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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.

https://arl-iowa.org

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It doesn’t take long for cat owners to discover that their feline is easily startled by noises inside the home or outside, such as thunder. A cat can also become stressed during a trip to the vet.

Those situations are only a small number of cat stressors. Stress can also bring about long-term problems. How can you recognize a cat is stressed? And what can be done in those situations?

Today's guest on The Hissing Feline is Dr. Grant Jacobson, founder of The Hometown Veterinarian in Marshalltown, Iowa. Dr. Jacobson has thirty years of expertise and shared his knowledge on the podcast.

Dr. Jacobson not only talks about stress, but notes that stress can result in illness and long-term health problems. There are many types of stressors, including environmental causes, bringing another animal into the home, medical conditions, changes in the home, and over-handling.

Moving to a new residence is certainly stressful for humans. Relocating homes can also affect felines. Dr. Jacobson discusses ways to prepare for a move: before, during, after. 

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This is a special episode of The Hissing Feline. My guest today is my wife Georgia, who is the producer of this podcast. The show focuses on visiting about raising our cat, Sadie. We adopted her as a feral kitten, and she lived to be nearly 21-years old. 

During the podcast, we reminisce about Sadie's younger years and how she got her name. We discuss her personality as a youngster and some of the biggest challenges of having a feral cat.

Sadie mellowed as she grew older, but she always had the same spirited personality. She never became accustomed to having someone new in the house. Sadie was not a lap cat and did not like to be held. Then there was the day we brought home a new cat (Bridget) when Sadie was 15. It took many months, but Sadie and Bridget became close companions. 

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Joining me on this episode of The Hissing Feline is Emily Hall, founder of KittyCatGO, a company that specializes in cat enrichment, training, feline travels, and adventures. Emily is a certified cat trainer, host of the KittyCatGO Adventure podcast, and educator of cat parents.

Emily discusses cat enrichment and why cats need exercise. She also talks about ways to add adventure to a cat’s life, including both indoor and outdoor activities. 

Contrary to some people's perception of cats, felines are trainable. Part of that is harness and leash training.  

Road trips are one way to let a cat experience the outdoors. Emily talks about pre-travel preparation and during-travel guidelines. In addition, she discusses some of the types of locations that are best for cats, including seasonal opportunities.

Website: KittyCatGO.com

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Does your cat not always use the litter box? Maybe your feline runs and hides each time the doorbell rings. Those are two of many behavior problems you might encounter with your cat. 

On this episode of The Hissing Feline, I visit with Allison Hunter-Frederick, a certified cat behavior consultant and owner of Allison Helps Cats in Lincoln, NE. She discusses common feline behavior issues that prompt cat owners to contact her, and how she works with cats who have various behavior issues. 

Website: allisonhelpscats.com

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Dr. Bruce Kornreich is the guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline. 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 the three components of the Center's mission: research, outreach, and education. He also highlights the kind of collaborative research the Center involved in, talks about the Center's CatGPT, and discusses cat-related research.

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My guest today is Dr. Emily Coleman, a veterinarian and the executive director of The National Kitten Coalition.

Dr. Coleman talks about the organization, including its history, when it was started, and its purpose and goals. In addition, She discusses The National Kitten Coalition's educational programs and the most pressing concerns of the organization.

Next, Dr. Coleman helps listeners understand why fostering kittens is crucial, as well as why people should consider fostering. She explains what potential foster parents should consider before bringing kittens in their home, plus special preparations kitten fosters need to make for kittens in their home. She also talks about her recommendations for daily monitoring of a kitten. 

The National Kitten Coalition website has an article about potential health issues when mixing kittens from different litters. Dr. Coleman explains why that is an important concern. She also discusses the kinds of health issues kittens are susceptible to and how can parents of kittens can reduce the chance of illnesses in kittens. 

Finally, Dr. Coleman talks about how can people deal with allergies to kittens.

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The guest on this episode is Dr. Joyce Carnevale, director of the Community Outreach Program at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. 

In the first segment of the show, Dr. Carnevale discusses the beginning of the Community Outreach Program and the goals of the program. She compares the growth of the program over the years and talks about how local shelters in mid-Iowa become involved.

The second segment focuses on the student side of the Community Outreach Program. Dr. Carnevale discusses the types of surgeries and health issues that students address. She talks about the biggest health issues students might encounter with cats. Additionally, she notes how students can become more involved in feline health through student chapters of two organizations: The Feline Veterinary Medical Association and The Association of Shelter Veterinarians, and how involvement helps students prepare for careers in veterinary medicine.

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The guest on this episode is Crystal Jolly, a pet sitter with 15 years of full time experience and 25 years part time work in the field.

Topics on the show include how Crystal become 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.  

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Today's guest is Carol Griglione, executive director of the Animal Rescue League  in Des Moines, IA. Carol oversees ARL operations and directs the leadership team. She has been involved with the ARL since 1993, including serving for 30-years as board president.

In this episode, you will learn about the work of the ARL, its background, and community outreach. Carol also discusses the approximate numbers and types of animals received and cared for each month. Sometimes there are sudden increases in numbers due to rescue situations. Examples from December 2025, include one situation that involved more than 60 cats and another that rescued just over 30 cats.

A highlight of the show is the ARL's CatSnip program, a Trap-Neuter-Release (TRN) program. Discover what is involved the program. Carol also talks about cat adoption: How much it costs to adopt a cat and what is included in an adoption (e.g., exam, age-appropriate vaccinations, microchip, and spayed/neutered).