If you could ask a cat expert anything - what would it be?

I'm thinking of putting together expert roundups posts and need your help with coming up with the right question!

What's an expert roundup?

It's where we take one question and send it out to several cat experts, so they each provide us with an answer to that question. The result is a fascinating collection of expert tips on a specific aspect of cat care.

The question needs to be - 

 

General and not case-specific.

We're not looking for a specific question about someone's litterbox problems but a more general question about a topic you feel everyone would benefit from.

Answer a problem.

Something that covers a problem that cat owners deal with and experts can help us find the answer to.

The answer shouldn't be too obvious.

"Should you declaw your cat" is not a good question, for example. 

The question should have diverse possible answers.

If everyone can only suggest the same two tips, it can get boring fast.

So, let's pretend we're talk show hosts and we have a panel of cat experts. Behaviorists, well-known cat bloggers and even vets. What questions would you present to our esteemed panel members?

Why does Abby do the things she does? :lol3:


I'll have to give this one a bit of thought. :nod:

Why do they sleep so much?

Think in the direction of something that will provide you with advice or solve a problem.

How to get my cats to be more active, for example.

I have two cats. One wants to go out all the time and sleeps when she comes back and the other has decided to be a housecat but wants company to play.
How can I find a happy medium where they will play with each other and enjoy each others company. They generally get on well.

As a cat novice, I'd like to know more about how they communicate. How can I tell if my cat is happy or if they're upset or if they like or don't like what I'm doing for them. I know some things are obvious (hissing, crying, etc) but I have also heard that cats hide their pain and that they communicate with their tails, so I'd like to know more about the clues that indicate how they're feeling and what they think about things. Hope that's not too vague!

ETA: Also, tips for how to feed cats who have different nutritional needs but who love each other and are used to eating out of the same dishes, and who won't eat if they're separated. Thanks!

I'm visiting someone in NY and she had a cat that we didn't get along at the start,how can I get her to like me?

Sometimes one of my cats just parks himself in front of me and stares endlessly.  Sometimes, I understand this but other times it seems totally random. What is he trying to tell me, if anything?

sivyaleah said:

Sometimes one of my cats just parks himself in front of me and stares endlessly.  Sometimes, I understand this but other times it seems totally random. What is he trying to tell me, if anything?

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I would love an an answer to that question. One of my cats does the same thing.

Why do they hide every time the doorbell rings?  And usually don't come out until the person is gone?  Nobody's come to hurt them or take them away yet.

How do you get a cat to become comfortable with noises? Is it just a matter of time?

When they are scared, and run to hide; what is the best thing to do to reassure them that everything is ok? Or is it best to leave them alone?

Is there a way to get a fussy eater to eat good food? 

Why does my cat just follow me and watch me, rather than play?

What do cats really think of their humans? I know they love, but how do they see us? For example, do they see us like dodoheaded giant hairless felines?

Why are some cats picky about what food they eat?


One of my cats loves car rides, the other one hates it, why may a cat feel one or the other?


Can cats really learn sign language? I've seen articles and videos about it, plus I have a deaf cat myself.





 

I'm sure there is more, but those are the ones that came to mind  






 

Why is renal failure so common in cats? Is there any diet we can feed that will reduce the chance of renal failure?

My cat just had 5 kittens. One died right after he was born. I had them in my closet and now 5 days later one is missing. I looked all over and I can't seem to find. What could have age done with it?

Do our cats know we love them? What things that we do really say "I love you" to a cat?

Super awesome questions, everyone! Thank you so much! 

belly said:

My cat just had 5 kittens. One died right after he was born. I had them in my closet and now 5 days later one is missing. I looked all over and I can't seem to find. What could have age done with it?

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This is fairly specific, so I don't think it'll go into an expert roundup question. Have you tried posting in the Pregnant Cats & Kitten Care forum?

Is this still open? I have questions.

How do you groom a cat that doesn't like to be touched, but has to be groomed (either because of long fur or stuff in the fur--like sap, syrup, etc.)

Is there a way to make a cat more comfortable when his/her human is on an exceptionally erratic work schedule?

What's better for a cat? Being inside, outside, or a combination of the two?

How do you tell if cat is drinking too much water in the summer when it's hot?

What's the best way to tell if two cats are really fighting with each other or just playing?

When a cat goes out of its way to hide its toys in a stash under something, is it okay to move them to clean?

Good cat food on a budget or for a picky eater?

Choosing a location for cat bed or tree/condo?

How to determine/deal with separation anxiety?

Thanks everyone! The thread will stay open forever. I'm going to use it for brainstorming and finding questions and hopefully run this feature more than once. I already have some amazing experts lined up for the answers.

Not sure if you know, but TCS is now officially the largest cat care website on the internet (according to Alexa which is the industry standards), so lots of people are happy to work with us!