I had a cat who was my soul mate. I found him and 4 baby siblings covered in mud outside. As a kitten, he was sick one day and the vet said there’s not much to do. He had kidney failure, liver failure … I decided to take him home from the vet. Some people told me they wouldn’t have. My precious Boise lived 20 years. The best boy in the world.
@@sharonlutz1046 I’m glad I could share a little about him. I kept 2 of the kittens actually. Rosebud also lived 20 years and they loved each other too.
@@annatalley2947 Good question. But I fed them Fancy Feast and Cat Chow. Maybe they would have lived to 30 if I had given them something better. I had 3 cats and a dog. Maybe the secret was having one big happy family 😊
Here’s another thing: TALK to your cat! My cats and I have conversations every day, we all love it, especially my Siamese, she will go back and forth with me for 30 minutes, no joke.
What has made my cats' life better? Me paying attention, making more of an effort to understand their perspective. They have a lot more to say to me than I thought.
My son taught me that and to never force yourself on them they tend to come around at their own pace and when they become comfortable they have a lot to offer
My orange cat loves to fight with me, I "attack" him by just petting him frenetically and picking him up, he doesn't like a lot to be petted and hates being picked up lol, he growl, hiss and scratch me then runs the fuck away.. But shortly after he returns meowing and rubbing against me for more hahhahah
The BEST thing you can do when it comes to PLAYING WITH YOUR CAT is to do it just before meal time! Whatever the feeding schedule, put a timer on for 5-10m and play with your cat, then put their fresh meal down when you're done. Feeding them after a 'hunt' is an easy way to incorporate play into the day and combine their physical/mental health by nurturing their base instincts.
Thanks. I didn't know. Will do. New kitten came into our lives via the person who found him wandering into her yard. She immediately reached out to our small town's FB groups. I picked up the itty-bitty kitten the next day and took him to our vet for a wellness check. My first kitten this young and I had no idea how to integrate with 4 cats and 1 small dog who loves his cats but still needs lots of positive conditioning to make the integration safe. I asked my husband's daughter-in-law a bunch of "new-kitten" questions and she directed me to Jackson Galaxy. My husband has decades of loving cats, while I spent years in dog rescue and learning their needs. I fell into feline love beginning 4 years ago, when we adopted 4-month old kittens. I created a fantastic strategy for converting my small dog to loving his kittens and even playingendencieswith them. But nobody has ever spelled out so many things so clearly as in these videos and links to veterinarians and other experts. It's wonderful having this little fresh slate to see the wonders of the advice and explanations. I named him Boo, for Boo Radley. Gotcha' day was 4 days ago, 10/ 26/2023. 6-week old Tuxedo. Now I will start over with Big Orange sibling who developed bullying tendencies. I didn't play with him! Will commence. Ordered the peace kit. Keeping Boo in his own large bedroom until I go through each step for introductions.
One of the things that has helped me bond with my cats is taking him for walks. I think that a lot of cats enjoy walks, but don’t have a chance to do it. I have lived in fairly safe places like a large apartment complex we could just walk around with our cats. Sometimes they lead and sometimes they follow. For the last few years I’ve lived in a senior retirement place, and we would just walk around the building after most people have gone to bed..
Every time I leave the room I would find my cat drinking from my water glass upon return. This explains why. Why do they prefer disgusting water from the sink rather than fresh filtered water in their bowl. I just upgraded my cats dish to a high plate since he is getting older I can see that he appreciates not having to bend down to eat. He now eats like a king. 😸
You 've gotta keep the claws trimmed. I have 3 kitties. Claw scratchers only go so far. I would never de-claw them, but they would literally "claw each other's eyes out!" If they weren't 😮
1. Variety of food 2. Spread out their resources (food, bed, litter box, water, toys) 3. Litter boxes. 2 for 1 cat, 3 for 2, etc,. (Put in social area) 4. Avoid whisker stress (use a wider food bowl vs a deep one) 5. Clip claws & give medicine 6. Cat proofing your house 7. Play with your cat!!!
My cat has her own special place in every room. She has 4 different places to lay and watch out the window that I dare anyone to mess with! I do not clip her claws but I do have distinct places for her to scratch. It’s like having a kid! Your house must be a safe place! But I must admit that I often pick her up and pet her even if she resists, I’ve watched her tolerate me out of love so I make sure I put her down quickly lol.
@@camolineowens1359🥲 my cat follows me everywhere. I do online school so the only times she is not by my side is when she is shitting or eating. Other than that, she doesnt like being outside my room by herself
@@busybee2033Very dangerous to let them outside. Our rescue cats have no desire to go out, I could leave the door wide open and they wouldn't go out. They're smart they remember the danger.
I’m a brand new cat Mom. I found a tiny 4 week old kitten on the side of the road and when I got out of the car she literally leapt into my arms. I said she wasn’t staying but we’ve been together a month and now I say she isn’t going 😂 I’m so happy I found your channel because I have never ever had a cat and I feel so lost somedays. In comparison to “raising” my dogs, I have no clue how to be the best cat-mom I can be. Your videos have made me confident I’m giving Twix her best life, thank you so much for your content!!
I just got a new feral/throwaway kitten 2 weeks ago. My daughter found him under her car when she got gas or something. I already rescued 2 definitely feral kittens 5-6 yrs ago. Charlie passed in Dec. and his brother Lil Bit was lonely, so yea, Bits is a big brother to Hunter. Hunter is too sassy for Bits, but he shows a ton of patience waiting for Hunter to grow up 😂
The part about the whiskers almost made me cry. I had no idea about whisker stress. When we adopted our cat, he was a day away from getting euthanized by our local animal shelter. One side of his whiskers was cut off to about a half inch long. He had serious trust issues and it took him a long time to adjust. Now 2 years later he is an amazing cat, and we spoil him with love.
Did his whiskers ever grow again? Someone cut the tip off Rosie's tail & hit her so hard they fractured her hip: we were heart broken but that was 6yrs ago; she's now doing great. A proper Madam.
Giving love and a good life should never be called spoiling, its such a terrible saying. Loving appropriately is never spoiling. It's right to hold your baby when it cries and it's right to care for your pets needs.
I am actually crying because my cat has been eating out a bowl for years and it's only just now occurring to me why she leaves food around the edges. I mean it's literally a cat bowl and I thought if she's leaving food behind she mustn't be hungry any more. But now I know it's because she can't bear to suffer through eating any more of it I feel like a monster.
Just adopted a cat 1 week ago and watching your videos has seriously helped us aid him in breaking him out of his shell. He’s adventuring through the house and accepting play/treats AFTER A WEEK! I feel like that’s incredible especially for a 2yr old shelter cat. We love him to death and I can’t wait to watch his personality grow :)
I had the same thing happen with a 5 year old tuxedo who happens to have a mustache! Previous owners threw him onto the street and he was awfully skiddish-- with a kind heart, gentle hands, and this man's video's... Within a week he was snuggles, chirps, and all for belly rubs. Wish you the best stranger
Congratulations! Happy days for you and your new family member. No other investment you make will give you a greater return than this adoption and the time you put into being with him. Unless, of course, it is another pet adoption!! Take those extra few minutes every chance you can to scratch an ear or toss a mouse.
Last year in July, we rescued 6 cats: a feral mama and her 5 kittens. Kittens are now 1 years old and perfectly domesticated. Although mama is still untouchable, she's adapted to indoor life. She tested positive for FeLV (kittens are negative), so she's unreleaseable. To be honest, it wasn't my plan to have this many cats, or any for that matter. I have always had cats, but at 71 I wanted a break. Our last kitty crossed Rainbow Bridge in '21 and I wanted to help out my 94- year old father, who lives independently with his wife 10 hours north of us. However, since my husband's allergies became non existent since contacting Covid last year, he now wants all the kitties.🙄 He did not want to find homes for them because, in his opinion, they were already home. Anyway, I/we love these furballs, regardless. The best thing we've done for them is to get them fixed and inoculated. Next was to buy oblong, stainless steel dishes. I already knew about ,whisker stress. We are presently building them a catio using our 16x8 foot patio off of our our living room. Husband just finished staining the inside part of the door, so tomorrow he'll work on the front. Then comes the hinges, which we've had to order so there's a bit of a wait for them to get delivered, and then finally installation. Other than building different levels, runs, hides, litter box area, and bringing in fun accessories, it'll be done, hopefully before this weekend! I can't wait!!! I'm excited to see how the cats react to having additional room to run and play. ❤ And I'll be able to do housework without my furry quality control crew's spontaneous 'inspections'. 😂
I trim my cats nails when she's sleepy/napping. Just pet her a few times, get her purring and then trim a few at a time, come back for the rest later. No pressure, no rush, no stress. It works great for us :)
I do this too! It's actually so easy when they're sleeping. Sometimes if they're tired enough, they don't even notice! So easy and if you start when they're young it is no problem.
I have a stray boy cat, and was feeding him outside, but he wouldn’t come in the house. It got so cold one night that I decided, this is it. If he won’t come in on his own accord, that I was going to go get him, and finally caught him. To make a long story short, some asshat had his claws surgically removed 😱 just the front ones. Now my cat doesn’t want to go outside, and it’s fine by me. Poor thing suffered, but not anymore ❤️
After 13 years of losing my cat, I finally found the courage to open my heart to another cat. I'm so thankful for my Daisy. She's fiesty yet sweet calico. I've found all of Jackson Galaxy's videos so helpful.
That must of been so difficult for you! After the last of my elderly kitties went, I was going to do without. But hey; it was winter in a new house and I found I was becoming fur-deprived.
My first own pet was a calico, named daisy, she died alittle over a year ago, at 13. That was unbearable for me to put her down, some type of cancer or something. The other cat Bella, i got around the same time with more health issues , is a fatty who is a bit psycho and sleeps alot, but loves being around me
It took me 20 years (and a pandemic) to consider getting a new cat. I didn't even realize how much the death of my previous cat must have hurt me. I am SO glad I took a chance on cat love again, though--my Minou is just the sweetest! 😺
I brush them, play with them, walk with them in my garden, feed them a variety, look after their health, 4 litter boxes, two cat trees, low dishes, toys around the house, etc. My last sweetheart lived 23 years. Love them
My cat just turned 23. She has always been a sweet heart. She is really starting to show her age. I hate the thought that she is nearing her end days 😢.
Jackson my cat absolutely loves your shows she focuses on the screen and enjoys it. Specifically the teaching shows she loves the Improve your cats life. She gets very annoyed if i rewind cause I missed something. She looks at me as if to say “really! I was watching that!!”
Same here!! I have a new kitten and she came over and sat next to me, looking straight at the video. I dont know if it was the sound of his voice but she was drawn to the video and it looked like she was paying attention more than I was. So cute!!!
I acquired a feral cat. She wouldn't play with me directly. Guessing being feral and not being in close contact with humans. She was a year old when I got her. She wasn't completely wild and would let me pet her: to a point. When she had enough, she'd let me know, politely. Our favorite activity would be to sit together outside (she hated being inside) in the sun. Companionship. We definitely had a connection. She lived 17 years and I still miss her.
My block in suburbia (little early-1960s houses) suddenly became home to five (5!) ferals last spring. All five drop by to drink water at trays I leave out for them, and to have a little supervised treat time now and then, but NONE of them want human contact. Two of them, however, seem to like hanging out more than the others. While I'm working in the back yard, "Cat Of Many Colors" likes to supervise, sitting cat-loaf style on a wad of torn-up rug my daddy left on top of a tool cart, while "Apricot Kitty" prowls the yard for crickets and grasshoppers. Sometimes they decide to prowl together and play "mighty jungle cat" among the arbor vitae and hosta plants, under the yews and in the ivy. It's quality cat time -- and it also keeps them in prime position to schmooze me for a treat when I head back toward the house.
we had a King that ruled the trailer park. huge tuxedo tom. the manager saw him chasing a large rat down the street and decided "No trap for him!". Boots would catch birds & mice, and line them up in a row in the center of the lawn! after nearly 18 years, he got old and ill, and disappeared one weekend. he had a lot of friends here that miss him. ferals can be good friends.
My one cat absolutely hated getting her nails trimmed. Even at the vet I could hear her meowing endlessly. Broke my heart. So I tried it at home and she hated it still. It was such a challenge… then I had an idea. I changed locations from the bathroom to the couch and I hummed softly as I did it. It completely changed her reaction. I was amazed! No she still does not like it. But she tolerates it much better and I can actually trim her nails without her under so much stress.
Try talking to her while you trim her nails, it relaxes them so much. I talk to my cats, tell them we're almost done and that if they're good kitties I'll give them treats, it helps them relax, they stop meowing and moving, I have special treats for when I trim their nails so as soon as I'm done they demand them :)
@@sophieleon87 That’s exactly what I do! I wait until the cat is relaxed or sleepy, then in the bedroom I do an audible countdown as I cut: “ OK, that’s 4 toes down, 4 more to go…oooohh , such cute pink toesies, now let’s do the hands…Then treats all around. I may sound like I’m off my meds but my cats don’t mind nail cutting. Start young if possible, always make it pleasant.
@@sharim Im replying to you, but thanks to all of the above for the tips and tricks. My cat isnt hostile but really dislikes it when I try to cut his nails. He will meow and try to pull his paws out and I dont want to force him to do it, so I usually cut 1-2 nails at a time, every chance I get. Ive tried watching videos on how to cut nails but all the cats in these videos seem like theyve been given heroin or something. Just completely still and quiet, so they havent been very helpful. Thanks.
I never had a cat before but I watched your show all the time. A kitten came into our lives. She’s a black kitty and she almost went to a shelter but we decided to keep her. Because of your show I was ready to give her the best life ❤
I'm so happy to read this. Black cats have been known to stay in shelters more often and longer due to people not wanting them due to stupid beliefs years ago that black cats are evil/bad karma. It makes me so sad to see this. I have a tuxedo cat, and he is the best. ❤️
Bless you for manifesting your new spirit buddy! 🙏🥰 I just acquired two black cats as my god children and the love and glowing energy is so present! Lots of great stuff on RUclips on the history of black cats 😇
I like meowing back to my cat. We connect this way. Be it a "daddy!" meow or when I ask "who wants some food?" and I instantly get a different meow. Every family member sleeping together is something I can associate with better quality of life for my cats as well (I've got 2, or they've got me). I'm currently failing at spreading resources and playing with them. Quite miserably so. Gotta watch the "my cat doesn't wanna play" video. Thanks for all your work, Mr JG!
My cat holds hands with me to sleep At 11 pm she paces until I'm ready for bed too She's content once asleep I can get up but she wants me at her bedtime
Hey Jackson and anybody reading this..... I adopted a kitten (Conrad) and have been following all of the advice I have found on this man's channel. Just got home from our first vet visit and the Doc told me I'm doing a superb job! Got lots of praises for the wet food diet and water drinking fountain. I wish I could take the credit but it goes straight to you Jackson Galaxy!!
I tried the water fountain, she hissed at it and slapped it, it broke and I returned it to the store.. oh well to each it's own. She does love her doll though. She keeps licking it and trying to make it set up like it's going to talk to her.
@@Lee.Willcox God bless you as well friend! At least during these uncertain absolutely crazy times we live in we still have our community of animal lovers. It keeps me grounded. Everybody keep a stiff upper lip and remain in gratitude
Your cat might like some dry food too, as well as the wet food. It adds variety and interest to their diet, and gives them something to crunch on. (Their natural wild diet would include bones of their prey.) My cats have wet & dry food. Some don't really eat the dry, some prefer it. They all have that choice.
We adopted a fourteen year old declawed kitty. I thought her paws probably felt very sensitive, so I bought a sensitive paw cat litter and she seemed to like it. Because of you Mr. Galaxy, I started to think about how to improve their lives since we are their guardians. Thank you for the gift of your teaching!!
I have had a single cat for about 6 years now, and he adores having at least two littler boxes, food and water separated as well as placed in various spots. When I moved and had to rebuy bowls, I purchased shallow bowls for him
what have I found to make my cat's life better? Jackson Galaxy. I'm almost 60 and have had cats all my life. I thought I knew everything about them - until I discovered the Cat Daddy. Thank you Jackson, you came along at exactly the right time. I have a 4 month old kitten who will likely be my last cat and he will have the best possible life because of what I've learned from you.
Jackson is amazing isn't he? I have a 6 month old Tabby named Buddy. He is my boy and he is my best friend. He is an amazing. I have schizophrenia and he comforts me anytime he feels that I am not doing well. And he can tell when I am not doing well. I bought him one of the air prey telescoping wands. He LOVES it. I have had dogs most of my life and a few cats as a child. Cats are so much better for me especially since now my wife and I live in a 3 bedroom apartment. He doesn't hardly make any noise at all. He meows softly when he is a bit hungry. I know his different meows and I am very mindful to him.
Getting a puppy made one of my cats’ life better! The other doesn’t mind him and sometimes lays with him, but the one cat LOVES him, always plays with him, grooms him, cuddles him, it’s so sweet ❤️
@@screeaveDestination the cat does, he gets along better with the pup though, and yes, ideally we would have another dog but it’s not possible for the time being. He gets plenty of play time with our neighbor/friend’s dogs though and is a very happy dog that I’m home with all day so he’s never lonely
I always recommend having a companion for a pet, they need each other. To watch two animals loving each other is a real gift. You'll always want to tell others how important it is. 🙂
I'm so thankful for learning about "Whisker Stress," and what to do to help prevent it! This morning I split up my cat Matrix's breakfast, and gave her the option of eating it out of the deeper bowl I usually use or an open plate. Matrix definetly liked the plate better than the deeper, whisker-stress causing bowl! Looks like I need to go shopping for some new happy whisker dishware. ❤😻
The best thing I’ve done for my cats has been an extension of your discussion about doing hard things. It’s helped our human population too😊. I taught everyone in our household that cats are energy sponges. If we are stressed or angry or putting out bad vibes, it WILL affect the cats. Watching the immediate change in them has been a master class in mindfully managing our energy.
This goes along with the old saying: If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! And "Mama" can be substituted with Papa or anyone else. We reap what we sow.
Cat fountain! One of our cats has always, _always_ had issues drinking out of a regular water bowl, and insisted on drinking out of the sink instead. She would literally go thirsty until someone was around to give her water. So: filtered cat fountain. She gets safe water whenever she needs it, and we don't get yelled at as much. Win-win. Also, say bye before you leave. They do miss us when we're gone. And when you get back, or when you wake up, go find them individually and say hi. They will notice.
I say “goodbye” and “I’m hooome”, too! which I think is just respectful. I also let her know how long I’ll be away, using different set phrases and tones of voice, like “right back,” “not long,” “later,” and “long time” always followed by, “But Ma ALWAYS come home for Girl.” I think it really helps minimize separation anxiety. I’d certainly want to know how long my sole source of sustenance will be away.
😅I was hooked when you revealed number 1. Because I definitely started to walk away. Then you asked every one to come back like you could see us walk away. Happy MY Cat 🙀 LITTLE"RAY "OF SUNSHINE. Found you.
Whiskers stress. My cat is 10 years old and I didn’t know this one. Fortunately for him, his food bowl avoids whiskers stress already but I didn’t know that was a thing. Great video, thanks Jackson 🐈⬛
30 to 40 years ago people said I was imagining things for noticing cats didn't like their whiskers pushed on by a deep food or half empty water bowl. Part of it had to do with me being a kid, but I think a lot of folks were just insensitive to non-human cues. Now whisker stress is in the public discourse and I'm really glad about that.
The best thing I’ve done is really learn to read their behavior and watch the tail. The tail tells you a LOT. When there is a problem, the kitty will always communicate it through their behavior. It may seem so subtle to us, or sometimes not, but they are always speaking to us. Also, more wet food! Sometimes we have 4, but usually 3 wet meals per day. Multiple water dishes that get changed every day. No water sitting out for days on end, it’s gross. Fresh water for them, and I notice they have no problem drinking enough each day. Yes, it’s work. But I try to see life from their point of view, and having them is to improve their life as much as possible. They’re not decorations. They depend on me, and I love them so much.
Same here. Every pet deserves fresh water. I can’t imagine being such a slob as to not change bowls daily. Ugh. I bought extra bowls so it’s easier to swap out because there are always clean ones. And I use distilled water, which is what I drink. It’s the cleanest water you can buy. 👍
One thing that instantly made my cats' lives better was cat shelves. They can confidently cross my entire living room if we have company by being up high. They have a safe place all their own away from the doggos. And they like to regally observe their kingdom lol
My cat was a great acrobat she would climb up the curtain behind a sofa to the curtain rod, walk across jump in a hanging basket swing awhile and then jump to bookcase then return to earth via the back of a loveseat. I lost the video or I would share it. She is older now and has a bad leg. She is spoiled, likes Arby's sliders and Gyros without pepper Pepper hurts cats, and no onions I also nix the tstsike sauce.
@@emordnilap6567 I never give them bread, pepper or onions I feed mine the lamb and the roast from Arby's sliders, they like ham steak and cocktail shrimp USUALLY they eat Friskies beef. Give you buddy a little lamb rinse the seasoning from the meat.
@@candidcichlids just look up a tutorial. If you put up cat shelves on your wall your cats will love you forever. Cats love high spaces and tight spaces.
Making her a spot in every room where we spend extended time. My husband and I are artists, and when we first got our 11 year old overweight rescue, we kept her out of the art room altogether. Now, she comes in and rolls around the floor with us, hangs out when we're here or anywhere else, and all I had to do was make her a "spot" with a solid plastic box and some old blankets. I've never had a cat before, so I definitely didn't realize how much she wanted to be with us no matter where we are!
Come on Jackson! My kitties were napping and they heard you extend the feather chaser and woke up INSTANTLY. We have that toy and they go absolutely crazy for it!
My cat loves it too! Unfortunately, the two we’ve had both broke within a week (although the first broken one became her absolute favourite toy ever AFTER it broke - it was the clip that broke off leaving just a small piece of plastic attached to the string, which was the most exciting thing in the world for my little bug-hunter 🤣)
I’ve done all that, investigated good food, know their faves, diversify, beds everywhere, trees,looks like an encampment, toys galore, treats, & more! Do they like it, generally yes,but there’s always the ONE. All he wants is MORE!
Whisker stress is absolutely a real thing. My cat Baker is very sensitive with his whiskers. He always grabbed his food out of the bowl and ate it off to the side. I switched him to a plate (no whisker stress but very messy) and he definitely liked that more! I could tell that he was eating a lot more and eating in larger time frames rather than just small snippets throughout the day and barely pecking through the bowl. I've found the most success with a wide and shallow bowl. He eats just the same as with a plate, but no messes for me to clean up! Best of both worlds for the two of us.
Play with your cat is good advice! Or just spend time with your cat, paying attention to her. Like every time I walk by one of my cats, I stop for a few seconds to talk to him or her, and pet them for maybe ten or fifteen seconds. It seems to keep them happy. And it sure keeps me happy! 😀
I do the same thing. They know my movement patterns around the house and they always lay where they know I'll stop and pet and talk. It's very calming for me too.
I agree. I have four. I talk to them all (we live alone) just as I would a human. "Mom's going down to get something to eat". "Mom's leaving. I'll be back soon!". My oldest, Calli, is a tortie, 7 years old, and has tortitude for sure. She get attention at night when we go to bed. She almost always lays down w/me. She may not sleep all night w/me, but she likes being stroked and getting chin rubs, etc. That's her time; bedtime. Early mornings are for Bailey a 5yr. old ginger tabby (male). He and I rise early, and he sits there and gets his "loving". He also likes strokes and chin rubs. They all like chin rubs. That is OUR time. Bing, my Siamese X, also 5 yrs. old, gets some early morning attention as well, He likes the outdoors so he cries for me to let him out, which I won't do until the sun comes up. (I bring them all in at nightfall as well). I always know when nights are getting chilly bc Bing, who otherwise does not sleep w/me, will cuddle up to me in the middle of the night to get warm. He does NOT do this during warm weather, so I must make special time for him then. Just added a piebals, white/black male named Leo. He is about 5-6 mos old and currently rules to roost! He "attacks" the older kitties, trying to play. He currently get a LOT of attention, as a kitten. With nice weather here in the fall, I take him outdoors daily, weather permitting. He absolutely LOVES the outdoors, but I won't allow him to be out unsupervised yet. Probably won't until next spring and I feel safe that he knows where home is and will stay close here. So they all have their "time". I love them all.
I am a 22 year old dude who moved to Greece about a year ago. My whole life i've been extreeemely allergic to cats/dogs/horses and it has allways bothered me so much because of my interrest in being with animals. I mean extremely allergic, I had to skip going to alot of friend because they had pets etc etc. Greece has an insane population of stray cats (actually there is about 1.5 millions cats in just athens) thats a third of how many humans live there. So to encountering cats are inevitable. One day im chilling in my room and hear a squeking sound from the forest alley just outside my balcony. There was a 1-2 week kitten trapped under the building and just had to take her in. Once i get the cat inside i notice she is covered from face to tail with little bugs. I gave her a well needed wash and in this moment i knew that any moment my throat will be severly swollen because i had been handling the kitten. I have never hated my allergies so much in my life, I wanted to keep this cat. Of course i kept her for as long as i could, but when one hour had passed something was wrong.. I did'nt feel ANYTHING from interaction with this cat. Im used to not be able to be in the same house as cats and now being able to hold and cuddle the cat i resqued from under my apartment complex. I just wanted to share this story because to me it is such a miracle. As you can understand i have very little knowledge of cats behavior because of the little time i've spent with them but your channel is the absolute best, I have learned a great amount of stuff to make my kittens life the best it can.
I had the same situation. Possible answers for these could be: allergies can pass with time or change severity, especially when you grow up. And also there are more and less allergenic breeds. 10 years ago I could not stay 5 minutes in one room with a cat, and now I have a calico.
That is so fantastic. With cats, there is a chemical they produce which is what causes the allergyand it gets in their fur. Different cats secrete different amounts and the amount of fur along with their self grooming habits makes a difference. My female cat has so little that I have no problems. But my male cat has so much more that I can get very sick. I love him so much that I refuse to part with him. So I spoke to my doctor and she found the right antihistamines for me. It is 100% worth it. 🎉❤ Happy cats. Happy home.😊
Immediately trimmed the front paws (did backs yesterday) and then got out the toy and played. Oh and moved her scratching post to a room she claims often but is now really hers. She went right for it. 🥰
I absolutely love how Jackson shares all of his knowledge that he has spent 10 years about cats to us, and we’re literally gaining all of it in just a day. I’m so thankful that you exist Jackson, I don’t even know what I’d do without you man
7. 0:50 Feeding a variety of foods 6. 2:57 Spread out resources 5. 5:20 Litter boxes 4. 6:56 Avoid whisker stress 3. 9:10 Get good at the difficult things 2. 12:15 🐈proofing your hse 1. 12:18 Play with your 🐈
Love the video! I have a 12-year old applehead Siamese named Luna who I got when she was 3 months old, and apparently I have been doing all of these things right without even knowing it. Except for the wet food only thing. She will get a can of moist cat food in the morning, one in the evening, but I will leave her with a bowl of Kit N Kaboodle during the day. She has never had any health problems. She has a litter box in the laundry room and one in the corner of my bedroom. Her food dish is on one side of the kitchen and her water bowl is on the other side of the kitchen. They are both about 3 times as wide as her head. She has a cat fort/tree in the living room, as well as several cat ledges I have installed on the walls around the perimeter. Her cat bed is in my bedroom, along with more cat ledges. She goes to the vet once every 4 weeks. I don't trim her nails because her cat fort has a strip of sandpaper-like surface that she loves to scratch and she keeps her claws trimmed by herself. I checked with my vet to make sure this was okay and he said that long as she was happy with it, there shouldn't be a problem. She would regulate herself. As for the playing, she thinks that she taught me how to play fetch. I also have a mini fishing pole with a small reel, and I have attached a toy mouse to the line. Whe I pull it out she goes into instant alert "I'm getting ready to pounce" pose. I cast the mouse across the living room and start to reel it in and she will stalk it and pounce before it gets halfway across the room. Sometimes she will disappear, I can hear her, but can't pinpoint her location, so I will cast it and see her head poke out from under the sofa like "ooh, it's play time!". I do my best to give her a healthy and happy life because she saved my life. The night I got her I was so depressed, I was planning on ending my life. But when I got her, I had this small life depending on me and that gave me something to live for. She made me realize that life is never bad enough to end it that way. Cats ( as with all pets ) make life better .
Thank you so much for your help! I’m adopting a 2 year old female cat tomorrow Monday December 18, 2023, that I connected with last Saturday when my niece adopted a cat. I’m super excited to be a cat mom for the first time ever and I’m watching all your videos to learn everything to make sure Sunshine aka (Katsy) gets the best life she deserves after being in a shelter.
Good luck! I'm attempting to convince my mom to let us Hawe a cat aha ,mainly due to my room being in the attic,with an ladder and we Hawe a large dog breed. (Bernesse mountain dog). My idea is to keep the cat in my room,and the dog downstairs And like get stuff that Hawe their stuff and let the other sniff them. ! Good lucck
That's awesome! Hope everything is going well so far! I'm adopting my first ever cat on new years, a 5 year old female. She's my aunt's cat, who is moving Jan 3rd and can't take her with her. It's either I take her, or she goes back to a shelter. My aunt adopted her from a shelter 4 years ago and she doesn't deserve to go back. Plus, with her being on prescription kidney food, she may not get the care she needs at a shelter. I've only met the cat once very briefly years ago, so I too am binging videos to try to make the transition as easy as possible for her.
@@emmi9283 Katsy is doing fabulous! She is being spoiled and loved by everyone in my family. The day after the adoption I took her to the vet bacause she urinated blood on her bed and she had a urinary tract infection and pain. She was taking antibiotics and pain medication for 4 weeks nonstop and after that she became a happy and a loving cat. She is living the best life happy playing with Orus (my niece cat) Sage (my sister’s pug) and (Shishi my chihuahua).
My motto is "kind hands". Whatever you do with your cat, be gentle and loving and show and mindful. Whether it's playing or working in the same room or picking them up or administering medicine. I apply this even to the noise I make. When I step around my cats, I try to be careful and tread lightly. When I have to open a garbage bag, I go into another room. It's a small thing but we love the gentleness and peace this adds to our life.
Before I'd turn the vacuum cleaner, I used to tell them: "mamma's gonna do 'wee-oo, wee-oo' ..." and they'd immediately scatter. They understand a lot more than we give them credit, for. ❤
@@AngelicaNightingale Our (sadly long-demised) cat did not fear the vac (motor unit on the floor on small wheels, long pipe and brush etc. end) for long! As soon as she realised that the long pipe could be detached at the handle and that this was used to clean small spaces etc., she got curious, mounted a piano seat and let herself be "vacuumed", accompanied by purring almost as loud as the vac sound! I even took a photo, because we could not believe it at first. Every time we vacuumed, it was obligatory to not forget the cat. She never had any skin issue, always wanted to be let out when it rained, and sometimes even sprang into the bathtub accompanying one of us unexpectedly. One friend of my mother did not like cats, mostly due to the smell they gave a flat, but on visits she was always surprised that our home did not smell and tolerated our cat really well (who always made a point to ONCE walk across the dinner table in front of this friend, something she nevernevernever did when we were alone - just to show who's boss). [Maybe it helped that she instantly felt better when we adopted her and rid her six weeks old flimsy frame of more than 50 fleas (we counted them). We used a drastic but successful method that Jackson would not approve of today, but until I was born in the 1960s, in my family there always were dogs and horses, and to rid them of exoparasites, they were doused in petrol, and after a short immersion time washed with clear water. We had inherited a bottle of lamp petrol, and never knew what to do with it, until the vet whom we consulted first, told us that the kitten would die anyway before the weekend was over (she was very ill from the beginning, but a fighter!), and that any flea powder would kill her even faster, so he gave us none. So we had to resort to the time-tried method, because the fleas were already laying eggs, and we could not risk an infestation of our home. After applying the petrol, we stood her on a white bedsheet, and the insects started dropping instantly, or seeking rescue on the cat's nose (no petrol in the face!), from where we picked them off with pincers. After ca. 20 minutes we rinsed her clean and stood her in the August sun to dry -> fluffedyfluffed, but firstly indignant furball, but some hours later one could already see the difference. She began to eat and drink and was less lethargic than when all those parasites had nearly sucked her dry. The improvement showed us that for THIS emergency situation we had done the right thing. Imagine the vet's shocked disbelief, when we returned about a week later to cater for the deworming meds and vaccines - needless to say, that he admired our furball's survival skills, admonished us sternly, but kept her and us as patient/ clients. He had to admit that he also knew our healing method, because he was the vet of the farmers on whose property my family first lived after the war, and he knew them already and that they would never harm any animal (he then had a crush on one of my aunts, and rightly so ;-) ). Our Poldi (we at first could not determine that she was a girl, but had read about a cat hotel of the same name and beforehand said that if ever a cat came into our life, that would be its name, so please do not judge too severely our choice!) lived two short, but very active and (for us :-))) ) life-enhancing years, before she passed away due to leucosis. She had contracted it in the shelter where she and her siblings were brought after their rescue from a shed, where a farmer had locked up them and their mother to starve them to death. She was the last of the litter, and when another litter (their mother had been killed in an accident) was put in the care and nurture of her already emaciated mother, she nearly really died, but was picked up and luckily given to us. We were happy and lucky to have had the opportunity to meet our gorgeous little warrior, and only after her demise I underwent the test for cat allergy (sadly positive *bawl*). My daughter and I are considering to adopt a cat after assessing if we can catproof our new home according to JG's recommendations, and also afford to care well for a furry family member, because nowadays there are less allergy-inducing specimens available, maybe even in a shelter, which would be our first place to look for company. Please wish us luck ;-))) and thanks for reading this far!]
My cat has NO problem standing next to the vacuum when I fire it up..she is not scared of anything! Yes, she has great hearing! We yravel so I figured she would adapt well..so true!
@@AngelicaNightingaleI have 2 stray cats in here now so it took a while to trust me they must be about 1 yr now n that's wot I do ❤ ..say mummy is getting Henry out plug it in n give them a min to go in other room ... lately I switch on n notice there getting brave near hoover but under or up above it 😂 it won't be long b4 they dnt move n tell me back .. not yet ur not hoovering 😂❤
@@sabinegierth-waniczek4872 LOVED THE WATER >> HE >>WHEN MY SON >HE WANTED TO GO IN >>>>SO >>>WE LET HIM IN >>HE SAT AT THE BACK OF THE SHOWER >>JUST ENOUGH TO GET WET >>>MY SON >> SO DIFFERENT !!! AND >>> HE >LOVED :) :) :)
I’m a new cat mum, I’ve had my cat for 4 months now and she was only 6 weeks old when I got her and your videos and your channel have helped alotttttt!!! My cat is my life, I love her so much and your guides made it all that little bit easier so thank you!
My cat is indoor only and when I'm at work she's alone. Bird videos while I'm away and frequent play while I'm home has done wonders for her mood! Just make sure the tv is secure because they WILL pounce.
There are several hummingbirds that visit my window so the cat keeps herself entertained inside, she can lay in sunlight when she pleases. Putting videos on tv is how I lost my chromecast to some nasty paws, so she gets cartoons now.
My cat has never cared for things on the TV. It's so strange, because she loves watching the birds out the window but does not like watching them on TV.
I already do all of these things for my cats. I learned all of these things over the last 12 years of watching Jackson Galaxy. My eldest cat was 12 when she passed a few weeks ago. She was my first cat ever and I had no idea what I was doing when I got her. Watching my cat from hell helped me understand her and I was able to give her the best 12 years a cat could have. Thank you for helping me become the best meowmy. 💜🐈⬛
For years I’ve enjoyed shopping thrift stores for pretty saucers to feed my cats on. I didn’t know about “Whisker Stress”, but loved finding a lovely vintage saucer and making their area look nice. I also put the dishes on a plastic tray so any food that’s pushed off is easy to clean up. Accidental Stress relief!
I have been an animal person for years. From baby ducks, chicks, hens, steers, big dogs, a number cats, and most recently, a family of raccoons (they adopted me, as did the opossums, and the two skunks). Your vids have informed me about how to interact with those regal and magnificent jumpers -cats. The whisker and claw trimming were really helpful tips. Thnx!
My mind is absolutely blown about the whisker stress section of the video. You just described exactly what one of my cats has been doing for quite a while. It seems so obvious to me now. Glad I watched this video--better late than never to get her a different bowl 😬
I just love you Jackson Galaxy! My current kitty and I have only been together for 2 years. He has trained me well. He never stops talking! I adopted him with the name Romeo and he knew his name, so he is my beautiful Romey. He sleeps on my pillow, sits in the couch with me and watches me do my chores. I have 3 children that were never this devoted to "Mommy". The quality if life we each lead is heightened by our love for each other. I am 75 and never knew cats at all until I was 52. So growing older has been blessed with my purr babies. Thanks for all you do for kitty Cats and their trusted guardians! You rock!
@@danielgonzalez5787 always. i actually found my first cat's owner, but they didn't want him any more. his old name was "fish bait", his new name is grandpaw.
Acclimating my cat to going in his carrier has made both of our lives better! It was way easier than I thought, I leave it out all of the time and he uses it like a bed. Now going to the vet is less stressful for both of us and I know I could easily get him in his carrier if there was an emergency. My vet was also super impressed when she saw him go back in and I told her about what I did. She even said she'll have remember that for other clients!
Very good lol. Mine watched Trump and Biden. He jumped off bed after seconds of Trump but stayed for Biden. Guess he didnt lik the shouting by the Donald ha ha
My Cat has been exhibiting ALL your ‘whisker stress’ symptoms ever since I adopted her!! I’m changing her food bowl to food PLATE as soon as I finish this comment! THANK YOU!
I did use plates at some point, currently have shallow bowls so there's no way their whiskers touch it until it's almost empty, but the feed also doesn't fall out - cats eat happily and have a healthy weight, so I'd say it works best for both parties.
Smokey’s favorite thing besides meals is her nightly treats hide and seek game. I throw a couple for her to chase, the last one into a room, then I close the door and “I go hide !” the rest. There are dozens of places just in the living room she can check to find (3-4 diff kinds of) snacks. I praise and praise her for every find as well as give “good look!”s when she tries a spot where I’ve “hidden” them before. It’s the most/best stimulation she gets in the day and great bonding time.
I wanted to add Part B to the "play with your cat" tip. I recently discovered all three of my cats really enjoy watching "cat videos" on TV via my Roku. These RUclips videos are typically several hours long, and contain birds squirrels, chipmunks and other little critters eating, scurrying and flying around. My cats are mesmerized by it and surprisingly engaged, sometimes going up to the TV and trying to catch the birds, or looking behind the TV to see where they went. It has become a tradition in our household now. They come into the bedroom and pointedly look from me to the television then back to me, indicating that they would like to watch something. It has in fact become a little problematic sometimes because they don't care that I might be watching a movie or news or something, they want to watch what THEY want to watch. lol My wife and I actually enjoy watching the cats watching TV more than we enjoy watching TV ourselves, so we ALL get something out of it. And like bad absentee parents, sometimes we just turn the TV on for the cats if we need a little bit of peace and quiet or to get some work done around the house.
It’s much smaller than the tv, but I often set mine up with a cat video on the ipad on my bed. Just an alternative for when you are watching a movie ;-)
My cat use to love watching those videos on my smartphone while on the bed (I had always wanted to buy the videos so she could watch them from the tv, but I never got around to it. I wish I had). But, I didn't realize how much she loved watching the videos from my phone until I'd be reading off of it. She'd come up to me and look at my phone as if to say "Don't I get to watch too?"😄
@@AnitasLoveify Hi! If you search within youtube for "videos for cats to watch" you will get a TON of stuff suggested!!! My cats' favorite channel is Paul Dinning (he's in the UK). He does a lot of videos at cat eye level with birds and squirrels feeding in different settings and some of his videos are hours long - so you can turn on the tv to a channel, and let your cat(s) have a movie night if you go out :-)
My partner and I adopted a neighborhood cat. He was accustomed to being outside ALL THE TIME. He was obviously stressed when we brought him in the house and didn't allow him out. So we built a cattery on our porch. When Mack needs some time away and wants to have the outside experience, he goes to the cattery where he watches birds in our fountain, rodents in our garden, and chases whatever insect might be unfortunate enough to get too close.
I started feeding my boys wet food two days ago. You were right. They are so happy. I also started playing with them a few months ago with a fishing rod toy. They are so much more affectionate with me. They love the interaction.
Unless you buy fresh meat, it causes so much extra waste though if you have to give them food from cans or aluminum boxes, plus flies every where if they don´t finish it
I give my girls about a quarter to half a tsp wet food mixes into there kibble. They gobble it up and they clean their teeth by eating the hard tack food. They are perfectly healthy and my vet encourages this way of feeding.
@@kayeyeager8006 the problem with kibble is the amount of carbs. Too many cats, due to eating dry kibble foods, are becoming fat & diabetic, leading to liver disease, diabetes, and kidney failure. I have learned from experience. Check out carb content of dry foods before simply feeding them whatever the vet says.
My baby is my daughter's 15 year old cat. She just doesn't have time for Peanut anymore. I feel she should have thought about doing something else with her. Her basic needs are barely covered! I needed a baby to cuddle and be my best buddy. So she comes to me for cuddles and to talk to. I respect her space and person.
@@luvfunstuff2 I feed sweet potato and salmon kibble and avoid all the bone meal, corn and junk most companies put in there food. I also watch their water intake by having multiple bowls throughout the house. I also weight regularly so there weight stays in check. We talk a lot and I watch for the clues of not feeling well or just being off. I will give 3 days Max on a icky feeling that something is off before worrying they are sick etc. Plus they are indoor/outdoor (day time only) kitties and have other sources of food.
i have been binge watching your videos because i might be getting a cat soon and i want the best experience for them. this is gonna be my first cat and i jst want it to be pleasant for me and them. ❤
The whisker stress one is the one I haven't thought of before. One of my cats, Gatsby is always scooping the food out of the bowl and eating it. I do have some old plates that I think I will switch starting ASAP. Thanks Jackson!
We have switched her soft food to a plate. We also have every cat tree she has ever gotten somewhere in the house. When we get a new one, the old one goes into another room. She loves it when we get a new one. She "supervises" and "helps" when we do the "some assembly required" part. She knows it is hers when the box arrives, and is often on parts of the tree as we're putting it together. As she matures, she gets more "steps" to get where she wants to be. Instead of "calculating" the trigonometry of jumping right to the top, she now calculates how to use each step on the way.
My cat has two litterboxes, one in each room in my two-room apartment. She loves it haha. I can hear her in the middle of the night digging in one, then digging in the other, then back to the first one... Highly recommend.
I have been a cat mom for over 40 years and learned so much from your whiskers and the size of bowls or plates !! As always you are my hero with your suggestions!
I am blessed. I can hold my cats like a baby..kiss them, massage their bellies and beans endlessly..everywhere I go, cats find me. I carry catfood when I travel because for sure they need food and water. I talk to them like a loving mom and they respond like loving children..I am proud to be the catlady.
My 2 cats are indoor happy cats. They have three trees floor to ceiling three litter boxes fish to watch balls to play with hanging toys in all the rooms and we have mad play times They even spend time with the bunny and I got all this because I watched your videos. in return they are extremely affectionate and I wouldn’t be without them. thank you, Jackson.
PRO TIP: If you provided your cat with plate-style food dishes and they still insists on taking food off the plate to eat it on the floor, then you are left with 2 options: Accept that you need to mop your kitchen floor every day or put something under their plates that you won't mind washing or throwing away. I went with option #2. I found a big roll of butcher's paper online and that works PERFECTLY. Butcher's paper has a plastic coating one one side, so I just unroll about 3 feet of it and put it on the ground, plastic side down. The cats don't seem to care that it's there and the plastic layer keeps smells and juices from reaching your floor. It makes mopping easy. Hope that helps!
I have two cafeteria type trays, one cat. So there is a clean tray always waiting to replace the one that's down, holding his water bowl, dry food dish and moist food dish. Same with his giant litter pan, there's always the spare one, waiting to be swapped for the "used" one.
My cat, Gingerella, trained me to play fetch w/ her when she was a tiny kitten (rescued from an abusive environment). She loves to fetch plastic bottle caps and can sometimes bat them out of the air. She has also learned to play 'door hockey' when she knows I'm leaving - we bat a cap back and forth under the bedroom door. This is her way of engaging me and seeking validation that everything is good between us. Gingerella understands verbal cues and has developed from an aggressive, destructive kitten to a Cat who is eager to engage in affectionate interaction.
My Sammy loved to fetch. She would bring me a paper ball dozens of times. Once I was throwing it from bed and I fell back asleep and I woke up and the paper ball was in the crook of my elbow. I made her a fake fur fish with catnip in it and she used to bring it in to me every night for me to throw. Then she would bring it back moaning about her “catch”.
I found two kittens separately a few months back, they aren’t brothers by blood but as far as they’re aware they’re brothers! Alfie and Yukki💖 Alfie LOVES playing fetch with his little Pom Pom toys! Yukki tries to play too but he doesn’t know how to bring it back😂 the Pom Pom toys are their favorite!
I think my cat’s life was made better when I found different ways of play time. She’s 18 years old and doesn’t really want to play with cat toys like we used to do. One day I had the sound on when I was playing a truck simulator game. She loved the sound the truck makes! She purred the whole time. Now we have scheduled “truck time”. She likes to watch the screen and she likes for me to talk to her. She always comes to get me for truck time! I enjoyed this video. I never had a cat until I was 22 years old and I can tell you that I read everything I could on good cat parenting and care. I’m 41 now and I find that constantly learning the most I can about cats makes my cats’ lives better too.
wow !! you are a fountain of knowledge ! I went to the shelter this past weekend and found so many beautiful little kittens! Soooo darling! the caregivers were awesome ! I'm trying to prepare my house for when I go back to make a final decision. I'm thinking of maybe 2 instead of one. Anyway,,, thanks for your expertise !
My cats love being combed or brushed. My one cat can't get enough, to the point where if he hears me brushing my hair, he runs in and tries to pull the brush to himself. If it looks like I never brush my hair, this is why. 😸
I have one that loves being brushed, and one that hates being brushed, at all. He will growl and eventually try to bite if you brush him. Unfortunately, he is also the one that has long fur and is prone to matting. If finally spent $90 to get him shaved, and I am trying to get him used to being brushed, but it's an uphill battle. We got him as a rescue when he was 2, and he was abused and traumatized. The only thing I can say is to start brushing young and make it fun, to avoid future problems.
True. I have a new foster cat that loves being brushed and touched all the time. My own cats did not like being brushed until he saw the new cat being brushed. Suddenly he wants to be brushed as well!😁
I’m a multi-cat owner after having only one kitty at a time for most of my life and I won’t have it any other way. I got two brothers back in 2014 after my 8-year-old tabby passed away from a long illness. Their names are Louie and Charlie and they were the best of friends. I would always find them snuggling together. It made me so happy. I know they relied on each other for everything. Unfortunately, Louie died very suddenly at only 2 years old. Because we didn’t want Charlie to be without a partner, we adopted a 3-month-old girl (Sophie) from a local shelter. At first, Charlie wanted nothing to do with Sophie, but Sophie was kind of obsessed with him. She wore him down and he became a mentor to her. He taught her how to “cat” in many ways. Though they definitely aren’t as close as Charlie and Louie were, I definitely see a mutual respect between them. I love them both so very much 💕💕💕
@• Capybara Space Force 🌠 • 17 yrs ago I agree it's so cute how my dog plays with my cats and protects the family when say my sisters cat is here and he doesn't like his sister's he gets in-between and tells him to knock it off..my dog just loves his kitties watching the snuggles is the cutest
I got my cat a couple years ago which admittedly, was a mistake at the time being that I had no idea what I was doing and she wasn’t too happy. There were times where I thought I would have to find a new home for her but over time I learned what to do and what not to do. Now she’s happy and healthy and we cuddle and play all the time and I feel like I’m the best human for her….then I came across your videos and I realize I still have a lot to learn 😂 if you end up reading this, I just want to say thank you for posting all these videos. My cat is very well taken care of now but coming across content like this that can teach me how to make her life even better is exciting for me. She’s helped me through a lot just by being around when I’m in a bad state of mind, these are helping me repay her in a sense, so thank you for posting all these videos and helping myself, and so many other cat owners out. Our cats I’m sure appreciate you too! 😊
Some cats love you so easily not all of them are like that we have had what looks like a Himalayan for 9 years then a little black kitten showed up and now they both love me up because I feed them I am their 2nd favorite person but that's good enough for me the Himalayan never showed me much love because he was friends with the dog who is no longer here now we can be friends now and I've laid my pistols down to quote Doc Holliday lol
I have today taken in a cat into my home,. by watching this has helped me and my cat,moved his litter box from the bathroom into the living room and he used it😀😀 he got a few treats after he used it . I have not yet named him i have decided to call him Jackson. after watching this helpful video. 😺😺
I'm glad I do a number of these things already, but my cat really loves her "spa day", where once a month she gets the full beauty treatment by her cat daddy. We get her claws trimmed, we de-shed her fur, we give her a nice little "bath" using a nice cat shampoo which she likes (took a while to find one she liked, but worth it), we brush her coat and all the while she enjoys eating her treats as though they were bon bons. After she's nice and clean, we play until she's bored and then we go for a little run around the house (indoors), where she gets to chase me, then I get to chase her. She's a very calm kitty and at 5 years young, you'd swear she was reliving her days as a kitten. She's definitely daddy's little princess, but she is a bundle of joy and love. Thanks for your great tips, Jackson, you have one of the best channels!!!
I don't even have a cat. Love this channel, love everything Jackson has been in. Love learning about these beasties. I get mad at people who see cats as "the easy independent pet of choice" because they are almost always just neglecting their cat's needs.
Then they say all cats are assholes! If you take care of their needs and love/train them well, they are super loving and chill despite their playfulness.
Cats give you the love and respect you give to them. My cat is the most affectionate little love bug I know. Most people sadly know nothing about a cat's body language and mistreat them, or expect them to act like dogs. Check out @sarperduman, he rescues cats, plays the piano for them and they become the most loving cats.
@@kleeblatt9257 Yes, he's in Istanbul, Turkey, & his videos show the mutual affection. When I worked in Istanbul, it was awful how many street cats there were. So sad. They're often seen as pests.
I paused before you mentioned number one and took a guess at what it would be (with your voice in my head): "Play with your cat. Play with your cat. Play. With. Your. Cat." 😅 I LOVE your videos, Jackson. And my two beautiful cats thank you for them! You're helping their human be a better companion. 😊
Thank you! I'm in Mexico rescuing feral cats. I play with them a lot and start clipping their nails when they're young. All of them love getting their nails trimmed now. I call it a "cat-icure." I also blink at them, and it works. I love your videos. I hear you started at the Boulder Humane Society. I have a second home up there and have gone there for many reasons. Great place.
for 2 cats i had set aside 1 hour per day the first few years and after they got older half an hour a day for playtime. didnt always take that long and sometimes there just was no time, but it was a good plan and my cats really appreciated it. if you ask me, playing with your cat is not optional, dog-people have to go out in the rain and pick up poop every day, we have to play with our cats. thats the deal we signed up for.
My cat has a job. She sits next to me in my office all day on her fluffy drafting chair, interacting with me. She loves being part of everything. I raised her from birth as well, so we're very close. Great vid ....gratitude
When it comes to clipping claws, I definitely agree that it's easier if you start them young. I had a Maine Coon who I got as soon as she was considered an adoptable age, and I immediately got her used to letting me work her claws by giving her treats every time she didn't squirm while I did so. By a year old all I had to do was show her the claw trimmers while clicking my tongue and she would jump in my lap and flop over belly up while I easily trimmed her claws. She would get treats after and I wouldn't have to fight her to trim her claws - in the end, we were both happy!
We found an approx 24 hours old orphaned kitten in a retail store parking lot July 1rst. Couldn't find mother ANYWHERE. He's now 3 months old, and doing GREAT. Jackson, my family, and I watch your videos then discuss them. This one was particularly valuable. Thank you for helping us make a bad situation, into a success story. 2 things that have really helped us with Ivey.... 1. We only lightly stroke his head unless he asks for his body to be rubbed. That has eliminated a biting issue. (it was totally my fault too) 2. We catified our house according to Jackson's advice. Cat trees, interactive toys, he loves to chase his stick with feathers on it, then he has a ball he "kills", he eats, grooms, and sleeps. Win/win for us all. THANK YOU, Jackson.
I recently added a third cat who had been an only cat for his entire life. We were a bit concerned how he would transition into our home, but what a change. Not only for my tabby whose brother we recently lost but our new addition is SO enamored with my other two cats. He is my tabby’s shadow now. We are week three with this new boy and they are now zooming around the house together.
Recently rescued and adopted a little devil. I already started training her with positive association when i touch her paws. I have super high value boiled chicken that she only gets when I hold her paws. She still freaks out but we’ll get there! Also start leash training around the house! I want my baby to see the world 😊
So, I watched this last night and we fed our cat his (wet) breakfast this morning off a small plate instead of a bowl. He ate everything in one sitting! He didn’t throw it everywhere. Amazing! I had no Idea we were causing him discomfort! THANK YOU!!!
I think it’s interesting that I’ve been doing all of those and never grew up with a cat my whole life. My fiancé got me… us…? a cat as a present and I had no clue at all on how to really care for a cat, but I ended up being a natural in making her happy. 🥺 This little girl of mine is just beyond incredible and seeing this video and knowing I’m doing it all makes me feel proud about myself. 💙
Awesome Jackson. My 13 year old Persian cat, Bear, has just come out of hospital with stage 4 kidney disease & whilst watching your video in bed, I separated his two food bowls, water dispenser & poop tray from each other & he instantly had more interest in all 4. He’s now snuggling with me on the bed ❤. You’re a genius. Bear thanks you 😽.
I had a cat who was my soul mate. I found him and 4 baby siblings covered in mud outside. As a kitten, he was sick one day and the vet said there’s not much to do. He had kidney failure, liver failure … I decided to take him home from the vet. Some people told me they wouldn’t have. My precious Boise lived 20 years. The best boy in the world.
HOW AMAZING! Thanks for posting this.
9 lives ❤ - so good he found you
@@sharonlutz1046 I’m glad I could share a little about him. I kept 2 of the kittens actually. Rosebud also lived 20 years and they loved each other too.
❤ What did you feed your cats?
@@annatalley2947 Good question. But I fed them Fancy Feast and Cat Chow. Maybe they would have lived to 30 if I had given them something better. I had 3 cats and a dog. Maybe the secret was having one big happy family 😊
Here’s another thing: TALK to your cat! My cats and I have conversations every day, we all love it, especially my Siamese, she will go back and forth with me for 30 minutes, no joke.
I sing to my cats all the time they act like they dont like it but i know they do!
Mine too
@@strlslvr987I sing to mine when I bring out her food and she gets so excited when I start
Talking to your 😺 or 🐶 helps them to know when you are in a good mood or angry etc.
Same. 🤣
What has made my cats' life better? Me paying attention, making more of an effort to understand their perspective. They have a lot more to say to me than I thought.
This would definitely be a good nr 8 on the list.
My son taught me that and to never force yourself on them they tend to come around at their own pace and when they become comfortable they have a lot to offer
😊😊
My orange cat loves to fight with me, I "attack" him by just petting him frenetically and picking him up, he doesn't like a lot to be petted and hates being picked up lol, he growl, hiss and scratch me then runs the fuck away.. But shortly after he returns meowing and rubbing against me for more hahhahah
Meow
The BEST thing you can do when it comes to PLAYING WITH YOUR CAT is to do it just before meal time! Whatever the feeding schedule, put a timer on for 5-10m and play with your cat, then put their fresh meal down when you're done. Feeding them after a 'hunt' is an easy way to incorporate play into the day and combine their physical/mental health by nurturing their base instincts.
Thanks. I didn't know. Will do. New kitten came into our lives via the person who found him wandering into her yard. She immediately reached out to our small town's FB groups. I picked up the itty-bitty kitten the next day and took him to our vet for a wellness check. My first kitten this young and I had no idea how to integrate with 4 cats and 1 small dog who loves his cats but still needs lots of positive conditioning to make the integration safe. I asked my husband's daughter-in-law a bunch of "new-kitten" questions and she directed me to Jackson Galaxy. My husband has decades of loving cats, while I spent years in dog rescue and learning their needs. I fell into feline love beginning 4 years ago, when we adopted 4-month old kittens. I created a fantastic strategy for converting my small dog to loving his kittens and even playingendencieswith them. But nobody has ever spelled out so many things so clearly as in these videos and links to veterinarians and other experts. It's wonderful having this little fresh slate to see the wonders of the advice and explanations. I named him Boo, for Boo Radley. Gotcha' day was 4 days ago, 10/ 26/2023. 6-week old Tuxedo. Now I will start over with Big Orange sibling who developed bullying tendencies. I didn't play with him! Will commence. Ordered the peace kit. Keeping Boo in his own large bedroom until I go through each step for introductions.
Thats what I do but I play with them at least for 2 hours 😭 Its my 2nd job
Wow!! Great tip. Thanks
@@mayacskni got a tammie cat ive had him for about a week i want to play eith him he only plays every nownakd then for breif perjods
One of the things that has helped me bond with my cats is taking him for walks.
I think that a lot of cats enjoy walks, but don’t have a chance to do it.
I have lived in fairly safe places like a large apartment complex we could just walk around with our cats.
Sometimes they lead and sometimes they follow. For the last few years I’ve lived in a senior retirement place, and we would just walk around the building after most people have gone to bed..
I noticed my cat never drank water from his bowl but he always wanted to drink out of my mug. So now he has his own mug of water! He loves it!
I do the same thing! Mine is a hospital cup so it’s nice and tall and the perfect height for them too lol.
Yes. It's easy to reach the water. Doesn't have to bend its head so low.
Every time I leave the room I would find my cat drinking from my water glass upon return.
This explains why. Why do they prefer disgusting water from the sink rather than fresh filtered water in their bowl.
I just upgraded my cats dish to a high plate since he is getting older I can see that he appreciates not having to bend down to eat. He now eats like a king. 😸
My cat is the same way. She will drink from her water bowl sometimes. But she has her own cup of water somewhere else in the house and she loves it
Mine only drink from mugs. I have 6 cats!
I love how over 1 million people have watched this to try and make cats lives happier ❤
True
Do not cut cats claws! They need them to climb, protect themselves and survive day to day situations. Get cat scratchers
You 've gotta keep the claws trimmed. I have 3 kitties. Claw scratchers only go so far. I would never de-claw them, but they would literally "claw each other's eyes out!" If they weren't 😮
They are our family 😻
Since my cat follows me to the bathroom all day… figured it should be in there
I'd say submitting to my cat's every whim and accepting her role as overlord of the house has made her life better
😂
But yet they still make demands all day long hahaha
😂😂😂😂 so true
Can confirm
Duh
1. Variety of food
2. Spread out their resources (food, bed, litter box, water, toys)
3. Litter boxes. 2 for 1 cat, 3 for 2, etc,. (Put in social area)
4. Avoid whisker stress (use a wider food bowl vs a deep one)
5. Clip claws & give medicine
6. Cat proofing your house
7. Play with your cat!!!
My cat has her own special place in every room. She has 4 different places to lay and watch out the window that I dare anyone to mess with! I do not clip her claws but I do have distinct places for her to scratch. It’s like having a kid! Your house must be a safe place! But I must admit that I often pick her up and pet her even if she resists, I’ve watched her tolerate me out of love so I make sure I put her down quickly lol.
What if your cat is an outdoor cat, but is still allowed inside 🤔 my ?
@@camolineowens1359🥲 my cat follows me everywhere. I do online school so the only times she is not by my side is when she is shitting or eating. Other than that, she doesnt like being outside my room by herself
We are suppose to trim their nails. It is simple to learn. Their nails grow just like ours and need trimming.@@camolineowens1359
@@busybee2033Very dangerous to let them outside. Our rescue cats have no desire to go out, I could leave the door wide open and they wouldn't go out. They're smart they remember the danger.
I’m a brand new cat Mom. I found a tiny 4 week old kitten on the side of the road and when I got out of the car she literally leapt into my arms. I said she wasn’t staying but we’ve been together a month and now I say she isn’t going 😂 I’m so happy I found your channel because I have never ever had a cat and I feel so lost somedays. In comparison to “raising” my dogs, I have no clue how to be the best cat-mom I can be. Your videos have made me confident I’m giving Twix her best life, thank you so much for your content!!
Ty keep up the good work 😻😻😻😻
Never had a cat before either (always a doggy) but Rosie insisted on moving in with us.. she now rules the roost. We Love her.♥️
I love people who rescue animals. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I just got a new feral/throwaway kitten 2 weeks ago. My daughter found him under her car when she got gas or something. I already rescued 2 definitely feral kittens 5-6 yrs ago. Charlie passed in Dec. and his brother Lil Bit was lonely, so yea, Bits is a big brother to Hunter. Hunter is too sassy for Bits, but he shows a ton of patience waiting for Hunter to grow up 😂
@@lisabishop6266 Rescuers are the best people in the world. Love to know the joy of a happy animal.
The part about the whiskers almost made me cry. I had no idea about whisker stress. When we adopted our cat, he was a day away from getting euthanized by our local animal shelter. One side of his whiskers was cut off to about a half inch long. He had serious trust issues and it took him a long time to adjust. Now 2 years later he is an amazing cat, and we spoil him with love.
Ty ty ty ♥️♥️♥️😻
Did his whiskers ever grow again? Someone cut the tip off Rosie's tail & hit her so hard they fractured her hip: we were heart broken but that was 6yrs ago; she's now doing great. A proper Madam.
Giving love and a good life should never be called spoiling, its such a terrible saying. Loving appropriately is never spoiling. It's right to hold your baby when it cries and it's right to care for your pets needs.
I am actually crying because my cat has been eating out a bowl for years and it's only just now occurring to me why she leaves food around the edges. I mean it's literally a cat bowl and I thought if she's leaving food behind she mustn't be hungry any more. But now I know it's because she can't bear to suffer through eating any more of it I feel like a monster.
@@Erkle64 Don't be too hard on yourself. You didn't know and now you do. It is clear you love your cat and want what is best for her! ❤
Just adopted a cat 1 week ago and watching your videos has seriously helped us aid him in breaking him out of his shell. He’s adventuring through the house and accepting play/treats AFTER A WEEK! I feel like that’s incredible especially for a 2yr old shelter cat. We love him to death and I can’t wait to watch his personality grow :)
I had the same thing happen with a 5 year old tuxedo who happens to have a mustache! Previous owners threw him onto the street and he was awfully skiddish-- with a kind heart, gentle hands, and this man's video's... Within a week he was snuggles, chirps, and all for belly rubs. Wish you the best stranger
Congratulations! Happy days for you and your new family member. No other investment you make will give you a greater return than this adoption and the time you put into being with him. Unless, of course, it is another pet adoption!! Take those extra few minutes every chance you can to scratch an ear or toss a mouse.
Thank God for the sweet people still in this world ❤
Aww cute! I adopted a 2 month old kitten last week and he already makes demands as the king of the house hahaha
Last year in July, we rescued 6 cats: a feral mama and her 5 kittens. Kittens are now 1 years old and perfectly domesticated. Although mama is still untouchable, she's adapted to indoor life. She tested positive for FeLV (kittens are negative), so she's unreleaseable.
To be honest, it wasn't my plan to have this many cats, or any for that matter. I have always had cats, but at 71 I wanted a break. Our last kitty crossed Rainbow Bridge in '21 and I wanted to help out my 94- year old father, who lives independently with his wife 10 hours north of us. However, since my husband's allergies became non existent since contacting Covid last year, he now wants all the kitties.🙄 He did not want to find homes for them because, in his opinion, they were already home. Anyway, I/we love these furballs, regardless. The best thing we've done for them is to get them fixed and inoculated. Next was to buy oblong, stainless steel dishes. I already knew about ,whisker stress. We are presently building them a catio using our 16x8 foot patio off of our our living room. Husband just finished staining the inside part of the door, so tomorrow he'll work on the front. Then comes the hinges, which we've had to order so there's a bit of a wait for them to get delivered, and then finally installation. Other than building different levels, runs, hides, litter box area, and bringing in fun accessories, it'll be done, hopefully before this weekend! I can't wait!!! I'm excited to see how the cats react to having additional room to run and play. ❤ And I'll be able to do housework without my furry quality control crew's spontaneous 'inspections'. 😂
I am obsessed with this guy tbh, i love how intelligent and how passionate he is about improving cats lives!!!
I trim my cats nails when she's sleepy/napping. Just pet her a few times, get her purring and then trim a few at a time, come back for the rest later. No pressure, no rush, no stress. It works great for us :)
I do this too! It's actually so easy when they're sleeping. Sometimes if they're tired enough, they don't even notice! So easy and if you start when they're young it is no problem.
Same. I wait til she's been spark out for a good hour, then trim them. She barely opens one eye.
I have a stray boy cat, and was feeding him outside, but he wouldn’t come in the house. It got so cold one night that I decided, this is it. If he won’t come in on his own accord, that I was going to go get him, and finally caught him. To make a long story short, some asshat had his claws surgically removed 😱 just the front ones. Now my cat doesn’t want to go outside, and it’s fine by me. Poor thing suffered, but not anymore ❤️
@@veonnisual nn
Works great!! We wait until she's sleepy, sing to her and do just one paw at a time so she doesn't need to stress.
After 13 years of losing my cat, I finally found the courage to open my heart to another cat. I'm so thankful for my Daisy. She's fiesty yet sweet calico. I've found all of Jackson Galaxy's videos so helpful.
That must of been so difficult for you! After the last of my elderly kitties went, I was going to do without. But hey; it was winter in a new house and I found I was becoming fur-deprived.
I’m so sorry for your loss💔 I’m glad your new friend is helping you heal
My first own pet was a calico, named daisy, she died alittle over a year ago, at 13. That was unbearable for me to put her down, some type of cancer or something. The other cat Bella, i got around the same time with more health issues , is a fatty who is a bit psycho and sleeps alot, but loves being around me
Yep got a calico cat my self.
It took me 20 years (and a pandemic) to consider getting a new cat. I didn't even realize how much the death of my previous cat must have hurt me. I am SO glad I took a chance on cat love again, though--my Minou is just the sweetest! 😺
I brush them, play with them, walk with them in my garden, feed them a variety, look after their health, 4 litter boxes, two cat trees, low dishes, toys around the house, etc. My last sweetheart lived 23 years. Love them
You are obviously doing all the right things…. We can definitely learn from you! A 23 yr old cat! Extremely impressive!😊
Question my babies bowl is small is that ok? Looks like the dishes you can heat in the oven that cake come in
My cat just turned 23. She has always been a sweet heart. She is really starting to show her age. I hate the thought that she is nearing her end days 😢.
Jackson my cat absolutely loves your shows she focuses on the screen and enjoys it. Specifically the teaching shows she loves the Improve your cats life. She gets very annoyed if i rewind cause I missed something. She looks at me as if to say “really! I was watching that!!”
Same here!! I have a new kitten and she came over and sat next to me, looking straight at the video. I dont know if it was the sound of his voice but she was drawn to the video and it looked like she was paying attention more than I was. So cute!!!
I acquired a feral cat. She wouldn't play with me directly. Guessing being feral and not being in close contact with humans. She was a year old when I got her. She wasn't completely wild and would let me pet her: to a point. When she had enough, she'd let me know, politely. Our favorite activity would be to sit together outside (she hated being inside) in the sun. Companionship. We definitely had a connection. She lived 17 years and I still miss her.
My block in suburbia (little early-1960s houses) suddenly became home to five (5!) ferals last spring. All five drop by to drink water at trays I leave out for them, and to have a little supervised treat time now and then, but NONE of them want human contact. Two of them, however, seem to like hanging out more than the others. While I'm working in the back yard, "Cat Of Many Colors" likes to supervise, sitting cat-loaf style on a wad of torn-up rug my daddy left on top of a tool cart, while "Apricot Kitty" prowls the yard for crickets and grasshoppers. Sometimes they decide to prowl together and play "mighty jungle cat" among the arbor vitae and hosta plants, under the yews and in the ivy. It's quality cat time -- and it also keeps them in prime position to schmooze me for a treat when I head back toward the house.
Sorry for your loss.
💕💔❤💓
we had a King that ruled the trailer park. huge tuxedo tom. the manager saw him chasing a large rat down the street and decided "No trap for him!". Boots would catch birds & mice, and line them up in a row in the center of the lawn! after nearly 18 years, he got old and ill, and disappeared one weekend. he had a lot of friends here that miss him. ferals can be good friends.
Sorry to hear a out your cat, we lost ours a couple of years ago and he was 17 as well, it's heartbreaking 😢 xxxxxx
My one cat absolutely hated getting her nails trimmed. Even at the vet I could hear her meowing endlessly. Broke my heart. So I tried it at home and she hated it still. It was such a challenge… then I had an idea. I changed locations from the bathroom to the couch and I hummed softly as I did it. It completely changed her reaction. I was amazed! No she still does not like it. But she tolerates it much better and I can actually trim her nails without her under so much stress.
Try talking to her while you trim her nails, it relaxes them so much. I talk to my cats, tell them we're almost done and that if they're good kitties I'll give them treats, it helps them relax, they stop meowing and moving, I have special treats for when I trim their nails so as soon as I'm done they demand them :)
@@sophieleon87 That’s exactly what I do! I wait until the cat is relaxed or sleepy, then in the bedroom I do an audible countdown as I cut: “ OK, that’s 4 toes down, 4 more to go…oooohh , such cute pink toesies, now let’s do the hands…Then treats all around.
I may sound like I’m off my meds but my cats don’t mind nail cutting. Start young if possible, always make it pleasant.
Thank you for this suggestion!
Exactly. There are smoother ways.
@@sharim Im replying to you, but thanks to all of the above for the tips and tricks. My cat isnt hostile but really dislikes it when I try to cut his nails. He will meow and try to pull his paws out and I dont want to force him to do it, so I usually cut 1-2 nails at a time, every chance I get. Ive tried watching videos on how to cut nails but all the cats in these videos seem like theyve been given heroin or something. Just completely still and quiet, so they havent been very helpful. Thanks.
I never had a cat before but I watched your show all the time. A kitten came into our lives. She’s a black kitty and she almost went to a shelter but we decided to keep her. Because of your show I was ready to give her the best life ❤
I'm so happy to read this. Black cats have been known to stay in shelters more often and longer due to people not wanting them due to stupid beliefs years ago that black cats are evil/bad karma. It makes me so sad to see this. I have a tuxedo cat, and he is the best. ❤️
Love it! Our 2 previous black cats were awesome And our black grandcat is pretty awesome too!!
I had never had black cats until 5 years ago. Oh gosh are they fun and full of personality. Congrats on your new cutie
Bless you for manifesting your new spirit buddy! 🙏🥰 I just acquired two black cats as my god children and the love and glowing energy is so present! Lots of great stuff on RUclips on the history of black cats 😇
My Raven is a black cat. She has so much personality and is so loving.
I like meowing back to my cat. We connect this way. Be it a "daddy!" meow or when I ask "who wants some food?" and I instantly get a different meow.
Every family member sleeping together is something I can associate with better quality of life for my cats as well (I've got 2, or they've got me).
I'm currently failing at spreading resources and playing with them. Quite miserably so.
Gotta watch the "my cat doesn't wanna play" video. Thanks for all your work, Mr JG!
I’ve been doing paw touching constantly with my kitty and now she actually likes it. It’s like we are “holding hands” and it’s sweet .
My cat holds hands with me to sleep At 11 pm she paces until I'm ready for bed too She's content once asleep I can get up but she wants me at her bedtime
That is so sweet
Yeah my Amazing Grace kitty hopped into my lap while watching and I did this while I had this casted on the TV. It really is nice....
Yes. My cat always holds my hand lol
Edit I’ve also trained her high five and hand shake so that helps too 😭😭❤️
I agree! I kiss my cats head... now he runs up to me and bows his head.....how many cats do that?
Hey Jackson and anybody reading this..... I adopted a kitten (Conrad) and have been following all of the advice I have found on this man's channel. Just got home from our first vet visit and the Doc told me I'm doing a superb job! Got lots of praises for the wet food diet and water drinking fountain. I wish I could take the credit but it goes straight to you Jackson Galaxy!!
But it also goes to you that is actually following all the great advices that the Cat Daddy gives to us! Well done to you too!🥇
I tried the water fountain, she hissed at it and slapped it, it broke and I returned it to the store.. oh well to each it's own. She does love her doll
though. She keeps licking it and trying to make it set up like it's going to talk to her.
@@oklahomafreedom5536 mine didn’t like it either so I sold it to someone that had a small dog who loves it!
@@Lee.Willcox God bless you as well friend! At least during these uncertain absolutely crazy times we live in we still have our community of animal lovers. It keeps me grounded. Everybody keep a stiff upper lip and remain in gratitude
Your cat might like some dry food too, as well as the wet food.
It adds variety and interest to their diet, and gives them something to crunch on.
(Their natural wild diet would include bones of their prey.)
My cats have wet & dry food.
Some don't really eat the dry, some prefer it.
They all have that choice.
We adopted a fourteen year old declawed kitty. I thought her paws probably felt very sensitive, so I bought a sensitive paw cat litter and she seemed to like it. Because of you Mr. Galaxy, I started to think about how to improve their lives since we are their guardians. Thank you for the gift of your teaching!!
There's a special place in heaven for people like you. Senior kitties are always so sweet
Thank you for adopting a senior kitty. ❤
Excellent🎉😻
🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
I have had a single cat for about 6 years now, and he adores having at least two littler boxes, food and water separated as well as placed in various spots. When I moved and had to rebuy bowls, I purchased shallow bowls for him
what have I found to make my cat's life better? Jackson Galaxy. I'm almost 60 and have had cats all my life. I thought I knew everything about them - until I discovered the Cat Daddy. Thank you Jackson, you came along at exactly the right time. I have a 4 month old kitten who will likely be my last cat and he will have the best possible life because of what I've learned from you.
I totally agree. I’m 62 have never not had a cat & between My cat from hell & these videos I still learn something from Jackson.
This is so wholesome I love you Susan!
Jackson is amazing isn't he? I have a 6 month old Tabby named Buddy. He is my boy and he is my best friend. He is an amazing. I have schizophrenia and he comforts me anytime he feels that I am not doing well. And he can tell when I am not doing well. I bought him one of the air prey telescoping wands. He LOVES it. I have had dogs most of my life and a few cats as a child. Cats are so much better for me especially since now my wife and I live in a 3 bedroom apartment. He doesn't hardly make any noise at all. He meows softly when he is a bit hungry. I know his different meows and I am very mindful to him.
So true!!
Please take another kitten. Cats are very social animals. They need a cat friend. Especially when they are so much young!
What has made my cat's life better? Jackson Galaxy's videos, of course.
Getting a puppy made one of my cats’ life better! The other doesn’t mind him and sometimes lays with him, but the one cat LOVES him, always plays with him, grooms him, cuddles him, it’s so sweet ❤️
Yes, yes! I always have had both a cat and a dog, and they're best buddies. After a while you learn to spot the right personalities :)
Both should have companions of their kind.
@@screeaveDestination the cat does, he gets along better with the pup though, and yes, ideally we would have another dog but it’s not possible for the time being. He gets plenty of play time with our neighbor/friend’s dogs though and is a very happy dog that I’m home with all day so he’s never lonely
I've been thinking about getting my cats a puppy😘
I always recommend having a companion for a pet, they need each other. To watch two animals loving each other is a real gift. You'll always want to tell others how important it is. 🙂
I'm so thankful for learning about "Whisker Stress," and what to do to help prevent it! This morning I split up my cat Matrix's breakfast, and gave her the option of eating it out of the deeper bowl I usually use or an open plate. Matrix definetly liked the plate better than the deeper, whisker-stress causing bowl! Looks like I need to go shopping for some new happy whisker dishware. ❤😻
The best thing I’ve done for my cats has been an extension of your discussion about doing hard things. It’s helped our human population too😊. I taught everyone in our household that cats are energy sponges. If we are stressed or angry or putting out bad vibes, it WILL affect the cats. Watching the immediate change in them has been a master class in mindfully managing our energy.
I’m really impressed with your comment, if you don’t mind friendship where are you from?
❤❤❤❤
Works for small humans, dogs... even plants are happier around happy humans.
This goes along with the old saying: If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! And "Mama" can be substituted with Papa or anyone else. We reap what we sow.
YOU are the 1st advoCATe ever to teach people to Think, Understand & Respect their cat(s). Thank God for you Jackson!❤
I agree. You are good and thorough.
He's the BEST!!
Cat fountain! One of our cats has always, _always_ had issues drinking out of a regular water bowl, and insisted on drinking out of the sink instead. She would literally go thirsty until someone was around to give her water. So: filtered cat fountain. She gets safe water whenever she needs it, and we don't get yelled at as much. Win-win.
Also, say bye before you leave. They do miss us when we're gone. And when you get back, or when you wake up, go find them individually and say hi. They will notice.
I say “goodbye” and “I’m hooome”, too! which I think is just respectful. I also let her know how long I’ll be away, using different set phrases and tones of voice, like “right back,” “not long,” “later,” and “long time” always followed by, “But Ma ALWAYS come home for Girl.” I think it really helps minimize separation anxiety. I’d certainly want to know how long my sole source of sustenance will be away.
😅I was hooked when you revealed number 1. Because I definitely started to walk away. Then you asked every one to come back like you could see us walk away. Happy MY Cat 🙀 LITTLE"RAY "OF SUNSHINE. Found
you.
Whiskers stress. My cat is 10 years old and I didn’t know this one. Fortunately for him, his food bowl avoids whiskers stress already but I didn’t know that was a thing. Great video, thanks Jackson 🐈⬛
Yea that was a revelation to me also. 🤔🙋♀️
I didn't realize this eather.
30 to 40 years ago people said I was imagining things for noticing cats didn't like their whiskers pushed on by a deep food or half empty water bowl. Part of it had to do with me being a kid, but I think a lot of folks were just insensitive to non-human cues. Now whisker stress is in the public discourse and I'm really glad about that.
@@galamander_1327" Out of the mouths of babes." Kids are often more in tune to their pets.
Just consider the whiskers on animals as the eyelashes on humans
The best thing I’ve done is really learn to read their behavior and watch the tail. The tail tells you a LOT. When there is a problem, the kitty will always communicate it through their behavior. It may seem so subtle to us, or sometimes not, but they are always speaking to us. Also, more wet food! Sometimes we have 4, but usually 3 wet meals per day. Multiple water dishes that get changed every day. No water sitting out for days on end, it’s gross. Fresh water for them, and I notice they have no problem drinking enough each day. Yes, it’s work. But I try to see life from their point of view, and having them is to improve their life as much as possible. They’re not decorations. They depend on me, and I love them so much.
Same here. Every pet deserves fresh water. I can’t imagine being such a slob as to not change bowls daily. Ugh.
I bought extra bowls so it’s easier to swap out because there are always clean ones. And I use distilled water, which is what I drink. It’s the cleanest water you can buy. 👍
@@angelwings7930 did you realize that distilled water has the nutrients stripped? Therefor it has no nutritional value, zero benefits.
Im sorry but multiple water changes a day? I wasn't aware water went bad.
@@danwest9628 water does go bad. Especially when it gets food and debris in it
@@brandylovescoco3994 Yes and germs from the cat’s mouths.
One thing that instantly made my cats' lives better was cat shelves. They can confidently cross my entire living room if we have company by being up high. They have a safe place all their own away from the doggos. And they like to regally observe their kingdom lol
My cat was a great acrobat she would climb up the curtain behind a sofa to the curtain rod, walk across jump in a hanging basket swing awhile and then jump to bookcase then return to earth via the back of a loveseat. I lost the video or I would share it. She is older now and has a bad leg. She is spoiled, likes Arby's sliders and Gyros without pepper Pepper hurts cats, and no onions I also nix the tstsike sauce.
Gyros are full of wheat, and probably should be avoided by everyone! :)
@@emordnilap6567 I never give them bread, pepper or onions I feed mine the lamb and the roast from Arby's sliders, they like ham steak and cocktail shrimp USUALLY they eat Friskies beef. Give you buddy a little lamb rinse the seasoning from the meat.
damn can you come over and put some up for me? I have five cats jungle cats. SOS help im in canada
@@candidcichlids just look up a tutorial. If you put up cat shelves on your wall your cats will love you forever. Cats love high spaces and tight spaces.
I've had a cat (or cats) for 40 yrs.
I'd done/noticed everything in the video, but never knew WHY!
Thanx for the wonderful explications xoxo
WOW! My cat picks her food out of her bowl and puts it on the floor to eat. Now I know why!! Thanks Jackson!!!
Thanks for all the love ❤ and support you’re show me and my career bless your generosity 🙏
Thanks for all the love ❤ and support you’re show me and my career bless your generosity 🙏
Complement of the season I’m really impressed with your comment, if you don’t mind friendship please were are you from?
Making her a spot in every room where we spend extended time. My husband and I are artists, and when we first got our 11 year old overweight rescue, we kept her out of the art room altogether. Now, she comes in and rolls around the floor with us, hangs out when we're here or anywhere else, and all I had to do was make her a "spot" with a solid plastic box and some old blankets. I've never had a cat before, so I definitely didn't realize how much she wanted to be with us no matter where we are!
Come on Jackson! My kitties were napping and they heard you extend the feather chaser and woke up INSTANTLY. We have that toy and they go absolutely crazy for it!
My cat loves it too! Unfortunately, the two we’ve had both broke within a week (although the first broken one became her absolute favourite toy ever AFTER it broke - it was the clip that broke off leaving just a small piece of plastic attached to the string, which was the most exciting thing in the world for my little bug-hunter 🤣)
@@rn3723 😄😅🤣
I’ve done all that, investigated good food, know their faves, diversify, beds everywhere, trees,looks like an encampment, toys galore, treats, & more! Do they like it, generally yes,but there’s always the ONE. All he wants is MORE!
Whisker stress is absolutely a real thing. My cat Baker is very sensitive with his whiskers. He always grabbed his food out of the bowl and ate it off to the side. I switched him to a plate (no whisker stress but very messy) and he definitely liked that more! I could tell that he was eating a lot more and eating in larger time frames rather than just small snippets throughout the day and barely pecking through the bowl. I've found the most success with a wide and shallow bowl. He eats just the same as with a plate, but no messes for me to clean up! Best of both worlds for the two of us.
Play with your cat is good advice! Or just spend time with your cat, paying attention to her. Like every time I walk by one of my cats, I stop for a few seconds to talk to him or her, and pet them for maybe ten or fifteen seconds. It seems to keep them happy. And it sure keeps me happy! 😀
I do the same thing. They know my movement patterns around the house and they always lay where they know I'll stop and pet and talk. It's very calming for me too.
I agree. I have four. I talk to them all (we live alone) just as I would a human. "Mom's going down to get something to eat". "Mom's leaving. I'll be back soon!". My oldest, Calli, is a tortie, 7 years old, and has tortitude for sure. She get attention at night when we go to bed. She almost always lays down w/me. She may not sleep all night w/me, but she likes being stroked and getting chin rubs, etc. That's her time; bedtime.
Early mornings are for Bailey a 5yr. old ginger tabby (male). He and I rise early, and he sits there and gets his "loving". He also likes strokes and chin rubs. They all like chin rubs. That is OUR time. Bing, my Siamese X, also 5 yrs. old, gets some early morning attention as well, He likes the outdoors so he cries for me to let him out, which I won't do until the sun comes up. (I bring them all in at nightfall as well). I always know when nights are getting chilly bc Bing, who otherwise does not sleep w/me, will cuddle up to me in the middle of the night to get warm. He does NOT do this during warm weather, so I must make special time for him then.
Just added a piebals, white/black male named Leo. He is about 5-6 mos old and currently rules to roost! He "attacks" the older kitties, trying to play. He currently get a LOT of attention, as a kitten. With nice weather here in the fall, I take him outdoors daily, weather permitting. He absolutely LOVES the outdoors, but I won't allow him to be out unsupervised yet. Probably won't until next spring and I feel safe that he knows where home is and will stay close here.
So they all have their "time". I love them all.
I am a 22 year old dude who moved to Greece about a year ago. My whole life i've been extreeemely allergic to cats/dogs/horses and it has allways bothered me so much because of my interrest in being with animals. I mean extremely allergic, I had to skip going to alot of friend because they had pets etc etc. Greece has an insane population of stray cats (actually there is about 1.5 millions cats in just athens) thats a third of how many humans live there. So to encountering cats are inevitable.
One day im chilling in my room and hear a squeking sound from the forest alley just outside my balcony. There was a 1-2 week kitten trapped under the building and just had to take her in. Once i get the cat inside i notice she is covered from face to tail with little bugs. I gave her a well needed wash and in this moment i knew that any moment my throat will be severly swollen because i had been handling the kitten. I have never hated my allergies so much in my life, I wanted to keep this cat.
Of course i kept her for as long as i could, but when one hour had passed something was wrong.. I did'nt feel ANYTHING from interaction with this cat. Im used to not be able to be in the same house as cats and now being able to hold and cuddle the cat i resqued from under my apartment complex.
I just wanted to share this story because to me it is such a miracle. As you can understand i have very little knowledge of cats behavior because of the little time i've spent with them but your channel is the absolute best, I have learned a great amount of stuff to make my kittens life the best it can.
I had the same situation. Possible answers for these could be: allergies can pass with time or change severity, especially when you grow up. And also there are more and less allergenic breeds. 10 years ago I could not stay 5 minutes in one room with a cat, and now I have a calico.
I used to be very allergic to cats too but it gradually went away (faster with exposure)
That is so fantastic.
With cats, there is a chemical they produce which is what causes the allergyand it gets in their fur. Different cats secrete different amounts and the amount of fur along with their self grooming habits makes a difference.
My female cat has so little that I have no problems. But my male cat has so much more that I can get very sick.
I love him so much that I refuse to part with him. So I spoke to my doctor and she found the right antihistamines for me. It is 100% worth it. 🎉❤
Happy cats. Happy home.😊
That’s amazing! Congratulations ❤
Immediately trimmed the front paws (did backs yesterday) and then got out the toy and played. Oh and moved her scratching post to a room she claims often but is now really hers. She went right for it. 🥰
I absolutely love how Jackson shares all of his knowledge that he has spent 10 years about cats to us, and we’re literally gaining all of it in just a day. I’m so thankful that you exist Jackson, I don’t even know what I’d do without you man
As l am and though l have had so many cats over my 70+ yrs....l still learn from him all the times l watch... so grateful ❤
I've had cats all my life and I'm so glad he makes these videos! I'm learning sooo much!!
7. 0:50 Feeding a variety of foods
6. 2:57 Spread out resources
5. 5:20 Litter boxes
4. 6:56 Avoid whisker stress
3. 9:10 Get good at the difficult things
2. 12:15 🐈proofing your hse
1. 12:18 Play with your 🐈
So I don't have to watch this whole video, thank you, ugh,
I ended up watching anyway, I hate my life, ugg
Bless you for the heads up. I'm going to find out what whisker stress is and be done. I hope.
@@BobbiGail that's a much over looked issue and it's great he is telling people about it.
@@angelad599
Maybe🤔 you need another cat..😺 or 2 😺😺. 🥴
Love the video!
I have a 12-year old applehead Siamese named Luna who I got when she was 3 months old, and apparently I have been doing all of these things right without even knowing it. Except for the wet food only thing. She will get a can of moist cat food in the morning, one in the evening, but I will leave her with a bowl of Kit N Kaboodle during the day. She has never had any health problems.
She has a litter box in the laundry room and one in the corner of my bedroom. Her food dish is on one side of the kitchen and her water bowl is on the other side of the kitchen. They are both about 3 times as wide as her head.
She has a cat fort/tree in the living room, as well as several cat ledges I have installed on the walls around the perimeter.
Her cat bed is in my bedroom, along with more cat ledges.
She goes to the vet once every 4 weeks.
I don't trim her nails because her cat fort has a strip of sandpaper-like surface that she loves to scratch and she keeps her claws trimmed by herself. I checked with my vet to make sure this was okay and he said that long as she was happy with it, there shouldn't be a problem. She would regulate herself.
As for the playing, she thinks that she taught me how to play fetch. I also have a mini fishing pole with a small reel, and I have attached a toy mouse to the line.
Whe I pull it out she goes into instant alert "I'm getting ready to pounce" pose.
I cast the mouse across the living room and start to reel it in and she will stalk it and pounce before it gets halfway across the room. Sometimes she will disappear, I can hear her, but can't pinpoint her location, so I will cast it and see her head poke out from under the sofa like "ooh, it's play time!".
I do my best to give her a healthy and happy life because she saved my life.
The night I got her I was so depressed, I was planning on ending my life. But when I got her, I had this small life depending on me and that gave me something to live for. She made me realize that life is never bad enough to end it that way.
Cats ( as with all pets ) make life better .
Very touchy. ...Wish you both the best!
00By Hy
Thank you so much for your help! I’m adopting a 2 year old female cat tomorrow Monday December 18, 2023, that I connected with last Saturday when my niece adopted a cat. I’m super excited to be a cat mom for the first time ever and I’m watching all your videos to learn everything to make sure Sunshine aka (Katsy) gets the best life she deserves after being in a shelter.
Good luck! I'm attempting to convince my mom to let us Hawe a cat aha ,mainly due to my room being in the attic,with an ladder and we Hawe a large dog breed. (Bernesse mountain dog). My idea is to keep the cat in my room,and the dog downstairs
And like get stuff that Hawe their stuff and let the other sniff them. ! Good lucck
That's awesome! Hope everything is going well so far! I'm adopting my first ever cat on new years, a 5 year old female. She's my aunt's cat, who is moving Jan 3rd and can't take her with her. It's either I take her, or she goes back to a shelter. My aunt adopted her from a shelter 4 years ago and she doesn't deserve to go back. Plus, with her being on prescription kidney food, she may not get the care she needs at a shelter. I've only met the cat once very briefly years ago, so I too am binging videos to try to make the transition as easy as possible for her.
How is it going so far? Give us an update!☺️
@@emmi9283 Katsy is doing fabulous! She is being spoiled and loved by everyone in my family. The day after the adoption I took her to the vet bacause she urinated blood on her bed and she had a urinary tract infection and pain. She was taking antibiotics and pain medication for 4 weeks nonstop and after that she became a happy and a loving cat. She is living the best life happy playing with Orus (my niece cat) Sage (my sister’s pug) and (Shishi my chihuahua).
Teaches me to be a better cat person...still after so many years of being around them. Never too late to add some knowledge.
My motto is "kind hands". Whatever you do with your cat, be gentle and loving and show and mindful. Whether it's playing or working in the same room or picking them up or administering medicine. I apply this even to the noise I make. When I step around my cats, I try to be careful and tread lightly. When I have to open a garbage bag, I go into another room. It's a small thing but we love the gentleness and peace this adds to our life.
Before I'd turn the vacuum cleaner, I used to tell them: "mamma's gonna do 'wee-oo, wee-oo' ..." and they'd immediately scatter.
They understand a lot more than we give them credit, for.
❤
@@AngelicaNightingale Our (sadly long-demised) cat did not fear the vac (motor unit on the floor on small wheels, long pipe and brush etc. end) for long! As soon as she realised that the long pipe could be detached at the handle and that this was used to clean small spaces etc., she got curious, mounted a piano seat and let herself be "vacuumed", accompanied by purring almost as loud as the vac sound!
I even took a photo, because we could not believe it at first. Every time we vacuumed, it was obligatory to not forget the cat. She never had any skin issue, always wanted to be let out when it rained, and sometimes even sprang into the bathtub accompanying one of us unexpectedly. One friend of my mother did not like cats, mostly due to the smell they gave a flat, but on visits she was always surprised that our home did not smell and tolerated our cat really well (who always made a point to ONCE walk across the dinner table in front of this friend, something she nevernevernever did when we were alone - just to show who's boss).
[Maybe it helped that she instantly felt better when we adopted her and rid her six weeks old flimsy frame of more than 50 fleas (we counted them). We used a drastic but successful method that Jackson would not approve of today, but until I was born in the 1960s, in my family there always were dogs and horses, and to rid them of exoparasites, they were doused in petrol, and after a short immersion time washed with clear water.
We had inherited a bottle of lamp petrol, and never knew what to do with it, until the vet whom we consulted first, told us that the kitten would die anyway before the weekend was over (she was very ill from the beginning, but a fighter!), and that any flea powder would kill her even faster, so he gave us none. So we had to resort to the time-tried method, because the fleas were already laying eggs, and we could not risk an infestation of our home. After applying the petrol, we stood her on a white bedsheet, and the insects started dropping instantly, or seeking rescue on the cat's nose (no petrol in the face!), from where we picked them off with pincers.
After ca. 20 minutes we rinsed her clean and stood her in the August sun to dry -> fluffedyfluffed, but firstly indignant furball, but some hours later one could already see the difference. She began to eat and drink and was less lethargic than when all those parasites had nearly sucked her dry. The improvement showed us that for THIS emergency situation we had done the right thing.
Imagine the vet's shocked disbelief, when we returned about a week later to cater for the deworming meds and vaccines - needless to say, that he admired our furball's survival skills, admonished us sternly, but kept her and us as patient/ clients. He had to admit that he also knew our healing method, because he was the vet of the farmers on whose property my family first lived after the war, and he knew them already and that they would never harm any animal (he then had a crush on one of my aunts, and rightly so ;-) ).
Our Poldi (we at first could not determine that she was a girl, but had read about a cat hotel of the same name and beforehand said that if ever a cat came into our life, that would be its name, so please do not judge too severely our choice!) lived two short, but very active and (for us :-))) ) life-enhancing years, before she passed away due to leucosis. She had contracted it in the shelter where she and her siblings were brought after their rescue from a shed, where a farmer had locked up them and their mother to starve them to death.
She was the last of the litter, and when another litter (their mother had been killed in an accident) was put in the care and nurture of her already emaciated mother, she nearly really died, but was picked up and luckily given to us.
We were happy and lucky to have had the opportunity to meet our gorgeous little warrior, and only after her demise I underwent the test for cat allergy (sadly positive *bawl*).
My daughter and I are considering to adopt a cat after assessing if we can catproof our new home according to JG's recommendations, and also afford to care well for a furry family member, because nowadays there are less allergy-inducing specimens available, maybe even in a shelter, which would be our first place to look for company. Please wish us luck ;-))) and thanks for reading this far!]
My cat has NO problem standing next to the vacuum when I fire it up..she is not scared of anything! Yes, she has great hearing! We yravel so I figured she would adapt well..so true!
@@AngelicaNightingaleI have 2 stray cats in here now so it took a while to trust me they must be about 1 yr now n that's wot I do ❤ ..say mummy is getting Henry out plug it in n give them a min to go in other room ... lately I switch on n notice there getting brave near hoover but under or up above it 😂 it won't be long b4 they dnt move n tell me back .. not yet ur not hoovering 😂❤
@@sabinegierth-waniczek4872 LOVED THE WATER >> HE >>WHEN MY SON >HE WANTED TO GO IN >>>>SO >>>WE LET HIM IN >>HE SAT AT THE BACK OF THE SHOWER >>JUST ENOUGH TO GET WET >>>MY SON >> SO DIFFERENT !!! AND >>> HE >LOVED :) :) :)
I still can't believe this is just FREE on youtube for everyone...thank you Mr Galaxy. You are literally making the world a better place.
I’m a new cat mum, I’ve had my cat for 4 months now and she was only 6 weeks old when I got her and your videos and your channel have helped alotttttt!!! My cat is my life, I love her so much and your guides made it all that little bit easier so thank you!
My cat is indoor only and when I'm at work she's alone. Bird videos while I'm away and frequent play while I'm home has done wonders for her mood! Just make sure the tv is secure because they WILL pounce.
There are several hummingbirds that visit my window so the cat keeps herself entertained inside, she can lay in sunlight when she pleases.
Putting videos on tv is how I lost my chromecast to some nasty paws, so she gets cartoons now.
Just adopted a cat and I work ot every week nearly, gonna use the videos now while I’m gone this was very helpful thank you 🫶🏼
We have humming bird feeders by our back sliding glass doors. Our kitty loves to lay in the sun and yell at the birds!
My cat has never cared for things on the TV. It's so strange, because she loves watching the birds out the window but does not like watching them on TV.
I already do all of these things for my cats. I learned all of these things over the last 12 years of watching Jackson Galaxy. My eldest cat was 12 when she passed a few weeks ago. She was my first cat ever and I had no idea what I was doing when I got her. Watching my cat from hell helped me understand her and I was able to give her the best 12 years a cat could have. Thank you for helping me become the best meowmy. 💜🐈⬛
So sorry for your loss. 😿 Continue your love with your next kitty please. 😻
Hey Jackson 😁, l've been watching you for years & have lots of great ideas & memories thx to you
You're so funny 😉 & l can't believe how much knowledge you have about cats😻
@@kathytaverna9987 Jackson won't see your replies. Reply to the video, not comments, for him to possibly see them.
So sorry to hear of your loss. Knowledge from the expert is key, and learning from Jackson, pretty sure your cat would have had a fab life with you 🙂
For years I’ve enjoyed shopping thrift stores for pretty saucers to feed my cats on. I didn’t know about “Whisker Stress”, but loved finding a lovely vintage saucer and making their area look nice. I also put the dishes on a plastic tray so any food that’s pushed off is easy to clean up. Accidental Stress relief!
I have been an animal person for years. From baby ducks, chicks, hens, steers, big dogs, a number cats, and most recently, a family of raccoons (they adopted me, as did the opossums, and the two skunks). Your vids have informed me about how to interact with those regal and magnificent jumpers -cats. The whisker and claw trimming were really helpful tips. Thnx!
My mind is absolutely blown about the whisker stress section of the video. You just described exactly what one of my cats has been doing for quite a while. It seems so obvious to me now. Glad I watched this video--better late than never to get her a different bowl 😬
I just love you Jackson Galaxy! My current kitty and I have only been together for 2 years. He has trained me well. He never stops talking! I adopted him with the name Romeo and he knew his name, so he is my beautiful Romey. He sleeps on my pillow, sits in the couch with me and watches me do my chores. I have 3 children that were never this devoted to "Mommy".
The quality if life we each lead is heightened by our love for each other.
I am 75 and never knew cats at all until I was 52. So growing older has been blessed with my purr babies.
Thanks for all you do for kitty Cats and their trusted guardians! You rock!
got them off the street amd into a loving forever home. made their lives instantly 1000 times better! adopt, don't shop! 😻😻😻
dont forget to get the cat checked for a chip or even post flyers incase you just took in someone's outside cat
I totally agree every cat in my life has been adopted from a shelter
@@danielgonzalez5787 always. i actually found my first cat's owner, but they didn't want him any more. his old name was "fish bait", his new name is grandpaw.
@@estibon3872 aw...i wish people would surrender their unwanted pets instead of just releasing them
@@danielgonzalez5787 what a cruel thing to do!!
There’s nothing better than living with cats. I had 4 at one time, but they are all gone now. I miss them so much.
Acclimating my cat to going in his carrier has made both of our lives better! It was way easier than I thought, I leave it out all of the time and he uses it like a bed. Now going to the vet is less stressful for both of us and I know I could easily get him in his carrier if there was an emergency. My vet was also super impressed when she saw him go back in and I told her about what I did. She even said she'll have remember that for other clients!
My cat is watching this video intently as if he’s trying to tell me how important it is for me to pay attention ❤
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I believe you lol. 😄
Very good lol. Mine watched Trump and Biden. He jumped off bed after seconds of Trump but stayed for Biden. Guess he didnt lik the shouting by the Donald ha ha
@@shipaskof8371 or he knew no matter how much grooming he did, he couldn't fix orangemans hair or color 😂😂😂😂
So I don't have to watch this whole video, thank you. Ugg
My Cat has been exhibiting ALL your ‘whisker stress’ symptoms ever since I adopted her!! I’m changing her food bowl to food PLATE as soon as I finish this comment! THANK YOU!
Omg, how is she now?
I, did to.
this channel is really a god send for all cat owners
I did use plates at some point, currently have shallow bowls so there's no way their whiskers touch it until it's almost empty, but the feed also doesn't fall out - cats eat happily and have a healthy weight, so I'd say it works best for both parties.
Me too. Maybe that flicking thing my cat does when he eats his dry food is caused by the bowl sides.
Smokey’s favorite thing besides meals is her nightly treats hide and seek game. I throw a couple for her to chase, the last one into a room, then I close the door and “I go hide !” the rest. There are dozens of places just in the living room she can check to find (3-4 diff kinds of) snacks. I praise and praise her for every find as well as give “good look!”s when she tries a spot where I’ve “hidden” them before. It’s the most/best stimulation she gets in the day and great bonding time.
I wanted to add Part B to the "play with your cat" tip. I recently discovered all three of my cats really enjoy watching "cat videos" on TV via my Roku. These RUclips videos are typically several hours long, and contain birds squirrels, chipmunks and other little critters eating, scurrying and flying around. My cats are mesmerized by it and surprisingly engaged, sometimes going up to the TV and trying to catch the birds, or looking behind the TV to see where they went.
It has become a tradition in our household now. They come into the bedroom and pointedly look from me to the television then back to me, indicating that they would like to watch something. It has in fact become a little problematic sometimes because they don't care that I might be watching a movie or news or something, they want to watch what THEY want to watch. lol
My wife and I actually enjoy watching the cats watching TV more than we enjoy watching TV ourselves, so we ALL get something out of it. And like bad absentee parents, sometimes we just turn the TV on for the cats if we need a little bit of peace and quiet or to get some work done around the house.
Get video of them watching Cat TV. It's hilarious 😹🤣😹🇦🇺
It’s much smaller than the tv, but I often set mine up with a cat video on the ipad on my bed. Just an alternative for when you are watching a movie ;-)
My cat use to love watching those videos on my smartphone while on the bed (I had always wanted to buy the videos so she could watch them from the tv, but I never got around to it. I wish I had).
But, I didn't realize how much she loved watching the videos from my phone until I'd be reading off of it. She'd come up to me and look at my phone as if to say "Don't I get to watch too?"😄
@@tdelphia1 Where can I find cat video’s to watch on my iPad or iPhone? Is there somewhere streaming them??
@@AnitasLoveify Hi! If you search within youtube for "videos for cats to watch" you will get a TON of stuff suggested!!! My cats' favorite channel is Paul Dinning (he's in the UK). He does a lot of videos at cat eye level with birds and squirrels feeding in different settings and some of his videos are hours long - so you can turn on the tv to a channel, and let your cat(s) have a movie night if you go out :-)
My partner and I adopted a neighborhood cat. He was accustomed to being outside ALL THE TIME. He was obviously stressed when we brought him in the house and didn't allow him out. So we built a cattery on our porch. When Mack needs some time away and wants to have the outside experience, he goes to the cattery where he watches birds in our fountain, rodents in our garden, and chases whatever insect might be unfortunate enough to get too close.
I started feeding my boys wet food two days ago. You were right. They are so happy. I also started playing with them a few months ago with a fishing rod toy. They are so much more affectionate with me. They love the interaction.
Unless you buy fresh meat, it causes so much extra waste though if you have to give them food from cans or aluminum boxes, plus flies every where if they don´t finish it
I give my girls about a quarter to half a tsp wet food mixes into there kibble. They gobble it up and they clean their teeth by eating the hard tack food. They are perfectly healthy and my vet encourages this way of feeding.
@@kayeyeager8006 the problem with kibble is the amount of carbs. Too many cats, due to eating dry kibble foods, are becoming fat & diabetic, leading to liver disease, diabetes, and kidney failure. I have learned from experience. Check out carb content of dry foods before simply feeding them whatever the vet says.
My baby is my daughter's 15 year old cat. She just doesn't have time for Peanut anymore. I feel she should have thought about doing something else with her. Her basic needs are barely covered! I needed a baby to cuddle and be my best buddy. So she comes to me for cuddles and to talk to. I respect her space and person.
@@luvfunstuff2 I feed sweet potato and salmon kibble and avoid all the bone meal, corn and junk most companies put in there food. I also watch their water intake by having multiple bowls throughout the house. I also weight regularly so there weight stays in check. We talk a lot and I watch for the clues of not feeling well or just being off. I will give 3 days Max on a icky feeling that something is off before worrying they are sick etc. Plus they are indoor/outdoor (day time only) kitties and have other sources of food.
i have been binge watching your videos because i might be getting a cat soon and i want the best experience for them. this is gonna be my first cat and i jst want it to be pleasant for me and them. ❤
The whisker stress one is the one I haven't thought of before. One of my cats, Gatsby is always scooping the food out of the bowl and eating it. I do have some old plates that I think I will switch starting ASAP. Thanks Jackson!
Did switching help?
We have switched her soft food to a plate. We also have every cat tree she has ever gotten somewhere in the house. When we get a new one, the old one goes into another room. She loves it when we get a new one. She "supervises" and "helps" when we do the "some assembly required" part. She knows it is hers when the box arrives, and is often on parts of the tree as we're putting it together. As she matures, she gets more "steps" to get where she wants to be. Instead of "calculating" the trigonometry of jumping right to the top, she now calculates how to use each step on the way.
I’m really impressed with your comment, if you don’t mind friendship where are you from?
My cat has two litterboxes, one in each room in my two-room apartment. She loves it haha. I can hear her in the middle of the night digging in one, then digging in the other, then back to the first one... Highly recommend.
Whisker Stress. OMG! Mind blown 🤯 and a happier cat moving forward.
I have been a cat mom for over 40 years and learned so much from your whiskers and the size of bowls or plates !! As always you are my hero with your suggestions!
I’m really impressed with your comment, if you don’t mind friendship can we be friends?
I am blessed. I can hold my cats like a baby..kiss them, massage their bellies and beans endlessly..everywhere I go, cats find me. I carry catfood when I travel because for sure they need food and water. I talk to them like a loving mom and they respond like loving children..I am proud to be the catlady.
Me too! I am proud to be a cat momma to my babies. I agree, if you talk to them lovingly like a mother they absolutely respond lovingly back!
What are there beans. What are beans
@@daylehudson6810toe beans 🫘
@@daylehudson6810 Toe beans. They're the fleshy pads on the toes.
My 2 cats are indoor happy cats. They have three trees floor to ceiling three litter boxes fish to watch balls to play with hanging toys in all the rooms and we have mad play times
They even spend time with the bunny and I got all this because I watched your videos. in return they are extremely affectionate and I wouldn’t be without them. thank you, Jackson.
PRO TIP: If you provided your cat with plate-style food dishes and they still insists on taking food off the plate to eat it on the floor, then you are left with 2 options: Accept that you need to mop your kitchen floor every day or put something under their plates that you won't mind washing or throwing away. I went with option #2. I found a big roll of butcher's paper online and that works PERFECTLY. Butcher's paper has a plastic coating one one side, so I just unroll about 3 feet of it and put it on the ground, plastic side down. The cats don't seem to care that it's there and the plastic layer keeps smells and juices from reaching your floor. It makes mopping easy. Hope that helps!
I put a place mat down
I have two cafeteria type trays, one cat. So there is a clean tray always waiting to replace the one that's down, holding his water bowl, dry food dish and moist food dish.
Same with his giant litter pan, there's always the spare one, waiting to be swapped for the "used" one.
My cat, Gingerella, trained me to play fetch w/ her when she was a tiny kitten (rescued from an abusive environment). She loves to fetch plastic bottle caps and can sometimes bat them out of the air. She has also learned to play 'door hockey' when she knows I'm leaving - we bat a cap back and forth under the bedroom door. This is her way of engaging me and seeking validation that everything is good between us. Gingerella understands verbal cues and has developed from an aggressive, destructive kitten to a Cat who is eager to engage in affectionate interaction.
My Sammy loved to fetch. She would bring me a paper ball dozens of times. Once I was throwing it from bed and I fell back asleep and I woke up and the paper ball was in the crook of my elbow. I made her a fake fur fish with catnip in it and she used to bring it in to me every night for me to throw. Then she would bring it back moaning about her “catch”.
That’s a great story and I love the name, Gingerella. I might have to steal it.
Love the name Thanks for rescuing her love to you
both 😊
I love her name! Be careful with the door, they can play under or around the door and trap their little fingers!
I found two kittens separately a few months back, they aren’t brothers by blood but as far as they’re aware they’re brothers! Alfie and Yukki💖 Alfie LOVES playing fetch with his little Pom Pom toys! Yukki tries to play too but he doesn’t know how to bring it back😂 the Pom Pom toys are their favorite!
I think my cat’s life was made better when I found different ways of play time. She’s 18 years old and doesn’t really want to play with cat toys like we used to do. One day I had the sound on when I was playing a truck simulator game. She loved the sound the truck makes! She purred the whole time. Now we have scheduled “truck time”. She likes to watch the screen and she likes for me to talk to her. She always comes to get me for truck time!
I enjoyed this video. I never had a cat until I was 22 years old and I can tell you that I read everything I could on good cat parenting and care. I’m 41 now and I find that constantly learning the most I can about cats makes my cats’ lives better too.
“Cats are like toddlers that can reach the ceiling“ LOL nice.
Omg ! I can relate! I had to move niknacks to free assorted shelves for my little fur ball to climb at he pleases!❤ I love him SO Much!!!!
wow !! you are a fountain of knowledge ! I went to the shelter this past weekend and found so many beautiful little kittens! Soooo darling! the caregivers were awesome ! I'm trying to prepare my house for when I go back to make a final decision. I'm thinking of maybe 2 instead of one. Anyway,,, thanks for your expertise !
My cats love being combed or brushed. My one cat can't get enough, to the point where if he hears me brushing my hair, he runs in and tries to pull the brush to himself. If it looks like I never brush my hair, this is why. 😸
I’m really impressed with your comment, if you don’t mind friendship where are you from?
I have one that loves being brushed, and one that hates being brushed, at all. He will growl and eventually try to bite if you brush him. Unfortunately, he is also the one that has long fur and is prone to matting. If finally spent $90 to get him shaved, and I am trying to get him used to being brushed, but it's an uphill battle. We got him as a rescue when he was 2, and he was abused and traumatized. The only thing I can say is to start brushing young and make it fun, to avoid future problems.
My cat loves being brushed also, she can be fast asleep somewhere in the house and she hears me pick my brush up somehow and comes running. Lol
True. I have a new foster cat that loves being brushed and touched all the time. My own cats did not like being brushed until he saw the new cat being brushed. Suddenly he wants to be brushed as well!😁
I’m a multi-cat owner after having only one kitty at a time for most of my life and I won’t have it any other way. I got two brothers back in 2014 after my 8-year-old tabby passed away from a long illness. Their names are Louie and Charlie and they were the best of friends. I would always find them snuggling together. It made me so happy. I know they relied on each other for everything. Unfortunately, Louie died very suddenly at only 2 years old. Because we didn’t want Charlie to be without a partner, we adopted a 3-month-old girl (Sophie) from a local shelter. At first, Charlie wanted nothing to do with Sophie, but Sophie was kind of obsessed with him. She wore him down and he became a mentor to her. He taught her how to “cat” in many ways. Though they definitely aren’t as close as Charlie and Louie were, I definitely see a mutual respect between them. I love them both so very much 💕💕💕
You should add a dog to your family. A rescue doggo 😊
@• Capybara Space Force 🌠 • 17 yrs ago I agree it's so cute how my dog plays with my cats and protects the family when say my sisters cat is here and he doesn't like his sister's he gets in-between and tells him to knock it off..my dog just loves his kitties watching the snuggles is the cutest
I got my cat a couple years ago which admittedly, was a mistake at the time being that I had no idea what I was doing and she wasn’t too happy. There were times where I thought I would have to find a new home for her but over time I learned what to do and what not to do. Now she’s happy and healthy and we cuddle and play all the time and I feel like I’m the best human for her….then I came across your videos and I realize I still have a lot to learn 😂 if you end up reading this, I just want to say thank you for posting all these videos. My cat is very well taken care of now but coming across content like this that can teach me how to make her life even better is exciting for me. She’s helped me through a lot just by being around when I’m in a bad state of mind, these are helping me repay her in a sense, so thank you for posting all these videos and helping myself, and so many other cat owners out. Our cats I’m sure appreciate you too! 😊
I accidentally "unliked" this wishing I could like it multiple times. I know my cats are better off bc of jackson galaxy, and I'm glad yours is too. ❤
Some cats love you so easily not all of them are like that we have had what looks like a Himalayan for 9 years then a little black kitten showed up and now they both love me up because I feed them I am their 2nd favorite person but that's good enough for me the Himalayan never showed me much love because he was friends with the dog who is no longer here now we can be friends now and I've laid my pistols down to quote Doc Holliday lol
I have today taken in a cat into my home,. by watching this has helped me and my cat,moved his litter box from the bathroom into the living room and he used it😀😀 he got a few treats after he used it . I have not yet named him i have decided to call him Jackson. after watching this helpful video. 😺😺
I'm glad I do a number of these things already, but my cat really loves her "spa day", where once a month she gets the full beauty treatment by her cat daddy. We get her claws trimmed, we de-shed her fur, we give her a nice little "bath" using a nice cat shampoo which she likes (took a while to find one she liked, but worth it), we brush her coat and all the while she enjoys eating her treats as though they were bon bons. After she's nice and clean, we play until she's bored and then we go for a little run around the house (indoors), where she gets to chase me, then I get to chase her. She's a very calm kitty and at 5 years young, you'd swear she was reliving her days as a kitten. She's definitely daddy's little princess, but she is a bundle of joy and love. Thanks for your great tips, Jackson, you have one of the best channels!!!
I don't even have a cat. Love this channel, love everything Jackson has been in. Love learning about these beasties. I get mad at people who see cats as "the easy independent pet of choice" because they are almost always just neglecting their cat's needs.
Then they say all cats are assholes! If you take care of their needs and love/train them well, they are super loving and chill despite their playfulness.
Cats give you the love and respect you give to them. My cat is the most affectionate little love bug I know. Most people sadly know nothing about a cat's body language and mistreat them, or expect them to act like dogs. Check out @sarperduman, he rescues cats, plays the piano for them and they become the most loving cats.
@@kleeblatt9257 Yes, he's in Istanbul, Turkey, & his videos show the mutual affection. When I worked in Istanbul, it was awful how many street cats there were. So sad. They're often seen as pests.
You should get a cat, or 2!!!
I paused before you mentioned number one and took a guess at what it would be (with your voice in my head): "Play with your cat. Play with your cat. Play. With. Your. Cat." 😅 I LOVE your videos, Jackson. And my two beautiful cats thank you for them! You're helping their human be a better companion. 😊
I’m really impressed with your comment, if you don’t mind friendship can we be friends😢?
You’re so right of course. AND give your cat LOVE when you see he/she is in the mood. YOU come to him/her… ❤️❤️
Thank you! I'm in Mexico rescuing feral cats. I play with them a lot and start clipping their nails when they're young. All of them love getting their nails trimmed now. I call it a "cat-icure." I also blink at them, and it works. I love your videos. I hear you started at the Boulder Humane Society. I have a second home up there and have gone there for many reasons. Great place.
for 2 cats i had set aside 1 hour per day the first few years and after they got older half an hour a day for playtime. didnt always take that long and sometimes there just was no time, but it was a good plan and my cats really appreciated it. if you ask me, playing with your cat is not optional, dog-people have to go out in the rain and pick up poop every day, we have to play with our cats. thats the deal we signed up for.
My cat sits there like a princess getting a pedicure while I clip her nails. Start young so they get used to it, and it builds trust.
I started at six months when I got my first baby. He’s now 19 1/2 years old. Clipping his claws every couple of weeks is not an ordeal. Cuddles after.
shouldnt declaw your cat
@@lidiams-z5r when you haven't learned the difference between clipping and de-clawing...
I suppose you dress your cat up too ...😔😔no need to touch cats claws
@@taminakhan4690 Actually it's perfectly normal and healthy to clip a cats claws. Don't comment on things you're uneducated about
My cat has a job. She sits next to me in my office all day on her fluffy drafting chair, interacting with me. She loves being part of everything. I raised her from birth as well, so we're very close. Great vid ....gratitude
When it comes to clipping claws, I definitely agree that it's easier if you start them young.
I had a Maine Coon who I got as soon as she was considered an adoptable age, and I immediately got her used to letting me work her claws by giving her treats every time she didn't squirm while I did so.
By a year old all I had to do was show her the claw trimmers while clicking my tongue and she would jump in my lap and flop over belly up while I easily trimmed her claws. She would get treats after and I wouldn't have to fight her to trim her claws - in the end, we were both happy!
We found an approx 24 hours old orphaned kitten in a retail store parking lot July 1rst. Couldn't find mother ANYWHERE. He's now 3 months old, and doing GREAT. Jackson, my family, and I watch your videos then discuss them. This one was particularly valuable. Thank you for helping us make a bad situation, into a success story.
2 things that have really helped us with Ivey....
1. We only lightly stroke his head unless he asks for his body to be rubbed. That has eliminated a biting issue. (it was totally my fault too)
2. We catified our house according to Jackson's advice. Cat trees, interactive toys, he loves to chase his stick with feathers on it, then he has a ball he "kills", he eats, grooms, and sleeps. Win/win for us all. THANK YOU, Jackson.
I recently added a third cat who had been an only cat for his entire life. We were a bit concerned how he would transition into our home, but what a change. Not only for my tabby whose brother we recently lost but our new addition is SO enamored with my other two cats. He is my tabby’s shadow now. We are week three with this new boy and they are now zooming around the house together.
What a great story 👏
How, absolutely, LOVELY, that your cats are getting along, SO splendidly!!
THIS, REALLY, makes me happy!😆🥰
That is so good to hear!
Complement of the season I’m really impressed with your comment , if you don’t mind friendship please were are you from?
Recently rescued and adopted a little devil. I already started training her with positive association when i touch her paws. I have super high value boiled chicken that she only gets when I hold her paws. She still freaks out but we’ll get there! Also start leash training around the house! I want my baby to see the world 😊
So, I watched this last night and we fed our cat his (wet) breakfast this morning off a small plate instead of a bowl. He ate everything in one sitting! He didn’t throw it everywhere. Amazing! I had no Idea we were causing him discomfort! THANK YOU!!!
I think it’s interesting that I’ve been doing all of those and never grew up with a cat my whole life. My fiancé got me… us…? a cat as a present and I had no clue at all on how to really care for a cat, but I ended up being a natural in making her happy. 🥺 This little girl of mine is just beyond incredible and seeing this video and knowing I’m doing it all makes me feel proud about myself. 💙
Awesome Jackson. My 13 year old Persian cat, Bear, has just come out of hospital with stage 4 kidney disease & whilst watching your video in bed, I separated his two food bowls, water dispenser & poop tray from each other & he instantly had more interest in all 4. He’s now snuggling with me on the bed ❤. You’re a genius. Bear thanks you 😽.
Thank you for being kind to your fluffy little friend. Cats are amazing creatures when treated right!
@@TheJoker-te7te you are so right! 😍
thank you for the joy you give me jackson and all helpful unknown info. god bless you Mr. Jackson