19 Cats and Counting on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

Linda and Rita welcome back their favorite cat behaviorist, Dr. Rachel Geller, who is here to talk about her new course. In cooperation with the Community Cats Podcast, Dr. Rachel is teaching a class that we as a community need; the Surrender Prevention Workshop!

What is Surrender Prevention and why is it needed? 134,400 cats are surrendered yearly to US Shelters for behavior problems. And we are sure that is a conservative figure. Pet parents sometimes get overwhelmed and think they have tried everything to change their cat’s behavior; then get to the point of feeling hopeless to solve the issue. So, they turn to surrender, because they lack the knowledge to truly fix the behavior alone. Often, they feel surrender is only solution, no matter how much they love their cat.

Dr. Rachel’s class is designed to help rescues, shelters, and individuals help assess a potential surrender, and offer free resources to help keep that cat in their home. Learn how you can become a certified Surrender Prevention Specialist, and how you can use this knowledge to help keep cats (even your own) in their homes.

Listen as Rita and Linda discuss the course, which the Cat Behavior Alliance ladies will be taking themselves!

EPISODE NOTES: The Surrender Prevention Workshop – Dr. Rachel Geller

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We all know how stressful buying a house and moving in can be. Now, imagine you and your fiancé find your dream home, but the day of closing are “comes with a few barn cats” and the former owners of the house are hoping you will let them stay… Neither of you are "cat people" but, okay. How hard can it be to take care of a couple of old barn cats, right? Surprise, it’s actually FIFTEEN (15) cats, none of whom are spayed or neutered!

Now what do you do?

Well, if you are Dylan and Emily Bott from Freedom Farmhouse, two people with a heart for animals, you get them all spayed/neutered and vaccinated. You build a safe space for them to stay warm and cozy. You purchase heaters, a lot of food, litter etc. AND you build an addition onto your home where the cat will later be moved to.

Whew! Emily and Dylan are our new heroes!

Come spend some time with Rita and Linda as they chat with Emily about their crazy new home, its occupants, and their quest to turn their home into a sanctuary for other types of farm animals (like donkeys) that need a place to live, too!

EPISODE NOTES: Freedom Farmhouse

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With 27 cats between them, Linda and Rita know cat’s, and what motivates them. Of course, they have not always been so knowledgeable about what drives cats and their unique behaviors, nor how to steer them into behaviors we can live with.

Meeting hundreds of cat parents ever year for cat behavior sessions and having made their own share of mistakes along the way, the gals of Cat Behavior Alliance have heard plenty of stories about what people have tried (and failed) to change their cat’s behavior. They want to share with you some of the common mistakes that most of us make when we first bring a cat into our lives.

Rita and Linda have quite a lot to share, and you won’t want to miss a word of their advice on this special episode. Dog owners, listen up! Dogs and cats are not trained alike, so if you are new to cat companions, you really need this show.

EPISODE NOTES: What Am I Doing Wrong?

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Is your cat happy? Do they feel okay? We know how cats can hide signs of illnesses. Is there something they'd like us to do for them? If only cats could talk! Well, cats may not be able to talk but Linda and Rita specialize in reading cat body language and signs to help our cats. But what if we could do more? What if we could let our cats know how we feel about them and have better communication?

Kara Udziela, Animal Communicator and Owner of Pet's Eye View, met up to chat with the ladies and share her animal communication techniques. She even gave some brief readings of some of Rita and Linda's pets and they were very surprised! Join us to hear what Kara told the ladies, and how she turned Rita from skeptic to believer!

EPISODE NOTES: Is Animal Communication Real?

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What would happen to your beloved feline friends if something happened to you? If you needed to be in the hospital for a month, or if you pass away, who would take care of your fur-babies? Would that human know the details about your cat's health, likes and dislikes, routines etc.?

Rita and Linda thought they had it all planned out, until they met with Malissa Church, a South Carolina attorney who works with estate planning. She has a plan laid out for us, to know what to do and we put Rita to the test. Is she really prepared? Did she pass or fail? Listen to this episode of 19 Cats and Counting to see if you are prepared.

EPISODE NOTES: What Happens to your Cats Without You

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Did you know that between 20 and 50% of cats over the age of 15 have some degree of kidney disfunction going on? Kidney disease is 3 times higher for cats than dogs, too. It’s also unfortunate that many of these cats aren’t diagnosed until the disease has progressed to an untreatable state. Cats are notorious for hiding signs of illness, and just as notoriously difficult to get inside the carrier…

Enter Dr. Hillary Sweet and Dr. Matthew Nickel, founders of SN Biomedical Inc, which owns KidneyChek.com. Wish a simple swab from the inside of your cat’s mouth, the Kidney Chek strips can tell you immediately if your cat has the beginnings of this dreaded disease. All without subjecting your cat to the carrier, the car ride, and the vet’s office! We think these kidney tests should be a standard part of every cat parent’s toolbox. Listen as Dr. Sweet tells us all about these life-saving kits.

EPISODE NOTES: Kidney Chek

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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