Cat Care Tips, Advice & Health Information

An essential round-up of science news, opinion and analysis, delivered to your inbox every weekday. You should also consider other factors, including age, activity level, and health status. Manufacturers include feeding guidelines cat on the food packaging.

Many cats also like scratching pads. Keep in mind that cats won't use a messy, smelly litter box, so scoop solid wastes out of the box at least once a day. All indoor cats need a litter box, which should be placed in a quiet, accessible location. And for both indoor and outdoor cats, an ID tag or an implanted microchip can help ensure that your cat is returned if he or she becomes lost.

Please visit our Pet Vaccinations page to learn more. Please visit our Spay/Neuter Your Pet page to learn more. Please visit our Litter Box Problems page for more information. Sometimes refusal to use a litter box is based on a medical condition that required treatment. Your pet should have her own clean, dry place in your home to sleep and rest.

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Even though the cat is a relatively small animal, it can frighten enemies by arching its back and bristling. Tiny erector muscles, attached to hair follicles, enable the cat to bristle. This design also makes it easier to precisely locate the source of sounds. Because the vertebrae of the spinal column are held together by muscles rather than by ligaments, the cat can move with great agility. Only when a male cat has a rare mutation that gives him two XX chromosomes and one Y chromosome can he be tortoiseshell. For example, the dominant white gene masks the expression of other genes, meaning a totally white cat could possess the genes for nearly any pattern or color.

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In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation. String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into the intestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.

Other common small creatures, such as lizards and snakes, may also become prey. Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents, and are often used as a form of pest control. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termed neophobia) and learn quickly to avoid foods that have tasted unpleasant in the past. They select food based on its temperature, smell, and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat.

Do You Know the Litter Box Essentials?

The Maine Coon is the largest, with males reaching an average of 3.5 feet long. ©2026 This website is owned and operated by Cliverse Media DAO LTD. Explore the latest statistics and compare feline populations around the world. Roam, explore, and live the curious life of a kitty. For example, the mutation that causes the ears to fold in the Scottish Fold breed can also cause a bone and cartilage abnormality called osteochondrodysplasia.

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For an account of the relationship of the cat family to other carnivores, see carnivore. For information on larger cats, see their individual entries (such as lion, tiger, and leopard). However, purring also occurs in cats that are injured and in pain.

Let’s explore why microchipping, coupled with a robust lost pet recovery system, is an essential step in responsible pet ownership.
The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) (Felis catus) is a member of the Felidae family of the Carnivora order of the mammals.
However, cats are naturally curious, so some domesticated cats may get into some mischief.
For example, Siamese kittens are white at birth and begin to develop the characteristic “points” (distinct dark areas) at about three weeks.
Community cats deserve to live their lives outside just as they have for thousands of years.

How do I choose the right litter, litter box, and litter setup for my cat?

Please note, these cats are from rescues and shelters nationwide and are not available through the ASPCA. Search by zip code to meet available cats in your area. Use the nationwide database of cats looking for good homes below! These cats can also be called Hemingway cats because author Ernest Hemingway owned cats like these. Most cats have only four to five toes on each paw.

The timing of cats’ activity is quite flexible and varied; but being low-light predators, they are generally crepuscular, which means they tend to be more active near dawn and dusk.
It is thought that the original ancestor of the domestic cat is the African subspecies, Felis silvestris lybca (Nowak 1983).
A domestic cat’s normal heart rate ranges from 140 to 220 beats per minute (bpm), and is largely dependent on how excited the cat is.
The domestic cat is social enough to form colonies, but does not hunt in groups as lions do.
Despite popular belief, the eyes of domestic cats do not actually glow in the dark.
Another study found that cats reduced their owners’ negative moods.

Fossil occurrences indicate that the Felidae arrived in North America around 18.5 million years ago. Proailurus is the oldest known cat that occurred after the Eocene–Oligocene extinction event about 33.9 million years ago; fossil remains were excavated in France and Mongolia's Hsanda Gol Formation. Those living in cold environments have thick fur with long hair, like the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and the Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul). Their activity patterns range from nocturnal and crepuscular to diurnal, depending on their preferred prey species. We have a wealth of expert information on specific disease conditions and to help you understand what might be behind specific signs of illness in your cat.