A cat won't tell you it's stressed. It won't change its expression, sigh, or ask for help. Stress in cats shows up as changes in behavior - often so subtle an owner only notices once the problem has been going on for weeks. Excessive grooming, hiding, refusing food, going outside the litter box, sudden aggression - these aren't bad habits. They're signals that something has changed in a cat's life and its body isn't coping with that change.
Stress in cats - symptoms, causes, and how to help
Why do cats meow? Causes of excessive meowing
Meowing is a language cats invented purely to communicate with people. Adult cats don't meow at each other - between themselves they communicate through body language, scent, and vocalizations like hissing, growling, or purring. Meowing is a sound reserved for an owner - a signal that a cat needs something and has learned that this particular sound gets a response.
Why do cats purr? What purring tells you about your cat's wellbeing
Purring is one of the most recognizable sounds in the animal kingdom - and one of the most misread. Most owners assume a purring cat is simply happy. In fact, cats purr for at least 5 different reasons, and not all of them mean contentment. A cat purrs when relaxed, but also when in pain, stressed, hungry, or in need of close contact.
Why do cats scratch - and how do you stop a cat from scratching the sofa?
A cat can't be trained out of scratching. Scratching is inborn - a cat scratches to shed dead layers of keratin from its claws, stretch the back and shoulder muscles, mark territory with pheromones from glands in its paw pads, and release emotion. It's a behavior that can't be eliminated without harming a cat's physical and mental health.
10 things cats have taught me over 14+ years of breeding
Over 14 years of breeding, cats have taught me things I never found in any book. I have collected 10 of the most important conclusions — from the fact that a cat never deceives, to the idea that less is more.
How to teach a cat to use wall shelves?
"What if my cat doesn't want to use the shelves?" - this is one of the most common questions I hear from clients. The answer: let the cat make its own decision. I explain why.