Cat Chat®

#282: Keoni Vaughn, the Executive Director and caretaker of 767 cats (!) at the Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary on the tiny Hawaiian island of Lāna‘i, explains its history and how they look after these previously feral cats (40% of whom become so tame they are adopted out to some of the nearly 20,000 tourists a year), while protecting a rare and vulnerable local bird population.

#281: Jennifer Mowdy of the Literary Cat Co bookstore and cat cafe (where you can buy the book) joins Tracie to discuss this beautiful, quirky posthumous book of collected works (prose, poetry, drawings) relating to cats, from the late renowned science fiction author, Ursula K Le Guin.

#280: Dr. Michelle Dulake discusses the ingredients in her Fera Pets Kidney Support for cats: how it binds the phosphate in their diet, which is the culprit in most chronic kidney diseases. Tracie recommends that the sooner you start the supplement (and switch to an all wet food diet!), the better chance you have to stave off the inevitable kidney disease that affects all cats as they age.

#278: Mikel Maria Delgado talks about how very much cats dislike covered litter boxes — which might be aesthetically pleasing to humans, but can be scary for cats who feel trapped because there’s only one way in and out and no way to guard against intruders.

#279: David Stirling wrote “The Cat That Followed Phantoms” and “The Cat That Chased Cadillacs” which Tracie compares to Richard Adams’ “Watership Down,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Stuart Little" and “Alice in Wonderland,” introducing us to an utterly believable alternate feline universe in which cats have fully realized inner and outer lives in which they talk, wear nice outfits, solve mysteries, have interpersonal dynamics — and boil water for tea in their little kettles. 

#277: Jennifer Mowdy — owner of the Literary Cat Company book store and cat rescue — discusses this magical, allegorical Japanese best-selling novel by Yuta Takahashi, about a restaurant that appears only to those who need closure with a departed loved one and need to have one last meal with them.

#276: Dr. Bruce Elsey talks about the $17 million he and his wife Kathy [a Multiple myeloma survivor herself] have raised over the years for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation through their Dr. Elsey’s Fund to Cure Cancer — through litter coupon donations and an annual million dollar matching grant — because all cancer research helps find treatments and cures for every kind of cancer and the Elsey’s feel fortunate that their cat-centric company has been able to make a difference.

#275: Stephen Quandt (Certified feline behavior specialist in private practice  (https://catbehaviorhelp.com/) working virtually with clients works in feline behavior and for the Animal Care Centers of New York City)  gives recommendations on traveling with a cat, whether in a car or plane — for holiday travel, relocation or emergencies.

#274: Filmmaker Tania Bashkatova discusses her film “Loki, Ukrainian Cat,” (which will be in the 8th Annual NY Cat Film Festival premiering in NYC October 26th) chronicling the journey her cat Loki had to make with her to escape the Russian attacks on Ukraine.

#273: Mikel Maria Delgado's kitties love the Cat Sushi bonito flakes but are uninterested in other crunchy treats - proving how important it is to have friends with cats who can happily receive your food and toy “rejects!” 

#272: Film director Kim Best discusses having two films (yet again!) in the upcoming NY Cat Film Festival — “Paws and Purpose,” a documentary about a cat rescuer in North Carolina and “When Left is Right,” about a “southpaw” kitty.

#271: Author of "The Cat Men of Gotham," Peggy Gavan leads cat-centric, architectural and historical walking tours of three different Manhattan neighborhoods at Cats About Town Tours. 

#270: Anaya Kay Dalton made her first film as a student about her kitty who went to college with her — and served as an ESA for her and all her roommates as they dealt with anxiety, depression and the general stress of being a student.

#269: It’s our good luck to have the wisdom and feline support of our very own Mikel, since she is in high demand as a speaker at many conferences — including the very recent World Feline Conference in Scotland, which she describes as having a quite different perspective from gatherings in America.

#268: Dr. Michelle Dulake — the practicing veterinarian who co-founded Fera Pets supplements and devises all the formulations — talks about how she created feline supplements to address the special and specific health needs of cats, from immune system support to kidney disease.

#267: Jennifer Mowdy — the proprietor of the Literary Cat Company in Kansas — discusses the Japanese best-selling novel “The Full Moon Coffee Shop” by Mai Mochizuki, an allegorical novel about a mysterious coffee shop run by cats that only appears to those in need of its magical powers.

#266: Peggy Gavan (author of "The Cat Men of Gotham") conducts walking tours of three NYC neighborhoods (Brooklyn Heights, the Financial District and the Lower East Side), discussing architecture, history and tales of cats in that area, all arranged at Cats About Town Tours. 

#265: Stephen Quandt at https://catbehaviorhelp.com/ really likes lickable treats for cats — and Catit's new Creamy really rings their bell! The cats for adoption at the NYC Animal Care & Control [where Stephen works with them to help make them more adoptable] have shown more response to Creamy than any other treat Stephen has tried with them!

#264: Mikel Maria Delgado talks about how much her cats love the clear glass Brooks fountain, and how helpful fountains are to entice cats to drink (and sometimes play in!) the circulating water hydration. Tracie thinks Goat Milk by Brutus Broth is another great way to introduce liquids [but clearly not appropriate to put in a fountain!]

#261:Dr Mikel Maria Delgado explains that heat stroke is less common in cats because their “thermo neutral zone” is much higher than ours (or that of dogs), but there are notable ways to protect them from extreme environmental heat.

#262: Tracie and Jennifer Mowdy [from the Literary Cat Bookstore and Cat Lounge] discuss the international bestseller "We'll Prescribe You a Cat" by Syou Ishida, translated from the Japanese, which strikes them as a metaphorical fable about how cats can teach us important lessons.

#260: Stephen Quandt talks about ways to reset your partner’s relationship with your cat by taking advantage of the "kitten-mother" relationship between cats and people. Have the person take over feeding. Schedule interactions between them using a special treat, like Creamy from Catit.

#261: The feline veterinarian whose name is on the bag of America's favorite litter talks about removing all scents from his litters because of the harm they do cats — and Tracie explains why Dr. Elsey's CleanProtein is the only dry cat food she can recommend. 

#259: Travel writer and cat lover Jeff Bogle talks about his book “Street Cats & Where to Find Them: the Most Feline-Friendly Cities and Attractions Around the World,” which could serve as a road map for anyone wanting to give a feline theme to their travel planning.

#258: Jennifer Mowdy created The Literary Cat Co., a bookstore and “cat lounge" in Pittsburg, Kansas, to bring books and reading to people in a lower socio-economic environment, who otherwise might not have access to books — while surrounding them with adoptable cats from her local shelter.

#257: Stephen Quandt (CatBehaviorHelp.com) describes how you can get your “nighttime terror” (or early morning riser) to go from crazy to calm — and let you sleep through the night.

#256: Sandra Grossman (https://www.thefelineconsultant.com/), who specializes in companion animal nutrition, explains the importance of feeding treats to your kitty that are good for her and also delicious, so that they are a huge incentive and a "big pay day" for trick training (meaning teaching your cat to do something you ask her to!) 

#255: Mikel Maria Delgado says that cat ownership can be caring for a small colony in your own backyard, but she cautions that not all “loose cats” are unowned, so you need to try to find the owner by using social media or just asking around/posting notices in the community. 

#254: Sue Delegan from Brutus Broth talks about how they developed their Goat Milk product as the perfect hydrating treat for cats, in a unique shelf-stable tetra pack, by importing the triple-safety-tested milk from goats in Germany and Austria.

#253: Pop Surrealist artist Camilla d’Errico's (https://www.camilladerrico.com/) "Pop Manga CATITUDE Coloring Book (as she says, she's "the Stephen King of coloring books"!) gives adults who like to color inside the lines a chance to express their inner catitude using her big-eyed cat drawings as their guide.

#252: They have been studying geriatric cats at Penn Vet at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Carlo Siracusa — Chief of the Animal Behavior Service — talks about how their study might give us clues to healthier aging for humans.

#251: Tracie tells about an old friend who wrote to her because the woman’s veterinarian had recommended removing some teeth from her 17 year old kitty, Thelma. She wanted Tracie’s advice: was it worth the investment for an old cat? Tracie’s own vet, Dr. Suzy Pence, explains why oral disease in cats is such a big deal to their health and welfare since the cat with gum disease is suffering already. The moral of the story? Taking care of your aging cat’s mouth is a moral obligation and you might be making her last years her best ones bec...

#249: Spyq Sklar, a co-founder of Earthly, describes how Cat Sushi came to be — from his visits to tuna processors in Japan and securing bonito flakes as cat treats.

#250: Mikel Maria Delgado talks about purebred cats and how limiting the gene pool for physical characteristics can lead to inborn physical problems. Selecting for appearance not for temperament can backfire.

#248: NYC cat behaviorist Stephen Quandt gives tips about blind cats, whether they are blind from birth or become so later. Start with a compressed space and give them a chance to explore their litter box, food and “cat cave safe space.”

#247: Meet Yosh, who traveled the world with his Bombay cat Simon, then decided to build his house for Simon’s pleasure.

#246: Cat behaviorist Rachel Geller, with her own nonprofit All Cats All the Time, has helped more than 1,000 cats and their people to have a better relationship and stay together — and she’s done it without changing her own style of patient insight and support.

#245: Behavior tips from cat behaviorist Stephen Quandt about living with a blind cat, whether blind from birth or she becomes so later. He recommends starting with a compressed space, giving them a chance to explore their litter box, food and “cat cave” safe space before you slowly expand their physical world.

#244: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado published a research project with other feline experts in England to ascertain what keeps people from playing with their cats? Turns out, changing human behavior is harder than changing that of kitty cats! 

#243: Cat behaviorist Stephen Quandt [CatBehaviorHelp.com] describes how he adopted blind Jenny as a kitten and realized she had “sight without vision” — she spent 8 hours nonstop roaming his entire apartment when he first brought her home, only resting once she had made a mental map of new territory. 

#235: Understand how a cat’s whiskers function, then Mikel Delgado tells you how to watch them to discover your cat’s feelings.

#228: Veterinary behaviorists are called "psychiatrists" in France, where Dr Claude Beata is one of a very small number of these doctors who are helping treat emotional issues in pets, including the use of psycho-pharmaceuticals.

#229: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado discusses her scientific paper on whether cats play fetch.

#240: These two cat lovers have a loving following for a reason!

 #242: Matt McGlasson's delightful book "How to Rate a Cat: Rate Any Feline Friend From Their Boopable Nose to Their Sweet Toe Beans" features his hilarious Cat Rating System (CRS) that rates all aspects of cats. He has three special needs cats himself and says anybody who can should get one because they give us a great perspective on life: they never feel sorry for themselves and just get on with it, enjoying their lives. 

#239: It takes patience and time, but novelist Brian Porter explains how he made it work when he inherited a pair of cats after his mother passed away.

#227: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado recommends a carrier the cat can enjoy as a resting place and bed that you keep out all the time in your home — not a soft-sided carrier but a hard-sided one (Sleepypod is her favorite — if you can afford one or put it on your wish list for Santa Claus!) 

#237: Wonder what your cat is thinking and feeling? The answers are in Lili Chin’s book “Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat.” 

#226: Zazie Todd’s book “PURR: the Science of Making Your Cat Happy," has a nice checklist of what you should set aside in a bag for emergency preparedness if you have to leave in a hurry.

#241: Dr. Maria Mikel Delgado discusses how to care for outdoor cats in the winter by providing a warm and dry shelter and food (using the insulation of straw) — while also making the indoors more fun for your house cat, offering a heated bed inside and using tips from her book PLAY WITH YOUR CAT!

#234: Dr Hodgkins recommends finding a feline-specialist veterinarian who will know how to use broad spectrum antibiotics to deal with the kitten’s upper respiratory symptoms.

#233: An overweight cat should not lose more than ¼ lb a week or risk life-threatening Fatty Liver Disease — which Dr Elizabeth Hodgkins says you can avoid by removing dry food from their diet and feeding quality high protein wet food to help safely and naturally remove fat packed around their liver. 

#232: Each cat has many ways of saying “Meow,” as Jonathan Losos explains in his book “The Cat’s Meow.”

#231: One lady invented a simple clip to hold the bag on the box for efficient litter clean up.

#230: Find out from feline behaviorist Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado that the answer is “No!” and all the ways your life would be miserable with a cat who is not “fixed.” 

#225: Cat behaviorist Rachel Geller from All Cats, All the Time, suggests ways to replace unwanted behavior with something you want the cat to do that he will like better. Cat jumping on the kitchen counter while you’re preparing food and cooking? Give him a puzzle toy on the floor — or add an appealing cat tree near the kitchen with some treats on it - or tie a shoelace to your belt so the cat can play with it and interact with you without jumping up on the counter.

#224: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado says all cats need a safe place to retreat to, it’s an "environmental necessity.” Make sure your cat has options of private nooks and crannies to dash to when he’s feeling unsafe or overwhelmed.

#223: Zazie Todd's checklist from her book PURR says that the 3 rules for avoiding out-of-litter-box problems are: location, size and cleanliness.

#222: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado says if you offer the right toy[s] to your cat s/he might play alone with a racetrack style toy, a robotic toy, a few small toys to bat around or a wobbly weeble toy.

#221: Professional cat photographer Karen Hoglund says that the “sweet spot” for photographing a black cat is to place him at the edge of a sunbeam.

#220: Zazie Todd's book "PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy," includes "scent as enrichment" on her "happiness checklist" — recommending you get toys with catnip, valerian, honeysuckle (that comes as a block of wood) and/or silver vine to discover which ones delight your particular cat’s amazing nose.

#219: Dr. Sameera Nalla discusses how being an intern at the Animal Behavior Wellness Clinic in Maryland is taking her beyond a lifelong dream of being a veterinarian, taking her on her way to becoming a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, a small and select specialty group.

#218: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado talks about the dangers to a cat of any medication we put on our skin — pain relievers, hormones — and how your cat can wind up licking you or you can stroke and play with your cat and deposit some of the residue on their fur where they will groom it off.

#217: "Kitten Lady" Hannah Shaw talks about how she and her husband, Andrew Marttila, a distinguished professional cat photographer, created their book CATS OF THE WORLD to show us how philanthropic cat tourism can be a way for anyone to truly connect with like-minded citizens of the world who are looking after the their community cats. 

#216: Marlan Roberts, the Executive Director of Best Friends in New York City, talks about the 3-day adoption event Oct 12, 13 & 14 at the NYC Lifesaving Center in preparation for Best Friends being the beneficiary of the Premiere of the 6th Annual NY Cat Film Festival on October 15th.

Nicole Tersigni created hilariously snarky captions to accompany stunning cat-inclusive paintings in her nifty little book “Cat People to Judge in Art and Life” [which will be in the gift bags of all the filmmakers attending the NYC Premiere of the 7th Annual NY Cat Film Festival on October 15th].

#215: Nicole Tersigni created hilariously snarky captions to accompany stunning cat-inclusive paintings in her nifty little book “Cat People to Judge in Art and Life” [which will be in the gift bags of all the filmmakers attending the NYC Premiere of the 7th Annual NY Cat Film Festival on October 15th].

#214: Cate Conte's 8th book in her Cat Cafe cozy mystery series — “Shock and Paw” — is about the danger of losing the small newspaper on their island and an unscrupulous cat breeder attempting to create costly designer cats. 

#213: Michele Campbell explains how she turned a passion for her own kitties into popularity on TikTok with 600 episodes of her Cat’s Eye Witness News — three of which will be featured in the 7th Annual NY Cat Film Festival.

#212: Dr. Amy Pike, the board certified veterinary behaviorist who owns the Animal Behavior Wellness Clinic outside Washington, D.C., talks about the new anti-anxiety medication Bonqat, designed to calm cats before visits to the veterinarian. 

#211: Zazie Todd has a "happiness checklist" in her book "PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy," which includes the importance of keeping a regular schedule for cats, who like the predictability of mealtimes and playtimes happening at pretty much the same time every day.

#210: Cat behaviorist and jazz singer Sara Goldenthal created "Angels Surround Us," soothing music for shelters to use free of charge to help lower the stress and anxiety of cats in shelters which she observed first hand.  

#209: Zazie Todd, author of "PURR," recommends grooming a short haired cat to get them to accept (or even love!) being brushed before they get old and actually need it. But no baths, please!

#208: Director Kim Best discusses her film “King of Cats,” that will be in the 7th Annual Cat Film Festival (the NYC Premiere is Oct 15th), featuring Harold "Catman" Sims — who started a cat rescue in his tool shed decades ago and expanded it to a 4,000 sq. foot open plan shelter, alongside his American Museum of the House Cat that draws thousands of visitors a year.

#207: Zazie Todd's book "PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy" has instructions on how to teach your kitty to sit up on her haunches, using the advice she shares here on the how/where/what of giving treats as positive reinforcement. 

#206: Helen Brown credits her childhood kitty as her spiritual guide in her memoir "Mickey: The Cat Who Raised Me.”

#205: Patience is the name of the game! Rachel Geller (her non-profit helping with cat behavior is All Cats, All the Time) talks about the patience required to change cat's behavior and how she recently tried to help someone who was frustrated because the advice didn't work in only three DAYS! Patience is needed to change behavior (both for the cat and the person!)

#204: Starr Cameron talks about feline dementia and the research she's been doing to understand a cat's mental decline as she ages and how we can handle it.

#203: Tracie helps Bonnie to think differently about why her 9-month-old kitten Archie stalks and bites her — and ways she can redirect that energy.

#202: Cat behaviorist Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado discusses the cons (and some pros) of introducing a new kitten to your resident cat, who may be older, frail, and not interested in playing, much less rough housing.

#201: Jemma Forman did a study in England on cats who fetch and made some surprising discoveries.

#200: Mikel Maria Delgado (author of "Play With Your Cat!") discusses the importance of play for kittens, especially up to four months of age. Is it best to have two kittens to burn off their limitless energy with each other — instead of letting them chase and bite your toes?!

#199: Dr. Tracey Deiss is a "cat-vocate," and as part of the Zoetis professional team she is enthusiastic about the new anti-anxiety medication for cats called Bonqat — which relieves stress and anxiety for cats, especially when going for a visit to the veterinarian.

#198: Cats love boxes to play and hide in. Dr Mikel Maria Delgado talks about the ecological and financial benefits of repurposing a simple box into a highly desirable cat hangout. 

#197: Luke Hollenbeck is a cat interpreter, helping people understand why cats pee on their pillow, in their shoes or in their laps! Cats don't need privacy to eliminate, they need safety. 

#196: Mikel Maria Delgado talks about the importance of vertical space and how a cat tree is central to a cat’s need to feel safe - but just like in real estate remember what matters: location, location, location.

#195: Luke Hollenbeck, a certified behaviorist with the Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Washington D.C., wants to help people find connection with their cats and the problem with negative vocabulary being thrown around about cats — which was evident in the Washington Post headline story "Your Cat Isn't Being a Jerk,” for which he was interviewed.

#194: Rachel Geller's free non-profit cat behavior consultancy All Cats, All the Time helps with issues like reintroducing kitties who got off on the wrong foot — walk it back to the beginning, starting with putting the newcomer in "the sanctuary room."

#193: Sally Williams started the Brodie Fund to help pay for pets' cancer treatments, then she created Mission Meow. When her own kitty Mr. Jones was diagnosed with cancer, rather than despair she decided to view treatment as “the gift of time.” 

#192: Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins talks about a new drug that has just come out for cats with diabetes. It concerns her for many reasons: it is only partially effective, it has side effects serious enough to warrant an FDA "black box warning" (like those cigarette packs), plus it is very expensive. She and Tracie urge everyone to avoid creating diabetes in their cats by avoiding "kitty crack" — any dry food — and to feed their obligate carnivore only wet food.

#191: Emily Stein developed TEEF to help clean cats' mouths — which are teeming with “bad bacteria” that she refers to as “the Fungus Among Us,” especially for flat faced cats like Persians. She invented TEEF to “bring good bacteria to the party in a cat’s mouth.”

#190: "HOW TO TRAIN YOUR HUMAN: A Cat’s Guide" by Babas a clever guide from the perspective of a fairly snarky Italian cat about the strangeness of human behavior, featuring drawings by a famous fashion illustrator.

#189: Lisa Erickson's charming book “No Ordinary Cats” about the cats who have shared her life is told from their perspective in their "voices."

#188: Mikel Maria Delgado discusses Chapter Two of her new book “Play With Your Cat!” which explains how a cat is hard-wired to hunt and how play fulfills this fundamental need. For a cat, Play = joy.

#189:  Rick Du Charme talks about the cat clinic in Georgia that he opened to offer more affordable care, which he hopes to replicate in other towns for expanded accessibility.

#186: Mikel Maria Delgado talks about her new book “Play With Your Cat! The Essential Guide to Interactive Play for a Happier, Healthier Feline.” She explains why embracing and understanding the need for play in a cat’s life can be a game changer for them — and their people.

#185: Dr. Casey Locklear discusses the value of creating catios to give indoor cats a feel for the outdoors. Tracie suggests using the beautiful branches of expired coffee trees — often used for reptile and bird enclosures and safe for pets. NOTE: the discussion is about branches of coffee TREES no longer bearing fruit. This is totally different from the houseplant called a “coffee plant,” which is actually highly toxic to cats and should never be in your home! 

#184: Tracie invites listener Debra Blaine, a former human doctor and cat aficionado, to talk about how her SammyKat reluctantly accepted the introduction of Midnight, a kitty left behind to fend for herself in the winter by neighbors, who thought cats were “cold blooded” so they didn't mind freezing weather... and only needed to be fed twice a week!?

#183: Dr. Elizabeth joins Tracie to help a listener who has doubts about her veterinarian's decision to give prescription food to her cat. Are they missing something?

#182: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado recommend getting a baby scale and weighing your cat regularly as a "health tracker" to note weight loss or gain, the impact of feeding changes, and even as an early warning of Hyper-T, a common treatable thyroid condition.