feline

On TV, they call the fire department to save kitty, but many don't do that anymore or their ladders just don’t reach high enough. We know it can be difficult for cats to get back down due to the shape of their claws. Their forward hook of cat claws is great for grabbing hold and quickly climbing up the tree to escape danger. But coming down, those claws are actually a hindrance to heading down. What do we do?

Well, if you are in central Ohio, you could visit GetMeowTaHere.com to get some help. Duane Hook loves to climb trees ... BIG trees! He has turned that skill into a way to help kitties and cat parents by rescuing those fabulous felines who are stuck up a tree. Duane’s website also links to a list of other climbers around the country who are ready and willing to get Fluffy down from the treetops.

EPISODE NOTES: HELP! My Cat Is Stuck Up a Tree! Who Do I Call?

Jenna Mahan is a registered vet tech and is also the Director of Claims at Embrace Pet Insurance. Jenna joins Rita and Linda on this episode to discuss tips for keeping your cats (and dogs) safe during the holidays. They also discussed pet insurance, how it works, and the incredible value it provides. Surprisingly, it’s not as costly as we thought, either! If you have cats (and/or dogs), you will benefit from the information Jenna shared with us how pet insurance policies work.

EPISODE NOTES: Walkin’ In A Whisker Wonderland

You may know Sheri Lynch from The Bob and Sheri show, which is syndicated in 70 nationwide affiliates, 177 countries, and 150 ships at sea through American Forces Network. But you probably didn’t know that Sheri is a cat lover, who is owned by 3 adorable cats! Inspired by her Italian roots, Sheri wrote a cookbook called Cooking with Cats. This book is full of recipes, fun feline kitchen helpers, and even some recipes for yummies for your cat. Join Rita and Linda as they talk (and laugh) with Sheri and talk about cats, cooking, and whatever else comes to mind.

EPISODE NOTES: Cooking with Cats

Soda Pup is a veteran-owned business started by Adam Baker that makes amazing, durable toys for super chewer dogs. Wait! What does that have to do with cats?

We're so glad you asked! Soda Pup also make a-meow-zing lick mats and slow-feed bowls, which we recommend often. Lick mats can slow you cat down when eating to avoid scarf and barf. Not only that, these bowls and mats also provide GREAT intellectual stimulation and make your cat work for their food like they do out in nature.

That's great for cats, but they also appear to we humans. They come in really cute colors and patterns, and even holiday designs! Soda Pups products are functional, durable, and proudly made in the USA!

EPISODE NOTES: Soda Pup

We are purring with excitement over Affordable Pet Labs! Dr. Rory Lubold and Dr. Joe Menicucci are both veterinarians, as well as friends since college. They decided our animal's health care tests needed to both easier and more affordable to us humans.

Their company, Affordable Pet Labs, offers a large number of diagnostic tests that we can do at home and simply mail in to get the results. Then, Affordable Pet Labs will share the results with both the pet owner and their vet. Their tests are also much more affordably priced, too. Added bonus: you won’t need to get your cat into a carrier and take him to the vet for these tests!

Join Rita and Linda to hear more about this service and we think you will purr with happiness, too! Visit AffordablePetLabs.com to order your tests today!

EPISODE NOTES: Affordable Pet Labs

Alden Martinez is the proud founder of Katio Dogio. Along with his trusty partner, Kelly (his wife), their company is making products that solve some common problems for cat lovers everywhere! We tried the floating bowls and found them very helpful for our cats’ digestion, as well as giving us much less incidence of hairballs and vomit. Who doesn't love that?

Alden and Kelly are also revolutionizing the litter box in a way that will make it much easier on all of the humans who live to serve their feline loves! Listen in to hear Alden's a-meow-zing products and why he started this mission!

EPISODE NOTES: Katio Dogio

Amy Shojai dreamed of becoming a Broadway star as a child. While that dream did not come true, she turned her creativity toward cats, dogs, and writing! Her Mom told her friends, “When Amy grows up, she won’t have babies—she’ll have puppy dogs and kitty cats.”

Her Mom was right… As a Certified Animal Behavior Councilor, Amy has written many books about cat and dog care, from kitten care to the aging cat, and everything in between. She has also written a number of thrillers, featuring our companion animals. Her knowledge and love for cats is evident and she will have you laughing while she's at it! Tune in and laugh along us as we talk with Amy!

EPISODE NOTES: Amy Shojai, CABC – The Accidental Writer

Rita and Linda adore Chris Roy! He has worked tirelessly to bring animal rescue, transport, fosters, and adopters all together on one platform; Doobert.com. Now, Chris has gone one step further. He has created a platform where you can shop for your pet's food and other supplies, while helping rescues at the same time. A percentage of every sale is donated to the non-profit animal wellness organization of your choice!

Just shop at the Doobert Store, buy your usual pet supplies, and benefit animal recues! It’s that easy and it doesn’t cost you a thing. Listen to this episode of 19 Cats and Counting to learn how you can help rescues while shopping for your pet's food.

EPISODE NOTES: Chris Roy – The New Doobert Store

Did you ever have a guest you loved so much that you invited them to come back ASAP? That's how Rita and Linda feel about Pam Roussell. As a cat mom, behavior expert, holistic wellness expert and lover of all things feline, Pam is a wealth of information! Join us as Linda and Rita chat with Pam about mental, physical and emotional health practices, and how color therapy can help your feline friends!

EPISODE NOTES: Pam Roussell Returns

If you've ever wanted to know more about big cats, you will love this episode of 19 Cats and Counting! Rita and Linda talk to Jeanna Hensler from the WildcatSanctuary.org. They focus on giving big cats a sanctuary to live the rest of their lives, as naturally as possible. Their residents include 4 big cats rescued from Tiger King Park, as well as many others rescued from private homes and other facilities.

Wildcast Sanctuary works tirelessly to not only care for these cats, but to educate all of us about what these big cats need to thrive, and why they should not be our purrr-sonal pets!

EPISODE NOTES: Lions and Tigers and... Lots Of Big Cats!

Nicole Kay has a little Superwoman DNA in her! She founded JustCatsStore.com to focus on providing feline essentials that are the best of the best. A store that includes other animals and sells less than the best would make more money, but that's not Nicole! She is focused on "providing cats and their people with high quality products" and have "selectively chosen the best, high quality products for you and your feline." Additionally, she has partnered with a rescue to help get cats adopted and you can even donate to support a rescue! Nicole donates time, money, and resources to help local as well as national, pet rescue groups.

Did we mention that Nicole has over 20 rescues living on her urban farm? Yup, she is indeed Superwoman for the cat world! Listen in and get all the details. We think you will fall in love with Nicole, just as we did!

EPISODE NOTES: Catwoman To The Rescue!

Phinney’s is working hard to keep people and their beloved pets together! They help with education, taking pets to the vet, providing care and even short-term fosters in case of hospitalization or other emergency needs. What a meow-velous idea! And they are working with the a-meow-zing Dr. Rachel Geller to help with behavior issues! Phinney’s is doing great work in Massachusetts, and we would love to see this idea go global!

Join Rita and Linda to learn more about what Phinney’s is doing, why they are doing it, and how they are accomplishing miracles! Also find out how you can help with their cause! Me-WOW! Be sure to visit phinneys.com to learn more about Phinney’s.

EPISODE NOTES: Phinney’s – Helping Pets Stay With Their People

Ava is a typical 14-year old. She loves her family, her friends, and her pets. What is amazing about Ave is that she is the 14-year-old Founder and Chief Pet Officer of Ava's Pet Palace. Did you read that right? Yes, 14!

Having always loved animals and with a passion for helping them, Ava created her first business plan when she was 6 years old! WOW! Two years later at age 8, after asking and asking, her parents finally decided to make Ava’s dreams come true, and Ava's Pet Palace was born.

Ava’s Pet Palace has happy customers in all 50 states! Her mom has been able to leave her job and work for Ava's Pet Palace full time, shipping hundreds of bags of treats each month. Let’s talk to this extraordinary girl, who we believe has even bigger things ahead.

EPISODE NOTES: Ava's Pet Palace

Cat mom, fitness enthusiast, swimmer, holistic health seeker, yogi, aspiring gardener, lover of sunny Cancun beaches, gentle spirit, high sales achiever and entrepreneur. These are just a few of the ways Pam Roussell describes herself. As a cat lover all her life, Pam has always had cats as pets. Her first baby pictures show her as a newborn stuffed in a Christmas stocking with a beautiful white kitty sitting relaxed beside her.

Pam discovered holistic medications back in 2005, when she had a foot injury that wouldn’t heal. As Pam says, “it’s been quite a journey of discovery and learning ever since.” As a board-certified holistic health practitioner and a Professional Mind Body Spirit Release practitioner, Pam has studied holistic health for animals, animal communication and she has a Level 2 Reiki certification. Pam also teaches muscle testing workshops and enjoys being a holistic health coach for cats.

Listen as Rita and Linda talk with Pam about holistic remedies and the difference they make in the lives of cats and their people.

EPISODE NOTES: Curing Your Cats Holistically-Part 2

Sterling Davis is known around the world as the Trap King! Sterling left his music career to dedicate his life to feline TNR (trap, neuter, release). He purchased an RV that allows him to travel and trap, while also serving as his home. Sterling changed his entire life to help cats, and that is the kind of human Rita and Linda love!

As if he’s not busy enough, will even be going to Greece soon to help S.M.A.R.T. (see our last show) tackle the huge population of homeless cats there. In addition to helping cats, Sterling is hoping to serve as an example for all men, and the black community in particular, to encourage them to join in some kitty love! Sterling admits that trapping wild cats can be a tough job, but he thinks "compassion is cool!" and we agree!

Join Rita and Linda to hear more about this a-meow-zing man and his mission! We think you will fall in love with him too!

EPISODE NOTES: The Trap King – Sterling Davis.

Julie Kelley is the founder and director of Let's be S.M.A.R.T. (Successfully Managing Animal Rights Today), an international non-profit animal welfare organization. They are dedicated to providing education and awareness about animals. SMART is active in taking in animals, fostering them, and finding them forever homes. In addition, they've developed an education course for young children to be used in schools that includes videos with characters that appeal to kids.

After a few trips to Greece with a friend, Julie was saddened by the immense stray and feral population in Greece, so she moved to Greece and started Let's Be Smart Greece! She travels between Greece and the US, devoting herself to helping animals. Join Linda and Rita as they get the scoop on Let's Be Smart, what they are doing to help our feline friends and what we can do to help!

EPISODE NOTES: Let's Be S.M.A.R.T.

Dr. Rachel Geller, Ed.D. is a certified Cat Behavior and Retention Specialist, Humane Education Specialist, Pet Chaplain, Fear Free Shelter Specialist, American Association of Feline Practitioners Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate, and RedRover Reader! To further her mission to advocate for cat adoption and keeping cats in their home, she became founder and president of All Cats All The Time Inc. Her organization is a 501c3, non-profit, created to help promote not just the adoption of cats, but also preventing their surrender and abandonment. Dr. Rachel helps shelters and cat owners who cannot otherwise afford to get help with their cat’s behavior. She provides her behavior counseling free of charge.

Rachel is a-meow-zing in her love for cats, and she works tirelessly to continue educating humans and helping cats in any way she can. Linda and Rita were especially interested in chatting about Dr. Rachel's role as pet chaplain and what that entails! They give Dr. Rachel two paws up for all she does!

EPISODE NOTES: Rachel Geller - Saving the World, One Cat at a Time!

Dr. Jeff Werber is a renowned veterinarian who continues his practice in addition to being a veterinarian medical journalist. In September of 1997 he became the pet expert for CBS news in Los Angeles and even won an Emmy for his pet health reporting! He is a frequent contributor to CNN, E! Entertainment, KCBS/KCAL-Los Angeles, KTLA and Inside Edition! Dr, Jeff is also host and segment writer for the pet Care Television Network as well as for "Ask the Vets with Dr. Jeff," his weekly syndicated call-in radio show on Pet Life Radio.

Dr. Jeff took an hour from his busy schedule to sit down with Rita and Linda to discuss vet care with cats. With over 35 years of veterinarian experience, he is very knowledgeable and works hard to benefit animals in many ways! Learn about Air Vet and how it is changing vet care for all pet parents, proving care without needing to bring your cat into the office.

EPISODE NOTES: Ask The Vet… It’s Dr. Jeff!

Abigail Tucker is author of The Lion in the Living Room, which became a New York Time's Bestseller. This wonderful book was also named a “Best Science Book” in 2016 by Library Journal, and Forbes and is now translating it into thirteen languages. It also happens to be Rita's FAVORITE book about cats and trust us... Rita's read a lot of books about cats!

Among her many achievements, Abigail is also a correspondent for Smithsonian Magazine, and has been featured in The Best American Science and Nature Writing. She recently came out with a new book entitled, "Mom Genes."

EPISODE NOTES: The Lion in the Living Room

Lashonda Geffrard grew up without a pet in her home, but she always had a passion for animals. She blazed her own path in the pet care world, and now owns a Pet Grooming service for dogs and cats, The Paw Shop. Her business also includes a boarding facility.

Rita and Linda were blown away by her love for animals, her talent, and her heart to help others by creating not one, but two non-profit organizations. We love everything Lashonda is doing and appreciate her opening up with us on the subject of diversity. It’s an important conversation, don’t miss it.

EPISODE NOTES: Paws Of Hope