10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Adopting A Cat
I haven’t always been an expert on cat behavior - in fact, I was pretty clueless when I adopted my first cat! Join me as I reflect on the things I’ve learned over 30 years of working with cats so hopefully you can avoid making the same mistakes I did. Whether you’re a seasoned cat guardian or considering a feline family member for the very first time, these tips will help prepare you for a rich and fulfilling life with your cats.
What are some things you wish YOU had known before you brought cats in your life?
0:00 Introduction
0:29 Introductions take time
2:58 Nail trimming
4:18 Proper nutrition
5:38 Cats need enrichment
7:02 Cat-proofing
9:07 Finding a team
10:29 Pet insurance
12:00 The cat community
11:12 Emergency planning
13:46 The history of cats
What is Catification?
• What is Catification a...
Cat Proofing
• How to Cat-Proof Your ...
Introductions
• Cat Introductions Gone...
Nutrition
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What to Do For Your Cat When You Go Away on Vacation!
• What to Do For Your Ca...
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So what do you all think? Anything you wish you had known? I'm sure there are plenty!
Every cat has his/her own personality, which affects their needs and wants, likes and dislikes. Some like more attention, some less. Some are okay with certain affections, others are not. Treat each of your cats as individuals. Enjoy their differences.
the pet insurance is a big one, I didn't have it, at 6 months old I woke up to my cat very ill in the middle of the night, took him to the ER bc our normal vet was closed, the extent of surgery he needed required referral to the a large ER hospital an hour away (idk how he got block, but apparently they found a wad of hair or string from a toy it's unclear lodged in his stomach, but had also perforated through his intestine in 2 separate spots) and he had never missed a beat with eating and acting normal until the absolute last second when he got violently ill, me and my father split the bill out of pocket which came to $6000, well worth it and he's alive and well and loving life and both him and my dog now get nothing with feathers, fur, strings, rope and all play sessions are supervised, but insurance would have been incredibly helpful.
1st time cat mom here. I wish I had cats way earlier in my life. My cat brings me happiness every day of my life.
Spend some time at their level, to better understand their perspective on their environment (your house) amd how they see you. Enjoy the quiet times. Just watch them as they groom. It's very relaxing for hoomans, too. Great for reducing stress and anxiety.
Cats will wear out and dirty your house. If your house is a museum- lighten up.
When I brought my second cat home I told everybody I'm doing the intro "Jackson Galaxy style." I had people doubt me (and at times I doubted myself) and said it's going so slow and I should just let them hash it out. But my cats and I persevered and here we are, two months later, and there's peace in my house. My cats are the best of friends, they love playing with and grooming each other, and they bring me so much joy. ❤
I didnt do that 17 years ago, but by some miracle, one of them is so sweet and social, she won the other over in just two days.
You’re very fortunate, we are 2 months in and we can’t get past the screen door phase, they are still screaming, hissing and fighting through it despite following everything to the letter. I wish I had known that it’s not always as simple as Jackson Galaxy says. Everyone is miserable and now what?
@@annag1202 How old are your cats? There could be a possibility that they may never actually get on if they are both intact adults. Hoping they will accept each other BUT you may have to allow them to tuff it out OR rehouse one if it becomes impossible. My daughter took in an adult female without any warning, meet and greet behind closed doors or anything like that. Her cats were approx, 2-3 years old I think maybe a little older. The cat was almost thrown at her on Christmas day, actually released, in her home without any warning or prep about 7 years ago. Now they are happy house mates. She has a female and her two daughters before the last one came without any warning, All the best with your cats.
@@annag1202 I read that it might take the process months so I'm wishing you the best. My cats' had an "aha" moment when I took out a teaser wand, and all of a sudden the new kitty's confidence shot up and the established cat almost looked confused at the transformation this interloper went through: from skittish and hissing "prey" to confident "predator." That was the breakthrough; I hope your cats find theirs.
@@evelynharber6077 Resident cats are 2.5 years old neutered males, they’re brothers, and newcomer is spayed female now 7 months old. I was hoping that since they’re still quite young and if we did this really slowly and carefully it would all be ok. One boy in particular is really aggressive which shocked us as he’s normally a real softie. I think his behaviour has influenced the little lady to be super aggressive with both of them now. The other boy is just scared of her and takes the brunt of everything because his brother now has redirected aggression towards him too. It’s a horrible situation we’re in now. They’re all rescues and I took the female in as she had nowhere else to go. She’s a lovely little thing by herself and it would break our hearts to re home her but realistically we may have to if we can’t resolve it. We just don’t know what to do next, just keep trying and give it time I guess. Thanks for your reply, really appreciated 🙏🏻
Dog owner for life (OzarkFamilyCorso - youtube)...UNTIL The wife and kids suckered me into cats a few years back. We now have three and being an animal person, how much I've learned about cats is incredible. I've seen every "Cats from hell" show from start to finish. It was like getting a degree in what to and not to do. I feel I may have as good a connection with my cats as my dogs now.
My husband was a dog owner. He never had a cat until we got married. We are on our third cat since we got married. He liked the first two a lot because they were older and calmer when they came into our lives. The third was young when we adopted him, has tried his patience, trashed our house. Today he told me, “I think I am a cat guy, I really like having our current cat a lot, I don’t think we will ever not have a cat!” By the end of the conversation I had him agreeing to another bonded pair or triplets!
@@tarrabaron All of our cats have totally different personalities. Our 1st (oldest), a pure white, is the one that sleeps under my arm at night. He and I just have this trusting relationship. He sleeps at everyone else's feet. Very interesting. He's our mellow boy. Our second is the wild, farm cat that just must be outdoors as much as possible. He gets a ton of mice and snakes on our acreage. Our third is a stray, we've had for about 9 months, that came to our back door with a fishhook imbedded deep in his mouth. I took him to the vet...he wouldn't have lived otherwise. He was about 5 months old. We got him fixed and the hook out. After a short rehabilitation we let him go. He bolted out of our house when I let him go. 20 minutes later he was at our back door again. Present day..."Fisher" (because of the fishhook) is the one that will NEVER go outside, unless we're out with him. He's our Velcro cat. If he's out and we shut the door, he immediately meows at the door to be let back in. Just refuses to be outside without us. He totally understands his security. Pretty neat.
One of the first things my boyfriend ever told me was, "I love dogs." A few years later, he not only adores my cats, he's their devoted slave! 😻
The lazy man's best friend buddy.
My husband was the same and actually made fun of his cat loving dad until I finally got a cat just 6 months ago. At first he said "don't expect me to interact or take care of cat. I'm a dog person so it's your responsibility". Fast forward 2 months and he is squishing his face while cradling him and calling him fluffy baby (because we have a human toddler). He now says he has two sons when introducing himself to others and just yester while poking the toe beans told me "I have to admit, getting this cat was the best decision after having our son". If only I can now brainwash him into getting a second one... in time... in due time
"Cats don't protest as much." Made me laugh. I got cats because I know they will absolutely let me KNOW. Milkyway WILL be on my ass about late feedings, playtime and cleaning the litterbox. If I don't want to have her sit next to mey stating disdainfully and giving me the most heartbreaking tiny meows ever while pawing at my phone or poking any exposed skin with a single claw, I better get my crap together and do my job as a cat guardian. X3 I'm really thankful for it, honestly. I have ADHD and depression, so these little routinelovers keep me on the rails.
Right? My younger cat just loves to yell. Half of it is about things he wants (spring toy, more food, play) and half it is just because he wants people to look at him. He's in no way neglected, gets plenty of play between me and his big brother, and thankfully has perfect manners at bed time. Of course, he gets run hard late in the evening.
Yes! I've suffer depression and ptsd, and when I get slumped the only thing that keeps my routine from crashing altogether is my babies and knowing they need me
Same! I can get lost in a project and go hours without noticing, but now my cat always reminds me to stop for dinner He also managed to fix my sleep schedule, because he needs me to be his pillow, and will meow his complaints about my phone's light keeping him up. After a lifetime of bad sleep w ADHD and depression, my cat has been a gamechanger lol
My girl was generally pretty easy-going until I got her in my car. I had to road-trip her from North Dakota to the West Coast, and I swear, she meowed all the way across Montana. I'd done my best to make her a comfortable, secure area in my car, but she did not appreciate it.
Yep! They are smart, can sense who doesnt like them. More time you put into them associating actions with words the more they wanna communicate back . Love it....current ones my best buddy. Walk her on a leash, she tells me when she wants to play ball etc. The episode of his show where the young guywould hit the cat had me furious you dont do that ever!! They dont forget thats for sure!
I want to thank you for your work. Always had cats in my life, I am 65 now, but not getting a scratch from all the cats that I have had and rescued...slow blink... soft voice, not moving quickly, and most important when meeting a new animal, let them come to me and the we take it from there. It even helped with teaching, as a music teacher I have taught pupils with autism and 'animal' behaviour was one of the best tools ever.
thank you! And I love the info about your work as a teacher!
That is awesome ^^ And funny that you should mention your experience with those autistic pupils, since I have autism myself (and am highly sensitive on top of that), the more I learned about cats the more I could relate to them; I am basically a cat 🐈
@@MerryMossnot diagnosed, but relate❤❤❤
biggest reward was one of my young piano pupils asking at the end of a session, could she hug me, and a boy asking me to rub his hands to warm them for him. Those are precious memories which I will cherish till my grave, plus the bonus of a lot of ppl getting over their fear for animals at my place, with both dogs and cats there. At a certain moment I had raised a magpie, but he was never friendly to any 'intruder' in his opinion and would sit cursing on top of the chimney while I was working. @@MerryMoss
So it definitely depends on the dog…. My dog LOVED cats. The first kitten I brought home she treated like her baby. Wanted to clean her and played gently with her. She even covered her poop in the litter box with her nose, when the kitten didn’t! Yes I watched her do it. I was completely amazed by that! Best dog I’ve ever had. Miss her every day ❤️
My dog it takes a minute of the cat being in his home for him to calm down from chasing it. But once he realizes what is going on he will be fine.
I love it when the cat and dog become a team. My friend had a cat that would flick pieces of bacon out of the pan and onto the floor for the dog. This dog was practically the size of a bear so it’s not like he couldn’t reach it, which makes this team work behind her mums back even funnier 😂
😘😇🐶🐱
Grew up with cats, only a month of my 38 years without one. Will always have a cat 🐈
Amen on the nail clipping! Those jabbers hurt when they wake you up. I started clipping when I got him at 6 months old. Every month. He gets a nutritional supplement every time so he is good with it. And it saves my skin. And double Amen to good nutrition! I started him on both wet and dry. Then he only wanted dry. I switched both dry and wet foods and he eats both. He'll be 20 next month. Hoping for a few more great years.
Cat proofing for sure is a must. I have 2 kitties, one is 16 and one is 2. The older kitty had never tried to open cabinets or anything like that until my new fur baby showed him how. I had to get cabinet locks on everything, even keeping the lid on the toilet locked. Now I build them cardboard box cabinets to explore, they love it
What a great idea!!! How do you make them?
I wish I could see a pix of your cardboard cabinets. My guys would LOVE something like that.
@@lizzy-wx4rx ANy box, cats love them. They love cave like places, high perches and a lil privacy where their catbox is.
We had a fire drill and we were humbled by how poorly it went. We got the (2) cats used to the new carriers, packed the emergency bag and all of that prep, but by that time I’d somehow forgotten how the bloody things go together. Quote of the night was mine; “am I going to be responsible for the death of my family because I can’t get the lid on the cat box??” Absolutely hilarious when there is no fire, glad we got the giggles out of the way in case of a real one.
There was an apartment fire near me one night, and 5 kitties were lost (we don't know if they escaped or perished). One owner desperately looked for her kitties for months. I got my plan together, my carrier with her favorite treats, blankie, medicines, and it stays next to my bed, open at all times.
@@cassaleelee oh my goodness what a horror, I’ve had cats 10 years and this is something I’ve only just started doing. Better late than never but damn you really don’t think about it until someone tells you. I grew up with cavaliers and they are the dog that coined the term lap dog, if there was something scary happening they would run to us and we could just scoop them up. It doesn’t occur to you that a cat would do the opposite and hide.
....spent enough time with my now 1 yr old she knows the harness and leash means going outside. She nudges it with her nose when she wants to..like a dog Doesnt like any crate so when going to the vet I just walk.carry her
I wish I knew you, Jackson, way before ! Now, I understand the slow blink, the stare down, the catification, cat's nutrition and I also feel way more confindent toward unexpected cats behaviors 😊 Thank you !
so sweet! Thank you.
Some of these things don't apply to my cat, and some don't apply to your cat. What does apply, and has been the most useful lesson in cat ownership,to me, is that they aren't dogs, they aren't furry people, they're distinct and individual. Thanks for that Mr Galaxy 😊.
Shoot, you ain’t lying about that insurance. My first porch kitty Little Ma’am needed four of her teeth extracted. I was a CNA at the time, and worked double shifts to save up the $900 vet bill-sans pet insurance. Years later, my kitty Peter needed surgery to remove a stomach tumor (later found to be cancerous). I spent nearly $3000 on that surgery, but Spot Insurance came thru with that two-thirds reimbursement afterward! And yes, Peter is still alive and well. I was told he had less than six months to live after his cancer diagnosis, but he’s still thriving over two years later! 🙌🏿🙌🏿
I feed my cat pretty decent dry food that i can afford with WATER, provide 2 times day a meal, 2 times a day of brushing teeth, play for 1-2 hours with a mouse toy supervised, has scratching post, litterbox. What else do you think i should provide for him? My vet has told me hes in excellence condition and they barely charge me
@@tensei1710 Sounds like you are definitely doing the best you can for your kitty on a limited budget. Personally, I would look at slowly introducing wet food to your cat. I found that wet food made a big difference in the skin and coat of my cats, as well as their GI health. Don’t blow your whole budget on it, though. I started my kitties with Sheba because I had more control over the portion sizes and flavor combos. It’s widely available and reasonably priced to start with. You can also buy a more traditional canned food and use can lids to keep the food nice and fresh. As your cat gets more comfortable eating wet food, you can look at upgrading to the best quality wet food within your budget. There are many decent options out there, thankfully. Don’t be surprised if your kitty needs some time to adjust to wet food. Try it first thing in the morning when they’re the hungriest. And be modest with the portion sizes at first. I went from my kitties not touching their wet food, to feeding it to them twice a day. I still offer a small amount of kibble at night as a snack. Other than that, double down on preventative care. Many shelters offer vaccines at a reduced price. Then you can save you money for annual checkups or other things you may need for your cat. And, if you don’t have it already, get pet insurance. I learned that the hard way. 😂
@@marywatkins9438 i've tried but no matter the kind (even nulo) he doesnt even like the smell of wet food it scares him! I found a very convenient drycat food called "maintenace chicken and rice" just like jackson said and the ingredients are mostly animal-sourced protein and fat, and is economical.
@@marywatkins9438 ive tried mixing it with a bit of wet and mostly dry and he can actually smell the wet. Ive had problems where he can even smell medicine in his food he wont even taste it
I’m now convinced I need insurance. My mini Panther broke his tooth an needed an extraction over several vet appts and second opinions he finally got in for surgery. $2600. I jokingly told them I would’ve just put him backwards in a gum boot and pulled the tooth myself. I’m also not entirely convinced some vet clinics have your pets best interest in mind
I just lost my girl a few days ago. We had a short but lovely 4 years together but unfortunately, cancer ended her life prematurely. I remember digging into a lot of Jackson Galaxy videos which helped me work with her to get over a lot of anxieties she had to improve her quality of life. Thanks to the info, she lived a good life, learning that things like the backyard is a safe haven and that she can roll around in the grass and sunbathe in comfort (monitored of course). But when I adopted her, they didn't tell me about her FIV. So when I had gotten insurance just before our first vet visit, they basically rejected her when they got the diagnosis only offering dental coverage which was more expensive than actually paying. I wish someone had told me about that. I still chose to keep her since she had the most amazing personality and, honestly, the sweetest and least problematic cat to have ever walked the planet. I miss her dearly. Thanks for the resources that helped to make her few years with me, great ones.
Aww so sorry for your lossar You gave her the most amazing life. All the cats I want to adopt have FIV. Hugs to you.
I am sorry for your girl... I don't know what age she was when you adopted her, but FIV cannot be accurately tested before the kitten is 4 months old and even then, the kitten must have lived indoor at least one month prior, to make sure it didn't have contact with FIV positive cats during that time. I used to volunteer at a shelter and when someone adopted a rescued kitten that we could not get properly tested, in the adoption agreement there was a clause informing that the risk exists.
So sorry for your loss. Sending hugs from Texas.
😢❤
Oh, I'm so sorry. I think she will be waiting for you when your time comes.
I adopted two kittens over a period of two months earlier last year. Watched many videos on this and other channels and then jumped in for the first adoption. So for all is going well. One thing I was not aware of, is how quickly they grow. The first one, a boy was about eight weeks old and just over three pounds. He is now eight months old and eleven pounds. So, don't expect your cute little kitten to stay little very long. The other thing I learned is that my cats don't watch this channel, so they do not know they are supposed to be a certain way. Each cat is an individual with their own personality and you learn to love them in their own terms.
I have a lab/gsp mix and when i brought our cat in as a kitten she had extreme prey drive. To the point where she would drool every time she saw him. Consistent training does wonders. I said “ leave it” every-time she would point at our cat. Fast forward. They are now best friends and love to chase each other and play through the house.
great to hear - when we made the show "Cat vs Dog" on Animal Planet, it's amazing how much difference it made when I got to work hand-in-hand with a dog trainer. Glad to hear that they're best friends!!
You’re a real one for making this!! Thank you so much, I’m so excited to have a little furball of my own in a few days!
congrats!!
Congrats! I'm excited for you! I'm hoping to get a cat soon once I move.
Congratulations 🎉 What Jackson says about nutrition is something i wish i knew. Stay away from kibble!
If you are going to get a cat, I totally recommend researching beforehand. That's what I did and it was invaluable in settling my cats into their new home, and bonding with them. One thing I'll say is, when researching, it can sound like a lot and become overwhelming. But remember, all the information you hear isn't stuff you have to do all day every day. It's things that will come into play occasionally over their entire lifetime. When you know what you're doing, cats are a breeze to live with.😸
My town was evacuated because of wildfires this summer. I flew out on a military herc with my two cats. I’m incredibly lucky I had a supply of their non perishable food, two carriers, and gabapentin from the vet. I’ll be restocking when the snow melts just in case.
Jackson, after our last beloved ferret went to the Great Beyond, we gave the double-decker ferret condo crate to our cat. His food went on the top shelf, litter box on the condo floor, plus a small bed, with another shelf in the middle to ease jumping into the top door that we leave open. He also has a place to go, if quarantining is necessary- just shut the crate door. Each successor kitty has also loved the condo. LOVE your videos! Thank you! 😻
First thing to me is to understand cat body language, thats how they communicate
copy! That's a great one.
Hey, Me Too... It's a thousand things.. Most is sleep....
I've recently tried the wood pellets instead of cat litter. The kind you use in a pellet stove. Yes, no transition, and absolutely no smell. Clean up is a breeze. It's somewhere around $6.00 per 40 lb bag. Much cheaper than cat litter.
Yes! 😻👍🏼
I use Okocat. Similar product, just a clumping kind of pine litter with, like the pellets, almost no dust on agitation. I have a reactive respiratory condition and one of my cats has asthma, so clay litter or smelly crystal crap is a no-go.
Sadly my cats won't use that.. they don't like the size of the pellets I guess.
Have you tried starting them on it by just putting a little in a corner of the litter box, and gradually working up to the whole box?
@@edgarina3324 too hard on the peets (of some cats)
I wasn’t able to introduce my new kitten properly to my cat because the kitten bursted out of the carrier when I got home. I’ve had my cat for 10 years all by himself. I am so lucky they immediately loved each other. I got so lucky with the two of them.
My #1 thing I put on the list I tell people, is watch this channel. I love being able to just point people in the right direction and volunteering at my local shelter I get lots of people asking lots of questions.
I have been very very fortunate with all of the great cats that I've had and still have. Never have I encountered a "cat from hell" type of scenario with any of my kitties because I love and respect them and I do everything that you're always telling people to do. Most importantly patience, patience and more patience is given to them!!! I've not always learnt my what to and what not to do from you. Some has come naturally from always having animals in my life and just understanding their needs and desires on my own. I've NEVER forced my attention onto a newly adopted animal and I've always introduced them to each other very slowly always with a door separating them. They could hear and smell each other but seeing and actually touching each other was a slow and supervised process. I never left newly introduced cats alone together even if they were living together already. As a safety precaution when I went out I'd put that door between them again keeping them in separate rooms for their safety. Only once I was 100% sure that they were okay together would I leave them together when I went out and initially only for a short period of time. PATIENCE has always been the most important key in getting them to accept me and others. Like all kitties my guys have moments when they go crazy. Every time I trim their claws I never know which kitty I'll be getting until I start clipping! This is the only area where my kitties can get psychotic! They keep me on my toes because one time trimming their claws they're fine and the next time they're acting like big ducks howling their brains out and the best one is their third act....when they go completely psychotic and act like raving lunatics howling, fighting me at every instance! Unfortunately every nail trimming session is different depending on the cats mood that day!! Even when they're psychotic, I'm still able to handle them and get the job done without any injuries to me or them. It somethimes just takes more time and patience and eventually the job gets safely done!!! It also helps when your fur babies trust you implicitly and know that you'd NEVER purposely hurt them!! Like the other day unfortunately my little Himalayan boy had a mishap with me. We were both trying to get somewhere at the same time and I unfortunately stepped on his little paw 🐾 with my boots on!😮😢 OUCH‼️ Poor baby! He looked at me as I semi-yelled his name (which was wrong of me to yell but I feared I'd really hurt him badly!!) and instantly dropped my voice into the soft soothing loving semi-baby talk tone and he stopped running away and came right to me. I then picked him up and checked his paw and rubbed it gently and apologized to him profusely. After giving him some more loving and a treat (😅 he's a good demon...everything is better with food in his floofy opinion!!😂). He was as good as new afterwards. I still felt really bad but at least he wasn't seriously hurt! Unfortunately he's the type that always tends to get underfoot and stepped on or almost stepped on!! So far he's been very lucky even though I've not been as lucky in trying to avoid him. I've avoided him but I've been slightly injured in the process! Thank you Jackson for doing what you do! I love all animals but I really really have come to love cats the most! They're the BEST in my opinion! They're both my beloved friends and emotional and health care support providers all in one package...not to mention my entertainment too!😂
I'm retired with two cats that are great companions. Since I have more time in my life, I have been watching your videos and I have learned so much about my cats. Thank you. Cats are the best.
We had a cat that would instigate "chase the cat" with our two dogs to get them into trouble. She had the backwards question mark tail when she did the chase. When Mom learned about the tail position, she then stopped yelling at the dogs for chasing the cat. The cat chases stopped after the second time my Mom did not punish the dogs. BTW the cat was the "top dog" of the pack of the three of them. But she let the male dog think he was top dog.
I have been watching your channel for the past year preparing to adopting and rehoming a cat. I have never had a cat. So, this Sunday I will be bringing home Mojo. He is 3 years old. I am adopting him from a reputable breeder who has been sharing info about Mojo. Thanks to your information I have prepared a base camp with an exercise wheel, cat tree, and everything he will need. Do I know everything? No. But, Jackson, I feel with your help I will be a good cat Mom. Keep making videos for us to be better cat owners. Thanks.
I have been fascinated by cats my entire life. As a child, I was terribly allergic. My eyes swelled shut and everything. Forty years later, I have two kittens we adopted around the holidays. I have had dachshunds for 25 years, and we still have Brutus who is 17. He doesn’t even know the cats are here. I am beyond in love with them. I don’t know if we will ever have more dogs. I believe there is more depth to cats. I have learned so much about them and from them. I am in awe of what amazing little creatures they are! I love them with my whole heart!
My mom's mini poodle became terrified of cats due to my late cat Yoyo. They weren't introduced properly to each other even though I knew 13-14 years ago that introductions take time ... nobody else listened to me. I even once had to go to acute care because I accidentally walked in between them when there was a standoff (I didn't notice) and got bitten instead. (Had to get a tetanus booster and antibiotics and the state had to be informed about the bite.) She has asked me for a while if she can bring her dog with her to visit me, and never have I been happier to point to a clause in my lease forbidding dogs. This stuff needs to be done right, and my two resident cats are skittish one-year-olds.
Cats can be crate trained and leash trained it takes more finesse I have taught all of mine to like their crate and their leash a huge help when taking them to places like the vet, it is also very helpful to socialize them…pretty much anything you can teach a dog you can teach a cat…I taught mine give hugs, to kiss me to play dead when it comes to tricks find something they do all the time out a word to it and treat them every time they do it then they learn what it is you want…I also taught mine out and off and they know what that means
A friend of mine taught one of her cats to fetch a ball. Her other cat didn't do it, and my cat has never brought me anything. But I have trained him Not to wake me up in the middle of the night! 😅😅😅😁
Chapter 1: cats and dogs, introductions Chapter 2: nail trimming Chapter 3: proper nutrition Chapter 4: enrichment Chapter 5: cat proofing Chapter 6: pet team Chapter 7: pet insurance Chapter 8: emergency planning/drills Chapter 9: cat communities Chapter 10: cat history
Near everyone one of the things you brought up were not a problem for me……because I had so many resources that you had up on KZhead Jackson. My two little ones are so damn important to me now so all I can do is say thank you for all the info you’ve made easily accessible so I can have these bundles of joy around me as long as I can.
Whenever my 8 month old gets the zoomies I always hear your voice in my head saying " Play with your cat, play with your cat, play with your cat!" You've taught me so much about cats I really value your advice and the information you give. ❤ P.S. if we ever get a male kitten he's going to be a Jackson in your honour. 🐈⬛🐈
I can't stress enough how important it is to have an emergency plan, and to block off the underneath hiding spaces. A couple of months ago I had a house fire, and had to find two terrified cats who were hiding, while blinded by smoke and sprinklers pouring down on me, and the panic of alarms just abouy bursting my ears. I got them both (one I had to dig out but the ither came when I called, even in that situation...upside of being one of your cat's safe spaces!). I had a go bag ready, but I learned to block off under my bed for next time, because that was blind panic trying to find them in that situation!
Absolutely: cats are obligate carnivores. Dry food diet not only causes diabetes but also kidney failure, and bladder stones (high pH urine). Keep up the information Jackson. People need you and so do cats. I brush my cats' teeth because it doesn't matter what sort of diet they are fed, they get calculus and periodontal disease without proper oral hygiene. I used to get their teeth cleaned once per year but now with the brushing, they have healthy gums and no calculus and I save myself $1800 per year. I spend $100 per year on the toothbrushes. I'd say that's a fabulous deal.
What if your cat refuses to eat soft food?
@@gayleatwell735 Add small amounts to the kibble. Then gradually replace some kibble with soft food. Some people add water or broth to kibble because that way at least the cat is less likely to get kidney and bladder problems. Eventually even if your cat is eating a dozen bits of kibble stuck into soft food it's still better than just kibble. I feed a no carb wet food.
My cat has had dried foods all his life and he's 15 this year. Never been to vet
I wish I had known they weren't just easy pets :( I did research before getting a cat but I still was unprepared for a lot of it. I'm struggling but trying to remind myself that I just have to do my best for them
I agree. I had dogs all my life, but decided to adopt a cat last year. Everyone told me it would be so much easier taking care of a cat. I think they meant I wouldn't have to take the cat out for twice-daily walks (which I enjoyed, actually). Cats are nocturnal and this guy wakes me up in the middle of the night with zoomies and then at 5am demanding to be fed. And of course, is the PICKIEST eater, OMG. My dogs fit into my schedule much better as they slept all night and would eat anything I gave them.
@@sandrab2589 I am sure Jackson has a video about that. 1) do not respond in any way to your cat at night. Any kind of response reinforces their "bad" behaviour; 2) play with your cat before bedtime to run off their energy so they will sleep through the night. It can take some time, up to 2 weeks depending on the cat, but you will eventually have a cat that sleeps through the night.
@@fredericapanon207 Cats are NOCTURNAL. Plus, Jackson has no professional training in cat behavior. His degree is in THEATRE. I will take advice from my veterinarian, thank you.
@@sandrab2589 Mmmm, I don't know that cats are nocturnal per se. They might actually be crepuscular, most active at twilight, which is also when their prey would be most active.
This is great, Thank you! I wonder if there might be a counterpart for the non-owner? Coming from a lifetime of cats I'm OVERWHELMED by all the things I feel like my roommate needs to be aware of when I bring a new youngster in at some point this year. We're still mourning (I'm still broken) my beautiful Mitzi who was taken by oral/sinus cancer in October. She would have turned 16 today, but he met her at 13 and she was the most beautifully behaved cat who was past all her kitten bad manners, didn't hide and didn't chew or eat inappropriate things (I knew what I needed to hide from her). This was his first time living with a pet; she was strictly a one-person torbie attached to me, and the only thing she really needed from him was being more careful at the door and in the kitchen. A youngster is going to be a very different experience.
great idea!
My bed from Ikea has drawers underneath for storage (this is known as a "captain's bed"). It keeps the cat from hiding under there and stores extra blankets, etc 😊
I don’t really have a comment about this post in particular but haven’t seen much from you in a week (understandably) and wanted you to know I’m thinking of you and praying for strength for you. I’m in the final days with my cat Bo and oral. carcinoma and it’s so exhausting trying to know “when”. Praying for peace for Caroline♥️Take care of yourself🙏🏻
I'm incredibly thankful for these videos that you've been putting out for years. I grew up in a dog household. We'd had cats when I was a kid, but when I got my first cat of my own, it was almost 20 years later! I had no idea how to take care of a cat. Thankfully, my panic response was "binge everything I can find about cat care and behavior before the cat actually comes to my home." Thanks to your videos, when I got my first cat, I already knew he needed wet food, a running water source, a big scratching post near the sofa, litter boxes in the important rooms of the apartment, daily playtime, and even how to safety be introduced to his new sister whom I adopted several months later. And then 7 years later I rescued a younger cat who eventually became part of the family, and she's on great terms with both of my 7-year-old cats. These videos have allowed me to feel empowered to make healthy choices for my cats and resolve issues they're having with simple observation and trial and error. (Such as my second cat peeing on my bed once, and then never again after I put a litter box near it.) I do cat rescue and fostering now and I owe a lot of my knowledge to this channel. Thanks to you, I have a few things I wish I knew when I got my first cat, but not as many as I would have without access to the resources you put out for free online. Thank you very much, my cats are much better off with me being educated on how to take the best care of them that I can!
This is perfect timing! Our new semi feral rescue cat and our indoor cat were introduced about 6 weeks ago and it's going very slowly lol. Love your videos Jackson, thank you so much!🐈⬛🐈❤️
Thank you Jackson for caring for cats as your life work. I have watched for many years and always learn so much. I am 69 and have had cats since I was 3 years old. My grandpa got me my first. Still have 4 cats and open to more. They are amazing animals.
Thank you! Rocky and I send you hugs!😻
you have not scared me off from wanting to have a cat in my life-all of this is super helpful info! now i feel more prepared by knowing these tips! thank you so much for everything you do and all the info you share : )
I'm very sorry to hear about what's going on with your cat. I found your videos after I lost my last cat (he was 17 and never had any else problems.) I can't help feeling like I failed him enrichment wise. I wish I knew about nutrition, home/cat introduction, but ESPECIALLY catification. He was a wonderful and affectionate cat (soooo soft and white like a bunny. he was a Turkish Van I think…) I've learned a lot from your videos. Thanks!
It’s a great video, great tips as always😊 Thank you Jackson!🧡
I love your channel. You are amazing Jackson and I have learned so much from you.
Excellent teachings for cats and humans to live happy lives together. Being owners/caregivers of many cats over 61 years of married life there are always new things and refresher things to know and learn about cats. Love and adore them. Thank you so very much for your advice!
My boyfriend and I rescued a little kitty found alone in our garden 2 years ago, and thanks to you and you're videos, we knew it all ! You're the best ! And our Lucky (that's his name of course) is the happiest cat !
Thank YOU for all of the info you share in your videos. I have followed your advice on new cat-to-cat introductions and their health - I trusted even though it took a lot of time and patience (intros and food changes) , but it's all working out! Thank YOU so much for all that you do. My cats are friends, and by all I can tell are happy (we play often and have set up our home so they can entertain themselves when life gets very busy- and they do), and much healthier confirmed with their vet visits. I grew up with cats and so much of what I saw/was told just doesn't work, makes them extremely territorial/aggressive, and sick! I hope this comment helps support and validates all your advice! You're the best! 💓
I’ve had Cats for 67 of my 69 yrs. I’ve always trimmed claws as they get older so they don’t get stuck on things, but with tree-bark scratchers I’ve never needed to cut them on any Cat except the ones I have now. I teach my Cats early on to let me hold their paws & feel between their toes so I know how their claws & pads are doing. This bunch is hard to clip, but I do it because they truly grow murder mittens!😺♥️🐈⬛🐾
I have really appreciated all your videos about anxious and or wallflower cats as well as catification. Living in a tiny farming town we had outside/inside cats growing up and they were all very confident. Fast forward to me moving across the world to Korea and 11 years after having my best friend 15 year old cat pass I finally got another but this time would be an indoor only life. He was adopted at 15months old and is the first extremely anxious cat that I have ever had. I watched all Jackson's videos and implemented nearly everything. Thankfully in just under 2 months our boy went from hiding all the time to greeting us when we come home. Now about 6 months later he even plays with our 3 year old son, sleeps next to him and us, and we go on little backpack trips outside when the weather is nice. Hoping to leash train him this next spring as his confidence continues to grow. I know I found my new best friend for years to come.
Keep up the good work, Jackson! Really appreciate!
Jackson thank you so much for all you do for cats. I was the one that kept cats outside. I am a dog person, hands down. I love training dogs. My cat people friends got me curious about what I was missing. Although I vowed never another cat last summer I brought home a black kitten, and then started researching. The next day I brought home a black smoke kitten and the adventure begins. My plan was to clicker train the kittens but shortly thereafter I was gifted a young high drive Australian shepherd. Now if that’s not a recipe for disaster. The plan to train kittens was usurped by the need to work with this leash reactive high arousal Aussie. Meanwhile I am having loads of fun learning all about cats and these delightful new companions. I discovered your KZhead channel and books. Seriously I needed the step by step instruction on how to play with them. My past seriously perfect cat didn’t even get toys because the dogs would eat them. These kittens have their own room safe zones inaccessible to the dogs, and free run of the whole house. .Jackson Galaxy thank you from me, my kittens, and all the cats and cat guardians you are educating.
Thank you for this- can't keep cats at this time and place and needed this reminder to be mindful of cats needs and my resources. Thxs! I had trouble listening to your video bc of multiple sound changes from direct to ambient sound and back around. Not a sound expert but it stressed me- love to listen to an even sounding you!
Wonderful info Jackson! Wish I knew it with my 1st cat too!
I have always been on board with CATS ARE NOT LESS WORK! They're just *different* work. I'm so happy it's better researched and more well-known than when I was a kid. I'm glad to see that you have your own platform and I can share a more personal version of your work with my nephew! He's almost as old as I was when I first encountered MCFH. I wish I had known how inexpensive cat enrichment can be. We all know they'll enjoy any box imaginable, but the types of enrichment like play feeding and using a TP tube for treats took me a long time to get cats to do. I just had to learn what made it interesting!
Thank You. Great info for me as a new cat owner.
I've been watching you for years, Jackson and I love your channel! Once I adopt cats in a few years, I am confident I'll know how to make them really happy with me♡
Saw your show last night on Tubi.... Its my opinion that most bad habits are the owners fault! Abuse, neglect and was blown away so many "cat lovers" never cleaned their litter box.....they need a good 3-4 inches min of litter If its dirty they are gonna go somewhere else. Crating them pizzes me off...or any pet. Will keep watching ton ight Loving your Nova man!
I'm already a cat parent and I am learning so many new things from this video! Never thought about blocking off access to places they hide in in case of emergencies, that's a really good point...I'm about to start them on a raw food diet and I hope it goes well... Thank you Jackson! Appreciate your content a lot
Great Top 10! Thanks for this❤️♾️❤️
this makes me feel so excited about getting a cat, even though its not a possibility for the forseeable future 😅 love your content and energy as always! thank you for the amazing video :)
Wow, a Caturday post on Friday! Love it!
Jackson, you are a wealth of information and my cat and I appreciate you!
All good advice, thank you! ❤
Nice vid! I had a lot of weird audio issues listening but great content.
Great information here! But I'm glad I'm not going crazy after all. Thank You, Jackson & @sloftin!
I will definitely second the sealing off low places! We adopted a cat last year that had been attacked by a dog, so she’s ~extremely~ skittish around new people (and terrified of dogs). (The vacuum cleaner, no. Not afraid of that. Just strangers and dogs.) She had been pawing at the rubber part under the kitchen sink for a while but I didn’t think anything of it. My MIL came to stay with us for a weekend, and she (the skittish cat) barely came out of our bedroom. My husband and I left for church Sunday morning and our MIL stayed at our apartment and fed them lunch. She assumed that both of our cats ate. After we got home and had been home for an hour and couldn’t find her, I started looking in all her usual spots. Nothing. On a hunch I checked the flap under the sink and there she was- and she was stuck now too. Luckily she’s very food motivated, so I was able to coax enough of her out so I could pull her out. (Poor thing.) We made a makeshift cover and the next day my husband went to the office and a maintenance guy nailed a piece of plywood down so she couldn’t get back there again. (He is also a cat person.) Then also, this past December our apartment building caught on fire. We almost had to leave our little one behind because she was hiding under the bed and we could not get her out. (Luckily we did, and everyone was fine and no one, pets included, were hurt.) So board up your low places! Especially if you have a skittish cat.
I rescued a cat recently, didn't worry about this at first. Then I got her spayed. As soon as I brought her home, I was having to crawl under the furniture to watch whether she was licking her incision; and then when it turned out she was, to put an e-collar on her. (The vet hadn't sent her home with one, they just told me to watch her.) It's not that I couldn't get to her, it was just so much more stressful for both of us than if I'd thought to block those areas.
My bed from Ikea has drawers underneath for storage (this is known as a "captain's bed"). It keeps the cat from hiding under there and stores extra blankets, etc 😊
This video is great! We adopted two kittens last Sunday and I have been enjoying all your content so much c thank you
I didn't know I would fall that hard for these beautiful souls!..they truly are pure and my soul mates..We Are a family...complete..we are!❤
❤I really love the cat furniture ideas! I also love watching your videos! So informative! Thank you!❤
Wow, what a great video premise! And again, love the specs. They coordinate perfectly with the shirt. I hope I can find some glasses that cool. My astigmatism doesn’t always let me be great. 😂😂😂
Another great video from Jackson. For those of you out there in the cat family who may be interested I just found a great channel on here called Blind cat life with friends I must say it warmed my heart seeing someone caring for so many blind and partially blind cats, but the channel doesn't seem to have many followers so off my own back I want to share the channel with you for those who may be interested. It's good to see another cat channel that isnt posting as catxploitation but just to share the joy of being a cat guardian.
I studied your videos a lot before getting my first fur baby (yep, had to get a second one haha) - and I would say, don't live afraid every moment. Your videos helped a lot, yet at the same time, I wish I had had less knowledge so that I wouldn't feel scared for him about every small thing. Maybe it's just me. Oh but the raw food thing? Absolute winner! Also, any change in personality/behaviour, get it checked out asap. It was a life or death situation for my fur ball. He recovered fine but that made me realise what Jackson Galaxy meant by cats don't tell you or even hide their pain.
This one seemed like a very passionate subject of yours and that you held in a lot on this one! I learned a lot before commiting to adopting or buying a gato. ~
My rescue cats keep me grounded ,,Thank you JG
I've always been a dog person and terrified of cats. Then my aunt was fostering a kitten and I went to visit and it climbed onto my chest, purred, kneaded, bumped her little head into my chin. Binging your videos taught me cats love me because I'm terrified of them and your videos helped me understand them, what they need and that they aren't unpredictable. So now she's my 4mo kitten! She hasn't hissed or (intentionally 🤣) scratched me once and she is SO SMART. She and I wouldn't get along nearly as well as we do without your content, thank you so much for doing what you do, I'm such a cat lover now, I'd do anything for her 😭❤ We're missing a cat highway for now but we're working on it piece by piece and she's very involved in the process 😁
Love this video, thanks Jackson
Cat absolutely refuses wet food. Even if I cook it. Hates all food really, except freaking purina. He is also picky about water. He likes it out of a faucet or out of a sink. And it must be fresh. But, he is easy about getting nails trimmed. Rarely tries to claw furniture (we have scratching posts everywhere) and he is very affectionate. Smart too. When he jumps on a counter I point to the floor and he gets down. 😻
Try a fountain if you can to encourage more water drinking. As for the food, hey, you feed them the best you can in your budget and that they will eat. When my late Mikko was dying of IBD/lymphoma, he ate tons of those junk food Fancy Feast brothy soupy packets that aren't supposed to be actual meals. They were calories and he'd almost always eat them.
@@fuzzypumpkin7743 I'm going to let you in on a secret: cats don't have to eat fish or any seafood. They love beef and poultry. Fancy Feast has only one of those dozen-can boxes that doesn't include that stinky stuff, which I keep stocked. My boys have just half a little can a day, because that's all they'll eat; one box lasts 24 days. Cheap dates.
I started a full wet food diet for my four cats specifically because of your videos. They seem to like it a lot more!
So thankful for you and your videos showing me ALL the stuff that puzzled me when my kitty landed on my lap 😅❤
Thank you for all this info. My small home/income doesn't really allow me to have more than one pet. My senior cat died last August and after a few months I adopted a 2 year old male that was anxious and over-grooming from living in a house with 11 cats! After 2 months his curiosity is slowly overcoming his fear revealing some fun orange cat personality. I feel like I still don't know him yet. I am happy to say I was doing all of your recommendations, except for one: The Go bag. I had his carrier by the door but I never thought to prepare a bag with his essentials: High quality wet food, CBD, Feliway, some natural calming drops I've been giving him etc... Thanks for that tip! And I'm sending Love to Caroline!
Fantastic as always.❤🎉😊
When I got my kitten (Sage) I had a 5yo male boxer (Sam). I had a room (that was near to all going ins at home) set up for Sage. Put a baby gate across the doorway. This was both animals where aware of each other. After a couple days I lifted the gate up so Sage could get out but Sam couldn’t get in.. so she had her safe place. As she started coming out more and more I removed the gate.. now, the two are inseparable. Occasionally they get on each others nerves but safe goes up and Sam lets her be. Sometimes Sage annoys the hell out of Sam. They’re like siblings. “Mom, she’s touching me…” lol A boxer and a Maine Coon.. a great combo and constant Comedy Central!! The biggest thing I’ve learned is a cat needs time to adjust to anything new and patience is an absolute must! I’m 53, Sage is my first cat since I left my parents when I was 18. Idk why I didn’t have a cat sooner!
Nothing you said deters me from getting a cat, it's that I want to make 100% sure I can take care of one before going for it, especially financially. I couldn't imagine not being able to afford an important surgery. Didn't know pet insurance existed though :) Thank you! I'll be coming back to this video as I get closer to the right time!
No one cat is ever the same. Except for those who return to you. It is a very special and close relationship.
I am so glad that I had learned about my local humane society. I took my stray cat first to the humane society for neutering, his first FRCP and distemper shots, and chipping. I saved a lot of money that way and was so glad to have the security of that chip. He also got assigned a birth date. Shortly afterwards I took him to his recommended vet for a thorough checkup and the additional shots that he needed. I also learned to post pictures of my then stray on social media sights. I absolutely wanted to know that this amazingly healthy and well behaved kitty did not belong to somebody else. I had no responses and have had joy ever since with my not pure bred Russian Blue. I got so lucky. All of my immediate neighbors have cats. We network pet sitting when one of us is away. These are all indoor/outdoor cats that now feel very safe in our neighborhood. I won’t let my cat out at night anymore, however, because he always gets into trouble.
I had a Great Dane for a while. She loved Cats & they loved her-but they knew to get out of the way if Sky Dog was playfully running around-so they didn’t get stepped on. My Nephew had a Weimaraner & he was very active so my Cats did slo-mo walks around him, but otherwise were ok. ♥️
Wonderful video, Jackson!
I give access to windows, Birdfeeders outside multiple windows, multiple Cat trees including 2 they can run up & jump across to the other. Lots of toys-mine especially like Catnip , Catnip toys, & chaser string toys( wands)😺♥️🐈⬛
I wish I knew about the diabetes/dry food connection. The same thing happened to my cat Samantha. She passed away in 2014 at the age of six. It took me years of grieving.
Another great video - Thanks Jackson.
Wonderful advice. It's nice to hear it given by someone thru real-life experience. Vs "expert hearsay". Will also add ~ please make sure there's someone in your life happily willing to take & care for your cat (& all pets) should you become sick or worse. I had a health emergency last summer & was in total panic - omg, who will care for my cat? 🥺 Luckily, thankfully, a kind neighbor stepped in to help for a few weeks. They are now my cat's trusted designated "guardian" should I pass before my cat does.
Cats are the best ❤
Thanks for the information,,, Having had a slew of cats over the last 50 years…. Kudos to you!
That dry kibble... I am glad you touched on that. I had a cat that got diabetes that didn't have to happen. The practice of having dry food out all day is also bad for them, which you alluded to. How about if someone out there develops a website to compare cat insurances, wouldn't that be helpful?
Great video! I had to learn as I went along, many moons ago. Wish I had this info back then.
Wish I knew I would love them soooo much and wanting many more. My 2 minpins offered up their toys ,beds and food. Just so much love for animals in my home.