Behaviour & Training

Discover the meaning behind why your cat makes a variety of meowing, hissing or purring sounds with our handy guide, and before you know it you'll be able to translate what your kitty is trying to tell you like a pro! When cats make noises, they’re trying to communicate a feeling or desire. Whether they are purring whilst being groomed, or hissing at another animal, cat sounds can all be roughly translated into human language. So, you can roughly understand what your cat is trying to communicate!

Having a baby is an exciting time but it’s also a huge disruption for the entire household. And this of course includes your cat. Cats like familiarity and predictability in their routine and in their environment. They bond to their home often as much as they do with their people, and they do not like change. A baby, and everything that comes with it, is very definitely a big change! So here is how to make sure the first baby-cat meeting goes smoothly.

It's a common misconception that cats are not affectionate, mainly because dogs have more explicit ways of demonstrating affection, whereas cats are much more subtle. From head-butting to meowing, find out how your cat shows love! It’s often said that dogs are more affectionate than cats, but that isn’t necessarily the case. It’s true that dogs have more explicit ways of showing their affection—with bounding body language and a big, slobbery tongue for kisses. This can, unfairly, seem as though they might naturally love their owners more than their feline friends. However, while a cat won’t wag their tail (unless they’re angry), that doesn’t mean they don’t feel love! Cats have more subtle ways of making their affection known, and just because they’re naturally more understated, doesn’t mean the bond is any less strong. Find out more about how do cats show affection with this roundup of our all time favourite feline gestures. It will have you purring with delight! How do cats show affection? You might notice that your cat is more inclined to wander around when you’re at home; they might relax in a different part of the house, or simply meander from room to room. Some owners take this as a sign of disinterest and think that their cat doesn’t care whether they’re in the house together, or if they’re left alone. But nothing could be further from the truth! Cats are more likely to explore and interact with their environment when they feel relaxed and comfortable in a person’s presence. So if your pet is often on the move while you’re with them, take it as a subtle sign of how a cat shows affection! The message here is that they are more comfortable in your presence. Body language Body language and more specifically, tail language, is very important when considering how do cats show love. You can tell a lot from the way in which a cat is holding their tail. Often, when showing affection cats use their body and tail as a form of expression. Sometimes by winding their way through your legs, or even just by sitting close enough so that their tail touches you when they swing it. A very happy cat tail position is upright, with a slight curve at the top, which means that they are glad to see you! Similarly, if a cat feels comfortable enough to offer up their belly for a rub, this is the ultimate sign of trust and affection.

Being a cat owner is an experience that comes with countless adorable moments, but there are a few head-scratching ones too that we are still trying to decipher. In this article, we’re looking at cats and cucumbers and why people shouldn’t get involved with the craze of these online videos. We have plenty of studies – and of course, our own understanding and intuition with regards to our feline friends that help us figure out some of their weird likes and dislikes, such as why cats like to sleep so much or why cats adore boxes. But why are cats scared of cucumbers? If you’ve seen videos of cats scared out of their skin by a humble cucumber, no doubt you’ve got questions. But before we dive into the answers, it’s important to understand how a cat’s fear response works.

If you’re a cat owner, you may have noticed that they can be quite partial to a munch of grass sometimes. This may seem unusual as cats are obligate carnivores, but grass can actually have numerous benefits for them. Find out why do cats eat grass with Purina. All cat owners know that their kitty enjoys the odd nibble of grass – which is too often followed by their cat vomiting up their breakfast. Because of this reaction, it’s common for pet parents to think that grass is actually toxic to their felines and many will reprimand them for munching on the green stuff. It may surprise you to learn that when cats eat grass it can actually have numerous health benefits for them, including everything from relieving constipation and acting as natural stress relief. Find out all the reasons why cats eat grass with Purina. Why does my cat eat grass? The compulsion for cats eating grass is certainly a strange one, especially since they’re obligate carnivores and don’t require vegetation to survive. As it stands, researchers haven’t agreed on one definitive reason why your cat enjoys a munch of your lawn, but there are many theories why they may do this. The top three ones are as follows:

Learning how to discipline your cat correctly is something that’s really important for every cat owner to do. Cats react differently to dogs, so training them in the same way won’t always work. Instead there are a number of different cat training techniques that can be learnt and performed on your cat to try and encourage them to behave correctly. Undesirable cat behaviours Before we learn how to discipline a cat, lets take a look at the type of undesirable behaviours your cat may have and why they may behave that way.

All cats are special to their owners, but there are certain felines that have that extra charm in the form of extra toes. These are the polydactyl cats – beloved the world over, making amazing entries in the book of World Records, protected as historic treasure and, according to legend, bringing luck to their happy owners. In this article we’re exploring the amazing world of polydactyl cats and their origins, while offering essential information to owners that have welcomed cats with extra toes into their family. 

Although training is more traditionally associated with dogs, you can also teach your cat a few tricks, too! Your moggy can learn to recognise their name and come to you when you call them. To help your pet pick up these skills, it’s important to train your kitten from an early age and as soon as possible. Teaching your kitten social skills Training kittens starts with their social skills – the more they are exposed to at a young age, the less will shock or surprise them as they get older. From almost as soon as they can walk around without mum’s help, kittens will approach new situations with the confidence and curiosity that cats are so famous for! Kittens will be at their least fearful between the ages of 3-7 weeks, so will be more open to and accepting of new experiences and changes in their environment. After this age kittens will become more cautious, so it’s important that your breeder or rescue shelter introduces your pet to as much as possible before you collect them, ideally between 8-13 weeks old (depending on their breed and breeder). Of course, your kitten's emotional development doesn't just stop at 12 weeks old, so you can continue to train your kitten once you’ve got them at home. Try some of these tips to help your kitten develop even further: • Invite a variety of friends to your home to help your kitten get used to all sorts of different people – different ages, genders, heights, hair colour and more! • If you don't have children, invite some along, making sure you let them know to take care around the kitten, especially when they meet them for the first time. • You may know someone with a cat-friendly dog. If so, ask them to bring their pet to meet your kitten. The dogs must be well trained and able to “stay” – even in the excitement of meeting a new friend!

Have you ever asked ‘why does my cat lick me’? It’s a common question many cat owners have. The truth is there are a number of different reasons why your cat licks you – and many of them are to do with affection! Possible reasons why your cat licks you One reason your cat may lick you is because it’s a way of creating a social bond. From a young age a cat’s mother would not only lick them as a way of grooming them, but also to show affection. Cats then replicate this behaviour with you as a way of showing their own affection – it simply comes naturally. This licking behaviour is not just exclusive between pet and owner. Cats often lick other cats and even other animals to show their affection. Do keep an eye out, however, when your cat begins to lick other cats or other animals, as not all cats or animals like to be licked. In some cases some other cats or animals may retaliate or become anxious when a cat tries to lick them. Another reason your cat may lick you is because they are stressed or anxious. It is very common for cats and other animals to begin to lick things excessively if they are stressed. This can include licking you; if you think this may be the case it might be best to pay a visit to your local vet. If you think something has caused your cat to be stressed, try to identify the source of their worry in case you can remove it. Cats like to mark their territory so other cats and animals know what is theirs. If a cat sees you as theirs, they may begin to lick you to mark you as part of their territory. This is to let other cats know who you belong to. Whilst this type of behaviour is completely normal it could lead to problems in the house if you have more than one cat or pet, so watch out for territorial behaviour. Why it sometimes hurts when a cat licks you It can sometimes hurt when a cat licks you, especially if your cat does this excessively and in the same place. This is because of special back-facing barbs on your cat’s tongue called ‘papillae’. These barbs are made from the same material as your cat’s claws, which explains why their tongue feels like sandpaper. These barbs are important when your cat grooms themselves. The barbs help to remove dirt and debris from a cat’s coat. If the barbs weren’t sharp they would not be able to pick up this dirt and a cat would not be able to keep himself or herself as clean.

Cats have captivated the hearts of humans for many years, we’re obsessed with these fluffy critters and this kitty love has seen many famous cats crop up. From Grumpy Cat – the living oxymoron, to Lil Bub the perma-kitten, find out who made our list of the top 10 most famous cats. There’s just something about cats, isn’t there? Their magical toe beans and saucer-like eyes have captivated humans across the globe throughout history and we just can’t get enough of them. Cute cats fill our screens and this, combined with our obsession with their adorable fluffy faces, has seen the rise of famous cats. From Instagram influencers that have us tapping the like button to famous cats in movies that are more worthy of an Oscar than most celebs, these kitties are the star of every show. Ted Nude-Gent – Mr Bigglesworth from Austin Powers This cat’s name is almost as funny as his film appearance! Known as Dr. Evil’s hairless Sphynx Cat from the Austin Powers movies, this famous cat was apparently a big fan of Mike Myers, despite his owner being his arch nemesis in the series. It’s been reported that Ted loved Mike so much, that he would spend all of his time sleeping on his lap – which apparently delayed shooting many a time. Tardar Sauce – Grumpy Cat Grumpy Cat is quite possibly one of the most famous cats in history. She rose to fame in 2012 after a post of her face went viral on Reddit – at first, no-one believed her face hadn’t been altered but in truth her grumpy markings were real. And soon everyone fell in love. According to her owners she was a very happy cat (despite the expression) with a type of dwarfism, and although she looked like a Snowshoe or Ragdoll, her parents were a Calico Short Hair and a grey tabby! Cole and Marmalade – You Tube sensations Rescue cats Cole and Marmalade are a true rags-to-riches story. Cole came first and was found at the side of the road as a 6-week-old kitten, then Marmalade joined the family a little later as an unwanted kitten. As soon as the pair met, they became the best of friends and now these famous cats are You Tube stars. With over a million subscribers, their amusing videos are perfect for cat lovers who want an excuse to smile. Lil Bub – the perma-kitten Everyone’s heard of this adorable famous cat. She had a permanent kitten-like appearance which was due to a variety of genetic mutations, including teeth that never grew (which is why her tongue hung out of her mouth) and a type of dwarfism. Additionally, she also had a rare bone disorder known as Osteopetrosis and Lil Bub was the only cat in history known to be born with this. Thanks to her online fame, her owners were able to raise funds to help with her treatment, but sadly she passed away in December, 2019.

If you have a cat who has access to the great outdoors, you are probably no stranger to receiving ‘gifts’ from time to time. These treasures may take the form of dead spiders, mice, or even bigger prey like rabbits or squirrels (if your cat is a particularly adept hunter). This behaviour is one that frequently baffles owners, particularly when there is delicious food that is readily available at home. So, why do cats bring you dead animals? Keep reading to find out all you need to know about why you receive these little unwanted presents. Why do cats bring you dead animals?

Being curious as to how far your cat’s sensing capabilities stretch is not an uncommon thought to have, especially as some of their abilities go beyond anything we are able to do ourselves. One of the many fascinating myths about our beloved felines is that they can see spirits. So, can cats see ghosts or not? Let’s delve into the details to find out.