Once again we’ve ended up writing such a long blog post, that it became an article in its own right!
We have reviewed SIX of the best books about cat behaviour, and put the article HERE. We’d love to hear from anyone who found these books interesting or useful, and definitely let us know if you think we have missed a good book out!
Well, we started writing you a post about this, but it became so long and interesting, that we made it into an article! Read the full article here.
In a nut-shell, we look at compulsive behaviours in cats, and wool-sucking as an example. We look at suspected causes and suggested solutions. We hark on about feeding and environmental enrichment a bit more, too!
So, what is wool-sucking? Here’s an example of a Siamese cat sucking its tail – it’s cute, but is a variation on the wool-sucking behaviour so also evidence of an interesting feline behaviour…
We’ve been harking on about feeding enrichment for your cat for a while now, and here’s proof that it doesn’t need to be expensive – in fact you don’t need to buy anything to be able to feed your cat in a fun and entertaining way, as this video proves. Incidently we notice that this video shows a ‘double’ food-and-water bowl, which we do not recommend – cats prefer to eat and drink in separate places. Fussy felines….
http://youtu.be/gWOEX7RIGhI
Although we call them cat trees, they don’t usually appear anything like an actual tree. Well, here’s a cat tree that really is just that! The trees are custom-made and handcrafted, and consist of a hollow ‘trunk’ supported by a wooden frame, with peep-holes and lying platforms in the trunk. The top of the tree is decorated with synthetic branches and leaves, and snuggled among these are lying platforms. Being fully customisable, you can design your own tree to fit into your decor and house – height, fabric, design details, even the leaves are all chosen by you! Amazing! They’re popular, too, as there’s currently a waiting list for manufacture, so don’t delay if you want one!
We’re pretty chuffed to come across these…Tailored walking jackets for cats, hand-made by a small UK company to your cat’s measurements, double-sided reversible material, secured by velcro on wide comfortable straps. We think they’re an absolute bargain!
The owner of this company is also, to our knowledge, one of the ONLY people in the UK designing (and ultimately making) a running wheel for cats…we await news of the final design and the product being open to orders, so we’ll keep you posted!
‘Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet’, by John Bradshaw (to give it the full name), has been widely and, for the most part, well reviewed. It is refreshing to read a book that looks at the ‘why’ aspect of cat ownership – why cats do particular behaviours, and show particular traits. It is written by a British author, and so assumes the subject is a free-roaming cat with outdoor access, and the book does discuss aspects of cat breeding, while not directing advocating it. You are not necessarily going to understand an individual cat’s behavioural problems by reading this book (those by Vicky Halls are better for this), but you will be better able to understand your cat in general, and what makes it the cat it is. A must-read for any cat lover!
A luxury cat hotel in West Yorkshire (UK) opened its doors recently, to a well-deserved flurry of media attention. Offering cat massages, freshly cooked free-range meat and fish meals, individual TVs with cat-friendly virtual aquariums, and bespoke cat trees to its discerning feline guests, this really is a cattery of the luxury variety! It’s called ‘Ings Luxury Cat Hotel’ – do contact us if your cat has been there!
After much anticipation, London’s first Cat Cafe, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, opens its doors very soon, although the opening date is still unknown. Located in the hip and trendy area of Shoreditch, this cafe’s progress has been watched by many cat lovers. It employs many aspects of environmental enrichment to ensure the carefully-chosen cats can live a happy stress-free life…because they’re gonna be very well loved by Londoners!! Watch this space…
Many vet practices have separate cat wards, but not all provide hospitalised cats with a hiding place in their kennel. Cats have 3 ways of coping with stressful situations – escape, hide, or go ‘up high’. Since a kennel environment prevents escape, emphasis should be placed on providing a hiding place and, if possible, a corner shelf from which to observe their surroundings without fear of approach from behind. Research has shown that providing a ‘Hide and Perch’ box, as opposed to an open cat bed, improves rescue cats’ welfare and reduces their stress levels. They were also more likely to get along well together. The UK’s Cats Protection charity have developed a cat hide to mimic this in the veterinary hospital – www.cats.org.uk/cat-care
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners.