Pam Johnson-Bennett

Be mindful when considering where to place your cat's litter box.

Does your cat like to chew on the houseplants? Many cats crave greens but chewing on plant leaves is extremely dangerous as almost all plants are toxic to cats. To satisfy your cat's desire for greenery, consider growing some safe cat grass. You can find cat grass kits at your local pet product store or online. You can also find already sprouted grass at many organic food stores and some pet product stores.

Have you played with your cat today?

Mood.. 😊

Keep the right attitude when training your cat. Remember, it isn't about punishing for unwanted behavior, but rather, it's about understanding WHY a behavior is being displayed so you can create a better option. The goal in training is to have a better relationship with your cat. Never use fear or punishment. Be a kind and gentle teacher.

The flexibility of the cat's spine seems almost impossible at times.

There are ways the mother cat teaches her kittens that we can not effectively replicate. When training, focus on being a gentle and positive teacher.

Is your cat avoiding the litter box? Never resort to punishment. I know the situation is frustrating but there is always a valid reason for the behavior. Your job is to identify the underlying cause.

When doing an interactive play session, if the room doesn't have enough areas for the cat to hide while sneaking up closer to the "prey", lay out some objects to allow kitty to maximize being stealthy.

Guinea pigs enjoying watermelon

So true. Just ask any cat.

n addition to interactive playtime, your cat needs opportunities for solo play. Make sure the toys you leave out are safe since they will be played with much of the time when you aren't home to supervise. Another important reminder is to place them in interesting locations to spark your cat's curiosity and play drive. Don't just leave them piled in a corner or in a toy basket.

I love toe beans!

Interactive play sessions are great for cats for so many reasons, but be careful that you aren't creating frustration by always keeping the toy out of reach or always in motion. Interactive playtime is so beneficial for confidence building so be sure your cat gets plenty of little captures throughout the game and then one final grand capture at the end.

Have cat behavior questions? You can find lots of answers in my books. catbehaviorassociates.com/buy-pams-books/

Wait for the surprise.. 😅

It can be easy to miss subtle signs of conflict in your multicat household.

ou may see dark spots on corners that are somewhat low to the ground and about the same height as your cats. Those are the areas where they've facially rubbed. The facial pheromones left on those spots provide familiarity and security. The pheromones are species-specific so you can't smell them but the cats in your home can. If you can resist, don't clean those comforting scents away.

I feel like everyone should know about Goldcrests. They weigh just about 1/100th of a pound and look really grumpy all the time.

Don't overlook the importance of scooping the litter box at least twice a day. In addition to keeping the box clean and appealing for your cat, it may also help you identify potential health issues.