thecatcollege-blog

[thecatcollege-blog]

Happy Caturday! Take a moment to appreciate how special your kitty is! They each have unique personalities, and no two are the same. You are lucky to have your kitty, and they are lucky to have you! Remember to acknowledge what an awesome pet parent you are, too. 😎 #kittylove #selflove • Photo courtesy of @mynamecute (thank mew!)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Don’t think you have enough space for multiple cats? Think again! Cats occupy the floor space, but they also can utilize vertical space! That means their world is way more open when they can go up. If you would prefer your cats not to climb on your counters or furniture, invest in a multi-level cat tree, or install shelves or window ledges. Vertical space also allows cats to communicate with one another and feel more secure in their territory. Sooooo, how many cats can you count? 😸 • Photo courtesy of @petri.and.spike.and.ducky (thank mew!) • #catsofinstagram #cutecats #cute #nonprofit #adoptdontshop #catbehavior #catphotography #foster #rescue #adopt #catcollege

[thecatcollege-blog]

Does your cat like to be held? Some cats love to be picked up and hugged, while other cats would really prefer if you didn’t! That doesn’t mean these kitties don’t want love, it just means it makes them anxious and vulnerable to be grabbed and lifted up. Make sure not to force anything on your kitty. But a kitty that likes to be held is a sweet kitty indeed! • Photo courtesy of @laureannevphotography (thank mew!) • #catphotography #catlove #catsarecool #girlswithcats #love #cute #beautiful #nonprofit #adoptdontshop

[thecatcollege-blog]

There are far more ways than three, but for brevity we will list the top three ways you can tell your kitty is, like, totally into you. One, they stare at you. Cats only look at what they find interesting. And if you find your kitty admiring you from across the room, you can be sure they’re into you. Two, they sleep in your bed. Bonus points if they sleep in it with you. This means that they super like your smell and want to sleep in it. It makes them feel comfortable and at home when they smell you. How sweet! Three, they rub their face on you, on your hands, your legs, or anywhere else. Cats secrete facial pheromones that they use to “claim” what’s theirs. It also helps comfort and soothe them. Consider yourself claimed! Tag a friend that’s in love with their cat, and follow us, and enter to win a free Cat College shirt! • Photo courtesy of @blueeyewonder27 (thank mew!) • #giveaway #win #contest #nonprofit #cats #kitten #cute #love #adoptdontshop #cat (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

*Exercise? Who needs it. #Exercise just sounds like a word humans use to make running in place not seem so crazy. But for #kitties, we like to expend energy too, just in more #fun ways.* 😼 Does your kitty seem #bored, frustrated, or maybe a little chubby? 😸 Get their blood pumping by getting them to hunt a laser light, or better yet, a wand toy. How does your #kitty like to exercise? (at LA Fitness)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Caturdays are for #cats. But I suppose we can share the occasion with humans. After all, they’re the ones that open the cans and pet our heads. Why not do something special for your #feline today? Some treats, playtime, or some #cat grass sound nice. And why don’t you take some time to relax today, human. You’ve earned it. 💕🐈 • Photo featuring our friend @speaking_rainphotos (thank mew!) (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

It’s no surprise that cats #love warmth. Our kitties’ wild ancestors come from harsh desert climates, and their body evolved to withstand the heat. It’s important for #kittens to have a warm environment and constant access to a source of warmth, since they don’t have the ability to regulate their body temperature until adolescence. Adult #cats can withstand hot temperatures that humans would find unbearable! That’s why you’ll often see cats basking in the #sun, since their ideal room temperature is about 85 degrees. ☀️ • Photo courtesy of our friend @furryfritz (thank mew!) (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Cats cannot detect #sweetness, but they can detect the other major flavors, bitter, salty, and sour, as well as umami, the lesser-known fifth taste. Researchers have recently discovered that #cats experience bitterness differently than humans, and are much more sensitive to bitter chemical compounds in toxins and poisons than we are. 😼 • Photo courtesy of our friend @dibbletux (thank mew!) (at Sweet Hollywood)

[thecatcollege-blog]

We’ve posted about #kitty friendly greens in the past, like #catnip, cat grass, and silver vine. But what about #CBD? We’ve been asked since the statewide legalization of cannabis, whether or not it’s safe or effective to treat #cats with CBD. CBD does not contain the psychoactive component of cannabis, THC. But some say that the CBD component can help relieve pain, ease anxiety, and can reduce inflammation. These statements haven’t been proven though. Since cannabis has been illegal for so long, it was also illegal to research, so the scientists have a lot of catching up to do. So while we don’t know if the effects are proven, it’s safe to give your #cat very small doses of CBD (1 milligram) to see if helps. It may vary from cat to cat. Have you tried CBD with your cat or #dog? How’d it go? 🌱 (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

When your cat sticks their booty in your face, they are showing that they love and trust you. Cats in wild family groups will rub alongside each other and end up with their rumps touching each other and their heads in opposite directions. This is a display of ultimate trust. So a butt in your face means you're family to them. We’ve decided to spare you the image of a kitty booty, since I’m sure you all see plenty of cat butt already. 😹 #catfacts #randallthescandal (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Every cat is special in their own way, just like we are! They each have their own personalities and traits. Have you ever had a cat that you bonded with on a deep level? Your “soul cat”? Tell us about them, and what made them special to you. 🐈💕 • Photo courtesy of @teruterubozu03 (thank mew!) (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Good morning, cat lovers! It’s all happened to us, we are just petting our kitty like usual, maybe we look away for a second, and then suddenly ::chomp::! Ever wonder why your cat bites you, seemingly out of nowhere sometimes? Cats are sensitive creatures. Their sight, hearing, smell, sense of touch - are all very sensitive and keen to the environment. When you pet your cat a lot, or fast, or maybe a bit too rough, it overstimulates the nerve endings on the cat’s skin. When a cat gets over stimulated, he goes into defense mode to prevent it from escalating any further. Next time this happens, give your kitty a break and make sure to pay attention to where and how your kitty likes to be pet. 😸 • Photo courtesy of @mamoute_mainecoon (thank mew!) (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Happy Independence Day, friends! We know cats love their independence, but today it’s incredibly important to keep them inside. Fireworks are very frightening to cats and dogs. July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters because so many animals run away from home out of fear of the fireworks. Celebrate the 4th of July with your cat inside, and offer them their favorite things (treats, toys, catnip) to make tonight a bit less stressful for them. 🇺🇸 • Photo courtesy of @oleksandra_photography (thank mew!) (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

We already mentioned that “slow blinks” are basically the #cat equivalent of “you’re cool, bro”. But what about staring? Some people may think it’s “creepy”, but keep in mind that staring is something that humans learned is rude. No one ever told #cats this. Cats have a great vision (and have great hearing and sense of smell). They like to use that great sight to their fullest advantage - whether it’s stalking down some prey, escaping a predator, or checking out their surroundings. If something is #interesting to them, they look at it! They are also very attuned to non-verbal communication. Cats are always paying attention to our facial expressions and body language, and can read us #pretty well! If you see a cat staring at you, don’t be scared, be flattered! They think you’re interesting! Try slow blinking and see what you get back. 💕😸 • #catbehavior #cattips #catfacts #cattrivia #rescue #adopt #foster #volunteer #tnr #kitten #cute #love #catstaring (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

We all love our #cats, but sometimes they can make our lives a little more difficult. What is something that you wish your #cat wouldn’t do? We would like to know, so we can help with free advice and tips! We want you to have the most loving and fulfilling relationship with your cat as possible. 💕 • #kitten #cutekitten #catadvice #catfacts #cattrivia #catbehavior #animals #love #cute #nonprofit #volunteer #foster #rescue #adopt #adoptdontshop #catcollege (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Enrich your cat’s life by providing them with interactive toys and play time! People may think that cats just #love to nap and lounge around (who doesn’t?), but all that rest is so they have the energy for the hunt. 😼 #Cats can get #bored of the same ol’ toys after a while. Change up their routine by getting them toys they aren’t used to playing with. Or, you can refresh old toys by marinating them in a bag with some catnip. 😸 Let the fun begin! • #catfacts #cattrivia #adopt #volunteer #foster #rescue #nonprofit #kitten #cute #cutekitten #animals #catcollege (at Los Angeles, California)

[thecatcollege-blog]

Hey, we heard a rumor that some people out there don’t like #cats! Is this true? Do you know any #cat haters? If so, we would like to hear from you! Tag your friends that aren’t so cat-friendly, and send us a message or comment and tell us why! We’ll be nice, we purr-omise! 💕 • #adopt #foster #volunteer #rescue #nonprofit #catcollege #cathater #ihatecats #catssuck #catsareassholes #catsareweird #catsarejerks #dogperson (at Los Angeles, California)