Scratching. When you share your life with a cat, it’s just part of the deal. But although scratching is one of the most natural feline behaviors, it is often met with frustration or fear by humans. It’s no secret that the Cat Connection is emphatically against declawing cats (for more info, see here, here and here), so whenever someone is willing to listen, we educate our friends about why cats scratch and how people can…
Declawing, or onychectomy, is the amputation of the last digit of each toe. Because a cat’s claws grow directly from bone, the bone itself must be amputated; it is not simply the removal of claws. The surgery is performed with either a scalpel or a laser on either the front or back set of paws. It is the equivalent of amputating a human’s fingers or toes at the first joint. Because cats walk on their…
Daniel “DQ” Quagliozzi is the cat behavior guru behind Go, Cat, Go – San Francisco’s leading in-home resource for cat behavior advice. With more than a decade of experience working with cats in shelters and in homes, DQ’s custom designed Action Plans save cat lives, educate frustrated cat guardians and restore peace in homes. Go, Cat, Go is all about the cat, teaching clients to see the world through their cat’s eyes to arrive at a…
Dr. Raina Weldon has the distinction of being the only veterinarian in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on the official Does Not Declaw List of Declaw.com. The owner and sole doctor of The Cat Hospital of Dallas, Dr. Weldon kindly sat down with us to answer a few questions about her decision not to declaw cats, her experience with the surgery and what Cat People absolutely need to know about a decision that will change your…
Does your cat come running the second she hears the *crinkle crinkle* of her treat bag? Have you thwarted too many of your cat’s attempts to break into the treat cabinet undetected? Will nothing rouse your cat from a deep sleep faster than just the word “treat?” Yup. We thought so. Your cat LOVES treats. This is not a bad thing. In moderation, treats can be a positive and helpful part of your relationship with your cat. Check out…
Do you have a cat who just won’t play, no matter what you try? Well, you’re not alone! The Cat Connection regularly hears from customers frustrated with kitty’s unwillingness to play with her vast collection of cat toys. We get it. It’s the worst. But don’t despair! Instead, get kitty playing in no time with these tips from the Cat Connection’s cat pros. Play is necessary. Your domestic cat is still very much a wild feline and has many…
At one time or another, most cat people will wind up making a long drive with kitty. But even for the most seasoned feline traveler, car rides are rarely fun. When you think about it, this is understandable: your cat was minding her own business when you suddenly put her into a box, then put that box into a bigger box that also moves, and then made her stay in the box for what seemed…
As many of you know, the Cat Connection is currently trying to find suitable homes for more than 25 feral and semi-feral cats. These cats were cared for by a long-time customer of the store, who literally opened her door up to a large feral population of needy cats around her home. Unfortunately, due to a recent accident, she is no longer able to look after her feline charges. At present, all 25 cats are being held…
For the uninitiated, feline communication can appear nearly impossible to decipher. While dogs benefit from, conservatively, 15,000 years of co-evolution with humans, in addition to decades of intensive scientific and behavioral research, cats have largely been left to their own mysterious selves. The discrepancy between how we engage with dog versus cat communication is partially due to the difficulty of using cats as research subjects, because as it turns out – go figure – cats simply don’t care that…
One of the most rewarding parts of working at the Cat Connection is getting to meet our customers’ feline friends in “person” (catson?) through our boarding and grooming services. But as fun as it is to meet the cats we’ve heard so much about, we often receive questions about our requirement that all cats be in a carrier when visiting the Cat Connection, so we decided to address your concerns here. Why we require a cat carrier…
