Your Cat as Therapy Cat

    by Nomi Berger   Although less common than their canine counterparts in nursing homes, seniors’ residences and hospitals, special needs schools, libraries and day-care centers, the interest in and demand for therapy cats has been growing by leaps and bounds. Whether slowly and rhythmically stroking a cat or cuddling a purring one close, […]

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Working from Home As the New Normal

    by Nomi Berger If you’re currently working from home, like millions of other cat owners, the success of this “new normal” – however long it lasts – will depend as much on you as on the personality of your particular pet. Cats are, essentially and notoriously, creatures of habit. And while some may […]

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The Hazards of Heights

  by Nomi Berger   With warmer weather and sunnier skies comes the temptation for both humans and felines to bask in its welcome arrival. And that means windows thrown open and doors left ajar. But for cat owners living in buildings of two stories and more – beware. Why? Because lurking in the light […]

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COVID-19 and Cats

    by Nomi Berger   Confronting the global pandemic and how it’s affected our daily lives is being compounded by the challenge of separating fact from fiction. Whether you’re now working from home, self-isolating or even ill with COVID-19, here’s what you should know about the novel coronavirus and your cherished kitties. According to […]

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Keeping Cats Off Counters

  by Nomi Berger   Do curiosity and counter cruising go paw in paw in your household? Whether your cat climber’s intent is to forage for forgotten food or find the finest view of the kitchen, this may be one habit you’d be happy to break. If so, begin by determining the reason or reasons […]

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Helping Semi-Feral Cats Adjust to Life Indoors

    by Nomi Berger   While a good deal of time and patience is involved in helping semi-feral cats adjust to domesticity, nothing succeeds more than time and patience, and nothing is a more gratifying experience. Why? Because semi-feral cats who have acclimated well to their new lives are some of the most loving, […]

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Is Kissing Kitty Safe?

    by Nomi Berger   While most cat owners admit to kissing their cats, some wonder whether or not this passionate practice is, in fact, purr-fectly safe. In the opinion of many vets and animal behaviorists, if your immune system is healthy and kitty is disease and parasite free, then the occasional pussycat peck […]

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Hairballs: Fiction and Fact

  by Nomi Berger   It seems to be one of nature’s more peculiar rules: where there’s a cat, there’s a hairball. Although most cat owners are all too familiar with this feline phenomenon, there ARE ways to keep it to a minimum. Contrary to popular myth, however, hairballs are NOT “balls” of hair, nor […]

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Cats Who Won’t Cuddle

  by Nomi Berger   Does YOUR cat like being lifted up and held? Does she remain in your arms long enough for it to count as a cuddle? Or does she squirm and wriggle and do all she can to escape your embrace? According to some veterinary behaviorists, not all cats are created equal […]

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10 Ways to Coax Cats to Drink More Water

  by Nomi Berger   Most cats don’t drink enough water. Does YOURS? If the answer is no, consider the following suggestions. (1) Change to a mostly wet-food diet: Since canned food has more moisture than dry food, it’s one of the simplest ways to “fool” your feline into drinking more water and to avoid […]

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