Behaviour & Training

If you’re a cat owner, Christmastime can be a stressful and dangerous time. Luckily, there’s lots of things you can do to make sure your cat’s happy and safe this festive season, keep reading to find out more. Christmas is such an exciting time of year, but unfortunately all the twinkling lights and merriment can be hazardous for your cat. From climbing the Christmas tree to the stress of visiting family members and hazardous treats that may turn out to be harmful, cats and Christmas can sometimes be a real recipe for disaster. But it doesn’t need to be! When managed with a bit of extra care, the holidays can be a time of fun and happiness for both you and your four-legged friend. Cats and Christmas trees As a cat owner, you’ll know that your kitty is a huge fan of climbing everything in sight. So, it should come as no surprise that often, cats see Christmas trees as just another challenge to get to the top of. But this may well result in your ambitious cat pulling the tree to the ground. You’ll need to ensure that you have a heavy base – you can either buy one of these or attach weights to the bottom. Alternatively, you can tether your tree to the wall or ceiling to make sure it’s not budging, no matter how much your cat tries to replace your angel or star at the top. Hazardous Christmas decorations Another element to cats and Christmas trees is that dangling, sparkly decorations often prove a temptation too great to resist. This can be particularly dangerous if you have glass baubles as if they swat these off your tree they may shatter and hurt your cat. Additionally, tinsel and angel hair can cause blockages if ingested. To make sure you have a cat-friendly Christmas tree in your home, stay away from glass baubles and any that are made with toxic materials, ditch the tinsel and angel hair and securely attach all decorations to the tree, ensuring none are too close to the bottom, with reach of a swatting cat paw. Be wary of mains powered Christmas tree lights Cats and Christmas tree lights can also be a bad combination as the wires resemble fun toys for your kitty. Any wires will need to be covered to stop them being chewed and when you’re not home, switch the lights off at the mains. If you’re a fan of leaving your lights on all the time, battery-powered options are much safer.

Everyone's heard the saying 'cats always land on their feet', but is there any truth in it? Keep reading to find out how they manage to do it and the amazing science behind it. Everyone has heard the saying ‘cats always land on their feet’ and that this ability means they can survive falls from incredible heights. Some people think it’s due to cats’ incredible balance, and others secretly think it’s magic. It’s a phenomenon that has certainly puzzled scientists for centuries! But is it true, or simply an urban legend? Keep reading to find out if cats always land on their feet and how they do it. Do cats always land on their feet? Cats have an inbuilt balancing system called the “righting reflex” that allows them to orient themselves and land on their feet. But while cats are often able to land the right way up, it’s not the case that theyalwaysland on their feet. The height of the fall can affect their ability to land safely. For a long time, cats’ ability to seemingly always land on their feet has had scientists baffled. Initially, it was thought that when cats were dropped they somehow managed to ‘push off’ the person’s hand. However, a French scientist called Etienne-Jules Marey in 1894 discovered this was not the case. Using a chronophotographic camera, he managed to capture 60 frames a second of a cat’s fall, then he was able to watch in slow-motion and see how cats land on their feet. How do cats always land on their feet? The way cats manage to land on their feet is called the righting reflex.

As humans we love music, but do our cats feel the same? Find out how your furry friend feels about music and the research behind it with Purina. We all like to make our pets happy, and we’ve all seen those adorable You Tube videos of our favourite superstar kitties rocking out on the piano! Listening to music can provide mental stimulation, a sense of contentment, or even just a relaxing background vibe—for humans! So it makes sense that we would want to share one our favourite pastimes with our pets—but do cats like music? And are they getting anything out of listening to it? Do cats like music? Have you ever tried to play your favourite song for your cat? You might have noticed that, no matter how hard the beat drops, your cat shows little to no interest in the music that you are playing to them. In rare circumstances, some cats have found specific music to be calming. Occasionally, cat shelters will choose to play classic music to their residents, believing that it creates a soothing atmosphere. Although cats don’t run away from music (unless you turn it up very loud!), there isn’t a lot of evidence to show that this is the case. If the cats listening to classical music are lying around having a snooze, it’s probably more likely that they were ready for a catnap, rather than lulled to sleep by the likes of Mozart!

If you’ve witnessed your kitten have a shut eye more frequently than not, you’ve naturally got some questions about your cat’s sleeping patterns. Find out how much sleep our dear feline friends need to feel refreshed and ready to play with their favourite owner. A cat’s sleeping habits can easily puzzle anyone less familiar with the feline lifestyle. For the best part of the day, a cat will act like the retired elderly on a well-deserved holiday, constantly on an all-day snoozing diet. If your cat’s always-off mode makes you feel like the world’s most boring housemate, you’ll be happy to know this is not personal. Cats sleep a lot, naturally. If you’ve been wondering ‘how long do cats sleep?’ and ‘why do cats sleep so much?’, we unpacked some of the amazing facts surrounding their siesta habits to help you better understand your kitty’s unconventional take on sleeping schedules. How long do cats sleep? Cats sleep on average 15 hours a day, with some sleepy kitties getting in up to 20 hours of shut-eye each day.

Our cats seem extremely intelligent, they always seem to know exactly what we're up to and when their dinner time should be, but how intelligent are they really? Here at Purina we've researched everything you need to know about the topic, keep reading to find out how smart they really are. Cats certainly seem intelligent. Our cats always know exactly what time their breakfast should be and that the sight of the cat carrier means a dreaded trip to the vets. They seem to be able to anticipate our every move and know what we’re thinking, but we never feel like we know what’s going on in their brains. This is largely due to cats being mysterious creatures and the fact that they have eluded scientists because of their reluctance to participate in studies. So, the question still remains: how intelligent are cats? In this article we take a look at the current research surrounding cat intelligence as well as the age-old debate of if cats are smarter than dogs. Keep reading to learn which are the smartest cat breeds and learn all about the cat mail delivery service in the late 19th century. How intelligent are cats? It turns out that cats have a brain structure that’s similar to other intelligent animals, including humans. It may come as a surprise to learn that your little cat’s brain structure is about 90 percent similar to yours! And according to Psychology Today, a cat’s cerebral cortex – where rational decision making and complex problem solving takes place – has around 300 million neurons. The cerebral cortex is involved in the planning of action, overall interpretation of language and is also responsible for storing both short- and long-term memory, which is why your cat tends to learn by doing rather than seeing. Not only that, but cats also possess more nerve cells in the visual areas of their brain than humans and most other mammals. However, calculating how intelligent cats are depends on how you measure intelligence in the first place.

Your cat doesn’t just need the right food and exercise for their age and body condition; emotional nourishment and cat care is also one of the most important parts of keeping a happy cat. Your cat’s emotional needs are based on their personality, age and lifestyle. If your cat spends the majority or all of their time indoors, for example, they may rely more heavily on you to provide cat care for their emotional wellbeing. Keeping such an intelligent and emotionally sophisticated pet happy can require a little effort and imagination, especially if your cat isn't using their natural instincts to survive on their own outdoors. A brief history of the cat Today's domestic cats are descended from wild cats who began to take advantage of the abundance of mice around corn stores in early Middle Eastern and North African civilisations, about 4,000 years ago. Today, pet cats are more often born indoors than in the wild, and spend their whole lives being fed and loved as part of our families - a far cry from the solitary hunter lifestyle of their ancestors! There are over 50 breeds of pedigree cats around the world, although by far the most prevalent is the ordinary ‘moggy’ with their wonderful variety of coats and colours.

Owners are constantly baffled when they buy their cat a cool new toy and they're much more interested in the box it came in! But why do cats love boxes so much? Keep reading to find out why. It’s a widely known fact that cats love boxes. To them, no toy in the world, no matter how expensive or fancy it may be, compares to a simple cardboard box. It’s a phenomenon that baffles most cat owners, especially when they’ve just purchased a great new bed or cool toy, and their cat seems to prefer the packaging it came in. In this article we explore why cats like boxes and tell you all about why they make the perfect snoozing and hunting ground for your cat. Why do cats like boxes? There are lots of reasons that cats love boxes, but the main one is because they’re confined, enclosed spaces. Cats are ambush predators and finding confined places where they can hide, hunt prey and feel safe and warm is an instinctive behaviour. Snug cardboard boxes fit the bill perfectly. Boxes are safe Cats get comfort and security from enclosed spaces, which is why they love spending time in cardboard boxes. Cats use boxes as hiding places where predators can’t sneak up on them from the side or behind. If your cat is in a box, any “intruders” like prey, humans or other pets have to come directly into their field of vision, meaning nothing can surprise them. And cats like boxes because they help to reduce stress and offer a safe zone where your cat can observe and not be seen. This is ideal for cats as their reaction to stressful situations is often to run and hide. Cats don’t have in-built conflict resolution strategies, so they much prefer to hide from their problems. The safety of the private, enclosed space is another possible answer to why do cats like boxes.

As more cats are living longer, owners and vets get more frequently confronted with age-related problems such as cat dementia. We’ve rounded up the most common signs and ways to keep your senior cat comfortable. Our cats are now living longer than ever before and there is no better news for owners looking to spend extra years with their lovely feline companions. But prolonged lives also come with increased prevalence of senior cat health problems and cat dementia can be one of them.

If you have a cat that goes outside, you’re probably no stranger to having dead creatures turn up on your doorstep. While some cats may be more adept hunters than others, you may still find yourself wondering about the reasons behind this hunting behaviour. If you have an outdoor cat, it’s incredibly likely that you’ve had dead mice or birds turn up on your doorstep. This may range from just the occasional delivery to something that you’ve come to expect each and every morning. This tendency to bring us hunting gifts has baffled cat owners across the globe and many find themselves wondering about the reasons behind cat hunting behaviours. This is especially true when your cat is regularly fed and given all the attention and fuss they could possibly wish for! If you have a cat that’s an adept hunter, it helps to understand why they hunt. Why do cats hunt? Historically, cats weren’t kept as pets and fed by loving owners. They had to provide for themselves and hunt for their own food, like their big cat cousins such as lions and tigers. A limited amount of prey meant that only the most successful hunters survived and reproduced, so your four-legged friend is descended from hunting-savvy cat ancestors. Today, cat hunting is more about fun and entertainment. The mere sight and sound of prey triggers your cat’s hunting instinct which is hardwired into their brains. Quite simply, your cat is powerless to resist the flapping wings of a bird or the scuttling feet of a small mouse.

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!

Most cats are home lovers, so travelling anywhere else with them can make them stressed. Some journeys are unavoidable, so when travelling with cats it’s important to know how you can make your feline friend feel comfortable. Most cats are home lovers, so travelling anywhere else with them can make them stressed. When travelling with cats it’s important to know how you can make your feline friend feel comfortable. We’ve put together some cat travel tips to help everything run smoothly. Cat car travel Knowing how to travel with cats in the car is the most useful place to start. If you’re confident and in control, and you understand how to keep your cat calm, the journey can be relatively stress-free for both of you.

Whether you’re a first time cat owner or have a long term feline friend, there will be times where you wish you could know what your cat is thinking. Understanding Cats’ Body Language Sometimes you might wonder about a change in your cat’s behaviour and what that could mean, or would like to know how you can tell if your cat is happy. Although cats might seem hard to read, there are lots of tell-tale signs that will give you an insight into what your companion is thinking, and what kind of mood they’re in! You’ll probably be able to tell some of your cat’s more obvious moods already from their body language, facial expressions, vocalisations and tail movements. But looking out for some other signals, such as the following cat tail signs and body postures, can tell you even more. Cats have a wide range of basic emotions – they feel happy, sad, afraid, relieved and even frustrated, just like us humans! The key to a good relationship with your cat is learning how to recognise these emotions, and respond where needed. Watch this great video guide on cat body language from our friends at Cats Protection, presented by their Cats Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow.