My Mission
To enhance the welfare of shelter cats, broaden public understanding of feline behavior, and create stronger bonds between cats and their caregivers
To help cats be cats!
Every day, cats are brought to the shelter for various reasons. Many of these cats are so terrified that they hide in their litterboxes, hiss at staff, and shut down physically and mentally. I call this "Shelter Shock." It is widely believed that these cats need to or want to be left alone to "decompress." However, that is a harmful myth. While it is true that a cat may need 24-48 hours to settle down, there is no such thing as a "decompression stage." What these cats need is to be worked with as soon as possible. Early intervention is critical to prevent them from becoming desocialized, a shut-down, aggressive version of themselves, due to severe stress and a lack of human interaction. When this happens, shelters often struggle to find placement options for these cats, leaving them isolated in their kennels for weeks or even months. Without intervention, many are ultimately euthanized or sent out as barn cats, despite their potential to thrive in a home environment. My website offers educational resources and videos designed to empower feline caretakers to better recognize and understand cat behavior, confidently handle aggressive cats, manage cases of severe fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS), and enhance the welfare and quality of life of cats in their care.​​​​​​​​​​​
My goal is to show people that these cats are not spicy or mean at all; they're just scared. Just as shelter dogs get taken out, walked, and played with, cats need daily socialization too, regardless of their temperament and socialization status, as this is the most effective form of "behavior modification." A scared cat will not start socializing on their own, no matter how many Churus you offer them. That is why it is our responsibility to initiate intentional socialization. And just like shelter dogs need a play yard, shelter cats need an enrichment room; somewhere they can stretch, play, and interact with people or other cats in a positive way. Socializing with fearful cats can be challenging and frustrating; that's why I developed The Bundle & Bond Technique. It's a fast-track socialization method that allows close interactions with fearful cats while building their confidence. These techniques can be used by anyone who cares for cats, including shelters and clinics, as well as fosters and adopters. Additionally, I would like to see more shelters and rescues implement the role of a "Feline Facilitator", someone who is experienced in cat handling and behavior, to oversee and assist in the proper management of all cats in their care. Far too often, dogs take precedence over cats in the shelter environment, and there are typically very few shelter staff or volunteers who are comfortable and willing to handle fractious cats on a regular basis. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
"...to show people that these cats are not mean, they're just scared."
Shelter cats, especially those surrendered by their owners, want and crave attention; in fact, they need it in order to have their emotional needs met. Whether it's obvious or not, most shelter cats will benefit from some type of human interaction. It's important to note that the cats with the highest need for socialization will likely be those hiding in the back of their kennel, scrunched up in their litter box, and/or growling and hissing at shelter staff. Again, these are simply a cat's normal responses to severe fear and stress and do not mean they are feral. Many of these cats display kennel aggression in the same way dogs do at the shelter, but once removed from their enclosure, they become a completely different cat. This is usually because they feel threatened and vulnerable inside a kennel where they have nowhere to run. The most important step in socializing with these cats is showing them you're not there to hurt them, even if that means getting them out of their comfort zone.
If you have ever worked in a general practice animal hospital, you've likely encountered at least one spicy cat* whose behavior became so fractious that cat gloves and sedatives were needed to perform an exam. Did you ever think of confiscating this cat, as it seemed unfit to be a house pet? Of course not, because we recognize that most cats just hate being at the vet. When asked, owners reveal that these cats behave completely differently at home and that they make loving companions.
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And yet, we tend to think this way towards cats that come into the shelter showing signs of aggression, even those surrendered by a previous owner. When a cat enters the shelter, they are put in a strange new place, with strange smells and strange people. To expect this cat to act anything other than terrified is unrealistic. We must take a second to put ourselves in their paws and think about how we would want to be treated during this process. All it takes is a little love, compassion, and confidence to transform a scared and aggressive cat into a sweet and loving one, but when you treat them like they're feral, they will act like they're feral. As cat caretakers, we must understand the reasons why cats behave aggressively, how to interact with them, and how to mitigate such behavior, not only to aid in their adoption but to improve their quality of life and well-being while under our care. The techniques used throughout this website don't just apply to shelters and rescues, but to anyone who cares for cats for any length of time, including veterinary hospitals, rescues, and HQHVSN clinics.
"When you treat a cat like they're feral, they will act like they're feral."
Meaning, the more aggressive your handling techniques are and the more fear you show towards a cat, the more aggressive and fearful they will behave towards you. Cats have a keen sense of our body language, and when we are unsure of them, they become uncertain of us. This is not to say that treating a cat gently and with confidence will make them unafraid, but it will greatly improve the first impression you make on this animal and help set the tone for the interaction. Watch the video below for a good example of this.
"Chorizo" was a feral cat brought to our clinic for treatment of several bite wounds. Due to his severe FAS, medicating him was a challenge. This video shows me working with him for the first time. After only a few minutes of showing him some love and compassion, he became much more relaxed and was no longer aggressive.
So why do so many cats have limited "kitty minutes" or none at all? In other words, why do cats become fractious or aggressive so quickly, and some seem to be aggressive from the start? This stems from a cat's evolutionary history. Domestic cats come from the African wildcat. While a predator of small mammals, birds, and reptiles, the wildcat is also prey to many larger species. Additionally, cats were domesticated much later than dogs, and due to their independent nature, they've retained more of their natural behaviors. Because of this, they exhibit a stronger fight-or-flight response compared to dogs, whose ancestor, the wolf, has little to no natural predators. It is a part of their survival skills. This increased fight-or-flight response results in cats always being on high alert and more reactive to stressful situations. Being a prey species also means heightened defense mechanisms, i.e., sharp claws, hissing, spitting, and their incredible ability to evade predators (and people). Again, this is all part of a cat's normal, instinctual behavior. This is why calm, quiet, and slow movements around cats is extremely important to minimize their reactions.