Posts

Showing posts with the label herding cats

Precerpt: Raising Happy Cat Families (Norwood) - Conquering the Toileting Issues

Image
  Bear (in litter robot) and Moo (following him in) Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from  Raising Happy Cat  families by Luna Norwood.  Welcoming a new cat into an already thriving feline community can feel like adding a wildcard to an otherwise predictable deck. And if there's one thing that can cause drama in the kitty kingdom, it's litter box politics. So, should the new cat get their own litter box? Yes! (At least at first.) Why a Separate Box Matters in the Beginning Territorial Security: Cats are big on personal space, and introducing a newcomer straight into the communal litter box can trigger territorial disputes. The new cat deserves their own spot to settle in, build confidence, and avoid unnecessary confrontations. Familiar Scent Integration: Instead of a brand-new litter box, consider using one that belongs to the existing cats. This helps the new cat absorb the household scent while still having th...

Caturday: Who’s in Charge Here? Controlling Cats in a House Where Cats Think They Are in Charge

Image
  Happy Cat, Bear, and Jack, well behaved and sharing a calm moment Let’s be honest. Cats don’t really do obedience . They weren’t bred to fetch your slippers or roll over on command. In fact, if you live with cats—as I do, with a feline family of eight—you’ve probably figured out by now that they expect you to do the fetching. That said, even in a cat-run kingdom, someone has to keep the peace. That someone is usually me. People sometimes ask, “Can you really control cats?” And my answer is: absolutely, yes —but not the way you’d control a dog. You can’t force cats, but you can teach them. You can set limits. You can build social expectations. And you can absolutely keep a lid on chaos without being a tyrant or turning into the Cat Nag. Start with Names: Yes, They Can Learn Them The first step is making sure every cat knows their name . Not just sort of knows it when treats are involved— really knows it. This means using the name consistently and always making it clear you're ta...

Coming soon! Raising Happy Cat Families (Norwood)

Image
  This book is the first in the Charming Cats series for cat owners and cat lovers. Information about integrating cats into families, herding cats, and more, along with illustrations, fill the pages. By Luna Norwood.  Book description: Welcoming the Whiskered: Understanding and Integrating Cats into Your Home Bringing a new cat into your life—or into a multi-cat household—can be a delicate dance of trust, territory, and feline politics.  Welcoming the Whiskered  is your compassionate, practical guide to understanding the complex emotional and social lives of cats so you can create a harmonious home for every whiskered resident. From the first tentative greeting to long-term bonding, this book walks you through the crucial steps of gaining a cat’s confidence, managing introductions, and navigating the dynamics of alpha and beta personalities. You'll learn how breed tendencies, territorial instincts, and emotional cues shape your cat's behavior—especially when visitors...