The holidays are coming and that means it’s time to get shopping for the people you care about! In some cases, this may include your four-legged, furry feline friends, and in other cases, those you know who care for four-legged, furry feline friends. Regardless, we have put together an essential guide of gift suggestions for the cat or cat lover in your family! The best part is these are all easily available online!

It was Christmas Eve at the Hervey Cats shelter and Marjorie had already closed things up for the night. Gary and Morris were rolling around on their backs near their favourite window while pawing at the glass. The warmth from the shelter was fogging up the windows.

“I could lay here all night!” said Gary.

“I hear that,” said Morris. “The best part is, we are cats, we can actually do that!”

Cats are very different from dogs. They don’t live in packs under an alpha, instead carving out their own schedules based on resource-sharing and how many other cats are in their space.

To a human, vertical space may not seem like a big deal, but to a cat, it’s the other half of their world. Cats value vertical space almost as much as we value the size of a floor plan. Because of their size and athletic ability, cats can easily vault up to positions on a perch, a couch, a bookshelf, or even a special cat perch! As a result, many are quite comfortable being up high. 

It was a rainy day in early September when Gary and Morris found themselves sitting inside the Hervey Cats Shelter, staring out the window.

“I wish we could still get outside in the rain,” said Gary.

“I agree,” said Morris. “But what can we do? We hate being wet and sometimes it rains all day!”

Cat communication is fascinating. The way they stare, meow, chirp, and move their tails are all different ways to get our attention and speak to us, but what are they saying?

It was a lukewarm summer day in Alberta. A reprieve from the hot sun as of late. Gary and Morris were taking advantage of the mild weather and having some fun outside. As cats with fur coats, the two tend to get hot quickly when the temperature climbs. In the summer, they never miss a chance to get outside on an ice-cool day.

Giving gifts isn’t just an activity relegated to the human world. If you think about it, animals are thoughtful creatures who regularly help each other survive in the great outdoors. Nature can be unforgiving, so it makes sense that some animals learned to help each other, but it’s unique when that sentiment crosses over to humans.

It’s no secret cats were held in high regard in ancient Egypt. You might hear in conversations that they were treated as gods, magical entities, spirits to worship, or just simply respected by the population at large.

It was Halloween at the Hervey Cats shelter and Gary and Morris were having a blast playing with all the decorations. Morris had got himself tangled in a bunch of fake spider webs just as Gary was rubbing his face across a pumpkin stem.

“These stems really hit the spot,” said Gary.

“No kidding?” said Morris. “I’m in a bit of a situation here.”

Many of us have found ourselves in this situation. We just rescued a cat from a bad situation, or perhaps one that seemed lost, and now we are wondering what to do next. First of all, good for you! Cats need more allies in this world and people who step up to help them are certainly considered good in our books.

Cats are naturally clean animals, but sometimes they need help. Depending on the breed, cat grooming requirements can range from weekly to rarely.

As an animal that self-grooms, cats are a rare breed! Did you know cats spend roughly 25% of their waking hours grooming themselves? It’s believed that one of the reasons they keep so clean is because they’re ambush predators. Cats prefer to hide, stalk, and then pounce on their prey – catching them by surprise. Removing any scent from their fur can be a matter of life or death.

Gary and Morris were walking through the Hervey Cats shelter talking about their summer plans.

“I just love summer,” said Morris. “I love the fun activities, playing with the sprinkler, kids running around having fun, climbing trees! I love it all!”

“So do I,” said Gary. “Let’s make some plans so we don’t forget to do some of those things!”

With the first day of summer being June 21, as a cat owner, it is good to start thinking about ticks a few weeks beforehand. Ticks are a major issue for outdoor cats – bringing discomfort and potential for disease. Ticks live outside, so this is an issue that really only affects outdoor cats and cats who go on walks with their owners. 

Cat fur clumping (also known as matting) is not only unsightly, but it is physically uncomfortable for cats – and in some cases painful. Cats with clumps in their fur may strike out at people who pet them over their clumps as they grow more tender over time from the fur pulling on the affected areas.  

As a cat shelter, the staff at Hervey Cats are familiar with all the different reasons people adopt a pet and all the different approaches they take. Before adopting a cat for your family, there are a number of different questions you need to ask yourself, and your family, in addition to a few factors you should consider during the selection process.

Spring was undoubtedly in the air and both Gary and Morris were hungry for adventure.

“I can’t wait for summer,” said Morris. “It feels like it’s right around the corner!”

The sun was out and blanketing the cats with its warm rays. Gary and Morris rolled around on the pavement outside the shelter. 

“The heat feels so nice on my coat,” said Gary.

If you spend a lot of time fostering or working with cats, you may have come across it more frequently than others. We are, of course, talking about resource guarding.

Knowing the things that can harm your cat can help empower you to save their lives! Just as some toxic foods and substances prove fatal to humans, some have the same effect on cats.

Cats, like any animal, love to chow down on a good meal. Sometimes, as some cat owners can relate, cats will enjoy their meal so much that they regurgitate. This can be caused by a number of things, such as eating too fast, food bowl being too low, a stomach issue, and more. In a healthy cat, regurgitation shouldn’t be happening regularly after mealtime, but if it is, there is something that you may want to try to improve your situation – a raised food dish.