Have you ever noticed a cat shaking the fur on its back? It’s a more common behaviour than you’d think. To us humans, it might seem odd that cats can shake the fur on their backs – and even odder considering that is the skin on their back that is doing the shaking. What makes a cat want to shake its back? Is there a reason for it? Is it a medical condition?

Fierce hunters as they are, domesticated cats sure have some odd routines that strike them when the mood is right. Have you ever jiggled a toy in front of your cat only to have them snake their body around in several directions, pull at the carpet, dip down behind a shoe thinking they’re invisible, or, better yet, get low to the ground and wiggle their butt in the air?

It sure is funny how many different types of ears are out there. Humans have large round dish-like ears to capture sounds and feed them to the inner ocular organs. Owls have stationary internal ears and can move their heads around almost 360 degrees. The domesticated housecat, despite its more suburban lifestyle, has an incredible pair of ears that can pinpoint prey and anticipate danger!

If you have a cat, you know all about cat headbutts. They headbutt everything from people to table legs, to tissue paper. What does it signify? Is there some sort of meaning behind it or does it just feel good to them? Are they trying to tell us something?

When the days are cold and the nights are long, settling down by the fireplace with your laptop, a good book, or your phone might sound pretty tempting.

If you’ve owned more than one cat, there is a strong possibility you’ve encountered this scene. Two or more of your cats are lying down together, seemingly lovingly, licking each other all over the head and neck. While it may warm your heart to see your two feline friends being so friendly, you may also find yourself asking, “Why are they doing this?”

It was a brisk winter morning at the Hervey Cats shelter. The sun was out, but it was still cold. It was one of those days where you think you want to be outside, then you get out there and immediately change your mind. Cats know all about changing their minds, always wanting inside and outside all at the same time.

Gary and Morris had just got back inside for the third time that morning and Marjorie was now getting tired of letting them in and out so frequently.

Much as humans do, when cats age, they become more prone to arthritis and joint inflammation. Arthritis for cats is similar to arthritis for humans – the joints swell up and become stiff and painful.

Healthy joints have smooth cartilage surfaces that glide past each other when moving, but in arthritic joints, the cartilage breaks down and bone ends up rubbing against bone.

The amount of food a cat needs varies from cat to cat, but there are some easy tips that will apply to most. As a first-time cat owner or someone unsure of how much food a cat truly needs, these tips can help you determine a healthy mealtime regime for your furry friend.

There are a lot of misconceptions about whether cats like to live among their kind – one of the biggest being they prefer to live alone. This might be rooted in the fact that adult cats have a strong solitary survival instinct, but like a lot of things, it boils down to the individual.

The answer is always no! It’s not about how much, or if they were cooked or not, the answer is always no. Cats cannot handle garlic or onions at all, which happen to both be members of the Allium family of vegetables. In fact, all allium vegetables are dangerous to cats, causing reactions that range in severity from serious illness to death.

Most cat owners are intimately familiar with love bites. Love bites can take shape in a number of ways, but most often they appear as a gentle bite, not meant to pierce the skin, and usually during a petting session, or when you show affection.

What are the Zoomies? They are a nickname to describe a cat’s behaviour when they are darting around the home for seemingly no reason, and in many cases, giving you the crazy eyes.

Cats are intelligent creatures who have perfected the art of hunting wildlife. As a result, they have evolved to be very nimble, agile, and careful creatures. They are practised in hiding, stalking, pouncing, and sneaking, all skills needed to survive in the wild. 

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?