Ensure your cats enjoy the holidays by thinking about them in advance and from their perspectives. Let's take a look at some safety tips. Instead of purring, many cats would say “bah humbug” about the holiday season. More than anything else, cats disdain unpredictable change. Cats don’t have calendars or explanations for what the holiday season means. And if they did, I suggest most cats would become like bears and hibernate throughout all the holiday commotion. “We have to go back to who cats are and what their origins are,” says Dr. Elizabeth Colleran, a feline specialist and co-chair of the American Association of Feline Practitioners’ Cat Friendly Practices program. “When there’s an unexplained and unexpected change within their territory, it may be a potential threat. And if that change is perceived as a threat, cats will likely take one of two choices: either hide and assess what’s happening, or chase off the intruder.” Then there are the cats who seem to enjoy it all. Feline-specialist veterinarian Dr. Drew Weigner, incoming president of the nonprofit Winn Feline Foundation, adds, “Some cats do welcome every guest into your home — they’re social and love all the visitors.” Whether your cat isn’t a fan of strangers or welcomes them with open paws, it’s better to be safe than sorry during the holidays with these rules of thumb, er claws. 1. Keep kitty away from the front door With doors constantly opening and closing, what you never want is for an indoor-only cat to bolt out an open door. “Don’t expect your guests to think about how important it is to not let the cats sneak out,” Dr. Colleran adds. 2. Create a soothing safe room If you’re expecting a lot of company for a large gathering of family and/or friends, sequester the cats into a safe room. (This is true even for social cats until all your company has arrived, when the front door is no longer opening and closing.) Most cats will be more content in a safe room until the party ends. It might help to turn on soothing music or music specifically made to calm cats (there is such a thing). “It’s also a good idea to plug in a Feliway Classic pheromone diffuser to diminish anxiety,” says Dr. Colleran, who is in Chico, California. “Absolutely, even behind a closed door the cats’ routine is now interrupted, and they can smell and hear all those intruders — so the assumption is that they are still stressed.” 3. Let hiding cats lie To feel safe, some cats prefer to hide when there’s company. Dr. Weigner notes that everyone, it seems, wants to say hi to a family dog, but people aren’t always as determined to find the cats hiding under a bed. “Never force the cats to meet your company,” he says. Or worse, allow cat-loving Aunt Matilda, who thinks of herself as a “cat whisperer,” to crawl under the bed to “soothe” the fearful cats. Aunt Matilda will only further terrify them. Also, if there are young children visiting, make sure there’s adult supervision. And never force the cats to interact with children if they’re not inclined to do so. 4. Leave it up to the cat Always allow the cats to be in control and to decide to greet guests when and if they’re ready. That’s why cats gravitate to the one person in the room ignoring them (often because he or she is allergic or doesn’t like cats). If the cat runs from Uncle Joe taking over the second bedroom for Christmas, it’s not personal. “Unfamiliarity can be perceived as threatening, even if Uncle Joe doesn’t mean to be a threat,” Dr. Colleran says. Uncle Joe may also reek of unfamiliar cigar smoke or something else — who knows about Uncle Joe — and that will only confound the fear. (Note: Asking Uncle Joe to refrain from smoking isn’t unreasonable.) 5. Separate furry visitors A trend today is traveling with your pet(s). Even for those few cats who may prefer to hit the road with their people, it may not be fair to expect to stay in a home with resident cats. But all friends and relatives aren’t fair. It’s certain that your cats wouldn’t invite the feline intruder. Definitely, visiting cats should be sequestered in the guest room — and the door scrupulously kept shut. “Even when the visitors go home, the Feliway that’s already plugged in should stay plugged in because the cats who live in the home will know who’s been in that room, even after thorough cleaning. And Feliway may calm their frazzled nerves. If visitors are of the canine persuasion, says Dr. Weigner, who is in Atlanta, Georgia, “Make sure the dog is always on leash, and it may be necessary to use flea protection for your cats since dogs might bring unexpected guests with them.” 6. Watch your cat’s behavior Make sure your cat is eating and using the litter box when house-guests visit. If not, or if you feel your cat’s quality of life is being impacted by fear, contact your veterinarian. There are nutraceutical supplements and pharmaceuticals that can help lower anxiety. Thumbnail: Photography ©Mark Rogers Photography.

One of the benefits of working at home as a freelance writer is spending more time with my cats — but countless times, they have messed up my typing and even accidentally shut off my computer by rubbing their faces and butting their heads on my hands. So, what gives? Why do cats rub against you? This universal cat behavior is a compliment, experts say, because your kitty is communicating with you and marking you as his kin. “Cats define their worlds through scent,” says Marilyn Krieger, a certified cat behavior consultant in California, who is also known as The Cat Coach. “It’s one way they identify their families, their friends and also their enemies. When a cat is rubbing up against you, what they’re doing is exchanging your scent. It’s reinforcing that you are part of [their] group. It’s very sweet.” Why do cats rub against you? Long-lasting messages from scent mingling. Cats have scent glands that secrete pheromones in several parts of their bodies, including their cheeks, tails, foreheads, paw pads and anal areas. When they rub something or someone, they deposit this scent and it sticks, says Amy Shojai, a certified animal behavior consultant in Texas. “Scent communication not only signals something when the cat goes through the motions, but the smelly message lingers for long-term communication, too,” Shojai says. “For other types of communication, the cat and the other party must be present to see the friendly tail greeting, for example, or to hear the purr and hiss,” says Shojai, the author of more than 30 pet-care books, including ComPETability: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Cat Household. “Vocal communication can only last as long as one breath at a time,” she says. “But scent continues to communicate, even when kitty has left the building.” Cat rubbing can also be a matter of claiming territory, but it goes beyond that, Shojai says. Territorial marking is more directed toward objects and spaces, and typically involves clawing and cheek rubbing. Why do cats rub against you? To mark members of their tribe. In colonies of feral cats, the felines mark each other as members of their tribe by rubbing and bunting their heads among themselves. This is a form of communication and acceptance, Krieger says. When cats transfer this behavior to humans, they are mingling their scents with ours, and also claiming acceptance. If a cat doesn’t like you, she probably will not rub against you, Krieger says. When cats rub you, they are saying, “You’re part of the group, I’m part of you, we’re all part of the same group,” she says. Do cats target different spots to rub on purpose? Cats don’t really target certain human body parts with different messages; they usually just go for whichever area is accessible, Krieger says. However, if a cat rubs your face, it feels more intimate and might be something a kitty only does if he particularly likes you. One of the most distinctive cat rubs is headbutting, which is when cats bump their heads on you with oomph. This, Shojai says, signals “I am your friend.” “Not only does the head rubbing/bunting behavior leave pheromone signals that identify friendly encounters, it also places the cat’s face and eyes in vulnerable positions,” she says. “So, it’s not only expressing friendliness, but also trust. Typically, it’s the most confident cat that offers the head-bunting behavior, too.” Cats also like to walk closely past us, rubbing their whole bodies against our legs. They often finish this by wrapping their tails around our legs. “This, again, is a friendly greeting between cats, and by extension, the humans they love and trust,” Shojai says. Want your cat to rub against you? Reinforce the behavior! As long as your cats aren’t knocking things out of your hands, you probably enjoy it when they rub up against you. Pet your cats when they rub against you to reinforce and reward the behavior, Krieger recommends. “When cats come up to you… and they haven’t seen you all day and they rub you on the legs — if you automatically pet them, you reinforce that behavior and you put your scent back onto the cat,” she says. “They enjoy the affection and they like that.” Tell us: Does your cat rub against you? Where does your cat rub against you? Thumbnail: Photography ©Fonrimso | iStock / Getty Images Plus. This piece was originally published on January 25, 2018.

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“Well, I’m pleased to report that, to my shock, Toby actually pooped in the box the day I started following your plan for him and he hasn’t made a mistake since. I feel like this was so easy, that it’s almost unbelievable. I didn’t have to add or even move the litter boxes just as you said I wouldn’t. So what is your secret? My neighbor is going to call you now too. Evidently, I’m not crazy anymore for hiring a cat behaviorist! I will schedule our last call in a couple weeks. Thanks again and I hope your Costa Rica trip study was fabulous. Thank you for helping the cats of the world and their cat people too”. Best Regards, Toby & Chloe Cat – Steve S. California Our Clinic Testimonials Save Feline Lives. “Since the consultation with you on 8/24, we have made some great strides! Not one accident outside the box in over a week! All the kitties are using (advice removed) and I have not had to use any (advice removed)…this is huge! I have also been working on changing them all over to the (advice removed) you recommended, and that is proving to be their least favorite change. I will make it gradual so that I don’t stress them out. I have also put (advice removed) out for them, and (advice removed) different areas of the house. I double checked with the vet on Butter’s urine culture and it was clean so we aren’t putting her back on the prescription diet. She has finished the antibiotics and she is acting like she feels better, too. Charlie has also refrained from his inappropriate behavior. I have put a small, washable mat at the back door and he has not “marked” it. So, it looks like we may be another success story for you…YEA! Thanks again for the great advise and I’ll give you another update in a week or so”. Vivienne B. and Charlie, Clara, Fred, Dora, Butter, The Amazing Dottie M, and Liberty Page. Vivienne B. New York, New York

Cats are wonderful creatures and loving pets. But sometimes you may find yourself ripping your hair out because your pet cat has attacked your lounge or done its business in the kitchen instead of its litter box. These are common behavioural problems of cats and in fact all animals. You can solve these issues by training your cat to do the right things all its takes is a little patience and persistence. Cat training can be a fun and exciting way to interact with your pet and teach it the right things to do. In the end once your cat is fully trained he or she will be a well behaved star. Why Does My Cat Do This? This is the question all cat owners ask themselves on a daily or hourly basis. Cat training is the perfect way to stop you from asking this most common question. We at Hollywood Paws offer cat training programs which will help cat owners exceptionally by turning your cats into well trained and behaved pets and stars. Here are 4 simple steps on how to achieve the best from cat training! Cats tend to be overactive creatures which when bored cause destruction. You firstly need to set up a play and fun time for your cat to ensure it that he or she is loved. Daily play session and even relaxing massages can help relax your pet cat. All cats need attention and one of the most common problems which are caused by not enough attention is the cat stops using its litter box. Eliminate this problem just by setting up daily playtime sessions. One of the most proven cat training techniques is REWARDS! By helping your cat succeed in daily minor tasks will help your cat realise that what he or she is doing is right therefore it will be rewarded with a snack or toy. If your cat loves clawing into your lounge or pillows they are probably doing so because they frustrated and bored. Cat owners can follow this simple step in cat training by finding something which your cat is scared of or doesn’t like. Place this object onto the lounge where the cat love to claw and he or she won’t even think about clawing your lounge again. If your cat decides not to do his business in his litter box then don’t yell at him or throw him outside. Just offer him a little more attention and play time and he will be going straight to his litter box and doing his thing. Your Cat the Social Animal Socialization is an important part of cat training. This technique of cat training can improvise the follow attributes which will benefit your pet cat immensely; Coordination and Balance Coordination and balance are to vital parts of cat training. To implement this cat training technique, owners can let their cats interact with other animals, let the play outdoors and find toys or cat stands which they can climb up and down. Learn how to fight and attack their prey. Eg; insects, other cats. Cat’s natural instincts are to fight or attack their prey. But if they are cooped up indoors they will not use their natural intuition which may lead to them fighting their owners or guests. By taking your cat outdoors they will be able to practice their natural ability. This form of cat training is highly important for your cats self esteem. Acceptance from humans and other animals If you ever have guests enter your home or outdoors make sure that they pay some sort of attention to your pet cat. This will help the cat by you training them to welcome visitors and not attacking them. Learning how to interact with humans and other animals If your cat doesn’t like the sight of strangers or other animals this form of cat training can be helpful and result in your cat being well trained. Teach your cat that it is ok to play with other animals and seek affection off strangers; you can do this by putting them in contact with friendly dogs, humans and outdoor life. Stop them from bitting their owners or other animals around the home If your cat loves to bite and attack then this behaviour is normally caused by boredom. Cats have a lot of aggression and if they do not release it they become feisty. You can stop them from doing so by having play sessions. Play sessions are vital for cats because this is how they release their aggression. Use some fun toys and a little soothing massage and your cat will love the attention and give you cuddles instead of bites. Learn how to be comfortable and welcomed around strangers. Cats can be very territorial of their homes and if someone unusual enters their territory they become feisty and aggressive because hey think they are being attacked or replaced. To solve this issue introduce you cat to guests and make them feel comfortable by including them in your activities with your guests. By cat training your pet using socializing techniques such as play session and interaction with toys you will be helping your cat to release his or her aggression as cats are known for their aggressive behaviour. Talking to your cat constantly will give him or her great idea of who you are. Using you voice in a deep tone will notify the cat that you are unhappy with their behaviour. Over long periods of time they will recognize this and refrain from what they are doing. Cat training should not be like boot camp it should be a fun and exciting interact process which will help turn your cat into a well behaved pet that is loved by all the family, friends and other animals. Cat Training at Hollywood Paws Does your cat come when you call? When you tell her to stop scratching the sofa, does she listen? Does your tabby heed your demands that he stop doing his business in the hallway instead of the litter box? Stop laughing! Despite what you might have heard, cats can be trained. HollywoodPaws’ resident cat trainer, Karen Thomas, is living proof – and she’s ready to teach you the basics of feline-friendly instruction. With the right system of rewards and commands, your kitty will go from standoffish to standing at attention. What’s more, our advanced instruction can turn some exceptional cats into screen pets! You might even qualify to become a studio animal trainer. Want to Make Your Pet a Star? Ever thought of seeing your cat in a cat or dog movie? Cat training is essential if you want your cat to be an actor. Contact HollywoodPaws for more informtion.