Training

If you return home to ripped blankets or scarves, or have found random bunches of poop in your purse, slippers or bed, know that you are not alone. All feline pet parents would agree to the somewhat moody behaviour of cats. Have you ever been distracted or annoyed by your pet’s antics? For example, many cats meow over and over and over when it’s mealtime. The only way to calm them is to feed…

Sometimes, cats can show aggressive behaviour, which can be a manifestation of several factors – guarding territories, defending offspring, protecting themselves or health issues. Here’s to understand their needs and keep them secure. Pet parents share… Suchetana Lahiri, a pet parent to a nine-month-old Gullu, shares, “Gullu is small and does not like to be cuddled him. He gets jittery…

If playing with your kitten evolves from peek-a-boo to professional wrestling in a matter of seconds, follow these tips to keep playtime interesting and reduce the number of trips to the first-aid kit. Cats incorporate a variety of behaviours into their play, such as exploratory, investigative, and predatory behaviours–skills they would normally need for survival. As you’ve probably already…

Check out these FIVE simple games you can play with your cat to keep her amused and active all day! Pet parents often complain about their cats being lazy and inactive. By nature, cats are extremely playful and curious. They love exploring, hunting for things and chasing down moving objects. But the natural hunting instinct and playful spirit of the domestic cats often get stifled as they spend…

Do you find your cat growling and hissing for no reason at all? Does your cat find it difficult to get along with other pets in the house, and often picks up a fight with the neighbourhood cats? Do you notice your cat acting annoyed and angry these days? If your feline companion is showing these and other signs of aggression, then it’s time that you take control of the situation, before it gets…

Most cats communicate through a variety of vocal noises, such as purring, hissing, meowing, to name a few. They generally display their own personalities through these vocalisations and most people find them very endearing... sometimes though they can be very annoying. Purring/meowing is the cat’s way of getting your attention and this is quite normal. Obviously during mating season, the…

Your kitty loves her toys... these are her most prized possessions. You need not to buy her expensive toys every time, even paper bags can keep her entertained. Just like a child, your kitty loves to play. Here’s how to keep your kitty engaged and happy: Keep an array of toys for your cat but limit her access to a few toys at a time. Rotate them every few days. Toss a balled-up tissue or waxed…

Cats love to play. Here are some simple but playful games to keep their boredom at bay. Ping pong: You can entertain your kitty with a ping pong ball, which is lightweight. It would be good idea to play in a long hallway where your cat can chase the ball freely to her heart’s content. Lost & found: Get a rubber ball or a marble to make it lost in a carton. Keep the size of the ball safe so…

Your cat’s best friend may not be another cat. Cats are very territorial creatures and often vehemently defend their turf. Two’s company Many people adopt a second cat thinking that the resident cat will be happy. This is a risky move. Just because your cat is sweet and loving with you doesn’t mean he’s going to be sweet to another cat. Although you can increase the chances that they will get…

As much as you love him, it can be hard to maintain warm, fuzzy feelings when your cat scratches the furniture, jumps on the counters, or gnaws on plants. Of course, he’s just doing what comes naturally. Yelling or hitting won’t deter the bad behaviour, but it will make your cat fearful of you, which is certainly not your goal. So what can you do? Remote control Aversive training uses textures,…

Find out about your cat’s behaviour. Sleepyheads: Cats love to sleep and will keep sleeping even if it is noisy. Scratching: It is a normal behaviour for a cat to scratch. In order to prevent this unwanted behaviour, train him right when he is a kitten. Cats eat frequently: Cats eat frequently, sometimes even a nibble. Frequent eating keeps their digestive condition in an optimal condition.…

Cats are smart – and have their own personalities, here’s how to teach kitty etiquettes. Cats do acquire a working vocabulary of many words, and every cat has her own individuality. Your cat can be taught by positive reinforcements. First, cats learn language by being talked to. Try to use the same words over and over. Talk to your cat when giving her treats, petting her, when grooming her,…

You can resolve litter box issues by taking a closer look at your cat’s environment. Cause and effect If you’re having a hard time persuading your cat to use the litter box, it just may be time to draw a line in the sand. Most cats take to using a litter box very easily because their instinct is to bury their urine and feces. But when their preferences include the laundry basket, the bed or the…

There is no animal who will investigate a different smell more earnestly than the cat. Their sense of smell is highly developed and very little escapes them. Cats will pick up new smells in many ways... their owner’s clothing, another cat’s coat, smells coming in from an open window, plants and perfume. Sniffing seems to intensify the smell and the desire to investigate becomes paramount until…

Often, we have heard and read that ‘Cats are independent creatures,’ but it is not so. They are dependent on their pet parents for various needs – love, care and attention. Let’s see how. When you bring home a kitty, you bring home a treasure of memories. You love her antics, you love the way she yawns, her nature – sometimes indifferent, sometimes playful…you just love spending time with her.…

‘They fight like cats and dogs’ – the age old expression always had us believe that no two animals could be fiercer enemies of one another. But what if you are smitten by both a dog and a cat and just can’t stay away from both? A happy story… Kirti Tarang, a professional with Childline India from Mumbai, had no choice. “For me it wasn’t a deliberate step. I had a Labrador at my place and then one…

Do you often come home to shredded couch and tattered cushions? Do you find your kitty going berserk when you are about to leave home? Does your feline friend greet you with frantic joy when you return home after a long day at work? If you have been observing these and many other signs in your feline friend, don’t take the matter lightly. Your kitty could be suffering from what is known as the…

Body language, behaviour, and vocalisations are keys to understanding the feline mind. You and your cat might speak different languages, but you can still communicate with each other. Indicators such as the look in your cat’s eyes, tone of her voice, position of her ears, and motion of her tail can provide important clues that reveal her feelings and intentions. You can learn to ‘read’ these…

Cats are easy to maintain, particularly in matters of house training. They like to bury their waste, are fastidiously clean, and are creatures of strong habit. These factors make house training very easy to achieve. Natural way to deal with nature’s call By the time kittens are seven or eight weeks old, they will have learnt to tidy up after themselves. Many experts believe that they learn…

Kittens love to play. They love to pounce on things and other kittens. Here are a few tips to make playing fun for them If they are separated from their siblings, they must be provided with small toys that skitter and move when they pounce on them and interactive play when you are home, such as a Cat Dancer. Play with them interactively a minimum of twice a day in prolonged play. Leave…