A blanket of white snow gently covered the property at the Hervey Foundation for Cats. It was two weeks until Christmas and you could feel it. The air was crisp, the neighbourhood quiet, and the sky was as bright a blue as you could possibly imagine. As smoke gently wove itself out and around the chimneys of the houses along the road, two cats sat inside The Foundation with their wet little noses pressed against a cold window. The two cats, Gary and Morris, were pondering over the idea of going outside. 

Cats are such a joy to be around. They provide us with mental stimulation, love and adoration, as well as… hairballs, a smelly litter box, and the odd tumbleweed of cat hair. Let’s focus a bit more on the tumbleweeds.

Gary and Morris meet a spectral friend inside a local haunted house on Halloween!

Whiskers are not just an adorable feature of your cat’s face; they play a vital role in helping them navigate the world. Did you know there’s a condition called “whisker fatigue” that affects many cats and can make their lives pretty difficult?

As cat owners, we are intimately familiar with how awful a litter box can smell, but that’s really on us.

Have you ever walked into your bedroom only to find your cat sitting on top of a stack of folded clothes, like one giant pancake on top of a stack of smaller pancakes? Why do they do this?

After a long night of batting toys around the floor of The Hervey Foundation for Cats, Gary and Morris were enjoying an early morning meal with the intention of heading off to sleep as soon as they finished.

Fall is around the corner and that means a number of things. The leaves change colour and gently fall to the ground, temperatures start to head south, and woodland creatures start their autumn routines. Humans tend to change their behaviour this time of year as well. They cook large birds, dress up like ghosts, and start to wear heavier clothing.

Cat personalities come in all shapes and sizes. Some have big personalities and love interacting with people, while some have very shy, timid personalities, preferring to spend time alone. While genetics plays a major role in the personality of your cat and how they behave, there are some other factors as well.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease affecting more than 4 million Canadians, which in its worst form, can make it very difficult for people to breathe, presenting a wide range of symptoms across those who are afflicted.

Dandruff isn’t exactly flattering, but it is natural. Plenty of people deal with dandruff every year, and so do our feline friends. For some, it can be a recurring issue, but most of the time it can be treated. For our cats, there are a handful of approaches available to deal with dandruff, but it all starts with a trip to the vet.

Cat tear stains are seemingly strange things. We know cats to be extraordinarily clean animals, but sometimes we see them with dark, hard goop under their eyes. Don’t they notice? Do they not feel it? Why does it accrue and just sit there? Let’s take a look at this concept, professionally known as Epiphora.

It might sound odd to hear a person claim that a cat keeps their brain healthy, but truth is often stranger than fiction. If you’ve owned a pet before, you already know how enriching the experience can be, but owning a cat, specifically, comes with its own set of rewards that don’t just keep the mind happy, they keep the soul fulfilled.

If you’ve cared for a cat from kittenhood to their senior years, you know just how much variety in behaviour there can be over the years. Kittens are generally more interested in exploring their world than sitting on laps for long naps. Middle-aged cats can be both inquisitive and affectionate, and in their later years, cats tend to slow down and spend more time with their owners/sleep more often.

Gary and Morris were in the middle of a deep conversation.

“So long story short, when I am trying to clean my armpits, I find it helps if I lay on my back. That way I can get my face under there no problem,” said Morris.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” said Gary. “I’ve always been a seated armpit cleaner myself.”

Gary and Morris were down by the riverbed helping Terrance the Beaver haul some logs back to his dam. The warm weather had been heating up his home and he was looking to further insulate his already quite well-insulated walls to keep the heat out.

“These logs sure are heavy, Terrance. You normally carry these all by yourself?” said a tired and sweaty Morris.

“I sure do fellas,” said Terrance. “But the thought of keeping a little extra heat out of my dam is well worth the work.”

Understanding your cat’s body language is key to building a strong bond and ensuring their well-being. By deciphering their subtle cues, you can respond appropriately to their needs and emotions, not just answering them in the moment, but showing them you have a complex understanding of each other.

While summer brings warm weather and outdoor adventures, it can also bring about seasonal allergies – not just for humans but for our feline friends as well. Recognizing the symptoms of summer allergies in cats is essential to providing timely relief and ensuring their well-being through these hot days.

Cats are fun-loving creatures, but when feeling scared, threatened, or even just frustrated, they can sometimes lash out. Cats are very transparent creatures – they will show their emotions when they are feeling them – and sometimes a play session or a reaction to a loud noise can result in a swipe of the claws.

Stress and anxiety are no walk in the park. We all know how debilitating they can be, and what sorts of effects they can have on our relationships. Animals are no different – they experience stress as well. Think about how much stress you might feel if you were sick, hurt, uncomfortable, scared, or any other heavy emotion, paired with being unable to communicate with the people in your life.