First blood

dog might be attacking—or might be licking a sleeping cat in a perfectly friendly way. Either way, the cat’s space has been invaded and he ...

The occasional kitten eater

Having just said that cats and dogs can get along, a word of warning: some dogs have a strange—and dangerous—reaction to very young kittens....

Must cats and dogs fight?

kitten and a puppy who are raised together. An adult dog and an adult cat may require a period of adjustment, but they will learn to be f...

Blessed are the peacemakers

How do you make two cats get along? That is a logical question if you have a cat and are bringing in a new one, but it also happens that, fo...

The significance of “belly up”

basking in the sun may lie on his back at times, but in interactions with humans or other animals, “belly up” is bad news. It means the cat...

Read the eyes

eyes are a good signal. When a cat is frightened, the pupils of his eyes dilate. (And if you’re familiar with cats, you know those pupils c...

Hiss vs. growl

Neither is exactly a sign of pleasure, but hisses and growls don’t communicate quite the same thing. Basically, a hiss is a sign of fear. So...