Six facts about cats that everybody needs to know

I’ve been talking and writing a lot about cats in the media over the past two weeks, and this post aims to bring the various strands together, including my interview on the Pat Kenny Show, and my online piece in the Telegraph. You’ll find links to each of these at the foot of this blog post.

Cats are more popular than ever as pets

Cats are the second most popular pet in the country, but they are surprisingly poorly understood by their human companions.

I’ve chosen six key facts about cats that deserve to be more widely known.

1. Cats often prefer to be on their own. There’s an illusion that you can somehow force cats to get on with them
2. Cats don’t like having their tummies tickled. They’ll often let you start doing this, but then they’ll suddenly turn aggressive, biting and scratching your hand.
3. Purring cats are not always happy cats. Cats also purr when they are injured or sick. Ask any vet and they’ll tell you tales of cats who purr while being treated.
4. Cats rub you with the side of their head as a way of marking you as their territory. Scent glands on the side of a cat’s head produce pheromones that are unique to that cat, and they like to use these to mark out objects and places that belong to themselves.
5. Cats often suffer from toothache. Dogs don’t get toothache, but it’s common in cats. It can be hard to detect – often cats just go quiet and grumpy. Sometimes they behave strangely around their food bowls, growling or salivating in an odd way. If you are worried about your cat’s dental health, talk to your vet.
6. Cats are easily poisoned by lilies. If you have cats in your house, you shouldn’t have lilies at the same time. The pollen, especially, can easily get onto a cat’s coat, causing toxicity when the cat licks it off.

Want a cat vet? Try a cats-only vet clinic

Our vet clinic in Bray has a section that is dedicated to cats only – with a separate waiting room, consulting room and hospital ward. Only cats are allowed into these areas, and they (and their owners) love this feline feeling…

For more about cats, listen to the podcast, read the article across at the Telegraph or visit our Cats Only Clinic website.