The Cat Consultant

08/08/2024

Hello Cat Lovers.
Happy International Cat Day!
So much cuteness out there ready for a furever home. Always remember your local adoption and rescue centers when you're ready for your own ball of cuteness.

21/07/2024

Why do cats love the sun soooooo much?
Share your sunbeam kitty pics.

• Thermoregulation

Cats have a higher body temperature than humans, between 100.5°F and 102.5°F! Sunlight helps cats maintain their body temperature while conserving energy. So they can wake you up at 4am.

• Sleep

We all know cats sleep- A LOT. Their body temperature drops as they sleep. Sunlight warms them up again after they've been lazy all day.

• Energy

Cats have high metabolisms and burn a lot of energy when they've got the zoomies. Sunlight can be a fab energy source for them.

• Serotonin

Just like for humans, getting enough sunlight helps produce serotonin, a natural antidepressant. It makes them feel good! Give me a beach and the sun on my face any day of the week!

• Skin and coat

Cats get about 30% of the nutrients they need from keeping their skin and coat velvety smooth. That sunbeam is filled with lovely vitamins. Spa day for your cat! Sign me up for a daily spa day!

02/07/2024

Thanks to all the lawmakers that voted to make declawing cats illegal in my state of Virginia!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😺😺😺😺😺

30/06/2024

Your dog isn't the only one upset by fireworks.

The panic brought on by fireworks can cause wildlife moms to abandon their babies and be too disoriented to find their way home.

Squirrels, small mammals, birds and butterflies have been known to exhibit detrimental, even life threatening behavior as a result of fireworks, while waterbirds and fish perish after ingesting fireworks' debris.

This summer, celebrate in a way that does no harm.
Celebrate without fireworks.

24/06/2024

It's the time of year to remember our pets are feeling the heat. If you are hot, they are hotter! ☀️
Rather than piling them up with ice cubes, fill milk jugs with water and freeze them for an easy way to keep your animals cool. Place them around areas where your pets can chill out. ❄️😺🐶
Most important, never, ever leave your pets in a hot car, not even for a minute!!!!!

Added idea from Furever Friends Lodge : WE suggest filling larger (11") balloons with water, tie and freeze...then take the balloons off (throw away) and put the frozen BALLS in water outside to keep ferals water cool, the deer like them too in our big water tub.....

16/06/2024

When I get reincarnated, I want to come back as one of my house cats. 😁

12/06/2024

This is Shelby. Most of the time she's a lovely girl. But, like the little girl, who had a little curl, Shelby has her feisty moments.
I have loved helping her grow into a great companion for me and my tabby, Poppet.
If you have your own little trouble maker and need help, give me a call. They are just cats trying their best! Let's help them become the lovely companions we hope them to be.

12/06/2024

One of the things I enjoy most is teaching about cat body language. The way their ears and tail act like divining rods for emotions is truly fabulous!
But those magical cat eyes that weaken our human hearts...there's the real winner.
You want to know if a cat wants to love you or eat you? Watch those magical eyes.

07/06/2024

𝔸𝕕𝕠𝕡𝕥 𝕒 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕪! ❤️🐾

06/06/2024

Poppet says, "Wow! Look! Check out all the awesomeness".
Cats can fill our lives with daily meditations. Take a moment to watch and listen.

31/05/2024

Happy Friday, Cat Lovers.
My Poppet knows how to start a Friday. 😺
Or, really, any day. 😀

22/05/2024

Should I Get Another Cat?

I wish people would ask me this question more often and I wish I had a magic diving rod that could say definitely yes, definitely no. Each cat is different, each human is different, each household is different.
Cats are actually social creatures and can benefit from other cats being around. In feral cat colonies, cats are known to create amazing social structures. They learn a common non-verbal language that helps them manage their very personal viewpoints on the world. We cat lovers know this! Cats have very personal viewpoints and expectations for how they think their environment should be run.
When we bring a new cat into our space, we must look at from the existing cat’s viewpoint. This is their world and everything in it belongs to them. Imagine if some stranger walked into your kitchen, opened your refrigerator, and started making themselves a sandwich. You are likely to flip out. So be understanding of your own cat when you bring this intruder into their living room without any “Hey, hello, I’m the new cat!”
Cats can absolutely learn to share their space, but it must start with that first meeting and that second meeting and so on. It can sometimes take many months of patience to help them trust each other.
The best basic advice is:
1) Keep the new cat separated without visual for 1 week MINIMUM! I really suggest longer. You will know when they are adjusting to each other when they can both eat and lay on each side of the separation without tension.
2) Keep it positive. Every time they encounter each other, reduce the negative moments. Use treats, play, positive words. If you start getting worried, separate them. They will feel your worry and treat it as a negative moment.
3) Become familiar with cat body language. This will be your most used tool in your tool box, for the rest of their lives. When you notice the signs, distract/separate them BEFORE they start getting tense with each other. If you wait until they are fighting, all they remember is negativity. “I hate that other cat.”
There is certainly a lot more to understanding each individual situation. If you are thinking about bringing a new cat companion into your home, please give me a call. It will save you from much bigger behavior issues in the future.
Happy Cat Equals Happy Human!

Call now to connect with business.

07/05/2024

In England, I was lucky enough to work with the Blue Cross UK vet hospitals that provide pet care to homeless and low income. It is really great to see things like this showing up in the US. Having an animal companion can provide much to our well-being and give us all a reason to wake up and greet the day.

New York City has opened its first pet-friendly homeless shelter, meaning that people in need of shelter will no longer have to give up their pets to find a place to stay.

04/05/2024

Country livin' with cats.
My Poppet...really great at being lazy.
Share your favorite springtime with your cats pics.

27/04/2024

Anyone else have this experience? 😆

Selective vision at its finest! 😹

Credit: Mark Parisi

26/04/2024

Hello Cat Lovers and happy Spring!
I am officially back in the US and happy to be helping folks and their kitties in the Central Virginia area.
As always, I am here for all your cat behavior questions. Look for my upcoming talks in Rockbridge County and Staunton, VA!
Poppet is happy to be here too.

29/05/2023

Really great

The oldest dog in recorded history, Bobi , has his historic 31st birthday party celebration!

01/01/2023

How we entertain cats in London.

31/12/2022

Alfie!

25/12/2022

For Christmas, we have a new family member. Alfie. Hopefully, my Poppet will love him for the gift he is, a giant cuddly bear. Fingers crossed. 😊

17/12/2022

Curtesy of Jackson Galaxy.
Which Christmas song best describes your cat?😻

10/12/2022

Hello, Cat Lovers. If your cat likes to wake you up or meows during the night, try"puzzle feeders". They are great for free feeding dry food, they let the cat nibble at night, and provide much needed mental stimulation for the predatory feline brain.

01/12/2022

Keep your kitties safe this year. Watch out for all the tinsle and bobbles! They are a lovely play temptation for your cat, but can be dangerous if they eat them.

27/11/2022

Happy Sunday, Cat Lovers.

15/09/2022

09/09/2022

This is what Peaceful Protest looks like.
(Taking the bed linens off for washing. Always sits right where she is as everything is deconstructed around her.)

18/08/2022

Please do not torture your cat with lazer pointer toys like this. Cats must have a catch-the-prey part of the play cycle or they will be frustrated and it will create anxiety and behaviour issues within your home.
We all love to watch our cats doing silly things. However, cats are not cute toys that exist for us and laugh at. They are emotional mammals that need and crave their humans attention. Interact with them. Engage in play and they will reward you with affection and companionship for many years.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/472093691074367?extid=chYV2B&fs=e

23/07/2022

To be as comfortable as my Poppet. 😻These are the moments why we Cat Lovers do all we can to give them the best lives we can.

29/06/2022

Happy to be visiting my old buddy, Dublin. Many of my clients are familiar with him and his issue with not always playing nice. 😜He is still a fabulous cuddle buddy and shows that even cats that want to play rough can be good companions.