Whether you’re a first time cat owner or have a long term feline friend, there will be times where you wish you could know what your cat is thinking. Understanding Cats’ Body Language Sometimes you might wonder about a change in your cat’s behaviour and what that could mean, or would like to know how you can tell if your cat is happy. Although cats might seem hard to read, there are lots of tell-tale signs that will give you an insight into what your companion is thinking, and what kind of mood they’re in! You’ll probably be able to tell some of your cat’s more obvious moods already from their body language, facial expressions, vocalisations and tail movements. But looking out for some other signals, such as the following cat tail signs and body postures, can tell you even more. Cats have a wide range of basic emotions – they feel happy, sad, afraid, relieved and even frustrated, just like us humans! The key to a good relationship with your cat is learning how to recognise these emotions, and respond where needed. Watch this great video guide on cat body language from our friends at Cats Protection, presented by their Cats Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow.

Anyone who’s ever spent time in the company of a dog knows that, just like people, dogs have personalities that are unique to them, and they experience many feelings in exactly the same way as humans and all other mammals. While they don’t experience higher emotions such as shame, spite or contempt, they have the same range of basic emotions as us, such as happiness, sadness, relief, frustration and fear. These feelings are essential in helping dogs learn about the world, and encourage them to behave in certain ways to protect or help them. If a dog feels fear, for example, they’re likely to seek out safety from the threat and gain a sense of relief, while the positive feelings they get from cuddles and grooming encourages good relationships with those around them. Watch our experts decode their expressions, signals, and behaviours.

Most cats are home lovers, so travelling anywhere else with them can make them stressed. Some journeys are unavoidable, so when travelling with cats it’s important to know how you can make your feline friend feel comfortable. We’ve put together some cat travel tips to help everything run smoothly. Cat car travel Knowing how to travel with cats in the car is the most useful place to start. If you’re confident and in control, and you understand how to keep your cat calm, the journey can be relatively stress-free for both of you.

There’s no need for your dog to stay at home if you’re going on holiday – in fact, your dog can make a great travel companion. With so many dog friendly hotels and holiday homes, check out the basics of travelling with dogs right here. Travelling with dogs is easiest if you prepare everything well in advance – accommodation, travel arrangements, and paperwork can all be organised months before you go, which means less stress and more fun for both of you. Of course, you might not be planning on travelling abroad with your dog, but staying somewhere close to home, in which case things are even easier. Just keeping a few simple things in mind will really increase the ease of taking dogs on holiday. Get your pen ready and make sure you’ve thought about everything in the list below – and when you’ve done all that, the only thing left is to get excited about your trip. Health and safety arrangements when travelling with dogs The first thing to keep in mind when travelling with your dog to a new place is your pet’s health and safety. This task alone can make many dog owners reconsider their travelling plans, but it’s actually quite a simple process. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

When your dog is happy, you’re happy – and when your pet is pregnant, making sure they'reas healthy and comfortable as possible is even more important, both for the mum-to-beand for the new arrivals! There are several things that you can do to ease the strain of having little bundles of joy, and ensure that everything goes smoothly. It’s an exciting time! During pregnancy, your dog will need your love and attention more than ever. Remember, as theirbody change, you will have to change the way you care for your dogin a few simple ways to make sure that they have everything theyneeds. Feeding and nutrition during your dog's pregnancy If you’re wondering what to feed a pregnant dog, you’re not alone – most dog owners ask this question! It’s important to know that basic adult-formula dog food won't provide the extra nutrients they need duringpregnancy, so you’ll need to make some diet changes to help your petget what theyneeds from theirfood. Slowly switch your dog back to a high-quality puppy formula just before mating, introducing her slowly over a period of 7-10 days to avoid upsetting their stomach. Your dogshould stay on this new formula until after they have givengiven birth, and thepuppies have been weaned. What you should feed your dog will also depend on thebody condition and any medical problems that theymay currently have or has had in the past, so make sure you check with your vet before changing thefood. For more details on what to feed a pregnant dog, visit feeding during pregnancy.

Complications are rare in cat pregnancies, but can occasionally happen. To help your cat bring bundles of fur into the world with ease, the Purina Pet Care team share their advice on how to spot warning signs early on. It’s so exciting when your cat is expecting, and as a loving pet owner we understand that you might worry and want to give extra tender loving care to your pet at this time. Luckily as cats are usually more than capable of looking after themselves, you shouldn’t have anything to be concerned about. Several symptoms could signal a problem with your cat’s pregnancy. If you notice any of these, contact your vet immediately:She loses interest in her food. A drop in appetite can occur just prior to delivery, but she should be bright and well in every other way throughout her term. She is visibly distressed, agitated, crying more than usual, or is noticeably licking her vulval area without producing any kittens. You see any abnormal, bad-smelling vaginal discharge or bleeding at any point in her pregnancy or labour. She goes to the toilet more often, passes blood or squats without producing pee. These could signal a uterine infection, which could potentially affect her kittens if left untreated.

Your cat is having kittens – what wonderful news! Amongst all of the excitement, remember that your cat may need extra care, comfort and affection when pregnant. The Purina Pet Care team have given some of their tops tips on caring for a pregnant cat, to make sure both mum and her litter are as happy and healthy as possible.

Your bitch is about to become a proud mum, and soon she’ll have some adorable new pups to care for – how exciting! The great news is that most canine pregnancies are problem-free and dogs generally make excellent mothers. Even though dog birthing problems are very rare, there are a few things to keep an eye on before, during and after labour. If you’re at all worried at any stage your vet will be more than happy to give you advice. Things to look out for during dog pregnancy Although dogs usually enjoy hassle-free pregnancies, there are a few signs that could suggest complications. Contact your vet if:

Our pets are our loyal family members and as such, it’s only natural that we want our children to share a strong bond with them too. Find out how to teach children to care for dogs and cats with our guide. Pets are members of our families, and the bond we share with them is one we also want to nurture in our children. Here are some things you can do now to help strengthen this bond and give your child a sense of purpose by involving them in the care of a family pet. Let Children Play a Part in Pet Training and Games Time at home creates an excellent opportunity to get older kids involved in training family pets. According to Purina behaviorist Dr. Annie Valuska, “This can be a trick, like high-five or roll over, or something you’ve been meaning to work on, like getting your pet used to nail trims, their pet carrier, that new harness, the vacuum cleaner or finally conquering loose-leash walking.” Just as with human friends, playing together brings kids and pets closer. We suggest games to play with your dog or cat, such as hide and seek or the cup game, in which the pet has to find a treat hidden under one of three overturned cups. Empowering kids to lead pets in these games creates an excellent development opportunity for everyone. Once your pet and child figure it out on their own, you will see the ‘Eureka’ moment in action with lots of tail-wagging, jumping around and excitement! Encourage Responsible Treating When it comes to training and play, different pets need different types of encouragement. While treats are usually popular with pets (and kids enjoy giving them) it’s important to teach kids that for pets, too many treats each day can be unhealthy. As an alternative to always handing out treats, encourage your child to discover other things that might motivate your pet; it might be time with a specific toy, or social interaction, such as petting or praise. Give Children a Role in Pet Exercise With families spending their days at home, taking breaks for exercise is essential for everyone’s mental and physical health. This is a great opportunity to let older children take charge of some of the exercise for family pets. This can be as simple as choosing the route for a family walk or run or setting the time when it will take place. If a park is involved, be sure to confirm whether the facility is open.

As a cat-lover, you’ll know how tempting it can be to give your furry friend treats and titbits to eat alongside their main meals. Scraps from the table or food fed by hand are, for lots of people, a way of showing affection to your cat. As lovely as it is getting your dear feline’s attention and having them eating out of your hand, literally, cat treats are best used sporadically and within certain limits. Here is how to get treat time right, how many treats a day to feed your pet and what to avoid. Which cat treats to choose? When it comes to treats for cats, your intentions may be good, but the fact is that human foods can be very high in calories and salt, and often lack many of the essential nutrients your cat needs. What this means is that you run the risk of overfeeding and/or upsetting the balance of your cat’s diet. The good news is that many manufactured cat treats are also available - these may be designed to support digestive or dental health, or as an extra special treat or reward for your feline friend. How many cat treats a day? Cat treats contain calories and are usually not complete and balanced. They’re meant to given just as an occasional treat. It’s therefore important that whenever you give cat snacks to your pet, you reduce their main meal by an equivalent calorific amount. You should also limit feline treats to no more than 10% of their total daily calorie intake, so that you don’t unbalance your cat’s overall diet.