and what's the best way to care for our outside friends when we can't just adopt them and bring them in?

Quick Definition: Stray vs Feral

Throughout this post, I'm going to refer to both stray and feral cats. Many people use both terms interchangeably, but there's actually an important difference.

Stray cats are generally friendly and, while they may be shy or skittish, can warm up to you and come in for affection. They may be lost pets, abandoned and unwanted litters, or just neighborhood outdoor cats that like to hang out with the other strays. These may have homes and may even have microchips and can be reunited, or they might just be prime candidates for adoption.

Ferals, meanwhile, have never been domesticated and are generally very skittish, standoffish, and aggressive. While some can be adopted and eventually warm up to people, most won't want anything to do with you beyond the food and water you provide.

Otherwise, most of the tips and best practices below are the same, so you can think of them in the same terms.

Know the Risks of Feeding Stray Cats

The biggest thing you need to know about feeding stray cats is what the risks are and how you can avoid them.

First is disease. Disease is one of the greatest dangers that stray and feral cats face living on their own. Diseases can spread quickly in a cat colony, and since there's no one who can take them to the vet when they have the sniffles or the runs, those diseases can last for quite a while. Some run their course, but others can be life-threatening or fatal.

It's in our nature to want to help these fur babies, but it's difficult to do so, especially if they're feral and won't approach you. You'll have a hard time catching them to bring them in, and there's always the expense of veterinary care for animals who don't live with you.

This is all relevant to feeding because diseases can spread due to food and water sources as much as through contact. One of the biggest things you should do is designate feeding times and never leave food out for extended periods. The same goes for water; the colony or the stray will need a source of water, but stagnant water – especially if it's shared by multiple felines – can be a vector for disease.

Next up is the risk of predators. Depending on where you live, there could be anything from mountain lions to coyotes to even bears in the area. Leaving food out attracts more than just the cat colony, and the cat colony can attract predators. Know what's in your area, and if a predator is lurking about, talk to your local animal control or DNR office for options.

Third, you have the risk of human sources of danger. This can mean an irate, unfriendly neighbor who doesn't take kindly to the local cats, but the majority of the time, it just means cars. The location you choose to use for feeding should be away from roads and ideally in the same block or area as the place where the cats tend to take shelter; you want to minimize their road crossings when you can.

Finally, there's also the small risk to you and your fur babies. Stray cats are usually more affectionate, though they might be territorial and get into scuffles with other pets. Ferals, meanwhile, are much more territorial, defensive, and potentially aggressive and can even scratch or bite you if you get too close. Be cautious, and make sure to get any wounds looked at in case they get infected.

What if a neighbor's cat comes to eat?

This one is tricky. You want to help support the local stray and feral cats, but you don't want to get in the way of a controlled diet or other health concerns for neighbor cats. But, it can be impossible to single out one cat from a group and tell it not to join in the buffet, after all.

Ideally, the best option is to talk to your neighbor about the issue and encourage them to keep their cat inside when you're feeding the strays. But this is always a tricky problem to handle, so just do your best.

Food and Water: Proper Routine and Care for Stray Cats

The core of the issue is providing food and water for the cats you find in your neighborhood. Frequently, you see people leaving food out all hours of the day, but that's actually not a good idea for a few reasons.

First, when you leave food out for an extended period, it can go bad. Dry food can get soggy and rot, although wet food spoils very quickly. It can also attract bugs, including parasites that would harm the local strays. And, of course, leaving food out – particularly at night – can attract other kinds of animals, like possums and raccoons, who will be more than happy to make nuisances of themselves to claim the food.

Instead, establish a feeding routine. Most stray cats need about half an hour to eat, but you can allocate a bit more time, including extra leeway, if there's a larger cat colony rather than just a single stray to feed. So, pick a time when you can reliably provide food every day, and pick a location (which I'll go into more momentarily.)

From there, you need to start feeding the cats according to their preferences. Some cats won't want you around, while others won't mind. Ideally, you'll be able to observe them and can look for signs of illness or injury. Feeding time is a key time to check on the health of the local outdoor cat population.

What should you feed the cats? That depends on your resources and the local weather. In the summer, when it's hot, wet food will spoil rapidly and can dry out quickly. Dry food is more resistant to summer bugs and weather and ends up being a better option. In more temperate months, wet food is more acceptable, though the expense involved can make it less than ideal for a larger colony of stray and feral cats.

Truthfully, dry food is entirely nutritious enough for cats to live on, and they're probably supplementing their food with local rodents and birds anyway. You don't need to provide wet food for stray cats unless, for some reason, they won't eat dry food at all. However, in that case, they likely have some kind of problem (like a tooth infection) and should be caught and taken to a vet as well.

Location, location, location.

Picking the right location to feed your local strays is a big part of keeping them safe. You want somewhere away from roads and busy streets. You want somewhere on your property – since you don't want to get into trouble for trespassing to feed cats – and it should be somewhere relatively discreet and secure. Often, old sheds or barns make for good feeding areas. Shelter is ideal, but you can also make feeding stations out of plastic storage containers with a hole cut in the side, so they have somewhere secure and dry to eat.

Cats are also frequently creatures of habit, so you want to pick a time each day – during daylight hours – to feed the cats. Once they know where food is and when you bring it, they'll form a habit of coming when you show up or being there waiting for you, depending on how friendly they are.

What about water?

Fresh water is critical for all living things, and stray cats are no exception. There are a lot of different ways to provide clean water, but the easiest is just a series of water dishes that you empty and refill daily and clean regularly.

If it gets below freezing where you live, you may also want to find an insulated, warmer place for the water or purchase heated water bowls to keep the water liquid for the cats.

Is it Ethical or Legal to Feed Stray Cats?

We're all compassionate individuals, but many people feel that stray cats and feral cats are a nuisance and a pest. And, to be fair to those people, outdoor-living cats are responsible for a marked reduction in local bird populations. They can be noisy, they can bully the neighborhood's indoor/outdoor cat population, and in rare cases, an aggressive cat can cause more problems. They can even attract predators to a neighborhood.

There are solutions to all of these problems, but that doesn't mean people don't try to take matters into their own hands in other ways. So, let's go over the realities of the situation.

Is it ethical to feed stray and feral cats? Well, yes, mostly. Stray cats certainly impact the local ecosystem, but they're going to do that either way and by feeding them, you at least help reduce their need to hunt for food. No one likes to see an animal suffer, either, so helping stray cats not starve is good.

Is it legal to feed stray cats? That's where things get a little more complicated. It's not federally illegal, and as far as I'm aware, there are no state-level bans on feeding stray and feral cats. There may be city or town-level laws against it, but 99% of the time, the authority that bans feeding is a homeowner's association. Even then, you may be able to convince them otherwise. How? By presenting them with the research.

According to Feline Research, feeding stray and feral cats is a key step in solving basically every problem people complain about with regard to feeding.

• "Feeding strays will attract more, keep them around being a nuisance, and bother people!" Well, not really. Feeding stray cats actually helps keep them out of trouble since they don't get as desperate and don't need to dig through other homes or bug other people. It isn't as though those cats are going to go away; they'll just turn to other options.
• "Feeding attracts more strays, and more strays means more risk of injury as the cats fight!" Again, not really. One of the main reasons cats fight is over resources, and stray cats have no greater resource than a source of food. When there's enough food for everyone, the conflict goes down.
• "Encouraging a stray cat population hurts the local wildlife and can spread disease!" While this is technically true, it ignores the fact that there's more to it than just feeding these cats. You should also be working with local animal authorities for TNVR programs (more on that in a moment).
• "Feeding cats encourages them to gather, breed, and make more cats, causing a population explosion and hurting them all!" This is true if all you're doing is feeding them, but again, TNVR.

What is TNVR? TNVR stands for Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Release. Most areas have local vets and animal shelters that participate in these programs. The concept is simple: you feed the strays and get them to be comfortable enough around you to be trapped, or for the more skittish ferals, you get them used to a particular area, then set up a trap and bring them in. Then, you bring them to your local vet or shelter, who will check them for chips, give them vaccines, perform a spay or neutering, and when they've recovered, release them back where they were.

The vaccination helps prevent the spread of feline diseases, and the spay/neuter surgery helps prevent them from making more stray cats. Plus, the more sociable of these cats can be kept around and adopted, and it's always possible you'll find a lost pet with a chip and can reunite them with their pet parents.

So, should you feed the local stray fur babies? The answer is yes, as long as you aren't going to get in trouble with your HOA (or you're willing to deal with that trouble), and you will help with local TNVR efforts.

Have you ever fed a stray cat before? If so, what was your experience like, and how did you go about it? I'd love to hear all your stories, so be sure to leave those in the comments section down below!

If you’re here because you’ve been given a firm or suspected FIP diagnosis, this post will give you a full understanding of what’s currently known about this terrible disease and what options you have for treatment.

Yes, I said treatment.

If your vet told you there is no treatment, they meant there is no FDA approved treatment, and we’ll get to that in a bit.

While this post will focus on educating you about the disease, I’m working on a post about my personal journey with my little Luca so you can read our first-hand experience.

If you’re a regular reader and here to learn, please share this knowledge with other cat parents so they can be familiar with this terrible disease. If you're reading this after receiving a diagnosis, know that there is a community standing by to support you.

Okay, let’s dig in.

What is FIP?

At its core, Feline Infectious Peritonitis or FIP is a disease caused by the mutation of the common, highly contagious feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). Before we dig into FIP, it’s helpful to understand how the virus that can cause this disease is transmitted.

Feline Enteric Coronavirus

FECV is an omnipresent virus that lives in the digestive tract of an infected cat and is shed through their feces. The virus is commonly passed to other cats through shared litter boxes and communal grooming.

Some cats with FECV will manage to clear the infection but are still at risk of becoming reinfected, while others will continue to carry the virus indefinitely and will continue to shed FECV in their stool.

Once infected, FECV usually presents as mild diarrhea, but an infected feline may also have vomiting or show signs of a respiratory infection. The good news is, most FECV infected cats will overcome their symptoms without any veterinary intervention.

It’s estimated that up to 90% of multi-cat households have been exposed to FECV.

You might be asking yourself, if there are so many FECV infections, and FIP comes from these infections, why have I never heard of it? The fact is most cats infected with FECV will never go on to develop the life-threatening disease known as FIP.

“In approximately 10 percent of cats infected with FeCV, one or more mutations of the virus can alter its biological behavior, resulting in white blood cells becoming infected with virus and spreading it throughout the cat’s body. When this occurs, the virus is referred to as the FIPV.” – Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine

In the illustration below, you can see that while many cats can be infected with FECV, only a portion of those will go on to have the virus mutate into FIPV, and even then, only a portion of those cats will develop FIP. Cats and kittens that remain carriers of FECV will go on to infect other cats.

If the cat is unable to clear the FIP virus (FIPV), it begins to infect their white blood cells leading to the disease known as FIP. Left untreated there is no chance of recovery.

History of FIP

While FIP may not be commonly known, that doesn’t mean it’s new. Jean Holzworth, DVM was one of the first to document the disease in 1963.

Even with decades of research, FIP remained an incurable disease. Diagnosis was a death sentence.

And while there is still an enormous number of questions left to answer, much of what we do know about FIP is thanks to the dedication of Dr. Niels Peterson and his life-long affinity to understand the disease.

Among other advances, Dr. Pedersen was the first to use an existing antiviral medication to successfully treat cats with FIP. His findings, published in 2018, gave hope to those with FIP infected cats.

Dr. Pedersen continues his research today along with his colleagues at UC Davis and researchers at other universities are taking up their own investigations.

There are currently two FIP clinical trials available to join.

For a complete history on FIP (1963 – 2022), check out this comprehensive review put together by UC Davis.

What are the Symptoms of FIP?

Here’s the most frustrating part of this disease, the symptoms can overlap with a bunch of other conditions, so it’s difficult to identify.

There are two main types of FIP wet (effusive) and dry (non-effusive), each with some more hallmark symptoms. There is also what can be considered a third form of FIP, which is a combination of the two. It’s also worth noting that one type can morph into the other.

Common Symptoms Of Both Wet and Dry FIP

While there are some symptoms that are more common to the specific type of FIP, there are five common symptoms that are seen across both.

These symptoms include:

• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Weight Loss
• Fever
• Unkempt coat

Wet FIP

If you search the web for “wet FIP” you’re going to find cats and kittens with enormous bellies full of fluid. It’s quite dramatic, but wet FIP won’t always show up in such an obvious fashion.

Fluid accumulates over time and collects in the abdomen or chest. Fluid in the chest is unlikely to be visible to the naked eye.

Common symptoms of wet FIP include:

• Anemia
• Jaundice
• Ascites - An enlarged abdomen filled with fluid
• Difficulty breathing
• Hyperglobulinemia and hypoalbuminemia

Dry FIP

As the name implies, dry FIP doesn’t have the excess fluid surrounding the organs. The symptoms can often be vague and tend to progress less rapidly than wet FIP.

Symptoms of dry FIP include:

• Anemia
• Diarrhea
• Granulomas in organs
• Hyperglobulinemia and hypoalbuminemia
• Neurological issues including, the inability or reluctance to jump, lameness, balance issues, poor litter box use, and seizures
• Eye issues including, uveitis, changes to the color of the iris, cloudiness, and/or blood in the eye

FIP Risk Factors

Since FIP mutates from the feline enteric coronavirus, multi-cat households, shelters, and catteries are all breeding grounds for FECV to spread. You can interpret this to mean your cat has likely already been exposed to FECV but is unlikely to develop FIP.

Several studies have shown multiple risk factors for developing FIP.

Age

A study in Australia that was published in 2012 found that of the 382 cases of confirmed FIP, 80% occurred in cats under the age of 2 years, and 50% of the cases were in kittens under the age of 7 months.

A 2014 study showed kittens older than 6 months showed an increased resistance to FIP. This is good news for if you have an adult cat.

All of this is to say, if you bring a new kitten into your home, it’s an important time to monitor their growth and development. While FIP can occur at any age, kittens are particularly susceptible.

Breed

Several studies have shown that pure bred cats are more susceptible to FIP. And certain breeds have a higher incidence than others.

“Abyssinians, Bengals, Birmans, Himalayans, Ragdolls and Rexes had a significantly higher risk” – Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery

If you decide to purchase one of these kittens, use a reputable breeder, and ask if they’ve had any cases of FIP in their kittens. If they say their queen has produced kittens that later went on to develop FIP, err on the side of caution and seek another breeder.

Sex

The same study found that there was no significant difference in the number of female versus male cats with FIP, but of these cats a significant number had not been neutered/spade.

This finding isn’t surprising given FIP is most commonly found in young kittens and it’s common practice to spay/neuter around 6 months of age.

Genetics

There is some belief that there may also be a genetic component that may make a kitty more susceptible to developing FIP.

“It is still unknown which exact genes harbor the mutation(s) leading to FIPV development.” - Diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis: A Review of the Current Literature

How is FIP Diagnosed?

Sadly, in most cases there is no one test that can definitively say your cat has FIP, but there are some tests that point to the disease.

Physical Examination & History

Armed with the symptoms you’ve been seeing at home, head to your vet for a physical exam. Your vet will perform an overall check looking for things such as enlarged lymph nodes, swelling in the belly, fever, neurological issues, eye changes, etc.

Tests

Your vet will likely want to start with some basic bloodwork to check for abnormal values including, but not limited to high serum proteins and anemia.

They can also use a blood sample to rule out FeLV, FIV, and toxoplasmosis, which can have symptom overlap with FIP.

Your vet may also want to perform an ultrasound to check for fluid in the belly or chest. This is a hallmark symptom of wet FIP. If fluid is found your vet will recommend aspiration to take a small sample of the fluid.

NOTE: If your cat has fluid in the belly, DO NOT let your vet fully drain the fluid if you’re considering treatment. If there is too much pressure, ask your vet to remove no more 25% of the fluid. Fluid in the chest should be completely drained.

Diagnosis is often a case of elimination and looking at your kitty’s symptoms and lab values as a whole. Your doctor may not be comfortable giving you a definitive diagnosis of FIP and depending on their experience, they may have trouble recognizing the disease.

What are the Treatment Options for FIP?

As of the end of 2023, there is still no FDA approved treatment option for FIP in cats, so vets will typically offer palliative care options or euthanasia.

There is a light in all this darkness thanks to Dr. Pedersen’s research, but let’s start with how your vet can help.

Palliative Care

In the event you’re not familiar with the term, palliative care is treatment that’s used to help alleviate symptoms of a disease, and it’s used most often in cases where a disease has no cure. The goal is to make the patient as comfortable as possible in the time they have left.

The only tools your vet has in their arsenal are anti-inflammatory medications and immunosuppressants. In combination these drugs may help to prolong your kitty’s life.

If your cat has wet FIP, your vet can also drain the fluid to allow your kitty to be more comfortable, however with the underlying disease remaining, the fluid will return.

In cases where a cat has severe anemia, a blood transfusion may be recommended.

While the above medications and procedures can help alleviate symptoms and may give your kitty a boost making them appear to be on the mend, the sad fact is the meds are doing nothing to address the underlying disease.

Palliative treatments will not save your kitty.

Anti-viral Treatment

A study conducted by Dr. Pedersen and colleagues at UC Davis (published in 2018) showed there was hope in GS-441524:

“In an experimental FIPV infection of cats, GS-441524 treatment caused a rapid reversal of disease signs and return to normality with as little as two weeks of treatment in 10/10 cats and with no apparent toxicity.”

With such promising results from the 2018 study, additional research was performed using GS-441524 and similar molecules to treat FIP in cats.

One such study published in 2021 showed a cure rate of 90% when using GS-441524 to treat FIP. Amazing right?!

Sadly, unless you live in the UK or Australia, your vet will not have access to this life-saving drug. GS-441524 metabolizes to Remdesivir (GS-5734) in the body.

Does the name Remdesivir sound familiar? It’s the drug that is provisionally approved to treat COVID-19 infections in humans.

Here’s the problem, the owner of the medicines, Gilead Sciences, doesn't seem to be onboard with allowing GS-441524 for veterinary use… at least not in the US.

“The fear was that performing the studies to secure FDA approval for GS-441524 in cats might hamper efforts to approve GS-5734 (now remdesivir) in humans because if studies using GS-441524 to treat cats had any adverse effects or undesirable results, this could influence the analysis of remdesivir for human use.” – American Animal Hospital Association

So how do we get access to this life-saving drug?

A group of volunteers looking to help save lives by connecting devastated pet parents with the medication they so desperately need.

How Do I Get Started with FIP Treatment?

First and foremost, always discuss any options with your vet. To get started with GS treatment, visit the FIP Warriors^® website or facebook group. There are volunteers working around the clock to connect you with the resources you’ll need to treat your kitty.

I spoke with Robin Kintz, the founder of FIP Warriors^®, and here's a message of hope she shared for all cat parents with newly diagnosed FIP cats and kittens:

“FIP is no longer a death sentence! With proper guidance and supportive veterinary care, 90% of FIP kitties can now be cured!” - Robin Kintz

You’ll get an estimate up front on what the cost will be for treatment, and you can buy the medication as you go, allowing you to spread the cost out over the course of treatment.

The FIP Warriors^® will connect you with a pet parent in your area that is treating their own kitty that will supply started meds and supplies.

Full disclosure, other than the wonderful and caring life-saving work FIP Warriors^® did for my Luca, I have no business relationship with or financial incentive to recommend this group.

What Can I Expect During GS Treatment for FIP?

There are two distinct phases of FIP treatment, on average each lasting 84 days. You’ll be assigned an FIP Warriors^® administrator that will guide you through the process from start to finish.

Your administrator will be a wealth of information having treated many FIP cats of their own and supported hundreds of pet parents through the years.

FIP Treatment Phases

The first 84 days of treatment is when you administer the GS medication. Many pet parents will start with an injectable medication and will continue with injections for all 84 days.

The dosage and brand are determined by the type of FIP, and the dose will increase as your kitty gains weight.

Injections are typically recommended to start because they are better absorbed through the subcutaneous injection rather than relying on the digestive tract, which may be compromised by the disease.

Some pet parents will be given the option to switch to pills further into treatment. Treatment with pills is more expensive, but typically much easier to administer.

Labs are typically recommended every 4 weeks during treatment to track progress.

Depending on the severity of the disease and how your kitty is responding to treatment, you may need to extend treatment past the minimum 84 days.

What you need to know for treating your cat at home.

A pet parent with a geriatric cat may have more experience and be better prepared for the requirements of at home treatment. This includes weighing your kitty, taking their temperature, giving them pills and injections, and in some cases subcutaneous fluids.

Every kitty is different and additional medications may be needed to support their recovery. It’s important to have a vet that will provide supportive care should you decide to begin treatment. While they won’t be able to advise you on the GS medication, they can provide supportive care for other symptoms your kitty is experiencing.

The GS medication itself is viscous, think pushing honey vs water through a syringe. It’s also very acidic, making it quite painful for many kitties to receive and if the medication leaks onto their skin it can result in sores.

While many parents do treatment alone, it tends to be much easier when you have an extra set of hands, one person to hold your kitty, one person to inject.

Treatment can be emotionally draining and there will be good days and bad. What helps parents continue with the process is the improvement they see in their kitty and the support they receive from other parents in the same situation.

If you’re familiar with the Kitten Lady, Hannah Shaw, she treated her cat Coco for FIP, and Coco is now cured! Check out this video where she talks about her experience:

FIP Observation Phase

This milestone begins when you’ve been given the green light to stop administering the GS medication.

During this period, you’ll watch your kitty to ensure none of their original symptoms return. You’ll monitor their weight, their activity level, their appetite, etc.

You’ll also have bloodwork checkpoints during the observation period.

If your kitty backslides and begins to show symptoms, you’ll begin treating with the GS medication again, oftentimes at a higher dosage. If the observation period is uneventful, your kitty will be considered cured.

Coping with an FIP Diagnosis

You may have left your vet’s office being told your kitty has a terminal illness and euthanasia is your only option. Or perhaps your vet puts their veterinary license at risk by telling you about a treatment plan that you’ll have to pursue on your own. Either way, you’re leaving their office gutted and scared for your fur baby. I get it.

Maybe you are like me, waiting for additional labs to come back desperately hoping there is some other cause of your cat’s symptoms, but still diving into FIP research to understand what the diagnosis might really mean.

One thing I can confidently tell you is the FIP Warriors^® are a community that will support you whether you decide to try treatment or not. They will answer all of your questions, encourage you when you are down, and will share their vast experience to help you through the process.

Veterinary Treatment for FIP Has Arrived in the US

Did you hear that? Celebratory cries are heard throughout the US as we finally have a treatment for FIP available through your vet! Beginning in June 2024 your vet will now be able to prescribe GS medication if your cat is diagnosed with FIP. It's worth noting this drug is still not yet approved by the FDA, but as of the writing of this update they have no plans to seek enforcement and a formal review is underway.

The vet prescribed GS therapy is only available in an oral tablet. This is a much easier option for pet parents to administer, and is equal efficacy-wise to the injection options. With that said, pills do have a limitation. The gut has be be functioning well to absorb the medication. For kitties with gastrointestinal involvement pills tend to pass through quickly preventing full absorption of the live saving medication. For a kitty that has a late diagnosis or problems absorbing the pill, injections might be the only solution to get enough medication into your kitty's system - at least in the short-term. Please talk to your vet if you have concerns about absorption and consider reaching out to the FIP Warriors^® for advice on your kitty's specific situation.

FIP Frequently Asked Questions

Is FIP Contagious?

No, FIP is not contagious. There is often confusion around this topic because the virus (FECV) that has the potential to mutate into the FIP virus is highly contagious.

Do I need to separate my other cats from my FIP cat?

No. Odds are your other kitties have already been infected with FECV, but that does not mean they will go on to develop FIP.

Is GS Treatment Expensive?

Yes, it is. On a positive note, many cat parents create fundraisers to help with the cost, and in a community facing the same fight, small donations add up to make a significant difference.

How do I get the medication to treat my cat with FIP?

Contact FIP Warriors^® at https://fipwarriors.com/ or on their facebook page to connect with volunteers that will connect you with the resources you’ll need for treatment.

Why do some websites say they can provide medication cheaper?

Sadly, there are people in this world that are looking to take advantage of others. These people often try to pass off fake medications or use medications from sellers that are not reputable. Ensuring your kitty gets enough medication is imperative to their success. The FIP Warriors^® do batch testing to ensure the brands they use are of the highest quality available. Do not trust anyone that guarantees a cure. While GS treatment has a high success rate, it does not cure every cat.

Where can I learn more about FIP?

sockFIP.org is a non-profit organization that consolidates a wealth of research information related to FIP. You can learn more about research that is taking place globally to better understand this horrible disease.

Have you ever had a cat or kitten diagnosed with FIP? If so, what type, wet/dry? What treatment method(s) if any did you try? Share the story of your warrior in the comments below. While we love stories with happy outcomes, we also know that’s not the ending to every story. Don’t let that stop you from honoring your warrior.

Options are great, but where do you even start when trying to select a cat litter?

There are really two broad categories of cat litter, clumping and non-clumping. Most pet parents reserve non-clumping litters for baby kittens and choose a more convenient clumping option for their adult cat.

In today’s post we’re going to dive into the different types of clumping cat litter and weigh the pros and cons of two competing options, clay versus crystals.

Which will win? Let’s find out.

What are the Different Types of Litter?

Today, there is a wide range of different kinds of cat litter. The most traditional is made of clay, but there are also crystal cat litters and a variety of other kinds such as:

• Clay litter, the most common option on the market, and it’s made from bentonite clay. One of its major selling points is it’s typically the cheapest cat litter option available.
• Crystal litter, is made from the mineral silica. While similar in performance to clay litter, it tends to be quite a bit more expensive.
• Corn litter, as the name suggests, is made from dried, compressed corn. It’s the largest crop grown in the US, so there’s no surprise that they found another use for it. Corn litter does a good job with odor control.
• Pine litter, which is made of renewable wood, can be very absorbent and tends to track less, leaving more litter in the box and less on your floors.
• Wheat litter, which is made of processed wheat husks as a byproduct of wheat farming and tends to clump quickly.
• Paper litter, which is essentially made of pellets of (typically) recycled, compressed paper. While this litter is low tracking and low dust, it doesn't do much in the way of odor control or absorbency compared to other litters.

This isn’t an all-inclusive list. You can also find litter made from tofu, grass, pea husks, etc. though these tend to be less common. For now, I'm just going to compare the two most common kinds of cat litter: clumping clay and crystal.

What is Clumping Cat Litter?

Clumping cat litter is cat litter made out of dried-out pellets of clay. Clay, if you've ever played around with it in nature or in a crafting or art class, is basically dirt and water. However, unlike something like mud, clay has more substance to it. Dry clay, like what cat litter is made out of, can absorb up to its own weight in moisture, making it very good at absorbing cat pee and the more liquid aspects of their number twos.

When clay pellets are dry, they're like tiny stones or sand. However, when they get wet, they absorb that moisture and stick to nearby dry clay. This is the "clumping" effect; the bits of clay that get wet clump up into one mass, which can be easily scooped out of the remaining still-dry pellets. Cat poo, since the outer surface is wet, will get coated in clay as well.

Clay is also an inorganic material, which means there's nothing for bacteria to feed on. It's not necessarily antibacterial, but it does have some odor-control properties. Clay also has free hydrogen atoms that attract some of the more acrid and powerful odor-causing molecules in cat pee and bind to them, trapping it.

The Benefits of Clumping Clay Litter

Clay litter can be scented or unscented, and some clay litters can even be non-clumping, but we're mostly concerned with clumping litter today. So, what are the benefits of clumping clay cat litter?

It's very easy to clean. A litter box full of dry pellets, where the waste clumps up, is easy to clean. The clumps can easily be scooped out with a slotted scoop, which usually comes with a litter box. There are even mechanical or robotic litter boxes now that can automatically scoop and clean themselves when they detect your fur baby leaving their enclosures.

They have quite good odor control. Scented cat litter has an odor of its own, but unscented litter just traps odors and dramatically reduces the "impact" of a litter box on the surrounding room and environment.

It's cheap and easy to find. Every single pet store is going to carry clumping clay cat litter just because it's the cheapest and most readily available kind of cat litter. Clay is readily available pretty much everywhere in the world, so it's not exactly a scarce resource.

It doesn't go bad. Some alternative cat litters, like pine or tofu (yes, tofu litter is real), are organic materials and can rot or mold, especially if they're stored in humid environments or they get wet. Clay cat litter is just clay, and clay doesn't really go bad. In a way, clay kind of is the end result of things going bad over millennia.

The Drawbacks of Clumping Clay Litter

Despite the benefits, there are a few serious drawbacks to clumping clay cat litter, which is why more alternative cat litter is being developed.

It's dusty and easily tracked outside of the litter box. Clay litter is dry dirt, and those little pellets can abrade against one another or break apart, leaving clay dust behind. This dust is impossible to get rid of – you can't exactly wash the clay without defeating the purpose entirely – so every bag of clay litter is going to have dust in it. The dust and the litter itself can spread and get all over the place, especially if you have a messier cat.

It can be very heavy. Seeing as it's just a heavy kind of dirt, clay can be heavy on its own, and when saturated with waste, it's even heavier. Hauling a bag of dirty litter out can be surprisingly difficult. Moreover, the sheer weight can risk tearing through weaker baggies and other containers. What cat parent hasn't had a bag rip open and catastrophe to spill out?

Clay cat litter isn't very eco-friendly. Part of the reason why eco-friendly alternatives are being developed is that clay litter is decidedly not eco-friendly.

• It's created largely through strip mining, which can devastate an entire region of the planet.
• It doesn't biodegrade, so that clay ends up sitting in landfills basically forever.
• It can spread cat-based parasites and diseases like toxoplasma gondii to areas where it is dumped.
• In some cases, build-up and runoff can damage local watersheds.

Of course, eco-friendly options are less widely available and more expensive. Isn't that always the trade-off?

Finally, it can be carcinogenic. Most clay cat litter is made of bentonite, and bentonite itself is mostly harmless. However, some bentonite can include some amount of quartz, and that quartz, when broken down into dust and breathed in, can be carcinogenic. Remember that first con listed above? Yeah, unfortunately, there's some evidence that it could be dangerous to both people and our feline friends. It's not the worst substance in your house by any means, but it has the potential to be bad over the long term.

What is Crystal Cat Litter?

Crystal cat litter is named because it looks a lot like tiny crystals or granules of shattered glass, except it's nowhere near as hard or as sharp. It's a non-clumping litter, which means solid waste sits in it, and liquid waste is absorbed into it, but the individual "crystals" don't stick together.

As you might imagine, this means you can't really just scoop out clumps and leave the rest alone. You can scoop out the solid waste, but sooner or later, you're going to need to discard the whole batch and replace it when it gets more saturated.

Crystal cat litter is made of silica gel. Do you know how sometimes when you order a product, it arrives with a little packet labeled "desiccant" with big "do not eat" labels on it? That's usually silica gel. Silica gel is basically the same thing as quartz but in a different form, which is why it's not sharp or rock-like the way quartz is. It's extremely porous and very, very good at absorbing moisture, along with molecules attached to that moisture.

Crystal cat litter is a decent alternative to clay cat litter, but it has some distinct drawbacks that might be deal-breakers for you.

The Benefits of Crystal Cat Litter

There are a few really good benefits that make silica crystal cat litter a useful option.

It's low dust. Silica gel doesn't break up into dust the way clay does, so while there may be tiny particles around, it's not going to billow out the way clay does.

It's light. Silica gel is a very lightweight molecule, so it's much easier to move around – both dry and wet – than clay cat litter.

It has very good odor control. Clay is also good at controlling odors, of course. The two are kind of the same, though, as you'll see from one of the drawbacks, it has a breaking point.

It's non-toxic and low maintenance. While every litter box will require daily attention, crystal cat litter is generally considered to be a little less maintenance-heavy than clay, though for some people, it's a personal preference.

The Drawbacks of Crystal Cat Litter

So, what about those drawbacks?

Crystal cat litter has a saturation point. With clay cat litter, it's obvious whether or not it works. If it's clumped up, you remove it and replace it; anything not clumped is still good. With crystal cat litter, it can absorb up to 40% of its weight in moisture, at which point it stops. The problem is that there's no visible way to tell how close the litter is to saturation. Worse, once it reaches saturation, new cat pee will just filter through and pool at the bottom, creating a smelly mess. You either need to proactively change the litter frequently or deal with these sudden explosions of waste.

It's easily tracked by your kitty. Silica gel is easy to spill and track around the house, so it can make a mess, particularly around the area where you keep the litter box. You can contain some of it by putting the litter box in an enclosed space, but that makes it harder to notice when it reaches the saturation point.

Some cats don't like the texture. Crystal cat litter can be rough and abrasive, and some cats – especially those with sensitive paws or paw injuries – won't want to step on it. A cat that doesn't like their litter is going to go somewhere else to do their business, and that's an unpleasant surprise you never want to discover.

It's also not eco-friendly. Being silicon, silica gel doesn't biodegrade, just like clay. It's also mined as quartz, and the quartz goes through a chemical process to turn it into silica gel. All in all, it's pretty intensive, not great for the environment, and not great for the local landfills.

Finally, it's comparatively expensive. While it's not as expensive as the more exotic organic litter materials, it's going to cost you more in the long run than clay litter.

Which Cat Litter is Best?

So, what cat litter is the best?

There's not really a clear answer here, so you need to ask yourself some questions.

First of all, how much do you care about the environmental impact of your cat litter? Neither clumping nor crystal litter is very good in that sense, so you'll probably want to go with renewable litter instead.

That said, clumping cat litter might be the slightly better option. Since you can scoop out the clumps and keep using the non-clumped litter for quite a while, it's a pretty decent option to use just the minimum amount at any given time. Silica, on the other hand, you'll need to toss out and renew more often so you go through it a little faster.

How much do you care about the cost? Silica/crystal cat litter is marginally more expensive, so if you're budget-conscious, clay litter is probably the way to go.

What is your cat's preference? Really, this is the biggest deciding factor. Get multiple litter boxes, fill each with a different kind of cat litter, and see which one your fur baby decides to use. The best cat litter is the one that works for your cat, after all. Some cats have sensitive paws, don't like the smell of a certain kind of litter, or don't like the feeling of digging in it.

Moreover, if you're in a multi-cat household, each cat may have their own preference. Since it's usually a good idea to have one litter box per cat (plus a backup), you can stock them differently according to their preferences.

What cat litter do you find the best? Let me know!

So, how do you keep your furry child safe outside? Let's talk about it.

Three Kinds of Outdoor Cats

The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of "outdoor" cat you want your cat to be.

The first and worst kind is the escapee. This is your fully indoor cat who slips out the door when no one is looking and finds themselves lost in the great outdoors. Sometimes, these cats stick close to home and find their way back in short order; others go on lengthy journeys or even get lost, unfortunately forever. I try not to think about these too much; it's just so sad!

The second kind of outdoor cat is the cat on supervised field trips. This is the ideal way for a kitty to experience the great outdoors; you put them in a harness and watch their every move, keeping them from going too far or getting into too much trouble. A famous example of an extreme kind of "adventure cat" is Sigrid, the internet sensation.

The third kind of outdoor cat is the indoor-outdoor kitty. These are halfway between stray and feral cats and fully indoor domesticated kitties. They like to roam and explore, they get into trouble, and they're a lot more likely to end up with fleas, ticks, or worms, but they also know that they have a warm and safe place to come home to and a steady supply of food, so they don't have to scrounge for scraps or get into trouble while hunting.

There's also a fourth kind of outdoor cat, which is the truly outdoor "barn cat" kind of cat, but that's a whole different beast. These kinds of cats are often half-feral, aloof, independent, and capable of taking care of themselves… more or less. You can still take a few actions to protect them, but they'll be resistant to others. Unfortunately, these kinds of cats often live much shorter lives even when you protect and care for them; the pressures and conditions they face, the threats all around them, and the diseases and injuries all add up. That's why I always say, if you can, bring your cats inside and keep them there.

Ideally, your cat will be the second type. The third type is also acceptable if they're well cared for and you can take actions to keep them safe. The fourth are harder to protect, and the first is a devastating scenario no one wants to face. 

In any case, if your cat spends any time outside, there are some steps you can take to try to make things safer for them.

Keep Your Kitty on a Harness and Supervise Outdoor Playtime

The best thing you can do if your cat really, really, really wants to get outside but you want to keep them as safe as possible is to spend time with them outdoors. Most cats can be trained to tolerate or even enjoy being put in a harness and kept on a leash, and with the other end of the leash in your hand, you can make sure they never leave your view, don't get into things they shouldn't, and keep well clear of harm's way.

There are a few downsides to the leash method, though.

• Some cats really, really don't like being put in a harness. It can take a lot of training to get them to tolerate it enough to even let you put it on, let alone enjoy the outdoors with it, so be willing to take the time.
• You need to be available to supervise their outdoor time. If you're busy, at work all the time, or otherwise not able to enjoy that time with your fur baby, the leash method isn't the best option.
• Some of these fuzzy little escape artists can slip the leash and disappear before you know it. Be ready in case they try to give you the slip!

Thankfully, supervising some outdoor playtime helps you see what your fur baby really wants to do outside, and that can help you find more ways to enrich their time spent indoors so they don't feel as much of an urge to escape.

Get Your Cat Chipped

Even if your cat is a fully indoor cat, it's usually a good idea to get them chipped. Microchips, inserted under the skin near the nape of the neck, are a key way to identify a cat if they get lost or wander off and are picked up by someone else.

Contrary to popular belief, though, a microchip doesn't actually have any sort of tracking functionality. It's basically just a digital business card with information about you: your name, address, contact information, and maybe a bit of information about your cat, like if they're FIV+ or their name. It's all critical information that can help anyone who finds your cat then find you and reunite you two.

Note: There are GPS trackers available, which you can put on a cat's collar and will track their position. Things like the Tractive can work pretty well if your fur baby tolerates wearing it.

Even indoor cats should be microchipped, so if they happen to slip out the door when you're bringing in groceries, anyone who finds them can bring them back to you.

Make Sure They're Updated on Shots

One of the most important ways to protect your cat in the event they spend any time outside is to make sure they're updated on their shots and other treatments. The outdoors can be a scary place, but some of the greatest threats aren't even visible; they're fleas, ticks, worms carried by other critters, and even diseases spread by other cats.

Always make sure your cats are up to date on their vaccines, and try to keep them up to date on flea and other antiparasitic treatments. That way, if fleas get on them and try to breed, they'll just die off, ticks won't be able to latch on for long, worms won't be able to breed, and your kitty's immune system will fight off any diseases they're exposed to.

This won't help them stay safe from something like an aggressive neighborhood dog, a local hawk or owl, or a speeding car, of course, but it can help with the more insidious kinds of threats found in everyday life outside.

Give Them a Collar with Tags and a Bell

Just like how a microchip carries with it identification information, so too does a collar.

A collar also serves a few other purposes:

• It can carry tags that have more information that is more readily available to a good Samaritan. Instead of needing to take your cat to a vet to check for a chip, they can just read the tag, find where you live, and bring your fur baby back.
• It can carry a bell, which can help warn prey animals when the cat is around, which not only helps keep local wildlife safe but also helps prevent your cat from getting in a tussle with a critter that can fight back.
• It shows at a glance that the cat is owned and loved and isn't just a stray that can be adopted or otherwise taken in. 

Some cats really don't like wearing collars. Unfortunately, if that's the case, it might be better to just avoid letting your cat out at all.

Implement a Kitty Curfew

Even if you let your cat out to do their own wandering, you want to do everything you can to make sure they're back before it gets dark.

Why? Many of the most dangerous threats to a cat come out at night. Cars don't have as much time to react to a cat dashing into their headlights in a split second. Coyotes and other predators tend to be bolder and come out at night to hunt. Owls of sufficient size might also see your fur baby as a meal, though, of course, hawks are around during the day, so that one is kind of a wash.

Either keep your cat inside when the sun goes down or try to train them to come home when it gets dark out. Some people have even had success with training their cats to come when called or include a remote beeper on their collar and train them to come home when it beeps. There are a bunch of ways you can try to train them.

Try to Reduce Nearby Hazards

If your cat is going to be outside, you can do some work to help prepare the area and make it safer for them.

Things you can do include:

• Look for plants in your yard that are toxic to your fur baby and get rid of them.
• Consider seeding your lawn with a tick repellant to help minimize the chances of the parasites showing up.
• Remove hazards like debris piles, holes your cat might not be able to get out of, or sharp and rusty items that can hurt them.

There are some things you won't be able to get rid of, like traffic on your street. Also, be aware that cats often roam at least an acre of land, and there may be hazards outside of your control.

Keep a Supply of Food and Water Available

For indoor/outdoor cats that spend a significant portion of their time outdoors, and for "barn cats" that spend all their time outdoors, you want to provide them with some element of safety and security. The biggest thing you can do is provide food and water for them.

This can be tricky sometimes. In the winter, for example, water can freeze unless you have some way to keep it warm or you continually refresh it. In the summer, it can dry up a lot more quickly than you might imagine, especially if it's in the sunlight. This is why having a shelter can be a great idea.

On top of that, you don't really have a way to protect the food and water from other creatures that might want to use it. Local raccoons, skunks, and other creatures are likely to find and use your resources, and that can breed conflict with your fur baby. Try to monitor what's going on, and take preventative measures if you can.

Furthermore, you want to make sure you have a comfortable spot for your cats to hang out. Warmth in the winter, shade in the summer, an enclosed space for them to hide when they feel threatened; these are all essentials. If you can't bring them inside, bring the inside to them.

Build a Catio Instead

A catio is an enclosed space that is more open to the outdoors. Small catios hang outside of windows and offer a sunny perch for a cat to get some sunlight and fresh air without truly being outside. Larger catios can even be the size of outdoor dog kennels but more carefully enclosed and full of fun things for a cat to do. They can be a great way to bring your fur baby "outside" without them truly being free to roam.

For a little more freedom, if you have a fenced-in yard, you can install a cat-proof fence to help keep them inside. Your fence needs to be adequate, touching the ground with no gaps your cat can squeeze through, but the top-of-fence protection can keep your fur baby in your yard and away from the greatest sources of danger.

So, what do you think? Do you feel more secure in letting your fur baby outside after you take these precautions? For my part, I prefer the harness method. A lot of cats don't really like it, but they can be trained to tolerate it, and keeping them in sight is always better for my peace of mind. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section down below!

One kind of injury they generally find a lot harder to hide is an injury to their tail. That's because cats use their tails constantly to express all kinds of body language; if their tail isn't working properly or hurts when they move it, they won't act quite right, and it'll be pretty obvious.

Cats can injure their tails in a bunch of different ways, and those injuries can be visible – or not – in different forms. So today we’re going to talk about some of the different types of injuries, what symptoms to look for, and when it’s time to see your vet.

Let’s dig in.

Types of Injuries to Cat Tails

The average cat's tail is seemingly always in the way. It's underneath you when you walk, so you risk stepping on it, it's swishing back and forth beneath a rocking chair, it's snatched out of danger at the last second, seemingly before the feline even knows it's in danger.

Yet they aren't always so lucky; these tails can get caught in all kinds of pinches and crunches and other situations that, to put it lightly, aren't pleasant for anyone involved. Some injuries aren't as obvious as a break, though, so let's talk about what can go wrong.

Bite wounds

These are pretty common in cats, particularly outdoor cats. These cats are likely to get into scraps with various critters out and about. Predators going after your cat are going to chase and nip at them, and sometimes, they'll catch a stray tail before that tail can be pulled from danger.

Unfortunately, while bite wounds can be small and not look too bad, animals – especially wild animals – don't generally brush their teeth. That means those bites are pretty dangerous and can easily get infected.

"To minimize the risk of infection, it's best to have a cat with a significant bite wound treated by a veterinarian. DiGiacomo explains that vets will often sedate a cat with a serious wound in order to "flush" the area completely. The cat will then likely be prescribed antibiotics and possibly pain medication. Depending on the situation, [the vet] adds that pet owners may have to clean the tail at home to prevent infection. Outdoor cats should be kept indoors while healing, to prevent fly larvae from growing in wounds." - PetMD.

Burns

In their joys of exploring and let’s be honest inspecting places they shouldn’t be, your cat may accidentally burn their tail.

Whether it’s on a hot stove while you’re cooking or with the swipe of a tail over a lit candle. Burns can do serious damage, and if you’ve ever burned yourself, you know how painful they can be.

Abrasions

A second common cause of tail injury is abrasion, or a common scrape, cut, or other injury. Cats that go out wandering outside having their own little adventures are bound to run into things they shouldn't.

Thorn bushes, sharp bits of metal from a fence, and bee stings; there are all sorts of different reasons why a cut, scrape, or another small injury can crop up.

These are, obviously, a lot less dangerous than something like an animal bite or a broken tail. We all get cuts and scrapes and bumps all the time, and they're generally going to heal without issue. Just keep an eye on it, and your fur baby will likely be just fine.

It’s important to bear in mind that any break of the skin can lead to infection.

Broken Bones and Dislocations

The third category is a mixture of breaks, fractures, and dislocations. Cat tails are an extension of the spine, just more flexible; it's a series of small bones connecting and protecting things like nerves and blood vessels, surrounded by the muscles that let it move. While they're relatively resilient, they are still bones, and they can break.

Cats who get their tails run over by a vehicle, pulled on by a young child, stuck in a door that gets closed on them, or even stepped on can end up with damage to their tails that falls into this category.

Tail bones can be broken, dislocated, or crushed, and that damage makes it very painful to move the tail or have it moved.

Minor tail breaks and fractures can sometimes heal on their own, but other times they're serious enough to warrant amputation.

The problem is that cat tails are sensitive to injury, and if they don't heal right, it can cause more problems than not having a tail at all. In rare cases, a tail cast (think bandage wrap and not hard cast) can be used, but most of the time, it's on to surgery.

With any type of serious injury to the tail there may also be nerve damage. This nerve damage can be minimal with the potential for full recovery to permanent.

These are the main injuries that cats can get to their tails. There are a few others, like a degloving injury, but they tend to be a lot more obvious, and you don't need my tips on recognizing them.

How to Spot a Tail Injury

So, what should you look for if your suspect your furry feline friend has an injured tail? How can you recognize it? If they're acting strange, how can you tell if the tail is the culprit?

Look for signs of a break.

A broken tail is generally pretty obvious. It will droop, sag, or have a strange bend or kink in it. This is for severe breaks, the kind where the bones are completely broken, shattered, or separated.

Your fur baby probably won't want to be touched, they may not eat, will likely be reluctant to play, and they'll probably even try not to move much because it hurts to do anything. Your fur baby may also start hiding.

Other possible symptoms, particularly of less visible breaks, can include:

• Reluctance or inability to wag, swish, or move the tail around.
• Inability to move their back legs at all. The tail has a lot of important nerves in it, and depending on where the break is, the damage can trickle "up" to the hind legs.
• Loss of bladder/bowel control. Those same nerves in the tail are used to control the bladder and, to an extent, bowel function. If your fur baby can't hold it in, this may be a culprit.

If the tail doesn't seem to be broken, it can still be fractured or injured in other ways.

"If your cat can't urinate on its own, you can express it by hand three to four times a day. This involves gently squeezing the bladder to push urine out—your veterinarian can demonstrate how to safely do this and may also prescribe medication to help. Some cats also need stool softeners and enemas." – Daily Paws.

Look for signs of other injuries.

Signs of injury in a cat's tail that aren't as obvious as a break include:

Bald patches where hair (or skin) has been rubbed off, torn off, cut off, or otherwise removed. Note that a rare issue in some cats, called feline hyperesthesia syndrome, results in cats picking at their own skin because it bothers them, and this often happens on the tail and base of the spine. There are treatments, but you'll need to talk to your vet.

Swelling. If an area of the tail is swollen, it might be anything from an infected cut or insect bite to a fracture in the area. The affected area may also be hot to the touch.

Blood. Obviously, anything that cuts deep enough can bleed, so if your fur baby is leaving blood spots where they sit, do a full body check including their tail.

There are also the usual signs and symptoms of pain, like lethargy, a lack of appetite, a desire to not move or to hide away, and so on. Cats react differently; some will hide, some will be angry or defensive, and some might even come to you for comfort.

How to Treat a Cat's Injured Tail

For minor injuries like cuts and scrapes, you may be able to do some treatment at home, then asses if a vet visit is needed.

Simple first aid for an injured tail is pretty much the same as it would be for any minor injury.

• Clean the area with warm water and soap. You don't need any of those fancy disinfectants! No alcohol, no hydrogen peroxide, no iodine. Most of these don't actually do any better than plain old soap and water for keeping a wound disinfected, and because they can dry out an area, they can actually lead to worse infections.
• Appy a cool cloth. In the event of a burn, running your kitty’s tail under cool water or wrapping it with a damp cloth can help soothe a minor burn. Major burns must be treated by a professional, not only to enable healing, but to treat their pain.
• Use a simple bandage to keep the area protected. There are special bandages for cat tails you can get, or you can use self-adhesive wraps. Don't use tape or a sticky bandage, as it will just get tangled up in their fur.
• Use an e-collar. The "cone of shame" is obstructive and harsh, but a softer e-collar can help prevent your fur baby from gnawing away at a bandage and aggravating an injury.

You'll also want to keep an eye out for bleeding or other discharge. Colored discharges can indicate an infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics, and that means a vet trip. Bleeding might not be bad, but if it doesn't stop or if it's excessive, bring them in.

What Can the Vet Do for an Injured Tail?

First and foremost, your vet can evaluate to see exactly what's wrong with the tail. If it's an infection, they can identify what it is, why it's there, and how to treat it.

If they suspect a fracture or break, they can take X-rays and figure out where, how extensive, and how much of the tail is damaged. A common issue, particularly in injuries caused by cars, is a single larger break hiding another smaller break.

"If the fracture is located at the tip of the tail, it usually heals well without any treatment, although, the tail may have a bump or kink at the fracture site. If the bones in the tail are crushed, part of the tail may have to be amputated. Injuries near the base of the tail often involve nerve damage and are more serious." – VCA Animal Hospitals.

Generally, a vet will evaluate your fur baby and come up with an appropriate treatment plan. This can be:

• Cleaning, bandaging, and waiting. For simple lacerations and very minor fractures, particularly to the tip of the tail, this is all you need.
• Antibiotics. In the case of an infection, either oral antibiotics or an antibiotic ointment may be prescribed, along with instructions on how to use it. You'll want that e-collar if you're putting on a cream, just to make sure they don't lick it away.
• A splint or cast. In some rare cases, a tail injury may need support to heal properly, the same way we might heal our own broken bones with splints or casts. If this is the case, your vet will determine the best kind of cast to put into place and any other support or instructions you'll need to follow at home.
• Amputation. A cat's tail may need to be amputated, either partially or fully. On the plus side, amputation for one of our furry friends isn't nearly as "bad" as it is for us people. We have a self-image that relies a lot on our appearance and function; cats and dogs, meanwhile, just live their lives the best they can. The loss of a tail (or an eye or a limb) just means they need to adapt, and they'll adapt. Most cats do just fine without a tail.

Depending on the cause of the tail injury, your vet will also want to give your fur baby a complete once-over and may recommend additional imaging.

This will help them determine if there are any other injuries or causes for concern like broken or fractured toes, legs, or ribs or internal damage or bleeding.

Minor tail injuries usually improve fairly quickly with no lingering damage. Serious tail injuries can take months to fully heal, especially when nerves have been involved. Talk to your vet about your kitty’s prognosis and what you can expect for at home care and healing time.

As always, if you ever have any questions about anything I go over in our articles, please feel free to let me know. As a pet parent and lover, I'm always more than happy to help you out however I can.

Luckily, it goes beyond the cute pictures you get of your cat perched up on the highest surface or giving them a vantage point to look out the windows. Cat trees can actually have a bunch of beneficial effects on the health and well-being of your cat, and you!

What are they? Read on to find out.

1: Your Cat Gets a Sense of Safety and Security

Cats are naturally independent, and while they aren't necessarily solitary, they do like to have their own personal space. This might be a space on a shelf they like to crawl into, a dark gap under a bed they sneak into, or another nook or cranny in the house. But it might also be on the cat tree.

One of the biggest benefits of a cat tree is its height. You might notice that your fur baby likes to spend their time perched way up top, as high as they can get. That's because cats naturally tend to like high, tall places.

The "cat in a tree" isn't stuck up there; they're surveying their domain.

"These benefits aren't just theoretical: there's research to back them up. "One study of cats living in a research facility showed that adding shelving units to their living space reduced anti-social behavior among the cats," Dr. Conrad explains.

When you consider all the ways a tree can enrich your cat's space, this should come as no surprise. "Encouraging appropriate play and providing safe spaces reduces aggression between cats—and toward their humans," agrees Dr. Taylor." - Rover.

Height brings security with it. Many predators aren't going to climb a tree after them, they can see threats or prey approaching from a vantage point, and it helps minimize their blind spots. While most of that isn't actually applicable to a cat living in the comfort of your home, it's still going to mimic the benefits they feel in nature, and that's often enough.

2: It Can Work as a Scratching Post

Scratching is a natural behavior cats indulge in every day. They do it to mark their territory, both by making visible scratches on a surface and by spreading small scents that emanate from their precious little toe beans. They also do it as part of self-care; scratching will break bits of nail away and keep their claws both sharp and short. If a claw grows too long, it can make it hard for them to walk, and in extreme cases, it can even curl back in and become painful!

Scratching at a scratching post is a great habit for a cat to get into, as well. They're going to scratch, pretty much no matter what; it's just a matter of what they scratch. You can train them to scratch a scratching post or other designated object rather than scratching at the furniture, the doorframes, or some other object you really don't want to be torn to shreds.

Most of the best cat trees have wrapping or a "shell" that serves excellently as a scratching post. They may or may not be replaceable, but chances are, it's going to take a long while before your cat does enough damage to a cat tree to make it unstable or topple and break. 

If you want to read more about how to train a cat to scratch only what they're supposed to, I wrote a whole guide over here. Check it out!

Note: scratching is also a form of stress relief. It works in a couple of ways; to your cat, it feels good, and it works out some of their stress and frustration. Cats also like to be surrounded by their own scent, so scent-marking things around them makes them feel more comfortable. In times of stress, you might see your cat scratching more; that's not a bad thing.

3: It Gives Them Another Great Way to Stretch

When you get up in the morning, what's one of the first things you do? For many people, it's a big yawn and a big stretch. For cats, too, waking up from a nap means uncurling from a probably awkward position, and they want to stretch themselves out.

While the familiar paws-stretched, butt-up position is a typical stretch for a cat, they might also want to work some other muscles, and a nice tall stretch up a cat tree can help a lot as well.

4: Distance and Usable Space

I already mentioned that cats love to be up high, but there's another reason why that vertical space is beneficial. Two, actually!

The first is that it helps your cat get some distance between them and something that may be bothering them. Maybe it's the Roomba, tooling around their living area. Maybe it's a child who just wants to pet the kitty and doesn't know how to recognize the body language saying, "Leave me alone." Maybe it's another cat, and they're getting into conflict over space, and one needs to step away for a moment. 

Whatever the case is, when one cat can hop to the top of the cat tree and hang out, they're in a defensible position where they can be free from disturbance, at least for a little while.

The second reason applies most to smaller homes, apartments, condos, and other living spaces without a lot of extra space. A cat tree helps make more "room" in your room by giving more vertical space for your cat to hang out. To you, it's just an object; to your cat, it's a whole dimension of extra space to play around in, hang out on, and explore. It's enriching, it's fulfilling, and it's a brilliant investment.

You might notice that your fur baby likes to get into trouble by hopping up onto counters, desks, bookshelves, the top of the fridge, the top of the cupboards, and anything else they can reach. That's the same deal. By giving them a nice, tall cat tree to spend time on, you might even be able to cut back on them getting into places you don't want them.

5: Safe Feeding

This one might not be applicable, depending on your household.

So, do you have more than one cat, or a cat and a dog? If so, there's a chance that your cat, or one of your cats, is being bullied. One of the most common ways this happens is when a cat goes to eat, and another critter decides they want in on that lunch. Dogs, ravenous cuddle-beasts that they are, can easily scarf up a cat's bowl of food in just a few seconds if they have half a mind to do it. Another cat might want more and might bully the first cat away from the food dish.

This is why experts recommend that each animal have their own feeding bowl and, in some cases, feeding location. It doesn't matter where you put the bowls if all the animals congregate there, but if each has their own space, it's easier to be left alone.

A cat tree can make for a safer space for one cat to be fed. They can get up high where a dog can't follow, and they can have their designated space where another cat might not dare to tread. 

Of course, this also runs the risk of one cat being bullied away from the cat tree, but hey, then you can just get a second cat tree to put somewhere else. One food bowl, one litter box, and one cat tree per cat. Seems reasonable to me!

What to Look for in a Good Cat Tree

So, if you're convinced that you should have a cat tree for your furry feline friend, what kind of tree should you get? There are tons of them on the market, after all. Here's what you can look for.

• Height. Your cat tree should be at least five feet tall to allow for maximum height for your fur baby. Anything smaller can still be a fun cat condo, but it's not going to be the tree experience your cat truly longs for.
• Toys. A good cat tree should have some dangly bits and other toys that can make it an enriching experience for your cat to enjoy. It's not a substitute for playing with them yourself, but it's still good.
• Spaces. Good cat trees should have at least one, if not more than one, hidey-hole that a cat can crawl into to hide away from prying eyes. A simple tube, a box, a nook; whatever it is, it should be easy to get into, secure, and comforting.
• Stability. Probably the most important part of a tall cat tree is a stable, heavy base. You don't want your fur baby to jump up to the top and tip the whole thing over, right? A stable, heavy base will prevent any accidents and damage to you, your household, or your fur baby.
• Material. If the cat tree has a space for cats to scratch, make sure it's something that isn't going to hurt them, either through chemicals, splinters, fibers, or other issues. The main material should be durable and easy enough to clean so that if your fur baby has an accident, you can handle it. Sisal, cardboard, and scratch carpet are all good for coatings over a nice, solid wood.

Do you really need all the bells, whistles, toys, and accessories? Well, probably not. There are plenty of basic cat trees out there, too, everything from a couple of shelves on a pole to a box on a stick. The sky really is the limit, though; you can get huge, elaborate cat metropolises, ornately themed and decorated cat skyscrapers, and anything in between. Really, it's entirely up to you what you want on your cat tree.

Don't forget, too, that if you buy a basic one and want to modify it, you can always just attach a toy, glue on some carpet, wrap the trunk with sisal, or otherwise change it to suit your cat's preferences. They aren't static! You can even buy a cat bed and attach it to a shelf.

When you get one, figure out where you want to put it. In front of a window, near where you spend your time, is generally a good spot. You want them to have a space they can sit and feel comfortable, sharing space with you and giving them a view they can enjoy. 

Should You Build Your Own Cat Tree?

If you want! There are all sorts of instructions and kits out there that you can buy, or you can build one yourself out of materials you can generally find at any hardware store. The biggest caveat is simply to not build it out of wood that has been treated with chemicals that are toxic to cats. All it really takes is some screws, glue, lumber, rope or carpet, and maybe some staples, twine, and cat toys. It's actually pretty easy to build a cat tree, whether it's from scratch or following a kit.

The biggest downside to building your own, other than needing the skills, tools, and materials to do it, is that you're responsible if it fails. Purchased cat trees often have warranties, but one you make yourself certainly won't. Still, it's pretty unlikely that something is going to fail catastrophically, right?

Now, here's where you come in. I know many of you have fur babies of your own, and I'm sure many of you with cats have cat trees. So, tell me about them! Show me pictures, tell me where you got it or how you made it, and how your cat enjoys it. I love to hear your stories, so let me read them!

At least, that is, when they aren't in playtime mode, just hunting for the joy of hunting, and they aren't making mistakes, slipping on the hardwood, sliding into walls, or missing the mark entirely.

Alright, so our fur babies aren't always the ferocious predators they were when they first evolved. But that's okay! We love them and pamper them just the same. They no longer need to hunt for their very survival every day.

Of course, this really makes you think. Are they losing out or missing something?

Truthfully, the answer is… maybe.

The Perils of the Modern Feline Diet

As it stands right now, our fur babies don't need to hunt for food, but that doesn't mean they're satisfied with what they get. When we buy food off the shelves, whether it's dry food or canned wet food, we do our best to make sure they're getting what they need.

The trouble is, all too often, these foods aren't quite right. They may have fillers in them that your cat can't quite digest or that they digest but aren't really very healthy for them. That's not even considering the issues with contaminated foods or foods where the manufacturers cut corners. We're talking about the higher-quality foods here.

In fact, two of the most common diseases our feline friends suffer from today are linked to their diets.

• Obesity. It's easy to over-feed and over-eat, and cats – who aren't used to the fillers and additives in the foods, the caloric density, and the ingredients themselves – put on more weight than they would in nature. Moreover, without needing to hunt for it, they don't necessarily burn as many of those calories, so they build up and lead to an overweight feline. Sadly, as funny and adorable as a chonker is, it's not healthy or good for them.
• Diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a problem with processing blood sugar, and it's an epidemic amongst many different species, including both people and cats. Cats are obligate carnivores – they have to eat meat to survive – and that means they're more susceptible to fillers and carbohydrates in their food causing problems with insulin, leading to diabetes.

Since these diseases are so tied to diet and they're so common, vets and scientists have been spending a lot of time studying how cats eat naturally to see if there are ways we can improve their diets to help eliminate the risk of these diseases.

"Carbohydrate levels in commercial diets are often much too high. Cats have not evolved to digest high amounts of starches, only obtaining a small amount of partially digested matter from the stomach contents of their prey. They have insufficient enzymes in their saliva and pancreas glands to process these complex sugars, and will often overeat, leading to a multitude of problems." – NP Vet Group.

What Natural Feeding Isn't

Natural feeding is a response to the artificial diets we've been feeding cats as a society for decades, but there can be some misconceptions around the name. So, first, let's talk a bit about what natural feeding isn't before we get into what it is.

Some people think that natural feeding involves buying prey animals to let your cat hunt and eat on their own. People buy "pinkies" for snakes and lizards, after all. Isn't it the same sort of thing for cats?

Well, not really. For one thing, pinkies – which are baby mice, named such because they don't even have fur yet – are already dead. Cats hunt things that are alive and moving and aren't going to put much effort into or have much interest in already dead food. They'll eat it if they have to, but it's not the kind of natural hunting you might think of when you think of a cat stalking prey.

There are also the ethical considerations. Most people don't think twice about the source of the ingredients in their cat's food, but when you're buying animals to feed to your cat, the abstraction is removed, and you see it in front of you, and it might not feel very good. Of course, imposing human ethics on nature isn't always a good idea. That's how you end up with bad cat parents forcing their felines to go vegan, and that's a terrible idea.

Fortunately, natural feeding doesn't actually involve hunting at all. It's all about what you feed, not how you feed.

Besides, natural hunting for cats is also full of risks.

• Prey can fight back. Birds have beaks and talons, rodents can bite and scratch, and insects can sting. Every hunt is a risk, and cats in the wild are routinely injured in the hunt. Even small injuries can result in infections as well. Obviously, we don't want that for our domestic felines.
• Prey can carry diseases and parasites. While you wouldn't get this if you were buying food-bred prey animals for your cat, cats in the wild are always at risk of eating something that gives them worms, fleas, or another disease.

Luckily, this isn't what we mean when we talk about natural feeding at all.

Natural feeding also doesn’t automatically mean raw feeding, though it is an option. We’ll get into that more later.

How Natural Feeding for Cats Works

Natural feeding is all about coming up with a diet that most closely mimics what a cat needs to be healthy, based on two things: habits and content.

Habits mean how they eat. We humans tend to eat 2-3 big meals in a day, or one big meal and snacks throughout the day. That's not necessarily natural; as hunter-gatherers, we likely foraged and ate small amounts throughout the day, with "big meals" being a rarity.

While cats often live in colonies, they are solo hunters, and they are used to having a warm meal.

They also tend to hunt whenever the opportunity strikes, and since their prey is small, they frequently need to hunt multiple times in a day. Hunts also fail, and the prey gets away. Combined, this means that cats are similar in that they would eat smaller, more frequent meals than we people usually give them.

Content means what they eat. Cats, being obligate carnivores, get all the nutrients they need from a combination of protein and fat – that is to say, meat. Very little of what they eat involves carbohydrates or dietary fiber, and while they'll certainly chew on grass and plants for both flavor and digestive purposes, it's a very small part of their diet.

"One study looked at how feral cats get their food. It showed that a "typical" feral cat will kill and eat approximately nine mice throughout the day, with a number of unsuccessful hunts scattered in as well. Another paper revealed that feral cats got 52% of their calories from protein and 46% from fat, which only leaves 2% available to come from carbohydrates.

So, left to their own devices, cats will eat multiple small meals throughout the day that are high in protein, high in fat, and low in carbohydrates. But that's not all. These cats have to work to get their food. Their behavior is characterized by periods of rest broken up by short bursts of relatively intense activity." - PetMD.

Another part of feeding, water consumption. While cats in the wild get most of their water content from the food they eat, when they do drink, they naturally avoid stagnant water to avoid illness. The moving water that they choose is not confined to a small bowl, which for some cats can cause whisker fatigue.

So, natural feeding means feeding your cat smaller, more frequent meals and making sure the food they eat is nutritionally balanced for their needs. You want a food that's high in protein, moderately high in fat, and very low in carbohydrates.

You have two options here: you can make your own cat food, or you can buy a food designed with natural feeding in mind. Even "good" commercial cat foods tend to be higher in carbohydrates than a cat should really have, though, so it can be tricky to find something good for your furry friend. Wet food is also preferable because cats get a lot of their water requirements from it and might not drink enough if they primarily eat kibble and dry foods.

Key Takeaways for Naturally Feeding Your Cat

• Provide smaller, more frequent meals
• Feed a high meat-based protein, moderate fat, and low carbohydrate food
• Serve the meal slightly warmed
• Have a good play session before each meal
• Provide a water fountain for fresh moving water

Building a Healthy Natural Feeding Meal

Odds are you have a job and maybe a family to tend to, so becoming a servant to your cat (well more than you already are) can be a challenge.

If you have the time and financial means you may want to consider switching from a traditional canned wet food to a raw or homemade diet. Natural feeding isn’t an all or nothing concept, you can always make small changes to your feeding process.

Given a cat’s need for a high protein diet, I don’t recommend feeding dry food, though it can be a great option to use as a treat since it’s lower in calories compared to traditional treats.

Raw and Homemade Diets

Unsurprisingly, a lot goes into a healthy diet for your fur baby. Unfortunately, many people think meat is meat and assume a ground chicken, turkey, or beef from the grocery store is going to be good enough. Even store-bought fish isn't good enough on its own.

"Many people mistake raw pet meats and minces available from their supermarket or pet shop as being a complete food. This is often not the case, with many just being minced muscle meat only, severely lacking in the important minerals and vitamins required to keep a cat healthy. This puts your cat at risk of developing nutritional diseases. Some pet minces also contain sulphur-based preservatives, which not only have been linked to asthma in cats but also inactivate some important B vitamins. Fish also contains some enzymes which can reduce the availability of essential thiamine in the diet." – NP Vet Group.

So, what do you do?

Rotate through different meats throughout the week. Chicken and fish are both good options and for a third, you might consider locating a source of something like rabbit or even a "pest" meat like possum or a rodent. If you can't find it, that's fine, but you'll want to keep to a lower amount of beef or pork than you would the meats your cat would be more likely to encounter in the wild.

See if you can source whole meats instead of just muscle meats. A working relationship with a butcher can be great here. Your goal would be to get ground meat that has calcium from ground bones in it and nutrient-rich marrow as well. You won't find this for human consumption, though.

Get your cat started on raw "meaty bones" occasionally. The two most common and useful here are chicken wings and chicken necks. The bones are just the right size that your cat can strip the meat off them without risking hurting themselves chewing on the bones, and raw bones aren't as splintery or prone to danger as cooked bones.

Add in some organ meat from time to time. Heart meat is great for cats – it's high in taurine, a nutrient cats need to live. Liver, meanwhile, can be dangerous in high amounts, so only give your cat a little bit at a time.

Other tips:

• Make your cat food regularly. Keeping it frozen for too long reduces its nutrient profile, particularly in vitamins.
• Don't leave food out for long. Meat goes bad, obviously, and you don't want to have a bowl of rotting meat sitting around.
• Avoid meats with preservatives, especially if you're starting with ground meats or minces. It can be worthwhile to invest in a food processor or meat grinder yourself instead.
• Take it slow. Adapting a cat from a kibble diet to a natural feeding diet can be time-consuming if they don't take to it right away. You may also need to lightly poach or cook the meat initially.
• Add in supplements or meal completers. It’s incredibly important to ensure your kitty is getting all of the nutrients necessary to keep their body operating in optimal form, so if their raw diet is lacking in any area, be sure to supplement their food. Some common supplements include, vitamin E, fiber, omega 3, and taurine.

WARNING: Feeding a raw diet can introduce harmful bacteria into your household including, but not limited to salmonella and listeria. If you opt to feed a raw diet to your kitty, ensure you practice impeccable food safety practices when handling all meat. You’ll also want to ensure you only purchase high quality, fresh meat, as bacteria and germs can flourish in uncooked meat.

Commercially Prepared Diets

I’m including this section, because as I noted above, a natural diet doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

If you’re currently feeding dry only, add wet food into the mix, or if you can, transition primarily or fully to wet food.

Canned wet foods come in many different levels of quality, so before picking one it’s important to read the label. Remember you’re looking for a wet food that is primarily animal protein based, which means at the very least, the first ingredient should be an animal source.

There are also some freshly prepared cooked options available through mail order. These meals are a great alternative if you don’t have time to make a homemade diet as they already include the necessary nutrients to ensure your kitty is getting a balanced diet.

Fresh meals also tend to be made in small batches right here in the US but be sure to learn about the quality and source of the ingredients.

Above all, though, make sure you talk to a vet about this potential dietary shift. Some cats, especially older cats with health issues or a predilection for them, may need special care when shifting to a natural feeding diet. Others may need special supplements or medications to help keep them healthy, particularly those who normally eat special formulated foods.

Natural feeding can be a great way to keep a cat happier and healthier and give them a longer and more fulfilling life. So, if you're interested in learning more about natural feeding diets, there are plenty of resources available. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments!