Category / Behavior

by Dr. Susan Little

Episodes 28 & 29: Steve Dale, pet journalist

Steve Dale is a well-known to many as a pet journalist through his WGN radio show, newspaper columns, blog articles, his presentations at vet conferences and other events, and his contributions to textbooks about behavior. In part one, we talk about how Steve got his start in radio (“I have a face for radio”), how he got his first gig writing about pets, and how he once got fired in an elevator (talk about an ‘elevator speech’). Steve also shares with us how a cat named Ricky with heart disease got him involved with the Winn Feline Foundation, and why he believes kitten kindergarten classes save lives. Oh, and he owes us 3 margaritas!

Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio

by Dr. Susan Little

Episode 27: Dr. Debra Horwitz, part two

Why don’t all cats respond to catnip? Are cats really social? How is cat society organized? And what’s the most important question veterinarians can ask owners about their cats? It’s all in part two of our chat with Dr. Debra Horwitz. She is the editor of Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion – Canine and Feline Behavior, 2nd edition (2017). Her new book – Decoding Your Cat – will be published next year.

Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio

by Dr. Susan Little

Episode 26: Dr. Debra Horwitz, part one

We love Dr. Debra Horwitz, a board-certified behaviorist who is the author/editor of many books and book chapters and a member of the Fear Free team. She is also one of the panel members for the American Association of Feline Practitioners consensus statement on How to Feed a Cat. We’ve learned a lot from her about cat behavior. In part one of our chat with Dr. Horwitz, we learn why cats would make good bomb detectors, why black cats get a bad rap, and how to determine if problem behaviors are abnormal or just unwanted. Are cats spiteful? Listen and find out!

Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio

by Dr. Susan Little

Episode 23: Dr. Terry Curtis

Our first episode about feline behavior is with Dr. Terry Curtis, a clinical behaviorist at the University of Florida. Terry reminds us that we still have a lot to learn about feline behavior and communication. We explore the mysterious world of cats and litter boxes – learn the top 3 mistakes that owners make, and the downside of self-cleaning litter boxes. Terry also tells us the story of how she helped the famous polydactyl cats at the Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Florida.

For more information on feline behavior, check out the American Association of Feline Practitioners guidelines on Diagnosing and Solving House-soiling Behavior in Cats.

Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio