Behaviour & Body Language · Kinship

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behaviour

behaviour & body language

Tail wagging? Ear pinning? It all means something. We’ll show you how to understand your pet (and communicate with them) with guides to decode the weirdest body language and behaviour.

A grey kitten walks over some tinfoil

Discover how to safely keep your kitty from counter-surfing

picture of a woman holding a cat while a man puts up a Christmas wreath

It’s the most wonderful time of the year... for you. Your cat feels otherwise

Black cat jumping from the table to the closet.

The science behind the feline ability to land on their feet

A human hand dangles a treat over a cat's head as the cat looks up

Work with your cat and not against them

Cat and shepherd dog touching faces

Think cats and dogs are natural enemies? Think again

Somali cat lie inside transperent plastic box.

Taking “if I fits, I sits” to a whole new level...

Tortoiseshell cat watching a television

From ‘Cat TV’ to Netflix, discover why your feline is hooked on the screen – and if it’s actually good for them

A woman with tattoos hugging her white cat in a cluttered, art-filled room

Thanks to your neighbour’s treats, your kitty’s over-the-fence visits are starting to become uncomfortably regular...

Woman playing with her cat.

It’s the key to a happy cat

grey fluffy cat sits on lap of girl with cat tattoo

Hiding treats in your pockets out of sheer desperation? Learn how to make your thighs the Chosen Ones

Scared black cat standing on couch.

They do love to stare at absolutely nothing

Woman petting cat on her desk at home.

They’re trying to tell you something... but what?

cat playing with pikachu toy

What is enrichment and why is it so important to keep your kitty happy?

two men with black hair stroke their cat who is sticking his tongue out

Cats are famous for turning up again weeks, months and even years after they disappear. But why? And how do they do it?

Woman hugging her small white dog at home.

An animal behaviourist explains why they do (and don’t) get involved in the game

Are faeces in your flower beds ruining your garden?

With consent, of course...

Add this unusual sound to your feline-to-English dictionary

Golden retriever lying in grass with red eyes

Pet parents are being urged to keep their pets indoors during peak pollen times “until September”

A fluffy black cat walking along the top of a fence.

Walk this way...

A woman with brown hair sits on a sofa holding a grey cat while her Corgi sits next to her.

How can we best understand what’s going on in the minds of our cats and dogs? A neurology specialist veterinary nurse breaks it down

Red cat with squinted eyes laying in a basket closeup

Here are all the way your kitty is trying to tell you they’re hurting

A cross-eyed white cat with their tongue hanging out, sat inside a cardboard box.

We discover the reasons your cat enjoys so many strange things

A kitten and a puppy laying on the floor looking at each other.

There might be a language barrier, but these two animals can still become best buds

A woman wearing glasses lying on the floor in front of her Macbook and stroking her cat.

Or are they just ignoring you...

A cat sitting on a shelf with glassware.

Your brand new iPhone, antique figurine, full glass of water – they will swat it off the table. A cat behaviourist explains why

Cat being affectionate towards woman with tattoos

You could solve the mystery that is your kitty

Woman trying to hug a grumpy orange cat.

We can tell when cats are happy, but we’re pretty bad at figuring out when they’re not

Finally, the secrets to my cat’s outdoor life have been unlocked

Woman holding brown kitten to her face.

Forget everything you think you know...

A fox stares down the camera on a UK street.

A veterinary nurse and cat behaviourist explains the relationship between foxes and cats

woman holding tabby kitten smiles at man holding tabby cat

Whether you have a friendly feline or a senior sourpuss, it’s important to help your cat adjust to a new kitten in the house

A rescue cat on a longtail fishing boat looks at the water for fish in Thailand.

More importantly: do they want to?

Pregnant woman with his brown and white cat on her lap.

There could be a reason they seem to be a little more obsessed with you than usual

Black cat jumping from the table to the closet.

Seriously, your kitty’s a little Olympian

Woman and her Dalmatian puppy look in the mirror at their reflections.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the cutest of them all?

A cat walking by a little box

I introduced my cat to an automatic litter box, and let’s just say it went off with... multiple hitches

Cat making a disgusted face.

Their noses are as powerful as they are cute

Bodil Jane illustration, someone waters a garden with a brown dog in it

Your personality may actually have something to do with your pet’s personality

Woman playing with a black kitten.

Keep track of all their fun phases with these guidelines

tri-colour, calico cat, white, black and tabby cat lying on their back with their paws lifted, looking at the camera

Peel back the layers of mystery to discover the truth about our feline friends

Big Ginger Cat With Belly Up On Bed.

Learn how you can get your chronically anxious cat to chill

Man cuddling his gray cat.

You love them like a child, but is the feeling mutual?

Two tabby cats in embrace lying in cushion.

Communication is key, and pheromones are your cat’s version of DMs

Male and female cat lying side by side.

There’s more to it than you might think

Woman playing with her cat and dog.

Just a few things to keep in mind so everything goes smoothly as you all get adjusted

Home cat sitting on a chair with citrus.

They have up to 200 million odour receptors that can pick up all the good (and horrible) smells. Learn how to best support their sensitive sniffers

behaviour

How Cats Hunt

Cats have evolved to be skilled hunters, but how and why do they still do it?

Cat hissing at a person attempting to pet its cheek

How to help your kitty warm up to your SO

Cute little girl playing with her pet kitten at home.

Boundaries are the name of the game with this one

orange cat sleeping on pillow

If so, they’re probably about going to the vet in that stupid carrier

a black cat’s amber eyes

Those glowing orbs are actually a pretty useful result of evolution

a cat making an excited face at a person's hand

They’re not so mysterious after all

Woman in a white sweater hugging her cat next to a window

Find out if your cat has seasonal depression, and how to combat it

Taylor Swift is TIME Person of The Year.

Maybe even better...

Cat being happily pet in the sunshine of a window

There is a right and wrong way

Black cat staring at a cat toy

Cat behaviourist Cristin Tamburo’s got a game plan

Cornish Rex cat laying down on a pillow

Which cats are more likely to have stranger danger? Bite the hand that feeds them? Get the zoomies? Scientists studied 5,700 pet cats and discovered some interesting traits

Two tabby cats cuddling each other with their eyes closed

Cat behaviourist Kristiina Wilson on the importance of socialising cats

Woman laying on her bed while hugging her cat

Here’s what to do when your cat starts pawing at your face before the sun has even come up

Cat with ginger medium length hair and green eyes

From health predispositions to breed history, Wisdom Panel’s genetic testing revealed my cat’s internal world

A cute cat laying on the ground with wide eyes

Cat behaviourist Cristin Tamburo on how to read cat eyes

Curled up tabby cat sleeping on pillows

A very sleepy kitty isn’t usually a problem, but watch out for these signs of medical distress

cat snuggling man

Five surprising ways cats show affection (and how you can show it back), according to a cat behaviourist

cat staring at person on table

...Is it something I said?

Two cats in a living room that appear to be arguing.

Between actual cats...

cat meowing

How to decode your cat’s love language when one meow has many meanings

Young woman hugging her cat

Surprise: it doesn’t always mean they’re happy

grey kitten kneading blanket

A cat behaviourist says ‘making biscuits’ could mean your cat thinks you’re their mum...

cat hissing under chair

Your cat’s hissy fit could mean ‘Don’t test me’ or ‘Let’s do this’. It’s best not to call their bluff

kitten sleeping on top of person

Not into cuddling? Too bad – they’re spending the night

kittens licking woman's hand

Hey, everybody’s got their thing

a red cat stretching on a bed

Why do they do it? A vet on the top three reasons your cat twitches in their sleep – from sweet dreams to scary spasms

black cat doing zoomies on a bed

Fast, furious and officially normal – according to a cat behaviourist

orange cat lifting its paw

Are they saying “Hi” or trying to high-five? Cat behaviourists decode your pet’s cryptic paw signal

A white cat hiding on a book shelf.

No, they’re not on the lam. Here are four reasons your cat might be MIA

Extremely blissed out cats on a psychedelic background

I’m so high right meow

Two cats walking with their tails sticking straight up

Cats are enigmas. But their tail movements can reveal a lot about their moods

A kitten sneaking up on a laser pointer with big, interested eyes.

People have strong opinions about this cat toy. Here’s what you need to know

White cat switching on lamp on couch

You want to sleep, your cat wants to party. Here’s how to deal with it

a tattooed person with curly red hair on a couch pets a brown and black cat

And will they do anything about it if they do?

Short haired woman holding a gray cat that's playfully pawing at her nose

It’s a little more complicated than that

A woman with curly black hair sitting in front of a dark purple and yellow backdrop while looking down affectionately at her two cats sitting on her lap

If your cat still approaches you with a figurative arched eyebrow of scepticism, try these tricks to put them at ease

A cat outside showing its bottom teeth.

Scientists believe they could be mimicking the calls of their prey

A German shepherd and cat play affectionately in a bed.

There’s no winning this argument, but here’s what you should know about parenting each perfect pet

A cat headbutting a woman on her laptop.

Apparently, you should take it as a compliment

Maine coon cat using the litter box.

And how you can encourage them to cover up after doing their business

Woman playing with two cats on bed.

Is there a green-eyed monster hiding in that adorable ball of fluff?

Brown and White Cat With Rainbow Across Her Eyes.

Short answer: yes – but not the way we do

Image of orange cat with veterinary cone on its head.

If you’re bracing yourself for some wackiness, don’t worry – it won’t last forever

Cat running in the foreground outside with a dog out of focus running in the background

We all have our talents

Cat grabbing onto ledge of table and looking to the left

Yes, they are right behind you

dark-haired woman hugging cat that has imprinted on her

Feeling like you have a little shadow these days? A cat behaviourist explains why that’s happening

A brunnette woman petting her black cat sitting on her desk while she prepares to give him a pill

Everything you need to know about the difficult task of medicating a cat

More in Behaviour

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