Chewing isn’t unique to dogs! Many cats enjoy nibbling or chewing and it can be a natural and fun activity. But for other cats and households, it can be a big problem!  Photo Credit: Litkei Szabolcs/Pexels.com What is the Behavior? Chewing comes in many different forms, ranging from concerning and dangerous to normal.  What are ... Read more The post Why Does My Cat Chew On…? appeared first on Feline Engineering ..read more

Cats need territory with options to get off the ground to explore, avoid, and more. Creating a cat-friendly home requires more than one cat tree in the corner, but you don’t have to turn the whole house into a cat-themed jungle gym. By paying attention to type, location, and connections, you can create vertical space ... Read more The post Get Them High: Vertical Space for Cats appeared first on Feline Engineering ..read more

Cats are more than our cute companions. They are a unique species that act as both predator and prey in a natural environment. This leads to a wide range of behaviors and needs. Cats are also learners, capable of adapting and using their behavior to get their needs and wants met.  Understanding cats as predators, ... Read more The post What Are Cats? appeared first on Feline Engineering ..read more

Cats don’t scratch just to ruin your furniture! Scratching is a behavioral and physical need and cannot be eliminated completely.  Cats scratch to stretch their bodies, condition their claws (not just sharpen them but keep them healthy), and to communicate with others in their environment. Along with the visible marks, they use pheromones from their paw pads to leave information about who they are. These signals can help decrease stress and tension between individuals.  Photo Credit: Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay.com Encourage Appropriate Scratching  To prevent and stop destruct ..read more

What is “normal” for your cat, in terms of health and behavior? Does that “normal” represent their optimal wellbeing? Just because something has been going on for a long time doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be changed. “Normal” Doesn’t Always Equal “Okay” For the purposes of this discussion: “Normal” = typical, expected, and/or usual “Okay” = physically, emotionally, and behaviorally healthy Just because something is typical for an individual doesn’t mean it is the best life that individual could be experiencing. Just because something has been happening on a regular basis for a long ti ..read more

Getting ready to move with your cat? Planning ahead and supporting them afterwards can have a big impact on everyone’s stress levels. Are you packed and ready? Photo Credit: Michael Faeth/Pixabay.com Moving is Hard for Everyone Moving is stressful for everyone, human and feline. While you might be worried about the logistics and money, your cat is going to have their own concerns: Loss of Familiar Territory New sights and smells Changes to resources (food, litter boxes) and how they access them (their routes through the space, particularly challenging if there are multiple cats in the ..read more

Does your cat show signs of stress, such as peeing outside the box, when you travel, even though they love the pet sitter? Do they take days to recover from vet visits, changes in routine, or even new furniture? Does every little thing seem to set them off, leaving you feeling sad for them or frustrated with their behavior? Your cat may lack resilience. What is Resilience and Why Does it Need a Rainbow? Resilience is the ability of an individual to resist and bounce back from the negative effects of stress. Because stress can be a leading factor in both behavioral and physical concerns in ..read more

Leaving a beloved pet home while you travel can be a source of stress for many people. It can also be a very stressful experience for the pet. In the post Jessica Dwyer Bartlett, a professional pet sitter and cat behavior consultant, adds her insights on setting your cat and your pet sitter up for success.  Pet Sitter vs Giant Bowl of Food Because cats generally have all their needs met in the home, it can seem easy to just set them up with enough food for the weekend and go. However, doing this can have safety and well-being implications.  Health and Safety Signs of illness may ..read more

One of the two most common reasons cat guardians come to me for behavior consultation is conflict between cats in the home (the other reason is litter box avoidance). A situation where cat-cat conflict can develop is when a new, young cat comes into a home with a resident, older cat. These “May-December” (younger-older) relationships can be rocky for many reasons, but there are things guardians can do to help.   Note: For the purpose of this article, I will use “older cat” to describe an adult or senior resident cat and “younger cat” to refer to a kitten or young adult who is new ..read more

Not the Right Fit  Cats are living beings with their own personalities, needs, and wants. That means they will each have their own unique requirements of a home. Some need peace and quiet, others lots of play and engagement. They may be happiest with a feline (or canine) friend or prefer to have only human companions.  There are many things we can do to help a cat be more comfortable in a home and to improve their behavior (including troubleshooting a behavior change plan and considering behavioral medications). However, we can’t change everything and there may be situations where ..read more