§ Category
Cat Behavior
Cats are harder to read than dogs. Their signals are subtler and easier to miss — a slow blink instead of a tail wag, an ear rotation instead of a play bow. Owners who try to read cats with dog frameworks often conclude their cat is "aloof" or "unaffectionate." Usually the cat is communicating exactly the same range of internal states. The signals are different.
This category teaches you to read them. Every article uses the framework certified feline behaviorists actually use — drawn from John Bradshaw's ethology research, Karen Overall's clinical reference, Sarah Ellis's training science. Third-person clinical voice. AVSAB-aligned. Zero "cats are just being cats" hand-waving.
What you'll find here: a full reference to cat body language (ears, eyes, whiskers, tail, posture, vocalization), the most common owner-search questions ("Why does my cat slow-blink at me?", "Why is my cat hiding under the bed?", "Why does my cat meow at night?"), the difference between normal solitary-species behavior and clinical stress, and the predator-prey framework that explains why your cat sitting with its back to you is actually a compliment.
Each article ends with the same offer: upload a photo of your cat and the AI returns a structured report drawing on the same framework. For daily reading practice, not for replacing a credentialed feline behaviorist (CCBC, IAABC Cat Division, or Dip. ACVB) on complex cases.
22 articles
7 min
Multi-Cat Litter Box Rules
The N+1 rule (one litter box per cat plus one extra) is the AAFP/ISFM standard — and most multi-cat households violate it.
7 min
Why Does My Cat Bite Me Gently
'Love bites' is a misnomer for petting-induced overstimulation, grooming gestures, or boundary-setting. Reading the body context separates them.
8 min
The Kitten Socialization Window
The kitten sensitive period is 2-7 weeks of age — earlier and shorter than puppies'. Most owners get their kitten after the window closes.
9 min
Siamese Cat Behavior, Personality
Siamese cats are highly vocal, intensely social, dog-like in attachment. They don't do well left alone.
10 min
Bengal Cat Behavior, Personality
Bengals are high-energy hybrid-origin cats with substantial enrichment needs. Not a starter cat. Here's the honest behavior, health, and welfare picture.
10 min
Maine Coon Cat Behavior, Personality
Maine Coons are gentle-giant cats — highly social, dog-like in behavior, vocal with trilling rather than meowing.
8 min
Cat Carrier Training That Doesn't Stress
Most cats panic at carriers because they only see them before vet visits — classic negative conditioning.
6 min
Cat Headbutting (Bunting)
Cat headbutting — formally called bunting — is one of the strongest affiliative signals cats give.
9 min
Cat Scratching Furniture
Cats scratch for four biological reasons. Stopping the behavior is impossible; redirecting it is achievable.
7 min
Cat Spraying vs Urinating
Spraying is communicative marking — small amount, vertical surface, tail-up posture.
10 min
Why Is My Cat Peeing Outside the Litter
Cats peeing outside the box is the #1 reason cats end up in shelters — and it's almost always solvable. Half of cases are medical.
9 min
How to Introduce a New Cat to a Resident
Cat introductions go wrong when rushed. Cats are solitary by nature; they have to learn to share territory.
10 min
Persian Cat Behavior, Personality, Diet
Persian cats are calm, low-activity, affiliative cats with significant breed-specific care needs.
9 min
Behavior Change in Senior Cats
Senior cat behavior change is almost always medical. Hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, arthritis, cognitive dysfunction — all present as behavior change.
6 min
Why Does My Cat Sit With Its Back to Me
When a cat sits with its back to you, it's a high-trust signal — the opposite of what most humans assume.
6 min
Cat Kneading Meaning: A Behaviorist's
Kneading is a retained kittenhood behavior — kittens push at the mother's belly to stimulate milk flow, and adult cats keep the gesture for.
8 min
Cat Meowing at Night: 7 Reasons & Fixes
Adult cats meow primarily at humans. Nighttime meowing has 7 distinct causes — from boredom to hyperthyroidism. Here's how to tell which one applies.
7 min
Cat Hiding Under the Bed
Cats hide for two distinct reasons — normal solitary-species behavior or stress response.
7 min
Cat Airplane Ears: What They Mean
Airplane ears in cats can mean listening attentively, mild discomfort, or be the early step before defensive arousal.
8 min
Cat Tail Meanings: 8 Positions Decoded
Cat tail positions are subtler than dog tail signals — and more often misread.
8 min
Why Does My Cat Slow-Blink at Me
The cat slow-blink is a documented friendly signal. Recent peer-reviewed research found cats slow-blink more when humans do — and unfamiliar humans who.
13 min
Cat Body Language: Behaviorist's Guide
Cats communicate through observable physical signals — ear angle, pupil dilation, whisker carriage, tail position, body posture.