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Thomasina

Thomasina's Purrls Of Wisdom About Cats

Do some of the things your cats do seem, well, just plain weird. Thomasina shares her expert purrls of wisdom on cat behavior and why cats do the things they do from a cat's point of view.

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Is It Better To Have One Cat Or Two?

Is It Better To Have One Cat Or Two?

Cat Behavior

Reading Time: 5 minutes Is it better to have one cat or two? Take it from me. You need two! It’s true that cats are resourceful and fiercely independent. We can manage perfectly well by ourselves — we don’t need other cats or dogs or even humans. But we’re social animals, too. Even if we’re not the best of friends, it’s good to know another cat is around. And it nice to live with someone of the same species who speaks the same language you do. We’re talking about adult cats here. If you’re adopting a kitten, you absolutely need two. Keep reading to find out why.

Do Cats Get Lonely? Six Ways To Know

Cat Behavior, Cat-Human Bond

Reading Time: 4 minutes Do cats get lonely? Well, yes and no. We’re solitary hunters, even if the only thing we hunt is toys inside the house. But most of us also enjoy the companionship of people we know and like. Are you worried that your cat is lonely when you’re gone all day? Keep reading, and I’ll tell you how to know. 

Why Do Cats Pull Food Out Of The Bowl? Not Because They’re Sloppy!

Cat Behavior, Why Do Cats Pull Food Out Of Their Bowls?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Cats pull food out of the bowl for a reason, and it’s not because we’re sloppy! If your cat eats off the floor, he might be eating the way instinct tells him to. And there are other reasons why some cats eat off the floor, too. 
Why do cats pull food out of the bowl? Sometimes it's because they don't have whisker friendly bowls like this one.

This cat is enjoying his food from a whisker friendly bowl.

Why do cats pull food out of the bowl and eat it off the floor, Thomasina? My cat makes such a mess! — Frustrated Hi, Frustrated! Yikes!! I’m sorry about the mess. Although I don’t do it, I can think of a few reasons why cats pull food out of the bowl.

Why Some Cats Pull Food Out Of The Bowl: It’s All About Instinct

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Are Cats Smart? Five Ways To Find Out

Are Cats Smart?, Cat Behavior
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Are cats smart? I have to admit I know one who seems dumb as a rock. But most of us are very smart, although not in the same ways you are. We couldn’t do a complicated math problem, but I’ll bet you couldn’t figure out how to catch a mouse!

Are cats smart? Most are, although they'll never earn a diploma

Maybe your cats will never earn diplomas. But that doesn’t mean they’re not very smart.

Are cats smart Thomasina? Mine does the dumbest things!  — Curious Cat Mom

Hi Curious Cat Mom!

I’ll bet some of the things your cat does that seem dumb to you make perfect sense to him. Most cats are smart — very smart. But we use our intelligence in different ways than you do because we need to accomplish different things.

Although your cat can probably count exactly how many treats you just gave him, we have no need to understand advanced math. And you have no need to know how to catch a mouse because you probably wouldn’t eat one, no matter how hungry you were. 


Cats Have Lots Of Brain Power Packed Into A Tiny Package

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How Do Cats Know What Time It Is?

Cat Behavior, How Cats Tell Time
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Do cats know what time it is? We do! We come with built-in clocks that tell us what we need to do when. They’re really handy when it’s time for breakfast!
Somehow cats know what time it is, and they don't need to look at a clock.

Your cat doesn’t need a clock to know what time it is.

How do cats know what time it is, Thomasina? My indoor/outdoor cat comes in every night promptly at 10 pm. If I open the door a bit early, he’s not there. But if I’m a few minutes late, he’s annoyed because he had to wait. Does he really know what time it is? — Just Wondering  Hi Just Wondering… Cats know what time it is, although we don’t think of it the way you do. You look at time in minutes and hours. We see it in intervals. Our sense of time is based on circadian rhythms (On what??? My human typist stuck that in there) that pretty much control our internal clocks. Those clocks tell us when one interval (being outside) should end and another (going in for a nap) should begin. It sounds like your cat’s clock is set to tell him to go inside at 10 pm your time. Of course, he might decide to reset the clock, depending on the weather. So don’t be surprised if his schedule changes with the seasons. The Sun Helps Cats Know What Time It Is
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When Cats Get Bored | 11 Ways To Help

Cat Behavior, When Cats Get Bored
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Did you know this? Cats get bored. Very bored. That’s especially true of cats who live strictly indoors. I’ve put together some suggestions for making life more fun and interesting for bored cats.

When cats get bored, they might sleep even more than usual.

Could your cat be sleeping even more than usual because he’s bored?

Do cats get bored, Thomasina? All my cat does is eat and sleep.

— Worried Cat Mom

Hi Worried Cat Mom!

Thanks for your question! Sadly, many people don’t even think about cats getting bored. But boredom can be a real problem for cats, especially cats who live strictly indoors.

Think about what your life would be like if all you had to do was look at the same four walls day after day, year after year. I’ll bet you’re already falling asleep!

While we do sleep a lot — between 13-16 hours a day — there’s a reason for those frequent cat naps. Our bodies are designed to run, climb and hunt, and we need to conserve energy for all those intense activities. But sleeping all the time isn’t conserving energy. When cats get bored, they can’t think of anything else to do but sleep.


How To Know When Cats Get Bored

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Our Cats’ Pet Peeves | 14 Things Humans Do That Cats Hate

Cat Behavior, Cat-Human Bond, Things Cats Hate
Reading Time: 4 minutes
You know that disgusted look on your cat’s face? I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but there are some things humans do that cats hate. I’ve made this list so you can avoid annoying your cat, at least some of the time. 
This cat looks so disgusted. Maybe her human is doing one of the things cats hate.

Sometimes you can tell by the look on your cat’s face if your doing one of the things cats hate.

Can humans do things cats hate, Thomasina? The other night, I gave mine a big hug and got scratched! Why would he do that? I thought he loved me!
— Hurt

 Hey, Hurt!
I’m so sorry about the scratch. Unfortunately, humans can do things cats hate. And for some of us, hugging is one of them. If you gave me a hug, I’d scratch, too. Many of us aren’t big on huge human arms squishing us until our ribs ache.

I’m sure your cat loves you a lot. But there are some things humans do that annoy us so much. Picking us up is one of them. We feel safer when our feet are planted firmly on the ground, not suspended in midair. Hugging can actually hurt and make getting picked up even worse.

14 Things Cats Hate

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I’ll Write For You

Well, no, I won’t! But my human typist can do blog posts about cats for your vet clinic, grooming shop or pet supply store. She’s a good writer, too! Contact her at missyzane@comcast.net

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