The Hissing Feline

We would enjoy hearing from you. Do you talk to your cat? Did you know that your cat also communicates with you? On this episode of The Hissing Feline podcast, you’ll learn about how cats use vocalizations and body language to express themselves to humans and other cats. My guest is Dr. Sarah Bruggeman, Senior Associate Veterinarian at Billings Animal Family Hospital in Billings, MT, and a member of the Feline Veterinary Association. Dr. Bruggeman discusses topics, including those listed below, about feline communication: Vocal communication Mother cat to kittens Different reasons cats purr, including physical benefits for the cat Hissing Yowling Body language Ear position Eyes, such as blinking and staring Posture Tail location and shape Other communication expressions Kneading Rubbing For more information about the Billings Animal Family Hospital, visit their website at www.billingsanimalfamilyhospital.com .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Have you wondered what a cat feels when its paws touch cool grass or a crunchy leaf? When it hears the buzz of an insect…or comes face-to-face with a human? There’s a new book that lets you sense and think like a cat. Kat McCarthy is my guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline. She is an author and a member of the Cat Writers Association. Kat talks about her novel, “The Wild Side of the Wall: A Cat's Tale of Courage, Kinship, and Joy.” On this episode, Kat discusses the background of her book, what inspired the novel, what she hopes readers take away from it, and how listeners can obtain a copy of her book. Her goal for writing the book Initial thoughts before starting the book project Inspiration for writing the book How research about cats informed the book, including examples of findings from research What Kat learned from writing the book What people can learn about cats from reading the novel How interested listeners can get a sample of the book How people can obtain the full book Get more information about Kat's novel by visiting her website at thecatstale.com/wild-kin-press/the-wild-side-of-the-wall .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Chronic Kidney Disease is one of the most common health issues cat owners face, especially in older cats. What symptoms might cat parents observe that point to kidney disease? How is the disease diagnosed? What treatment methods are available? Dr. Jessica Quimby joins me on this episode of The Hissing Feline to talk about feline chronic kidney disease. She is Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. Dr. Quimby is a board certified internal medicine specialist. During the show, Dr. Quimby discusses several aspects of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD): Explanation of Chronic Kidney Disease Risk factors and causes of kidney disease Cats that are most susceptible to the disease Symptoms cat owners might observe Effects of feline kidney disease Diagnosis/screening Importance of seeing a veterinarian early if an ailment is suspected Veterinary treatment methods, including new methods and technologies What cat owners can do at home Ongoing monitoring when a cat has CKD Prognosis of CKD End-stage CKD Find out more about the work of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine here .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Some great changes are coming to The Hissing Feline podcast in September: Same excellent cat expert interviews. New podcast logo. Inspiring Cat Stories after each interview, with stories from listeners. The Hissing Feline website that has links to current and previous episodes, the Cat Stuff blog, profiles of the podcast crew, and a contact page with information about how to submit an Inspiring Cat Story. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and other podcast platforms.

We would enjoy hearing from you. Watching our cats age is not easy, especially when they have chronic pain, kidney disease, weight loss, arthritis, and other debilitating conditions. Some cats experience mental decline also known as Feline Cognitive Dysfunction. This episode features a visit with Dr. Melissa Boldan about feline dementia. Dr. Boldan is associate veterinarian at Trailside Animal Hospital in Columbia, MO. She also is a contributing author of articles about cat and dog health topics to PetMD. Here are some of the topics discussed on this podcast: Feline dementia defined. Cats most likely to get dementia. Symptoms cat owners might observe. Veterinarian diagnosis process. Medication-related treatments for feline dementia. Feline dementia treatments outside of medications Prognosis for cats with dementia. What cat owners can do to support their cat as it declines. Resources for understanding and managing dementia. Click here to learn more about Trailside Animal Hospital in Columbia, MO.

We would enjoy hearing from you. Very popular types of online videos feature cats. They are everywhere on social media. People simply cannot get enough of cats being cats. The guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline is Will Braden, director of the Cat Video Fest. On the podcast, Will discusses a number of topics about the Fest: Fest history and Will's involvement Growth of the Fest in the US International aspect of the Fest Types of videos that are included in the production The process of receiving, sorting through entries, and selection criteria How the Fest helps local shelters with part of the proceeds For more information about the Fest, visit CatVideoFest.com . Learn more about CVF Director Will Braden by clicking here .

We would enjoy hearing from you. There are many shelter cats that are considered "unadoptable" or overlooked. They are felines that are more difficult to adopt out due to various circumstances. That includes cats that might have either a shy or aggressive personality, those that are undersocialized, felines with medical situations (e.g., feline leukemia, diabetes, and cancer), special needs cats, and cats that are in their senior years. This episode of The Hissing Feline podcast features an interview with Nikki Healy, executive director of the Good Mews Animal Foundation in Marietta, Georgia. In this show, Nikki talks about overlooked cats and discusses some people's perception about adopting those cats. Nikki talks about the benefits both to adopters and felines of adopting overlooked cats. She also explains what adopters of these cats need to know. Finally, Nikki discusses the importance of people educating themselves about adopting overlooked cats and lists some resources for more information about those types of cats. You can learn more about the Good Mews Animal Foundation by visiting the organization's website at https://www.goodmews.org .

We would enjoy hearing from you. One big health concern of cat owners is feline diabetes. What are symptoms that cat parents can recognize? What treatments are available for the disease? How can diabetes be managed in cats? This episode of The Hissing Feline features a discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Chapman about feline diabetes. Dr. Chapman is owner and medical director of Just Cats Clinic in Reston, VA. The show focuses on topics such as factors that contribute to feline diabetes, signs of diabetes that cat owners might observe, and detection methods and diagnosis by veterinarians. Dr. Chapman also talks about complications of feline diabetes and methods to manage the condition. She provides important resources to learn more about feline diabetes. Find out more about Just Cats Clinic at justcatsclinic.com .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Cat emergencies can happen anytime and with little or no warning. On this episode, well known pet first aid expert Arden Moore talks about recognizing when a cat is in distress and what to do in those instances. She discusses the most common types of situations that require feline first aid and how to prepare for emergencies. For more information about Arden Moore's Pet First Aid 4U, visit https://www.petfirstaid4u.com/

We would enjoy hearing from you. Fostering kittens is more than feeding and caring for them over a period of time. Fostering plays an important role in the growth and life of a cat. It helps with socialization and prepares cats to be adopted into their forever homes. It’s kind of like a cat internship. My guest on this episode is Summer Preuit, the kitten fostering coordinator at The Cat House in Lincoln, NE. Summer discusses foster parent requirements and preparation, including having a proper environment for fostering. She also talks about the supplies needed for fostering kittens. Summer discusses the challenges of fostering and benefits of fostering (for cats and the fostering person). She includes a fostering success story about a mother cat that lost her kittens paired with kittens that lost their mother. Finally, Summer lists several resources if listeners want more information about fostering. https://thecathouse.org/

We would enjoy hearing from you. Today's guest is Allison Hunter-Frederick. She is a certified cat behavior consultant and trainer located in Lincoln, NE, and owner of Allison Helps Cats. On the podcast, Allison talks about whether the type of cat relates to trainability. She also shares some of the most asked questions she has received about cat training and reasons people have for wanting to train a cat. In the second segment of the podcast, Allison discusses strategies for training, including having a positive approach and preparing for setbacks. Find out more about Allison Helps Cats here .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Community cats are a big concern of neighborhoods across the US. There are many cat-related organizations in towns and cities that are dedicated to dealing with populations of feral and stray cats. Their efforts not only focus on trap, neuter, and release programs, but also on the importance of educating the public about community cats. My guest on today's podcast is Cindy Campbell, board member and volunteer at Friends of Feral Felines in Charlotte, North Carolina. She first discusses the history and mission of the organization. Cindy encourages people to look at cats differently and to consider a "back-to-basics" approach to dealing with community cats. She also talks about the importance of community involvement and some of the biggest issues communities face regarding community cats www.friendsofferalfelines.org

We would enjoy hearing from you. Cats are skilled at hiding illness and pain. Determining if your cat is experiencing pain can be difficult. What are the signs? What are different sources of cat pain? What treatments are available to deal with their discomfort? Those are some of the questions this episode of The Hissing Feline will address. Returning to the show is Dr. Bruce Kornreich. He is a board-certified veterinary cardiologist and director of the Cornell Feline Health Center at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In this episode, Dr. Kornreich discusses signs that a cat is experiencing pain. He also differentiates between acute and chronic pain. Regarding chronic pain, Dr. Kornreich talks about osteoarthritis in cats and various treatment options. He also notes the importance of veterinary care for suspected cat pain and having a pain management plan in conjunction with the cat owner’s veterinarian. Find out more about the Cornell Feline Health Center here .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Imagine having a warm cup of coffee, a tasty snack, and an opportunity to visit with cats all in the same location. It’s the perfect combination. Across the United States there are an estimated 300 cat cafés, many of which give patrons a chance to enjoy their favorite café amenities while checking out cats from local shelters for adoption. This episode of The Hissing Feline podcast features and interview with Mary Jankowski, owner of Iowa’s first cat café, known as Coffee Cats. The cafe is located in the Valley Junction community of West Des Moines, IA. On the show, Mary talks about how Coffee Cats was started and what went into planning for and starting the cafe. She discusses benefits of the cafe to both visitors and the cats, which are available for adoption from the Animal Rescue League. Mary also talks about different types of events the cafe has that connect visitors with the cats. See the Coffee Cats website here .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Cancer touches just about everyone – family, friends, and us. Different kinds of cancers also can affect our four-footed family members. My guest on today's podcast is Dr. Karen Oberthaler, veterinarian and board-certified veterinary oncologist. She is co-founder of Treeline Veterinary Cancer Care in both Boulder and Eagle, Colorado. In this episode, Dr. Oberthaler discusses common types of feline cancers, including where cancers in cats are most likely to appear. She talks about methods of cancer diagnosis and treatments. Also, Dr. Oberthaler visits with me about differences between human cancer treatments and those of cats. Get more information about TreelineVeterinary Care here .

We would enjoy hearing from you. Just about everywhere we look this time of year there are baby animals. My wife and I have seen baby groundhogs, goslings, calves, and, of course, kittens. Kitten season lasts from spring to late fall, but now is the peak time of the year for their arrival. It’s also when shelters take in large numbers of the babies, along with mother cats. With me on the podcast today to visit about kittens, health, and adopting them is Carol Griglione, executive director of the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines, IA. Carol discusses a number of important aspects of kitten adoption, including the biggest challenges of bringing a little feline into the home. She also talks about whether adopters have specific criteria for what they want in a kitten. In addition, she discusses what to look for regarding the health of a kitten before adopting it and common signs that might indicate there is a health issue with the animal. Carol also talks about how adopters can prepare their home for a kitten.

We would enjoy hearing from you. This episode of The Hissing Feline revisits an earlier show on which I interviewed Crystal Jolly, a pet sitter with 15 years of full time experience and 25 years part time work in the field. Topics include how Crystal became interested in pet sitting, differences between dogs and cats for sitters, and the personalities of different types of cats. In the second segment, Crystal discusses deciding whether to employ a pet sitter or boarding an animal when an owner will be away. She also talks about what a person should consider when selecting a sitter for their pet. From the standpoint of pet parents, Crystal talks about how best to prepare for a pet sitter, such as what should be included in the instructions for a sitter. She also discusses what a sitter can do during the time they are sitting, such as providing photos of the pet through daily text or emails.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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. Find out more about the Animal Rescue League of Iowa here .