The cat food aisle in supermarkets these days has so much choice. Dry food, wet food, foods to suit various ages and diets, and in addition to all these choices there are also cat treats. Again, a vast choice including lick treats, dry treats and all with various flavors and benefits. But do cats need these treats in their diets and is there a limit on how many treats we should give our cats? How often should I give my cat treats? Firstly, your cat does not NEED treats. Their daily nutritional requirements can be achieved with a balanced diet of good quality, age appropriate cat food. If you have…

Whether you already have a multi cat household or are thinking about another kitty addition to your family, maintaining peace and happiness is priority. Does having more than one cat mean doubling up on everything? Is it a necessity or a luxury for your cats to have one each of everything or is it perfectly acceptable for them to share? Cats aren’t usually keen on sharing. They are independent and self-sufficient animals where sharing doesn’t come naturally. Food is the key source for survival, and in the wild, cats would eat any prey that they had caught, alone. This natural instinct of eating alone and an unwillingness to share gives…

With our children approaching their teenage years, it felt the right time to realize a dream of mine – to have a wildlife pond in the garden. We were very aware of the dangers of a pond with young children, but now we had two additional little ones to think of – our two cats! Was having a pond a good idea? Are ponds safe for cats? Whilst this wasn’t an issue for our indoor cat, we wanted to make sure that it was safe for Misty, our outdoor cat. Are ponds safe for cats? Most cats do not like water but there are of course a few kitties who…

We have two cats – Bella Boo is an indoor cat and Misty is an outdoor cat. Both have been known to play with their food – albeit in very different ways. Our indoor cat will sometimes play with a piece of dry food or a treat. She will push it with her paw, teasing it and sometimes try to fling it into the air. Our outdoor cat however plays with her food in a different way – she plays with any prey that she’s been successful in catching, usually a mouse. In a similar way to how our indoor cat plays with her piece of dry food, Misty will…

Cats don’t actually feel the cold in the same was as humans do. Their fur is a great insulator and as the colder winter months approach, cats will develop their winter coat. Their fur grows heavier and thicker to help keep them warm. But when the temperatures really plummet low, and we are all feeling snuggled up in our beds at night, many of us worry if our little cat babies are also warm and cozy. Although cats are better equipped to deal with colder temperatures than us, they will seek out warmth and comfort if they can. And therefore,  offering a warmer area for your cats will be most…

We are always fascinated and intrigued by some of the behaviors and habits of our two cats, Misty and Bella-Boo. Misty is an outside cat during the day only, whilst Boo is an indoor cat. When Misty returns home from her morning stroll, Boo immediately goes to greet her. And how does she do this? She licks or gently nibbles Misty’s ears! This is a daily ritual and it’s always the ears. This greeting doesn’t seem to annoy or aggravate Misty in any way at all. She seems happy enough to let Boo continue her ritual whilst she sniffs out her daily treat after returning home. We decided to investigate…

Cats are known for being clean animals and taking care in maintaining their cleanliness. They are meticulous at grooming themselves, in fact, cats can spend up to 50% of their time grooming. They will use a litter tray and after giving birth the mother cat will ensure her surroundings are spotless with no visible signs of blood or afterbirth. If usually so clean then why do some cats insist on taking their food out of their bowl to eat it? This doesn’t fit in with their usual orderly ways. We experienced this with our youngest cat, Bella Boo. She prefers wet food from a pouch and if we didn’t mash…

As the temperature drops as we step into Autumn and Winter, there’s nothing better than snuggling under our favorite blanket. It gives us warmth, comfort and a feeling of being safe, snug and secure. Which got us thinking – do our cats like blankets as the colder months set in? Do they get the same feeling when snuggling under a warm fluffy blanket? In this article we will specifically look at cats and blankets but if you want further guidance on caring for your cat during the winter months then please check out our other articles too: Keeping cats safe in winter – a complete guide Should I leave the…

The choice of products available for cats is vast. It can be overwhelming when becoming a cat owner for the first time to know what is needed. What items are essential? Which items are luxuries and treats? Is a scratching post an item that all cats need? Or just for those cats who scratch furniture? Why do cats need a scratching post? Scratching is a normal and natural behavior for cats, and it serves several purposes: Scratching helps cats to remove the dead, worn outer layers of their claws. This makes way for new, sharper claws. Cat claws will grow throughout the life of your cat and therefore will need…