Our visual guide shows the week to week changes in the growth and development of kittens from birth to 8 weeks. To view full size, right-click and select view image. Related: Kitten development – detailed guide

Common cat questions We have selected some of the most commonly asked questions about cats and their behaviour. What is the biggest cat breed? The largest cat domestic cat breed is the Maine Coon. Adult males can weigh as much as 11 kg or 24.2 pounds and can grow up to three feet in length. […]

About Most cat owners from one time or another will encounter a cat scratch or two. The majority of these will heal within a few days, and there will be no more thought given to it. But the young daughter of a friend recently spent several days in hospital undergoing a battery of tests; the […]

Nepeta cataria, commonly known as catnip, catmint, field balm or catswort is a vigorous perennial herb that belongs to the genus Nepeta, a part of the mint family (Lamiaceae), which comprises approximately 250 species. Catnip is native to Eurasia but has naturalised in North America, Europe and New Zealand. Do all cats like catnip? Sensitivity […]

How long is a cat pregnant? The gestation period for a cat is 63-65 days (approximately nine weeks). This varies between cat though, and anywhere between 60 to 70 days is average. A pregnant cat is known as a queen, an entire male is known as a ‘tom‘, and the male who sires the litter […]

What is a blep? A blep is a popular internet term to describe a cat (or dog) who has unintentionally left a portion of its tongue hanging out of its closed mouth. The term originated from a subreddit thread showing cats blepping in 2014 and remains popular to this day. Most cat lovers find the […]

August 17th is International Homeless animals day, which is held on the third Saturday of August. The day was founded by the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) to bring attention to the pet overpopulation epidemic. Life on the streets is not kind; homeless animals risk disease, attacks, traffic and the elements. Animal shelters do […]

What is a chonk? Also referred to as chonky, a chonk cat is an internet slang word used to refer to an overweight or obese cat and is a play on the word chunk or chunky. The term was originally coined in response to a modified body condition score chart which is an animal equivalent […]

When looking for a purebred cat you may hear the terms pet or show quality. These descriptions refer to the breed standard. The breed standard is a set of guidelines that describes the ideal characteristics of each particular breed. The standard of points is a scoring system in which points are assigned in a number […]

Can you catch fleas from a cat? The fleas responsible for infecting cats and dogs don’t live on humans; however, they can bite. What are fleas? The flea is a wingless parasite with a global distribution. There are 2,000 species of flea all of which have a preferred host. Ctenocephalides felis is the flea to […]