Crazy cat Dear Patches, I think our cat has lost her marbles and has gone totally crazy. Tinkerbell will play with her marbles on the kitchen floor, and then I’m not allowed to play with her. But when one of her marbles rolls underneath the fridge, she calls me to help her. She will then […]
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Here is something to keep your cat entertained and moving at the same time. Research shows that in addition to helping to prevent weight gain, physical exercise increases muscle tone and strengthens and improves joint flexibility, digestion and circulation in cats. On the emotional side, a mentally stimulated cat is less likely to develop depression
Let’s face it, cats are nothing like dogs. They’re not people pleasers and they will only do something if and when they feel like doing it. In most cases, they will do something if there is something in it for them and it suits their mood at that moment. This means that teaching kitty something
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Sneaky cat Dear Patches, My doggy brain just cannot comprehend how our cat, Tenacious, operates. Sometimes, he sneaks up on me while I’m minding my own business – like peacefully chewing my toy – and then he pounces on me as if I’m giant prey. I get such a fright and then my heart starts
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They say that we’re never too old to learn new things, and I have to agree. As the editor of Animaltalk magazine, I have learnt so much over the years, and I still learn something new every day. I would like to take you on this journey with me so that we can learn new
When introducing another cat to a resident cat’s household, it is very important to be realistic when doing the introduction. Take into consideration the breed, age, socialisation history and temperament of both cats. Step one: Confinement Confine your new cat to one room in the house, and remember that she needs to have access to
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New neighbour Dear Patches, Almost a year ago, a friendly couple moved in next door to us in our complex. They are such marvellous people. It wasn’t long before I jumped over the wall that separates us and introduced myself. They quickly invited me in, and it wasn’t long before they offered me treats and
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Ever wondered if your feline friend is really enjoying her life with you? Here’s how to find out A relaxed cat is usually a happy cat. Just like us humans, stress, competition and pressure may cause depression, which often results in destructive behaviour. And like us, cats may also suffer from depression as a result
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Mocking bird Dear Patches, For years now, Pollie, our African grey, has been mimicking everything everybody says, sings or whistles, as well as the telephone and the alarm. It is so annoying! And what’s even worse, is that he is so good at it, that I can’t distinguish between him and the real source of
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Q: How do I know if my cat has a hairball? A: Cats with hairballs usually make retching and gagging noises before vomiting up small, cylindrical balls of hair. In most cases, it is normal for cats to expel these hairballs once every week or two, seeing that they naturally groom themselves and hair does
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We love our pets, and we would love it if they could live for as long as we do and grow old with us. But the sad reality is that they don’t. However, some animals live long past their life expectancies to create great memories. Let’s see what the average ages are of some types
Average ages of different pets Read More »
Tipping the scales Dear Patches, Here we go again. It’s the beginning of the year, and Mom is on a ‘let’s-lose-some-weight’ drive to get rid of all those festive season rolls she accumulated. I wish she would keep all that exercise to herself and not try to involve me as well. I’m talking morning and
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