The Hissing Feline

Helping communities manage community cats: The work of Community Cats Central

We would enjoy hearing from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590759/fan_mail/new] In the US, there are millions of un-homed cats, often referred to as community cats. What is a community cat? How do people care for them? How can people become involved with those cats? Those are just a few of the questions this episode of The Hissing Feline podcast will address. This episode features an interview with Stacy LeBaron, founder of Community Cats Central in Vermont. The organization offers a wealth of online information, training, a podcast, and other ways to help deal with community cats.  In this episode, Stacy talks about how and why the organization was started and its outreach. She also notes the importance of veterinarians to the efforts of Community Cats Central and communities across the country. One section of the organization's website features The Community Cat Pyramid, which delineates the four aspects of decreasing community cat population. For more information, visit the organization's website at https://communitycatscentral.com

Cats as therapy animals? Research findings about the possibilities

We would enjoy hearing from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590759/fan_mail/new] You are probably familiar with therapy dogs that are specially trained to give comfort and emotional help to people in medical settings, schools, and care facilities. But did you know that cats might also offer the same benefits? My guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline is Dr. Patricia Pendry, professor of Human Development in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences at Washington State University. Her research examines human-animal interaction, including a study about cats as therapy animals. On today's show, Dr. Pendry talks about a research study she co-authored that focused on cat traits that might help with having cats in therapy situations. She also discusses what is next in research about cat therapy.

The cat buddy system: How to tell if cats are bonded buddies and why it is important to keep them together

We would enjoy hearing from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590759/fan_mail/new] Do you remember meeting someone with whom you immediately clicked? Maybe the person was a classmate or a work colleague. You knew the friendship would last for years.   Those types of connections are not just for humans. Animals also develop similar relationships. They are referred to as bonded buddies. My guest today to talk about that topic is Carol Griglione, executive director of the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines, IA. During this show, Carol defines the concept of bonded buddies and how to recognize those connections between cats. She talks about reasons why cats become bonded and the benefits of those relationships to the animals. Carol also notes the importance of keeping bonded pairs together when adopting cats. Carol says cats can bond if they are from the same litter, but also when they are from different backgrounds. Also, she says they can bond at any age–from kittens to older cats. Additionally, Carol notes that cats will stay bonded for life. https://arl-iowa.org

How to recognize and address stress in cats and causes of stress

We would enjoy hearing from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590759/fan_mail/new] It doesn’t take long for cat owners to discover that their feline is easily startled by noises inside the home or outside, such as thunder. A cat can also become stressed during a trip to the vet. Those situations are only a small number of cat stressors. Stress can also bring about long-term problems. How can you recognize a cat is stressed? And what can be done in those situations? Today's guest on The Hissing Feline is Dr. Grant Jacobson, founder of The Hometown Veterinarian in Marshalltown, Iowa. Dr. Jacobson has thirty years of expertise and shared his knowledge on the podcast. Dr. Jacobson not only talks about stress, but notes that stress can result in illness and long-term health problems. There are many types of stressors, including environmental causes, bringing another animal into the home, medical conditions, changes in the home, and over-handling. Moving to a new residence is certainly stressful for humans. Relocating homes can also affect felines. Dr. Jacobson discusses ways to prepare for a move: before, during, after.

From feral kitten to cherished senior cat: Sadie's story

We would enjoy hearing from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590759/fan_mail/new] This is a special episode of The Hissing Feline. My guest today is my wife Georgia, who is the producer of this podcast. The show focuses on visiting about raising our cat, Sadie. We adopted her as a feral kitten, and she lived to be nearly 21-years old.  During the podcast, we reminisce about Sadie's younger years and how she got her name. We discuss her personality as a youngster and some of the biggest challenges of having a feral cat. Sadie mellowed as she grew older, but she always had the same spirited personality. She never became accustomed to having someone new in the house. Sadie was not a lap cat and did not like to be held. Then there was the day we brought home a new cat (Bridget) when Sadie was 15. It took many months, but Sadie and Bridget became close companions.