I got my first cat — who I named Angel after the heartthrob in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also a classmate I had a crush on — when I was seven years old. The internet, at that time, was a mess of dial-up and massive machines in the family computer room. But even the numbing beeps of a dial-up tone couldn’t stop me from lying about my age and becoming a moderator on an online community of cat owners I discovered by reading a pamphlet included in the kitty litter my mom bought.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that specific message board, but there are far more reliable sites online for cat owners to learn about their pet’s health and happiness and shop around for stimulating toys and cute little hats.
These are all great resources for shopping and learning, but if you’re worried about the health of your cat, you should reach beyond the scope of the internet. After all, your favorite blog could be run by a seven year old with too much time on her hands. Give your veterinarian a call.
1. Reddit
When my cat starts acting differently in any way, you can find me googling the problem followed by the term “Reddit.” Like, “cat not covering poop reddit” (he doesn’t feel threatened as the alpha in my home) or “cat staring at me while I work and looks so mad reddit” (it’s just an extension of his general attitude problem). There’s also boards that are a bit more serious, like r/AskVet, for when you need to know what to do after catching your cat eating something he shouldn’t, or pulling them off of a stray cat.
2. ASPCA
The ASPCA, a national animal welfare organization, has been around for more than a century, with the goal of preventing animal cruelty. Hopefully your house cat doesn’t need rescuing, but in addition to helping animals in need and posting pets for adoption, the ASPCA site has a bunch of helpful tips and resources for the care and keeping of your pets.
3. Petkeen
Run by a board of veterinarians, vet technicians, animal trainers, and an editorial team to boot, Petkeen offers advice backed by research and science for everything you need to know about your cat. They cover everything from DIY toys and beds to food reviews and safety tips for cats, dogs, horses, hamsters, and more.
4. Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society has everything from videos of bottle feeding kittens (cute!) to trips for traveling with pets (which can be an absolute nightmare, from experience). The organization is a nonprofit that runs a massive sanctuary for animals without homes and helps provide adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs for animals.
5. Chewy
I like Chewy specifically because I have a spending problem, and the site makes it very, very easy to spend. But beyond shopping for food, supplies, treats, toys, and medicine, the site also recently launched a veterinary telemedicine service.
6. PetMD
PetMD is basically the WebMD of animals. Written by veterinarians since 2008, it’s a great resource for pet health and care. But make sure you don’t fall into the classic WebMD hole: Constant symptom-checking for your pet could lead you to believe they’re constantly sick, when, in reality, they may just be having an off day. Call your veterinarian if you have specific worries about your cat’s wellbeing.
7. Little Big Cat
This site was created by holistic vet Dr. Jean Hofve and feline behaviorist Jackson Galaxy from the TV series, My Cat from Hell. Little Big Cat is all about helping people care for their cats so they won’t give them up for adoption or, worse, let them become strays. Here, you’ll find everything from health and nutrition advice to behavior tips.
8. VCA Animal Hospitals
VCA Animal Hospitals is a solid network of reputable veterinary hospitals, which makes it a great site if you’re trying to locate one in your area. But the site also provides access to hundreds of pet health articles and tips on nutrition, therapies, behavior, breeding, and more.
9. Cat-World
It should come as no surprise that Cat-World is a website all about cats. From the best products to buy when you’re introducing a new cat to your family, to what to expect behaviorally from your feline, this site has a ton of care topics. It also has breed profiles, which is extremely helpful to understand your cat — particularly because so many of us notoriously have no idea what kind of cat we even have.
