All About Cats

Everything you need to know about how to have a happy cat, from enrichment, scratching posts, hiding places, and food toys, to solving behaviour problems.

What science tells us about cats, illustrated by a black-and-white cat on a purple bedspread
Photo: Jakukd/Shutterstock


Companion Animal Psychology blog brings you the latest science about cats and their relationship with people, including evidence-based advice about enrichment, behaviour problems, and how to keep your cat happy. Subscribe by email here


By Zazie Todd, PhD

Essential Guides for Cat Owners

This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Five things to do for your cat today. Essential tips for your feline friend that you can do right now - and a bonus tip to work on over time.

The five pillars of a healthy environment for cats. The things you should do to set your house up for your cat.

10 things people shouldn't do to their cats. Ten things to avoid if you want to have a happy cat. Over on my Psychology Today blog.

Enrichment tips for cats (that many people miss). People need more knowledge about their cats in order to provide better enrichment options. Lots of tips you can use with your cat right now.

Where do cats like to be stroked? The cat's opinion of where they prefer to receive affection.

What kind of scratching posts do cats prefer? Although cats have individual preferences, some kinds of scratching posts are better than others, from the cat's point of view. And rewarding the cat for using the scratching post (e.g. with a cat treat) is also an important component of protecting your furniture.

Eight ways to help your cat go to the vet from cat carrier training to how to actually put them in the carrier (if you didn't have time to train).

One kitten or two? Find out why it's best to get two kittens instead of one.

How to pet cats (and dogs). The best way to stroke a cat, including where cats prefer to be petted, the body language to watch out for, and how to give cats a choice.

Why does your cat rub their head on you? Learn all about what this behaviour means, and allorubbing and allogrooming in cats. 

What are cat pheromones and what do they do? Learn all about how cats use these chemical signals to leave messages on their environment and create a group scent.

How to find a missing cat. Over at my Psychology Today blog, I explain how to reduce the likelihood of it happening, and how to search for your cat if it is missing.

You are the secret to your pet's happiness. How interactions with you (and other people) can affect your pet's welfare. 

How to  make the world better for cats. Seventeen experts answer the question, "What's the one thing that would make the world better for cats?" Read this important post for lots of ideas on feline behaviour and welfare!

Cat training science resources. If you're a bit of a geek and want to check out the scientific research on training cats, this page is for you.

Cats need... A new illustration from Lili Chin. In this delightful drawing, Lili Chin shows us what cats need. I'm thrilled that this drawing was inspired in part by my book Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy.

BC's 2018 ban on declawing cats was good news for cats, study shows. These results contradict one of the main arguments people make against declawing, so if you're working towards a ban where you are, make sure to check out this study. 

What science tells us about cats, illustrated by a British Shorthair kitten
Photo: Alina Simakova/Shutterstock


Behaviour Problems in Cats

Cats' im-purr-fect homes are stressing them out. The biggest animal welfare issue for pet cats is behaviour problems due to a poor home environment.

If you think your pet's a jerk, think again. Some questions to ask yourself if your cat has a behaviour issue. The answers will help you resolve it. 

Does playtime for cats reduce behaviour problems? Toys and opportunities to play are important parts of a cat's environment. This study looked at how many toys cats have, how much their owners play with them - and found the cats whose owners played with them for at least 5 minutes a day were less likely to have a behaviour problem.

Education about cats may reduce feline behaviour problems. It turns out that providing information to new kitten owners is a really good idea.

Can synthetic pheromones help with problem behaviours in cats? Promising results from a study that compared Feliway MultiCat to a placebo suggest it helps as part of a program to resolve aggression between cats that live together.

Enrichment for Cats

It's not just catnip: Olfactory enrichment for cats. Most people have heard of catnip, but did you know there are other natural substances many cats respond to in a similar way? This study found out how many cats respond to catnip, silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian.

Your cat would like food puzzle toys. Give your cats a chance to work for their food.

A secure outdoor enclosure is good for cats, study shows. Have you always dreamed of providing a safe and secure outdoor space for your kitty? This research shows that cats spend more time in the outdoors once they have one, and fewer signs of stress. 

Vertical space is good enrichment for cats. Cats like to have high-up spaces.

Shelter cats like a box to hide in. This study shows just how important hiding spaces are to cats - and why cats like cardboard boxes so much.

Training is purrfect enrichment for frustrated shelter cats, who were taught to do a hi-five. They had better health and became more contented than a control group of cats who did not have the cat training session.

Reward-based training is for all our pets. Yes, even cats!

Feline Behaviour

Why does your cat rub their head on you? Learn about bunting, allorubbing, and allogrooming, and what it means when your cat does this to you. 

"Purr is definitely a book your cat would want you to read"


The sensitive period in puppies and kittens. When it is, what it means for kitten owners, and why it's called the sensitive period for socialization. Important information about the building blocks for a behaviourally-healthy adult cat.

What your cat's nose knows. Learn more about the role of scent in your cat's life and how you can use it to improve welfare.

A cat's gotta scratch... reports of a survey on appropriate and inappropriate scratching behaviour in cats.

How much do cats sleep, and where do they like to sleep? All you need to know about your cat's sleeping habits.

Cats and their owners are more in sync than you think. A study of feline activity levels show they are influenced by the owner's behaviour.

The cat at the window. Why do cats spend so much time at windows, and what do they watch?

Cats and dogs. What one study tells us about how cats and dogs get along.

Does it matter what age you neuter your kitten? Research into the effects of early neutering of kittens on feline behaviour.


All about cats! Everything you need to know about your feline friend, like this beautiful grey cat relaxing on her bed
Photo: ajlatan / Shutterstock


Food for Cats

Feeding the felines: Does food intake change with the seasons? This study found cats eat more in late Autumn and Winter, and less in the Summer months.

Food enrichment for cats. This study looked at the effects of providing bits of sirloin, dangling on a string, as an enrichment item for cats. They seemed to like it. This study also showed that if you have multiple cats, you need to provide multiple enrichment items, in case any one cat monopolizes them.

Does your cat sniff new food? Because it turns out that's not a good sign as far as your cat liking the food goes.

How to help a fat cat lose weight. Portion control, a food diary, food puzzle toys, and more playtime are all part of the solution.



For Fun

If you like reading, check out the books read by the Animal Book Club for some great books on cats.

As well, see my new series on The Writer's Pet to learn about contemporary authors and how their pets influence their writing. More authors coming soon! You can learn more about the series in my introduction to The Writer's Pet, and if you're a traditionally published author and would like to take part, see the guidelines for The Writer's Pet.

Perceptions and History of Cats

Most owners say cats are part of the family, and feel confident about their ability to care for their cat, although there are ways in which welfare could be improved.


Why do people pick pedigree cats? This looks at differences between the people who pick non-pedigree and pedigree cats, and pedigree cats with extremely flat faces (brachycephaly) i.e. Persians and Exotic Shorthairs. It also has a photo of the more traditional doll face Persian to compare to the current standard.

What kind of cats do people prefer? Looks at people's preferences for coat colour, eye colour, coat length, and head shape (brachycephalic - squashed face; mesocephalic; or dolicocephalic - long heads).

Perceptions of stray and feral cats in New Zealand.

What was the role of cats in Anglo-Saxon England? A fascinating insight into our past relationship with cats.

Public opinions on feral cat management. This study in Athens, Georgia looked at people's opinions of catch and euthanize, Trap-Neuter-and-Return, and the establishment of a sanctuary for feral cats.

Do children prefer baby-faced animals? Children show a preference for kittens, and cats with baby-like features rather than those without.

Why don't people want pets? Part 1: Cats. The reasons people give for why they don't want a cat as a pet.

What pets do children have, and which do they prefer?

An Ancient Egyptian mummified cat. Results of a radiological examination of a cat mummy.

The surprising history of veterinary medicine for dogs and cats.


Shelter Cats

Proof the internet helps cat adoptions. Great photos and the inclusion of a toy help with speed of adoption.

Shelter cats like a box to hide in. For shelter cats, a cat-sized hiding space may be a necessity rather than enrichment. Examples include the BC SPCA's Hide Perch and Go and Cat Protection's Feline Fort.

Even shy shelter cats can learn tricks. Clicker training is suitable for all shelter cats, and even cats that are shy at first are still trainable.

Clicker training is purrfect enrichment for frustrated shelter cats. Cats that were getting frustrated in the shelter became more content and had better health after a set of clicker training sessions.

Homing and re-homing Fido: How many newly-adopted pets are still in the home six months later? It turns out 10% are not - but those that are returned to the shelter are typically returned very soon after adoption.

Homeless cats in Canada. A summary of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies report on cat overpopulation in Canada.

Homeless cats: Lessons from Australia. The source and outcome of cats arriving at shelters in Australia.

Homeless pets: A UK survey of the economic costs of un-owned animals.



How to Train Cats

I keep a list of research resources on the science of cat training.

The best way to train cats is with food. This study looked at whether it helps to use a marker or secondary reinforcer, and found that using food alone worked best.

Even shy shelter cats can learn tricks. Shelter cats of any age can learn tricks like touching a target or high-five, even those that are shy at the start of training - and it may help the cats to adjust to their environment and get adopted.

Interview with Dr. Sarah Ellis on The Trainable Cat. How to help your cat be happy in everyday life. "...it’s really about training for better welfare, to improve the wellbeing of the cat," explains Dr. Ellis.



Cats at the Vet

The Feline Grimace Scale helps you know if your cat is in pain This useful tool to spot signs of acute pain in cats was originally developed for veterinarians--and it turns out that cat guardians can use it too.

The top six reasons you should be brushing your dog's (and cat's) teeth, by veterinarian Dr. Rachel Szumel, including tips on how to teach your cat to like it.

Cats trained to use their carriers find vet visits less stressful.

Less stress at the vet for dogs and cats. Lots of links to resources on how to make vet visits easier, including how to teach your cat to go into a carrier.

How many cats are stressed at the vets? It may not surprise you that it's actually a lot.

Caring for a diabetic cat gets easier with time. If your cat has been recently diagnosed with diabetes, this post is for you, as it shows that caring for cats with diabetes is not as hard as people think at first.


Cats and Wildlife

Can cats and coyotes co-exist? A study in Chicago looks at how the presence of coyotes affects cats' movements and use of different environments.



Other Feline Topics

Why science matters to our dogs and cats.

Microbes make the message in cat poop. Did you know that cats can tell if a cat is familiar (or not) from the smell of their poop?

Did cats, cows and dogs predict the M9 earthquake in Japan in 2011?

Is having many cats an early sign of animal hoarding?

Review of The Trainable Cat by John Bradshaw and Sarah Ellis.



Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and the forthcoming Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, writes The Pawsitive Post premium newsletter, and also has a column at Psychology Today. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and two cats. 

Useful links:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As an Etsy affiliate, PopArtYou affilliate, Doggy Geeks University affiliate and Marks and Spencer affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow me!

Support me