Cat Behavior

Scientists recently experienced the shock of their professional lives while doing fieldwork in the Amazon forests of Brazil. They were recording some pied tamarin monkeys vocalizing, when suddenly a wildcat appeared on the scene, emitting calls identical to those of the monkeys.

Certified cat behavior consultant Marilyn Krieger has helped many felines overcome their fears, so few things surprise her. When she heard about a cat that was terrified of a couple’s bedroom, however, she had to make a house call.

They say moving to New York City is tough, but the biggest challenge I faced during my first few weeks was unexpected: raising a kitten I rescued from the street, weaned off its mother prematurely. The veterinarian warned me that 3-week-old Andy was too young to survive away from his mother, but to me, Andy looked like a trooper.

This scenario may be all too familiar: An unsuspecting cat owner comes home from work to find that his or her once well-behaved feline has tipped over a houseplant, batted everything off the home office desk and pulled a foot-long thread from the living room curtains. What’s the scoop? Simply put, kitty could be bored.

When Christina Tourin’s kitten, Tag, is fast asleep, her meowing can be heard from several rooms away.

You may want to call a cat behaviorist if your cat displays certain behaviors or symptoms and underlying medical problems have been ruled out.

Pet stores don’t sell dangling cable wires in their cat toy sections. But if they did, it may just be the next bestseller.

You’ve probably heard the phrase "hair-pulling moment" in reference to stressful situations, but did you know that cats sometimes compulsively pull out their fur when they feel anxious? "Stress is a very big deal because it has a profound effect on all aspects of animals’ experience," says Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist.