One of the most common questions I ask myself and hear from cat owners is: "My cat never leaves the house. Why does it need a rabies vaccine?" It's a logical question. If your cat spends every day indoors, where would rabies exposure even come from? The answer is more complicated than many people realize. Why Rabies Is Different Rabies isn't treated like other vaccines because it isn't just about protecting your cat—it's also about protecting people. Once symptoms develop, ra

Walk down any pet food aisle and you'll find products designed to let cats eat whenever they want. Many people believe this is the most "natural" way to feed because they've heard that cats are grazers. But here's the truth: cats may eat several small meals each day, but they are not natural grazers. Wild cats don't stroll over to an always-full food bowl. Every meal begins with hunger, followed by searching, stalking, chasing, catching, and finally eating. This hunt-eat-groo

Have you ever wondered why your cat races after a feather wand, proudly parades a toy mouse through the house, or suddenly tears through the living room at midnight? The answer lies deep inside your cat's brain. Cats are hardwired predators, and their brains evolved to reward behaviors that helped them survive. While food is certainly important, the act of hunting itself triggers a series of neurochemical changes that make the experience both exciting and deeply satisfying. D

One of the most common questions I hear is, "Why did my cat suddenly do that?" Whether it's biting during petting, avoiding the litter box, hiding from visitors, or attacking another cat, many people assume the behavior appeared out of nowhere. It didn't. Every behavior has a beginning. I call the study of that beginning Triggerology™. What Is a Trigger? A trigger is anything that causes an emotional response that leads to behavior. Notice I didn't say behavior comes first. E

Indoor cats have never been safer, healthier, or lived longer lives. Yet many are missing something just as important as food, water, and veterinary care: opportunities to behave like cats. Cats evolved as solitary hunters. Long before they caught a meal, they searched, observed, stalked, chased, pounced, captured, ate, groomed, and rested. That hunting sequence isn't simply how cats obtain food—it's how their brains are designed to work. Today's indoor cats often experience

One of the biggest myths about cats is that they're unpredictable. In reality, most aggressive behavior is anything but random. Cats communicate constantly through body language, and when those signals are overlooked, they may eventually resort to behaviors that are impossible to ignore. Overstimulation occurs when a cat's nervous system receives more sensory, emotional, or cognitive input than it can comfortably process. While many people associate overstimulation with petti

When most people think about arthritis, they picture an elderly dog struggling to walk. Few realize that arthritis is incredibly common in cats—and even fewer recognize the subtle ways cats communicate chronic pain. Research shows that approximately 60% of cats over six years of age have evidence of arthritis, and by the time cats reach twelve years old, nearly 90% are affected. Yet many are never diagnosed because cats instinctively hide pain. Instead of limping or crying, t

If you’ve ever watched your cat pause mid-step to sniff a shoe, a grocery bag, or even your face like they’re reading a report, you’re not imagining it—they are. Cats experience the world through scent in a way humans can barely comprehend. While we rely heavily on vision, cats are constantly building a detailed sensory map of their environment using their nose first. 🐾 Cats Sniff Before They Decide Sniffing isn’t random—it’s decision-making. Before a cat approaches, eats, i

When Good Intentions Go Sideways for Cats We love our cats—and we love a clean, quiet, pest-free home. So we solve problems the way modern humans do: quickly, efficiently, and often with technology or chemicals that promise instant results. But our homes aren’t just ours. They’re shared spaces with animals whose sensory world is radically different from our own. Cats hear higher frequencies, smell more intensely, groom constantly, and rely heavily on environmental predictabil

If you've spent any time on social media lately, you've probably seen alarming headlines linking cat fleas to a potentially fatal disease in Texas. It's understandable that many cat owners are asking whether their pets are suddenly a danger to their families. The good news is that the headlines don't tell the whole story. A recent Texas study confirmed that some cat fleas in South Texas are carrying Rickettsia typhi, the bacterium responsible for murine (flea-borne) typhus. W

Walk into any pet store and you'll find an entire aisle devoted to cat water fountains. These devices promise fresher water, healthier cats, and increased hydration. But do cats actually need them? The answer depends on the cat. Cats Are Designed to Get Water from Food Cats evolved as desert hunters, obtaining much of their hydration from prey animals that contain roughly 70-75% moisture. A cat eating a moisture-rich diet often consumes far less water from a bowl than a cat e

One of the most common topics we hear about at Cat Talk Radio is food. Between conflicting information online, marketing claims on pet food packaging, and advice shared on social media, it's no wonder cat guardians are confused. This week's listener questions covered four excellent topics. Finding Fish-Free Dry Food After Hyperthyroidism One listener shared that her cat developed hyperthyroidism and that she learned from our show about research suggesting a possible connectio

Cats have long held a mysterious role in human history, but some feline facts are so strange they sound completely made up. In this week’s Cat Talk Radio episode, Molly DeVoss explores bizarre, fascinating, and little-known stories about cats that span ancient warfare, maritime legends, genetics, and science. Did you know cats may have helped the Persians conquer Egypt in 525 BCE? According to historical accounts, Persian soldiers used sacred animals — including cats — during

Social media is full of alarming claims about pet food, cancer, and environmental toxins. One recent comment making the rounds claimed that glyphosate used on grains is “a version of Agent Orange” and implied this is why so many pets are developing cancer. It’s a frightening statement. It’s also inaccurate. Glyphosate and Agent Orange are not the same thing. Agent Orange was a military herbicide mixture used during the Vietnam War that contained the chemicals 2,4-D and 2,4,5-

A cat’s behavior isn’t random—it’s deeply tied to their sense of control. When cats feel in control of their environment, they are confident, calm, and socially engaged. When that control disappears, behavior issues often follow. Control for cats comes from two primary sources: predictability and influence. Predictability is created through routine—feeding schedules, consistent interactions, and stable environments. Influence comes from their ability to make choices—where to

When a cat starts missing the litter box, acting aggressively, or withdrawing from family life, it’s easy to assume it’s a behavior issue. But what if it’s not? What if your cat is actually trying to tell you something is wrong? In this episode of Cat Talk Radio, I sat down with veterinarian Dr. Kevin Toman to talk about one of the most important—and most misunderstood—aspects of feline care: the connection between chronic medical conditions and behavior. Cats are masters at