Conquer Your Cat’s Fear of the Vacuum

From FearFreeHappyHomes.com

When I pull out the vacuum, Mollie disappears. Fortunately, our house is large enough that she has plenty of “safe” places to hide – often the linen closet upstairs or inside a kitchen cabinet.

There’s a name for this fear: Zuigerphobia. It’s a specific phobia, which is an irrational, yet excessive fear of a particular object. This type of phobia creates an immediate anxiety response, often causing the person – or pet – to avoid the object whenever possible.

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Feral to Friendly-ish: Cats Coming in from the Cold

Carl and Scooter

This article originally appeared at FearFreeHappyHomes.com.

A major conundrum of the cat world is the profusion of feral cats.

Robin Olson, president of Kitten Associates in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, recently trapped the most beautiful tabby-marked Siamese kitten in her yard. Dubbed Silas Buttonwood, he will be vetted, neutered, fostered, and placed in a loving home.

Silas Buttonwood

He is proving to be a challenge.

“He is a wild animal, but he has the potential to be socialized so he can live with humans,” said Olson. “He needs consistency and trust… I have to respect his wild heart.”

Silas was staying in Olson’s “blue bathroom,” the first stop for her fosters, but was still showing fearful behavior. Olson decided to move Silas from the bathroom to a large cage in her living room where he could get used to household noises and have more attention. Her job was to remain calm and maintain a routine that would help him feel safe.

The transition was tough. At first, Silas refused to eat but changed his mind and was soon resting on his familiar blankie. Olson observed that he likes seeing the other cats and her webcam shows him playing enthusiastically with a Turboscratcher during the night. She said he’s less shut down and is showing “a softer side to his cat nature.” He even responds to his name.

Continue reading at FearFreeHappyHomes.com.

 

May-December Cats: How to Make the Relationship Work

Sofiya, Tekla, and Mollie range in age from 1 to 16 years old.

This article first appeared in FearFree/HappyHomes.com.

There’s nothing like the joy of a living with a new kitten: the wide-eyed wonder, the playful antics, the unabashed energy. We love our older kitties, but every so often, there’s the siren call of kittenhood.

So how do you integrate a high-energy kitten into a household with a more sedate senior cat (or two)?

There’s no simple answer, but the process can be successful with some forethought and planning.

Read more at FearFree/HappyHomes.com.

Why Is My Cat Eating Litter?

w-ings / iStock / Getty Images

Reprinted from my article in The Spruce Pets.

Cats may eat litter—and other undesirable materials—for a variety of reasons. This behavior is referred to as pica, the eating of non-food items.

Continue reading at The Spruce Pets.

 

Fearless Kittens: Are They Made or Born?

This article was originally published on the Fear Free Happy Homes website.

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It’s a little bit of both. These tips can help you choose the one who’s just right for you.

Stories abound about kittens who are adopted into new homes, then promptly disappear for days at a time, coming out only at night to eat and use the litter box. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to improve your chances of bringing home a confident, outgoing kitten who will be comfortable in any home or situation.

Read the rest of the story on the Fear Free Happy Homes website.

Book Review – ‘Claws: Confessions of Professional Cat Groomer’

The image of a typical cat groomer is one of an aproned individual, armed with combs and clippers and a compliant kitty on the table.

Talk to Anita Kelsey and you’ll learn that nothing is further from the truth. And she has the scars to prove it.

Cats as Emotional Support Animals

It’s no secret that our cats provide us with much-needed comfort and support. But for some people, the need goes a step further.

Emotional support animals (ESAa) are pets that provide companionship to those with emotional and mental disabilities. Organizations such as CertaPet help facilitate the process. According to CertaPet’s website: “For legal purposes, ESAs are considered companions offering mental and emotional support, as well as sometimes being trained to recognize specific symptoms and emotional occurrences.”

Jackson Galaxy: Decoding Cat Behavior

Jackson Galaxy’s “My Cat From Hell” is now in its fifth season.

If you’re like many of us, Saturday nights are spent with Jackson Galaxy as he works his magic with problematic cats. In his annals of cat behavior, our own tiny tigers look like cream puffs.

Several episodes into the fifth season of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell,” we caught up with him. He’d been shuttling between California and San Antonio and took part in the HSUS Animal Care Expo in Florida. He was the keynote speaker there, describing the experience as a privilege … “standing up in front of rescue and shelter professionals to tell them we’ve in a better place.” He said that fewer cats are dying. “It never gets old… seeing a difference, seeing that pay-off is an incredible gift.”

He confirmed it’s the best thing to come out of four-plus seasons of doing the show.

The challenge this season is seen in cat behavior cases that have crossed from the emotional to the physical.

Tune in Jan. 7 for Jackson Galaxy Redux

Fans can't wait for Jackson Galaxy's second season of "My Cat From Hell."

Fans of Jackson Galaxy’s My Cat From Hell have been waiting with baited breath for the return of the series. The three-part miniseries aired last year and was renewed, thanks, in part, to viewer demand.

The new series of six episodes featuring the feline trials and tribulations of 12 families, each with a unique set of issues, is set to debut on Jan. 7 on Animal Planet.

Pulitzer: My problem child

Pulitzer, looking so innocent.

In every multiple cat family, there’s one who can be fingered as a “problem child.” Maybe he’s a bully and picks on the youngest or the most timid. Or maybe she’s the picky eater. Or a door darter.

Or the hoser.

Pulitzer. I’m talkin’ ‘bout you, boy.