Behaviour & Training

Our cats seem to spend most of their lives asleep, so it's only reasonable for us to wonder, do cats dream? Find out what your feline thinks about when they drift off to dreamland with Purina. Cats are known for being notorious nappers. They seem to spend most of their lives asleep, either curled up on our laps or hidden in their favourite secluded place. It may surprise you to learn that they sleep twice as much as humans and on average spend around 15 hours per day asleep, but for extremely tired cats this can easily be up to 24 hours. With so much time spent resting, it’s reasonable to assume that they dream and have nightmares just like we do. But is that true? Keep reading to discover whether cats do dream and what it means when your cat twitches in their sleep.

Sprinkle some catnip near to your kitten and you’ll notice a sudden change in behaviour. Find out more about this plant and why it’s got such an effect on your fluffy feline. Here is all you need to know about cats and catnip. Catnip seems to be adored across the feline kingdom with both big and small cats falling head over heels for this plant’s allure. But what is catnip and why do cats like it so much? Does it have any effect on us humans? And is it safe or not? We’re unravelling all the catnip mysteries below.

As the craziest of years begins to draw to a close, people’s thoughts turn to Christmas - and while this year it might look a bit different, there is comfort to be found in traditions and making the festive season as special as possible for the whole family. If you’re a cat owner, Christmastime can be a stressful and dangerous time. Luckily, there’s lots of things you can do to make sure your cat’s happy and safe this festive season, keep reading to find out more. Christmas is such an exciting time of year, but unfortunately all the twinkling lights and merriment can be hazardous for your cat. From climbing the Christmas tree to the stress of visiting family members and hazardous treats that may turn out to be harmful, cats and Christmas can sometimes be a real recipe for disaster. But it doesn’t need to be! When managed with a bit of extra care, the holidays can be a time of fun and happiness for both you and your four-legged friend.

Everyone's heard the saying 'cats always land on their feet', but is there any truth in it? Keep reading to find out how they manage to do it and the amazing science behind it. Everyone has heard the saying ‘cats always land on their feet’ and that this ability means they can survive falls from incredible heights. Some people think it’s due to cats’ incredible balance, and others secretly think it’s magic. It’s a phenomenon that has certainly puzzled scientists for centuries! But is it true, or simply an urban myth? Keep reading to find out if cats always land on their feet and how they do it.

As humans we love music, but do our cats feel the same? Find out how your furry friend feels about music and the research behind it with Purina. We all like to make our pets happy, and we’ve all seen those adorable You Tube videos of our favourite superstar kitties rocking out on the piano! Listening to music can provide mental stimulation, a sense of contentment, or even just a relaxing background vibe—for humans! So it makes sense that we would want to share one our favourite pastimes with our pets—but do cats like music? And are they getting anything out of listening to it?

Cats are independent creatures and we tend not to think of them as being good candidates for training but they are also incredibly intelligent and many are happy to learn various behaviours if a good reward is waiting for them. This is exactly what cat clicker training is based on. Read on to find out more about this method of training your cat and whether it is something your cat might enjoy to add interest to their day.

It's a common misconception that cats are not affectionate, mainly because dogs have more explicit ways of demonstrating affection, whereas cats are much more subtle. From head-butting to meowing, find out how your cat shows love! It’s often said that dogs are more affectionate than cats, but that isn’t necessarily the case. It’s true that dogs have more explicit ways of showing their affection—with bounding body language and a big, slobbery tongue for kisses. This can, unfairly, seem as though they might naturally love their owners more than their feline friends. However, while a cat won’t wag their tail (unless they’re angry), that doesn’t mean they don’t feel love! Cats have more subtle ways of making their affection known, and just because they’re naturally more understated, doesn’t mean the bond is any less strong. Find out more about how do cats show affection with this roundup of our all time favourite feline gestures. It will have you purring with delight!

Although cats are known for their independence, if they are left alone for long periods of time, they can become unhappy. With our busy lives and lots of coming and going from home, it’s no surprise that concerned owners frequently ask themselves ‘how long can you leave a cat alone?’

If you’ve witnessed your kitten have a shut eye more frequently than not, you’ve naturally got some questions about your cat’s sleeping patterns. Find out how much sleep our dear feline friends need to feel refreshed and ready to play with their favourite owner. A cat’s sleeping habits can easily puzzle anyone less familiar with the feline lifestyle. For the best part of the day, a cat will act like the retired elderly on a well-deserved holiday, constantly on an all-day snoozing diet. If your cat’s always-off mode makes you feel like the world’s most boring housemate, you’ll be happy to know this is not personal. Cats sleep a lot, naturally. If you’ve been wondering ‘how long do cats sleep?’ and ‘why do cats sleep so much?’, we unpacked some of the amazing facts surrounding their siesta habits to help you better understand your kitty’s unconventional take on sleeping schedules.

Our cats seem extremely intelligent, they always seem to know exactly what we're up to and when their dinner time should be, but how intelligent are they really? Here at Purina we've researched everything you need to know about the topic, keep reading to find out how smart they really are. Cats certainly seem intelligent. Our cats always know exactly what time their breakfast should be and that the sight of the cat carrier means a dreaded trip to the vets. They seem to be able to anticipate our every move and know what we’re thinking, but we never feel like we know what’s going on in their brains. This is largely due to cats being mysterious creatures and the fact that they have eluded scientists because of their reluctance to participate in studies. So, the question still remains: how intelligent are cats? In this article we take a look at the current research surrounding cat intelligence as well as the age-old debate of if cats are smarter than dogs. Keep reading to learn which are the smartest cat breeds and learn all about the cat mail delivery service in the late 19th century.

Whether we like it or not, due to their natural hardwired behaviours and instincts, cats often behave in ways that we would really rather they didn’t. It is important for owners to manage their cat’s environment to give them an appropriate outlet for these behaviours. It is not fair to punish a cat for behaving like a cat! We do however need to know how to prevent those behaviours that are dangerous, painful or just inappropriate in the felines that share our lives and our homes. So read on…

It can be extremely distressing to see your cat get into a fight, whether that is with their playmates at home or with other cats outside of the house. But there are ways to stop cats fighting, both in the short term and in the long term. In this article, we’ll explore why cats fight, how to stop cats from fighting and what long-term solutions you can look towards if it keeps happening.