Cat Behavior & Care Archives

199 Poisonous Plants & What to Do

by Amy Shojai | Apr 9, 2026

In March, we celebrate Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month but prevention never ends. Here in Texas, many folks spend this time of year preparing for spring gardens. I just spent several hours preparing a flower bed and seeding with wildflowers. And we continue to update our rose garden after we had to dig out old roses (many infected with rose rosetta disease, arg!), and continue to plant new ones. My jonquils, and other bulb plants now poke shy heads above the mulch, ready for a burst of color.

Shadow-Pup helped! And Karma-Kat will enjoy any cut flowers I bring in later. That’s why I’m so careful about exactly what we plant, and the kinds brought inside for our own and pet enjoyment. I had some lovely patio container plants last fall and wanted to bring them inside for the winter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t risk plants toxic to pets.

9 Reasons Cats Snub the Box & What To Do

by Amy Shojai | Apr 8, 2026

Cat litter box problems pose the number one reason cats lose their homes and end up in animal shelters. That’s also the top reason an adopted kitten or cat gets returned. How sad! It’s important to keep in mind ways to prevent litter box problems from the moment you bring home the new kitten…

How to Crate Train Puppies & Kittens

by Amy Shojai | Apr 2, 2026

SQUEEE! It’s puppy & kitten season, and just in time for YOUR big adoption gotcha-day celebration, many stores will have crate, kennels, carriers, and accessories on sale. There are many kinds of crates and carriers, from soft sided to hard plastic to wire, and in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Read on for some crate training tips for both dogs AND for cats.

How to Stop MEOWING! 6 Ways to Silence Loud Mouth Cats

by Amy Shojai | Apr 1, 2026

Is a new cat in your future? Each spring and fall, kitten season may bless you with a new feline friend. But can you predict talkative cats? You wonder, why does my cat meow so much? Heck, cat meowing may be one way cats show love. My Siamese wannabe Seren lived to be 21 years old, and she talked constantly. We relished her kitty conversations, but some cats over-indulge, and pet parents want to stop cat meowing.

Karma-Kat rarely talks unless we address him and doesn’t randomly meow. Mostly, Karma comments center around FOOD and TREATS. He also meows at Shadow–thank goodness the noise doesn’t scare him! Yes, he understands the words, and his “meow” is typically a “yes, please” answer to our questions. Oh, and Karma “announces” when he uses the (ahem) facilities. Trinity-Kitten meows LOUDLY anytime food enters the picture. What about your cats?

Cats In Your Garden? 10 Tips How to Keep Cats Away

by Amy Shojai | Mar 30, 2026

Why would you want to keep cats away? Well, if you have indoor felines and strays keep trespassing, that can put your pets’ tails in a twist. Other times, the stray or feral cats abuse your hospitality, poop in your garden, or stalk the birdbath and terrorize the birds. If you have plants that prove dangerous to cats, visiting felines could be poisoned. What’s a responsible cat person to do?

How do you shoo unwanted cats out of your back yard? Maybe you have a dog that likes to dig, too. With spring weather fast approaching, lots of folks now find that community cats, strays or even feral felines have decided to make themselves at home in unwanted places. Here are my 9 tips to keep cats away.

Why Does My Cat Eat Grass?

by Amy Shojai | Mar 26, 2026

Kitties are obligate carnivores. They MUST eat meat to derive the correct nutrients to live and thrive. So, what’s the deal with grazing? Check out some of the reasons…including a video from my Pet Talk days.

Attack Cat Protects Human! Fictional Macy-Cat Imitates Life

by Amy Shojai | Mar 24, 2026

We mostly think of DOGS as heroes protecting their people. But what about cats? Does he or she serve as a guard kitty, able and willing to keep bad guys at bay? Here are a few examples–and why I include cats sometimes unexpected behaviors in my thriller fiction.

Pet Pampering: When Do We Spoil Pets Too Much?

by Amy Shojai | Mar 23, 2026

Give ‘em toys, for sure. Lavish attention, absolutely. Dress yourself up and accessorize with jewelry et al. But when pampering transforms our pets into mere fashion statements, I gotta draw a line in the kitty litter. Give me a break! What do YOU think…can spoiling your pet go too far?

Pet Music Therapy? The Sound of Success!

by Amy Shojai | Mar 17, 2026

Pet music therapy can help solve dog and cat behavior problems as well as offer physical therapeutic benefits. Our pets are attuned to sound and are incredibly sensitive to noises, including music. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, some pets with “stranger danger” issues are in for a rough ride. Pet music therapy can help. Read on for more tips.

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How to Travel With Pets: Vacationing with Cats & Dogs

Whether you enjoy vacationing with cats and dogs, travel with pets on business, or go camping with pets, it’s important to gauge how well your individual pets will react. Plan ahead for any pet travel, and you and your pets will be happier.

Hunting Gifts: Why Do Cats Bring You Dead Animals

Here in Texas, the warm weather continues to bring big-bug-migrations from outside to the living room. The cats are thrilled with cricket carcasses and the occasional disoriented field mouse that takes a deadly detour. But why do cats bring you dead animals?

Thank goodness, both Karma-Kat and Trinity-Kitten haven’t presented me with anything beyond a cricket drumstick. But it’s not unusual for cats to share their bounty. Mousey morsels end up on the front porch or (Ew!) a beloved owner’s pillow. Why do cats bring us critter gifts?

How to Keep Your Cat Safe with Outdoor Cat Enclosures

It’s vitally important that you keep outdoor cats safe with outdoor cat enclosures. In the best of all possible worlds, cats could roam back gardens and chase butterflies, enjoy sniffing the roses and have a wonderful time being cats–as they were meant to be. But the reality of the situation is that dangers lurk even in the back garden. Here are some things to consider.

Dogs Jumping Up? How to Ground Jumping Jack Dogs

A puppy jumping up aggravates and even terrorizes people. His paws muddy slacks; her claws snag pantyhose. Being tackled by a dog is an unpleasant, dangerous surprise. It’s also rude behavior that should not be allowed in polite human/canine society.

Puppy training goes beyond potty training. With our Bravo-Dawg weighing over 120 pounds, jumping up became a safety issue. Shadow-Pup at only 50 pounds still causes plenty of aggravation. Teach limits early–but even hard case adult dogs can be taught not to jump up.

Why Puppies Jump Up on People: What to Do

When dogs jump up on people, it can aggravate or even injure or terrorizes people. Being tackled by a dog is an unpleasant, dangerous surprise. It’s also rude behavior that should not be allowed in polite human/canine society. Here’s why dogs do it, and how you can manage the behavior.

Why Cats Knock Things Off Tables & How Cats Play

Why cats play and why cats knock things off has been argued by experts for many years. And how cats play can vary between kitties. For instance, kitten play aggression typically happens when the youngster targets your feet. Adopting a pair of kittens with proper introductions can reduce that. Nearly all cats, though, share the same techniques although they may incorporate them differently. Knocking items off of tables seems universal–I call them “gravity experiments.” Here’s why cats knock things off tables and counters.

Dog Scooting On Butts Points to Anal Gland Problems

Does your dog “scoot” across the carpet, ground or grass? Is there an unpleasant aroma clinging to your feline friend? The culprit may be problem anal glands. (Hint: if you’re eating breakfast, you might want to wait and read this later).

Magic never did this, but Bravo frequently scooted, and now and then Shadow indulges. Eww! The behavior does vary somewhat by breed. Cats more typically clean themselves without scooting. Here’s what you need to know.

Earth Day for Pets: How to Celebrate Responsibly

It’s Earth Day! Now, we have to be responsible because the Earth is the only place that has dogs and cats. Am I right? So how will you make Earth Day for pets a fun celebration? Shadow-Pup, Karma-Kat and I are encouraging everyone to do their part to help take care of this gorgeous planet we share.

Cat Ringworm: The Naked Truth & What to Do

Many years ago, I had my first run-in with ringworm when my German shepherd (age 12 at the time) developed ball patches. A dozen years later, my second personal experience happened when I adopted a stray kitten I named Seren. She had couple of crusty bald spots on her forehead. That’s actually pretty typical. Cat ringworm has nothing to do with normal shedding. Ringworm most commonly affects elderly or young pets. Learn what you need to know about ringworm in pets.

First Aid Guide to Dogs Swallowed Objects

Swallowed objects kill pets every day. Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be around the corner, think about potential hazards to avoid. Eating foreign objects often causes only minor problems in dogs and cats. In the best cases, the swallowed cat toy or sock (yes, Bravo did that more than once!) gets vomited up or passes in the stool. However, it’s important to recognize swallowed objects’ symptoms, and how you can save your pet.

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