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…

Pet owners have debated the subject of loyalty from their pets for a long time. It seems dog owners are categorically certain of a dog’s loyalty to their owners. Yet, in the cat world, opinions have varied greatly. Many believe cats are the masters in this pet-owner relationship. And up until recently, scientific evidence seemed lacking when it came to proving the loyalty of cats. But new research from Oregon State university has proved that cats are just as loyal as dogs towards their owners. So, are cats loyal? It seems that cats are indeed loyal. The researchers from Oregon State university discovered that cats do form emotional attachments to…

With the Autumn upon us and the temperatures falling, we slowly but surely start turning the central heating on ensuring our homes are comfortable and warm. And for those of us who leave the house for work it is a common practice to turn the heating off, or to a low setting until we return home. The combination of soaring heating bills and an awareness of conserving energy prompts these routines and habits. But what about our cats? While at home all day will they be warm enough? The UK based organization, Energy Saving Trust, conducted a survey in 2015 and found that 43% of pet owners (cats and dog…

We all want the best for our cats. The practical issues of caring for cats such as feeding, water, litter needs and veterinary checkups are indeed very important to their health and wellbeing but so is their emotional wellbeing. This includes enriching their environment, play time, giving them love and attention. But how much time should we spend with our cats? And how is this time best spent with them? As a minimum, cats need at least 20-30 minutes of human interaction in a day. But there are several factors to consider when considering how much time to spend with your cat. These factors include: Age of cat The age…