feline

Linda and Rita always thought of pet insurance as a luxury only people that was not necessary and largely unaffordable by most pet owners. Their interview with Brian Jorgensen, head of MetLife's pet insurance division, has changed their minds.

MetLife's pet insurance is currently covering over 140,000 US pets in all 50 states and DC. In addition to our beloved feline friends, they cover dogs, birds, rabbits, lizards, potbelly pigs and more. Unlike many other insurers, MetLife even has a multi-pet policy option. How cool is that!

If you have pets, you need to hear this Podcast. Join us as Brian fills us in on why all pet parents should look into pet insurance, and see how helpful and truly affordable it really is.

EPISODE NOTES: Pet Insurance for Your Feline Friends

As cat behaviorists, we sometimes get involved with topics that aren’t exactly behavior related, but that do affect our cats and their overall health and well-being. As cat parents, sometimes we are shocked about what we learn. This is the case when recently one of our clients was talking with us about cat food. What is best to feed your cats? What should we look for on the label? What should, and should not, be on the ingredient list?

We contacted Susan Thixton, founder of the Association for Truth in Pet Food and advocate for cleaning up our pet foods, to ask the hard questions. While we though we knew what to look for (meat as first ingredient, no corn or wheat), what we learned from Susan shocked and dismayed us both. So what do we do? Do we need to start making our own cat and dog foods, and if we do that how do we make sure that our pets get the right nutritional support?

Susan will answer those question, and we’ll also talk about some ways to cook for your cat that are nutritionally complete, quick and easy to make, and very budget friendly, too! We’ve already fired up our crockpots to cook for our own cats.

Warning: the topic of discussion sometimes gets very blunt, as we talk about what is REALLY in come of the popular pet foods we buy. It’s important information but is sometimes hard to hear…

EPISODE NOTES: Susan Thixton – The Truth About Pet Food!

Isabel Alvarez Arata, host of Pet Life Radio’s Covered In Pet Hair, made a life-changing decision recently: she decided to adopt a cat! After being a dog parent for a number of years, she recently lost her last dog. Isabel’s lifestyle has changed now that she has 2 kids, so getting a puppy felt like too much for her to handle right now.

But what about adopting a cat, she thought. A cat would give her, her husband, and her kids the furry companionship they wanted, without having to walk a dog, constantly keep him entertained, and all the work that goes into training a puppy. Yes, cats need social interaction, but not quite to the degree a dog, especially a puppy, requires.

We love this, since, of course, we (Linda and Rita) are all about cats! She is also teaching her kids how to be responsible pet owners, first through their dogs and now via their cat, Van Gogh! Tune in to hear the challenges of becoming a cat parent, and the differences Isabel has noticed between having a cat and a dog in her busy home.

EPISODE NOTES: Isabel Alvarez Arata: A Dog Parent Decides to Adopt a Cat!

Behavior consultant and lifestyle expert of the feline kind. That’s how Daniel Quagliozzi, affectionately known as DQ, refers to himself. For that past 20+ years, DQ’s life has been all about the betterment of life for cats, and their humans, too.

As founder of Go Cat Go of San Francisco, GQ has been helping people with cat behavior. He has over a decade of experience working for the San Francisco SPCA and San Francisco Animal Care and Control as a specialist in cat behavior, intake and adoption, in addition to working privately with cat guardians in their homes and online. DQ’s PURRsonal philosophy about life is to be like a cat and “Live in the Meow.” Rita and Linde adore DQ, and they think you will, too. And don’t forget to go to his website and download his “5 Steps to PURR-VANA.”

EPISODE NOTES: Daniel ‘DQ’ Quagliozzi – Go Cat Go

Let’s talk about Parasite Prevention. Our favorite veterinarian, Dr. Kelly Cairns, is with us to talk about the importance of prevention, even for cats. What kind of parasites might plague our cats? Fleas, Ticks, Tapeworms, Ringworms, Ear Mites, and also Heartworm. Linda and Rita did not know that cats could indeed get Heartworm, although it is more prevalent in dogs.

Do even for our indoor-only cats need parasite prevention? Yes, even for them, since those little hitchhikers can be brought in from outside via a screen door, your pant legs, or by the family dog if you have one. Dr. Kelly talks with Rita and Linda about these pests, how to prevent them, how to get rid of them if you do have them, and why Parasite Prevention needs to be done all year long. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

EPISODE NOTES: Dr. Kelly Cairns – May is Parasite Prevention Month

Does your older cat show signs of slowing down, or even pain? A staggering 90% of cats over the age of 12 have arthritis, which means it starts setting in even younger. Cats are such masters at hiding illness and pain that often we don’t notice the signs.

Enter Dr. Kelly Cairns! During her monthly visit to our show, Dr. Kelly and the ladies discussed: • What osteoarthritis is like for cats? • Are there specific behaviors they display when having pain from osteoarthritis? • If my cat has osteoarthritis, what can be done to relieve the pain • How can cat owners make their senior cat more comfortable when in osteoarthritis pain? • What other important things should pet owners keep in mind when caring for their senior cat?

Dr. Cairns is here to answer those questions and more, as well as talk about a new monthly treatment specifically for arthritis pain in cats: Solensia. One of Linda and Rita’s clients swears by Solensia for her cat’s arthritis pain.

EPISODE NOTES: Dr. Kelly Cairns – Senior Cats and Arthritis

Did you ever wonder what your cat would say if he could talk? Or what his text messages would say if he could use a smart phone? In Angie Bailey’s book, Texts from Mittens, she shows us just what is on the minds of cats everywhere, and just what they would test, if only they could type. Texts from Mittens is a series of comical text messages exchanged between a snappy, self-absorbed cat and his long-suffering human.

Angie’s new book, Texts from Mittens: The Friends and Family Edition, continues the banter and feline humor. This is a must-read for cat lovers everywhere! Listen as Rita and Linda talk about Angie’s books, and how she got the idea to write these hilarious books.

EPISODE NOTES: Angie Bailey – Texts from Mittens

All Dogs (and Cats) go to Heaven, they say… But do they? Allia Zobel Nolan explores that very topic. Will we see our furry loved ones again when we get to heaven? After reading Allia’s new book, Heavenly Headbutts, we think you’ll feel much better about just where our pets go when they cross that infamous Rainbow Bridge.

Join Linda and Rita as they talk with Allia about losing a beloved cat, the inspiration for her book, and the hope that she found in researching her book. She is also the author of a number of humous books, such as “Why Cats are STILL Better than a Man,” “Cat Confessions,” and “Purr More Hiss Less.” You’ll want to read them all!

EPISODE NOTES: Allia Zobel Nolan - Heavenly Headbutts

Cats are famous for hiding signs of illness, to the point where we sometimes don’t discover and illness until our cats are very sick. Also, we know cats slow down as they age, and their habits change but it happens so slowly that we often don’t notice. How can we change that and improve the quality and longevity of life for our cats?

Meet Ali Ganjavian, Co-Founder to Moggie.me, the first cat-only health wearable that tracks your cat’s activity to help improve their overall well-being. The small device attaches to your cat’s collar and keeps track of what they do every day. Has your cat been sleeping more, not jumping up on the cat tree anymore, spending more time in the litter box? This monitor will track your cat's behaviors and translate their needs into short messages with AI-powered technology. Linda and Rita are both on the waiting list to get this PAW-some tool for keeping track of their cats and their health. Look for Moggie.me to be available mid-Summer 2023.

EPISODE NOTES: Moogie Me Feline Activity Checker

April 19 is National Cat Lady Day! Linda and Rita are celebrating by getting their cats, and themselves, some cool cat products for their combined 27 cats! These two are TRUE Cat Ladies! On this episode, Rita and Linda will show you come of the cool things they were sent to review, as well as some of their own favorites, so you can be sure to spoil your cat lady, and her cats too!

We’ll show you everything from PJ’s for the cat lady made by Hello Mellow, a plushy cat from Bunnies By the Bay a leopard themed wallet from Kedzie and many other fun and useful items.

Remember to spoil your cat lady, and her cats, on April 19 National Cat Lady Day!

EPISODE NOTES: Gifts for the Cat Lady in Your Life (or for Yourself!)

How to care for your cat naturally with these 3 tips

In this episode learn more about 3 ways you can care for your cat naturally. This includes

• Nutrition
• Massage or other "manual therapies"
• Worming

Links mentioned in the episode include

Raw Feeding Veterinary Society
Verm-X
Taranet Complementary Therapies for Animals

You can get more tips and info by on my Social Media or websites:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Aloe Vera Health & Skincare For Your Animals

Death threats, lawsuits, media attention… None of this was on Howard’s mind when he met and fell in love with Carole. The dedication these two have to each other, as well as to the protection of those big cats, is incredible.

In part two of our talk with Howard Baskin, we learn even more about what he went through and how it felt to handle the public after Joe Exotic came into their lives. Once free to live in their town and talk to people in public every day, Howard watch Carole narrow her world more and more in order to protect herself.

Now that things are getting back to more “business as usual,” their dedication to saving Big Cats is stronger than ever. Let’s listen as Howard tells Linda and Rita more about Big Cat Rescue, and shares how YOU can help make a difference, too.

EPISODE NOTES: Part Two of Our Interview with Howard Baskin

We all know who Carole Baskin is; she is the fearless champion of Big Cats everywhere. Big Cat Rescue was opened by Carole in 1992 as a safe haven for exotic cats who have been mistreated or displaced. And, of course, by now her name is synonymous with Tiger King Joe Exotic (more on that later...)

Aside from all the drama, what you may not know is that Carole and her devoted husband Howard Baskin, along with many volunteers and politicians, worked tirelessly for years to get the Big Cat Public Safety Act which passed into law this past December. This bipartisan legislation ends the private possession and trade of these exotic cats, so no more cats and cubs can be harmed. Howard undertook this challenge head on, and in the process has become a well-known advocate for those beautiful big cats.

Rita and Linda enjoyed chatting with Howard and learned so much about the cats, the legislation, and perhaps a tidbit or two about Joe Exotic (and a few other people) too.

We think you will be as fascinated as they were!

EPISODE NOTES: Howard Baskin and Big Cat Rescue

Dr. Kelly Cairns, DVM is VP of medical excellence education for over 400 Thrive Pet Healthcare family facilities! She is passionate about health care for all our pets, but she has a special fondness for our feline friends. (We love that!)

One of the biggest issues for cat parents is getting that yearly wellness check for our felines. Since cats are masters at hiding illness, it’s more important to get them seen each year. Twice a year is recommended for senior cats. Dr. Kelly will tell us why this is so critical to your cat’s overall health and wellness.

We loved our talk with her so much, that we’ve asked Dr. Kelly to become a regular part of our show! Look for her to be a recurrent guest, helping us all take the mystery out of keeping our cat companies in optimal health.

Dr. Kelly shares her life with her husband, two daughters, one son, two cats, and a lab mix she says has bad manners! Join us as we talk about cats, their care, and what cat loving humans need to know!

EPISODE NOTES: Happy Kitty, Healthy Kitty

Linda and Rita welcome back their favorite cat behaviorist, Dr. Rachel Geller, who is here to talk about her new course. In cooperation with the Community Cats Podcast, Dr. Rachel is teaching a class that we as a community need; the Surrender Prevention Workshop!

What is Surrender Prevention and why is it needed? 134,400 cats are surrendered yearly to US Shelters for behavior problems. And we are sure that is a conservative figure. Pet parents sometimes get overwhelmed and think they have tried everything to change their cat’s behavior; then get to the point of feeling hopeless to solve the issue. So, they turn to surrender, because they lack the knowledge to truly fix the behavior alone. Often, they feel surrender is only solution, no matter how much they love their cat.

Dr. Rachel’s class is designed to help rescues, shelters, and individuals help assess a potential surrender, and offer free resources to help keep that cat in their home. Learn how you can become a certified Surrender Prevention Specialist, and how you can use this knowledge to help keep cats (even your own) in their homes.

Listen as Rita and Linda discuss the course, which the Cat Behavior Alliance ladies will be taking themselves!

EPISODE NOTES: The Surrender Prevention Workshop – Dr. Rachel Geller

We all know how stressful buying a house and moving in can be. Now, imagine you and your fiancé find your dream home, but the day of closing are “comes with a few barn cats” and the former owners of the house are hoping you will let them stay… Neither of you are "cat people" but, okay. How hard can it be to take care of a couple of old barn cats, right? Surprise, it’s actually FIFTEEN (15) cats, none of whom are spayed or neutered!

Now what do you do?

Well, if you are Dylan and Emily Bott from Freedom Farmhouse, two people with a heart for animals, you get them all spayed/neutered and vaccinated. You build a safe space for them to stay warm and cozy. You purchase heaters, a lot of food, litter etc. AND you build an addition onto your home where the cat will later be moved to.

Whew! Emily and Dylan are our new heroes!

Come spend some time with Rita and Linda as they chat with Emily about their crazy new home, its occupants, and their quest to turn their home into a sanctuary for other types of farm animals (like donkeys) that need a place to live, too!

EPISODE NOTES: Freedom Farmhouse

With 27 cats between them, Linda and Rita know cat’s, and what motivates them. Of course, they have not always been so knowledgeable about what drives cats and their unique behaviors, nor how to steer them into behaviors we can live with.

Meeting hundreds of cat parents ever year for cat behavior sessions and having made their own share of mistakes along the way, the gals of Cat Behavior Alliance have heard plenty of stories about what people have tried (and failed) to change their cat’s behavior. They want to share with you some of the common mistakes that most of us make when we first bring a cat into our lives.

Rita and Linda have quite a lot to share, and you won’t want to miss a word of their advice on this special episode. Dog owners, listen up! Dogs and cats are not trained alike, so if you are new to cat companions, you really need this show.

EPISODE NOTES: What Am I Doing Wrong?

Is your cat happy? Do they feel okay? We know how cats can hide signs of illnesses. Is there something they'd like us to do for them? If only cats could talk! Well, cats may not be able to talk but Linda and Rita specialize in reading cat body language and signs to help our cats. But what if we could do more? What if we could let our cats know how we feel about them and have better communication?

Kara Udziela, Animal Communicator and Owner of Pet's Eye View, met up to chat with the ladies and share her animal communication techniques. She even gave some brief readings of some of Rita and Linda's pets and they were very surprised! Join us to hear what Kara told the ladies, and how she turned Rita from skeptic to believer!

EPISODE NOTES: Is Animal Communication Real?

What would happen to your beloved feline friends if something happened to you? If you needed to be in the hospital for a month, or if you pass away, who would take care of your fur-babies? Would that human know the details about your cat's health, likes and dislikes, routines etc.?

Rita and Linda thought they had it all planned out, until they met with Malissa Church, a South Carolina attorney who works with estate planning. She has a plan laid out for us, to know what to do and we put Rita to the test. Is she really prepared? Did she pass or fail? Listen to this episode of 19 Cats and Counting to see if you are prepared.

EPISODE NOTES: What Happens to your Cats Without You

Did you know that between 20 and 50% of cats over the age of 15 have some degree of kidney disfunction going on? Kidney disease is 3 times higher for cats than dogs, too. It’s also unfortunate that many of these cats aren’t diagnosed until the disease has progressed to an untreatable state. Cats are notorious for hiding signs of illness, and just as notoriously difficult to get inside the carrier…

Enter Dr. Hillary Sweet and Dr. Matthew Nickel, founders of SN Biomedical Inc, which owns KidneyChek.com. Wish a simple swab from the inside of your cat’s mouth, the Kidney Chek strips can tell you immediately if your cat has the beginnings of this dreaded disease. All without subjecting your cat to the carrier, the car ride, and the vet’s office! We think these kidney tests should be a standard part of every cat parent’s toolbox. Listen as Dr. Sweet tells us all about these life-saving kits.

EPISODE NOTES: Kidney Chek