Articles written by Pamela Merritt

What is Helium

About me - Pamela Merritt

I have a degree in Psychology and a special interest in human behavior, especially interactions with their pets.

Since I feel cats are the most misunderstood pet, I have made them my particular focus. I draw on my years of cat rescue experience.

The Way of Cats
http://wayofcats.com/blog

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Pets & Animals > Cat Psychology Intelligence of cats: 1 of 33
People often look at cat intelligence the wrong way. They think cats aren't obedient, won't do tricks, and won't come when they are called. This is not necessarily true, but it's true often enough for people to bring up as a drawback of cats. Yet, does it show the cat is stupid? Or does it show the cat is smart?Science has st... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Psychology Cat fights: Making your cats get along: 1 of 26
Once we have more than one cat, we have Cat Town. As every Western movie fan knows, towns need someone to maintain order and keep the peace.As humans, we have the power, the knowledge, and the motivation to make sure every cat gets what they need. Sometimes, what they need is for us to step in and make sure they are treated w... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Psychology Cats and body language: 1 of 16
Many cats are vocal, but it's an acquired second language they use to talk to humans. Their first language is their body language.Many cat expressions are analogous to our own. Wide eyes are surprise, narrowed eyes means the cat is considering something, while half-closed eyes belong to a relaxed, happy cat. Long, slow, blink... More..
Pets & Animals > Cats (Other) Ideal gifts for cats: 1 of 14
Kittens are easy to please. A ball of paper, a length of string, the plastic ring off the milk bottle; these can keep them happy for hours. Kittens instinctively regard anything manipulable as adequate prey substitutes, just as babies can be fascinated by blocks and balls. But as they grow, people require more complications i... More..
Pets & Animals > Animal Rights & Issues Is the practice of declawing cats mutilation or maintenance?: 2 of 22
Declawing is not a difference of opinion. It's simply wrong.This is the usual way it goes. The vet suggests declawing during the spaying or neutering, claiming the cat doesn't mind. Or the cat claws furniture and the person doesn't know how, or can't be bothered, to train the cat. The claws are a potential problem, so we elim... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Psychology Do cats understand us?: 6 of 62
Sometimes, it does seem that our cats can read our minds. We will be thinking of going in the kitchen, and the cat will get up and accompany us, just on the off chance we will feel like opening a can.This seemingly amazing behavior has its roots in the cat's sight, smell, and hearing advantages. The cat's scenting ability is ... More..
Pets & Animals > Pet Ownership Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat?: 15 of 150
The "better" pet is the one who most closely conforms to what people want from their pet. Since most people want to have a close, affectionate bond with their pet, the cat is clearly the better choice.Because cats can be spoiled.When dogs are spoiled, they become either bossy or insecure. One of the reasons dogs respond to tr... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health Guide to cat grooming: 1 of 9
No matter what breed you have, or what their coat is like, a consistent grooming schedule is an important part of good cat care. It's a bonding ritual that will let you and your cat have fun times together, gets them used to handling, and helps you keep tabs on their health status. Here's how to get this process started at an... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health The basics of good cat nutrition: 1 of 6
Cats are predatory animals, right down to their digestive systems. Humans have two pathways; one which burns carbs for energy, and one which burns protein and fats. But cats don't have a carb burning system! They only have the protein/fat system. Recent research indicates that cats are extremely efficient at synthesizing gluc... More..
Pets & Animals > Dogs (Other) Dogs: Selling mixed breeds: 2 of 11
Think about it for a minute. What's a purebred? What's a mixed breed?At this point in time, purebred dogs are recognized breeds that mate to produce reliably predictable results. But remember; they didn't start out that way. Every breed we have now got that way by mixing.Louis Doberman, to name just one example, created the d... More..