samantha francis

Some cat decisions feel dramatic until the alternative starts yowling at 3 am, spraying the skirting boards, escaping through a window, and returning with the swagger of a tiny nightclub bouncer. Neutering can sound like a big step. It involves a vet, an anaesthetic, a recovery period, and the very understandable human instinct to overthink everything. But if the plan is to avoid a routine procedure entirely, the cat household may soon become a live-action nature documentary with worse...

How to introduce them safely and what your cat might be trying to tell you You've imagined it already... Your puppy and cat are becoming best friends... Sleeping curled up together. Playing in the garden. Your cat grooming the puppy while the puppy looks completely besotted... Maybe you've even seen those gorgeous videos online and thought: “I want that.” And then your puppy arrives. Your cat disappears under the bed. The puppy becomes fascinated by the cat. There's staring. Hissing. Barking....

There are few things more frightening than calling your cat's name and getting no answer. You check the garden. You look under the bed. You open cupboards, you know they've never been inside. You call again. Nothing. And suddenly your mind is racing through every possible worst-case scenario. First, breathe. I know that's easier said than done. But the most useful thing you can do right now is move from panic into action. When emotion is high, intellect is low- this is due to the different...