Blissful Cat Behavior Consulting

09/09/2024

We talk about it every year, but we still don’t talk about it enough: PAIN. I can’t understate how often I meet cats with behavior challenges who have underlying pain contributing to their struggle.

I’ve seen geriatric cats who crunch when they move, cats who never fully recovered from physical trauma, and senior cats just showing their first signs of arthritis. I’m currently working with a cat who is FOUR years old that needed treatment for arthritic pain. Pain is everywhere, and it’s obvious, when you train your eyes to see it.

One of the most common red flags for pain that I hear is “my cat used to love [activity], but they don’t do it much anymore.” This could be sitting at the peak of their cat tower, resting on your lap, sleeping in bed with you, or even interacting with you at all. Pain can have an immense influence on your cats ability to live the blissful life they deserve, so familiarize yourself with how to recognize it, talk to your vet, and advocate for your cat.

29/08/2024

What if I told you that behavior is neither good OR bad - it’s simply how cats function to survive?

When trying to understand why your cat may be acting a certain way, it may be helpful to try to see things from their perspective. Understanding that behavior is so heavily influenced by early socialization, learning experiences, and trauma, is how we can better understand our cats and act accordingly to meet their needs.

Maintaining empathy for cats is the crux of how we support them through behavior challenges. You’ll never hear me say that I “fix behavior problems”. I help people and cats better understand each other and work to support all involved individuals.

10/08/2024

You read it right - up to EIGHTY TWO PERCENT of cats and dogs experiencing behavior challenges may be dealing with pain.

I've seen old cats living with chronic pain for years. I've seen cats as young as 4 years old with signs of arthritis. I've seen cats with many difficult behavior challenges resolve almost entirely after they get appropriate treatment for pain.

Check out https://painfreecats.org/ for a quick easy resource to learn more!

Dr. Lisa Radosta discusses the connection between pet behavior and pain, which is often overlooked by pet owners.Many people believe their pets aren't in pai...

09/08/2024

This is true for cats as well! We don’t as often have celebrity cat trainers pushing bad advice, but every comment section you find online just so happens to be FULL of so called cat experts telling people they need a spray bottle. Check where your information is coming from and validate that it’s based in science and compassion!

TikTok famous dog trainers are taking over, and unfortunately that's not always a good thing. Does having 1 million Instagram followers make you a good dog trainer? Some of the information getting shared on social media is incorrect, ineffective, or downright dangerous. So how do you figure out who's who?

🐶 Look for credentials listed in the trainer bio. Don't see any? It's likely they don't have any. This is not a good thing. "I've had dogs for 20 years" is not a qualification.
🐶 Beware of sneaky marketing. Guarantees of behavior, promises to fix a problem in only a few minutes, or telling you that you "HAVE" to follow these rules are all red flags.
🐶 Impressive before and after videos that show massive behavior change in "only one session"? You may actually be seeing behavior suppression instead of actual behavior modification.
🐶 Pay attention to body language. We share A LOT about body language, and if you have a dog, you likely have some idea of what a relaxed dog looks like. Apply your knowledge to social media videos! Is the dog in the video panting heavily? Are their lips pulled back? Are their ears back? Do they look tense? Those are all signs of stress, anxiety, and fear...

Questions about behavior or training? You know how to reach us! Check out our stories for more info!

01/08/2024

Happy birthday to Gracie, she’s turning 4 years old today!

I have been working with Gracie and her mom for the past several months as we introduce her to Simon, her new feline housemate. Today, Gracie had an incredibly successful training session in which she met Simon through a gate. A few months ago, this would have resulted in hissing and swatting, but Gracie remained calm and comfortable throughout!

I’m so proud of Gracie, Simon, and their caregivers for their dedication and hard work!

27/07/2024

A great listen! We’ll be sticking with catnip and silvervine 😜

Do you know what costs A LOT more than a bottle of CBD oil? A trip to the ER. Join the Amys and their mentor, Dr. Lisa Radosta, as they clear the smokescreen and hash out the science regarding the use of cannabis products in veterinary medicine.Th...

19/07/2024

Folks, this may be one of the most important new resources for cats struggling to cohabitate with their housemates! The American Association of Feline Practitioners just dropped the 2024 Intercat Tension Guidelines and they are FANTASTIC. It's amazing to have such a great resource made widely available to people working through cat challenges.

Key content of the Guidelines include:

Debunking the 10 common myths that have the potential to negatively impact the wellbeing of cats

- Visual examples of intercat tension
- An Appendix with several case studies
- A comprehensive table of psychotherapeutic medications
- A detailed algorithm that outlines a systematic approach to preventing, recognizing, and resolving intercat tension
- A step-by-step approach to introducing a new cat into a household with one or more resident cats
- A range of management tools to promote caregiver education

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13/07/2024

Hope everyone is having an awesome Caturday! I just wanted to share some cute photos of Casper, a cat I've had the privilege of working with to better communicate his needs with his mom. Before working with me, Casper used to attack his mom and bite her ankles almost any time she was moving.

After our most recent update this week, mom reports:

"Casper’s aggression here at home is almost nonexistent! Casper has become a loyal and loving feline companion, something I never thought possible"

I love working with people to help them better understand their cats' needs and learn how to positively communicate with them. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with Casper!

10/07/2024

Ever feel like your cats know how to talk to you? They probably do! Cats can adapt their vocalizations to solicit care from their people.

https://www.livescience.com/animals/cats-love-to-meow-at-humans-now-we-know-why?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR15Na8xs0ztfp_Mni29j_fKZlil_X1wUFQM7_1wcjwkef9SKmir1pE54Sc_aem_0H4r68nCovdIEdSXvxvusw

Meows are more than a cute sound — they're also a window into the relationship between humans and their feline friends.

05/07/2024

Here’s a little more info about the guy behind the cool logo! Folks, I cannot even begin to tell you how happy and grateful I am for the support you have shown me so far.

Now that I’ve shown you pics of my cats, I am pretty sure it’s required by law that you show me your cats. If you don’t have a cat, well, I’m sorry, but perhaps you have a photo of a cat that you know and love? Let’s see ‘em!

28/06/2024

Hi everyone! I’m very excited to announce that this business is officially alive and ready to start booking appointments in a couple weeks!

My mission with Blissful Cat Behavior Consulting is to support cats and their caregivers through feline behavior challenges locally in the Baltimore area, and hopefully far beyond it.

I’m not typically a big social media person, but I’m gonna work hard and do my best to appear as fun and cool online as I can 🙃Stay tuned for more information about me and what I do.