OmniCat Behavior

12/01/2023

Happy to be supporting this month through !

TNR is foundational to all aspects helping cats in our communities!

Full Circle MO Feral is a nonprofit out of St. Louis MO whose mission is educating and supporting volunteer TNR trappers who encounter kittens outdoors.
Helping to determine the right age for removal of kittens into rescue and sterilization of the mother cat. Guiding trappers with kittens over 8 weeks of age with correct assessment for socialization and/or RETURN to field.
One of the most effective ways to foster a feral cat safely is with the use of a feral den and large crate. The feral cat den is a tool to reduce stress on the cat and the volunteer while maintaining a level of control and safety for the volunteer and the cat.
Full Circle MO Feral supports trappers and TNR groups in St. Louis County & City while also assisting trappers in Jefferson and St. Charles County.

14/10/2022

In honor of our first snowfall this season, here is a throwback to Ranger’s first ever experience with snow!

He promptly face planted right in that white fluffy stuff to figure out what it’s all about. He’s a wonderful little snow angel ❄️😇

08/08/2022

Feline behavior consulting services are far and few in between!

I will be located near Grand Marais, MN for 1 week and will be available for in-home consultations.

If you, a family member, or a friend are in need of some one-on-one cat help, fill out the inquiry form on my website or send me a DM.

21/07/2022

💩Poop talk incoming!

I have had several cases and client inquiries lately about cats defecating outside the litter box. So far, in each case the stool consistency has either been too hard (score 1) or too soft (scores 3-7). These cats have also been given a clean bill of health from their veterinarians.

While it’s possible that the reason is solely behavioral, it’s far more likely there is a medical component, or at least it started with a medical cause. I encouraged each of these people to advocate further for their cat and work with their veterinarians to complete further diagnostics and treatment to get the stool consistencies closer to a ‘2’.

Too hard or too soft stool can cause discomfort while defecating which can cause a painful association to the litter box and lead to a cat choosing to go elsewhere. Sometimes, even after the medical cause has been resolved l, the cat still holds on to those painful memories. And this is where I come in!!

Is your cat p**ping outside the litter box? What is their f***l score?

Know your cats toileting habits including average number of p**ps and pees per day, volume of urine and stool consistency.

Get comfortable with talking about p**p 💩
**p **p

12/07/2022

Have you seen this behavior before? Why would a cat choose to lay in the litter box? Seems highly unsanitary!

I see it semi-regularly in the shelter, but less often in the home environment, which may give you a clue as to why it happens. First off, it can be due to medical causes, so if you notice this behavior from your cat you should have them seen by your vet promptly to rule those out.

If it’s not medical in nature, your cat is likely feeling some level of stress. The litter box can feel like a very safe spot for them. It gives a feeling of enclosure and has a strong, familiar scent. Cats are strongly attached to their environment and they use scent depositing to help define the space they live in. If the cat is feeling fearful or threatened, the place with the strongest scent is going to feel the safest. Maybe you’ve moved homes recently and lost all that built up scent and familiarity for your cat, or there’s been some other change in your household like a new family member that has stressed your cat out or changed their routine.

The shelter is an inherently stressful environment for cats, so it makes sense that some cats may choose to rest in their litter box. Typically, once they’ve settled in they choose to rest in other areas.When I took this photo of a cat in the shelter he had just arrived on the adoption floor and was just starting pain medication. I am happy to report that he is feeling much better now and is no longer resting in his litter box. Instead, he likes to bask in the sunshine as you can see in the second photo.

15/03/2022

If you’re a cat owner or caregiver you will almost certainly experience this at some point in your life.

How do you help a cat adjust in an unfamiliar space?

Swipe for some tips and check out my blog post via the link in my bio.

25/01/2022

Something that I have learned bout myself over the last couple years is how to manage my issues with making sure essential tasks get done on time. One major idea that I have started using is to have extra of certain items on hand (litter boxes, water dishes, food puzzles prepped, etc). This relieves the stress of completing the whole task all at once, but I can at the very least provide a clean water dish, a prepped food puzzle, or a cleanly filled litter box at the appropriate time and I can get to the cleaning at another time when its more convenient and there’s less pressure.

This is a strategy that I’ve started sharing with my clients because so many of the people I work with have busy lives. This makes it challenging to complete these important tasks for our animals (and similar tasks for ourselves too!).

Work smarter, not harder and leave more time for adventures!

What do you do to work smarter, not harder for yourself and your cats?

04/01/2022

2022 Goals:

🐈‍⬛ Help more cats
🐈‍⬛ Love more cats
🐈‍⬛ Advocate for more cats

Keeping it simple and cat-centric this year.

Happy New Year!

11/12/2021

“Cats are a window outside the human world, they are themselves, and they stay themselves. They adapt to human ways. But they don’t adopt human ways.”

This was a really great read. It embodies a lot of what I ponder on a day to day basis.

Link in bio, check it out and let me know what you think 🐈‍⬛

26/11/2021

Give your whole family the gift of a happy, content, and healthy cat 😽

DM me with any questions you have about the consultation process or visit my website for more information.

26/10/2021

Increasing playtime is something I recommend to every client I work with because the truth is, most of us aren’t playing with our cats nearly enough.

It has numerous benefits for their bodies and minds. It’s not enough to just assume they will play with toys on their own. Play is ‘hunting’ to them and why would they hunt that mouse lying still on the floor like it’s already dead!? Give it some life and excitement for your cat by getting involved everyday.

24/10/2021

19/10/2021

I’ve been struggling the last few days with the cats bothering me while trying to work. Magnus especially has been up and down in my lap, out of my lap, needing pets, needing snuggles.

Then I decided to use a tactic I tell my clients all the time. Put a cat bed nearby!

And here we are not ten minutes later. Perfectly content to look out the window in his cozy bowl bed 🙌

07/10/2021

Nothing like a slow stroll through the woods in the fall 🍁🍂

05/10/2021

Read this! We need to pay the people who care for our animals better. We need to treat them better. Most of these people don’t make a living wage, yet they have a massive and important responsibility. We need more caring people interested in these positions. It won’t be easy, but it needs to happen.

Like many industries during the pandemic, veterinary medicine has been hit hard by staff shortages and increased demand for services. Some vets are advising pet owners to book appointments far in advance and to be patient if they encounter stressed-out staff members.

07/09/2021

This cat amazes me everyday!

We had wonderful news from the vet today. Kuma had is annual check up and we ran a kidney panel to check his values and they are all in the normal range 😱

A little over a year ago he was in a severe kidney stage. This leads us to believe that his disease was likely acute rather than chronic, which is so great to hear.

I’m so thankful I have been able to monitor his health so closely over the last year.

Go, Kuma, go!

23/08/2021

Looking for some creative enrichment ideas for your cat?

Check this out!

The course is being offered for FREE right now and I can't wait to try it out!

We’re open for registration! Nosework Cats is an enrichment and training activity in which your cat is seeking, sniffing, and hunting for their treats or food. It's a game that has been tweaked specifically for cats from the model of nosework for dogs. Cats have their own species specific traits i...

17/08/2021

FOOD PUZZLES. Use them (if it fits for your situation).

I forgot to fill Ranger’s today (shame on me) and he’s been absolutely bonkers and I couldn’t figure out why until he started digging in my work bag for treats!

Once I filled it, he was occupied for a while then snuggled up on my feet and I could keep working 🙌

Important to note that he was not hungry, just bored! I barely put any in his food puzzle during this time of day and he had a full lunch just a little bit ago.

13/08/2021

👏👏👏

People normally train their dogs who are more likely to adopt the activities which are being taught to them. Ben Millam, who is the proud owner of a cat whose name is “Monkey” have trained his cat to search for her food. Ben has actually created a sort of a vending machine which allows the cat t...

30/07/2021

Adventure awaits!

This is by far Magnus’ favorite time of day. He is a true adventure cat!

Although, supervised outdoor time is not right for every cat. Some cats find it too overwhelming and experience stress or anxiety and some react poorly to the smells of other outdoor cats that may roam around the yard.

If it works for your cat, supervised outdoor time can be wonderful enrichment, but it’s important to recognize when it’s not right and that it’s ok! Maybe all your cat needs is a comfy window perch to watch the birds and squirrels 🐿🦜

28/07/2021

Ranger got stung by a wasp while out adventuring yesterday. Thankfully, he didn’t have a serious reaction, just some localized redness and minor swelling.

He was very upset and wouldn’t let anyone touch him for most of the night, which was quite upsetting for his brothers. We gave him some space, calming treats, and an antihistamine to help with the pain and swelling. He’s doing much better today!

Friendly reminder to keep a close eye on your pets when you have them outside!

06/07/2021

I cut the grass yesterday even though they love playing in it when we’re outside. I promised them I would let it grow back after I mark some pathways out for future gardens.
Does anyone else spend an excessive amount of time thinking about what your cats need when planning your outdoor space? 😸

16/06/2021

I will be at the Oakdale Summerfest on Saturday, June 26th from 12pm to 4pm!

Curious about what a cat behaviorist does? Have a quick question about your own cat’s behavior?

Stop by and ask a question, say hi, or just chat with me about cats!

I may even have some goodies for your cats 😺

I’ll see you there!

14/06/2021

Fireworks season is upon us! I have to admit I am not a big fan of fireworks. They are loud, horrible for wildlife, dangerous, expensive, and they produce litter. I am willing to bet at least some of you have pets that are terrified of them too.

If your pet is fearful around fireworks, it’s a good idea to start thinking about and working on this now, before they ramp up for 4th of July.

Here are some things you can do to help them out during this challenging time (this works for thunderstorms too!):

🐈‍⬛Provide an insulated or noise dampening hiding place for them to retreat to if they become scared

🐈‍⬛Look into calming treats, food, or other aids

🐈‍⬛Talk to your vet about anxiety medication

🐈‍⬛Purchase a calming shirt and get them used to wearing it ahead of time

🐈‍⬛Have treats at the ready so that when a loud noise does occur you can help create a positive association to it

🐈‍⬛Play calming music on nights when there are a lot of fireworks

🐈‍⬛Distract them with a rigorous and fun play session

🐈‍⬛Keep them inside to prevent accidental run aways

13/06/2021

Hanging out with my

04/06/2021

We’ve got some hot weather in the forecast here in MN starting today 🥵

I will be limiting time outdoors for my three furballs and when I do take them out it will be in the cooler parts of the day and we will stick to shady areas.

I will also be encouraging water intake by offering multiple fresh water sources for them throughout the house.

If you take your pets out too keep watch for signs of heatstroke and dehydration and keep those fuzzy toes off of hot paved surfaces!
☀️

14/04/2021

It’s that time of year! Your local rescues are probably starting to see an uptick in kitten admissions and perhaps you’ve come across a pregnant mama or some kittens in your neighborhood.
If you find yourself making the exciting decision to bring home a little furball (or two!) make sure you prepare yourself and your home for their arrival. Swipe for some tips and always remember to

09/04/2021

How do you build trust and bond with your cat?

I do frequent Consent Tests. This includes:

🐈‍⬛When attempting to pet them I extend my hand about 90% of the way and let them come the remaining 10% if they choose
🐈‍⬛When actively petting, I stop often to see if they are still enjoying it
🐈‍⬛When I stop petting, if they move closer to me or nudge my hand I continue
🐈‍⬛If they ever move away, show signs of stress such as strong tail wagging or ears turned out and back, or ducking their head, I stop and give them space

Why do I do this? Because when we teach our cats that we will respect their boundaries, we build trust.

Tell me how you build trust with your cat!

08/04/2021

Have you played with your cat today?

In can be really difficult to engage Kuma in play these days. He just doesn’t always feel up to it. But this morning, he went bonkers over his favorite string toy and it was so nice to see him let go for a few minutes 😻