Love of Meow
Decipher Your
Cat
Ever wonder why your cat does the things he or she does? Or what your cat is trying to tell you? Why sometimes she is The Cuddliest Being Alive while at others times she is incomprehensibly aloof?
Or have you ever wondered why some cats are super-friendly while others throw daggers your way when you just glance in their direction?
Whether your cat’s behaviour is funny, curious, frustrating or an outright problem (e.g. house soiling) you will gain a better understanding of what motivates your cat to behave the way it does.
COURSE DESIGN & CONTENT
This course is designed for cat lovers, owners, and enthusiasts who are eager to delve deep into the fascinating world of feline behavior. Whether you’re a seasoned cat owner or new to the world of feline companionship, this course will provide you with valuable insights and practical knowledge to better understand and connect with your furry friends.
With pre-recorded lectures and content, you have the freedom to learn at your own pace and revisit key concepts whenever you need to. Whether you have a busy schedule or prefer to immerse yourself in learning at your leisure, this course fits seamlessly into your lifestyle.
The course is divided into four parts, each of which has a series of videos, informative readings and practical exercises tha offers a dynamic learning experience that caters to diverse learning styles.
The four parts we are going to explore include:
Where do I come from?
All Cat Lovers know that they are not small dogs. But what exactly makes a cat a cat? You will learn about where our kitties come from, how they were domesticated and what impact their wild ancestors have on how they behave in your home today!
Who am I?
Social structure, genetics, what and how kittens learn all affect a cat’s personality and its behaviour. We will explore these areas to better understand why some cats are inherently friendly, while others keep their distance.
What drives me?
How does a cat’s territoriality, their natural instinct to explore, and their role as both hunter and hunted influence their needs? You will begin to disover how cats’ needs influence their behaviour in the home . We will also touch on how this can lead to some common behavioural problems.
How do humans fit in?
You will dive into the complex relationship that our felines have with us and learn:
How they communicate with us
What they need need from us
How to strengthen our bond with them
Decipher Your Cat
Still hesitating? Don’t know if you’ll have the time?
Don’t worry, you can view the contents of the course at your convenience.
Enroll now and embark on a journey to become a confident and informed cat guardian!
Love of Meow
Making a better world for cats (and humans!) one paw at a time.
My Story
It all started with Julius. Julius Caesar.
He came, he saw, and he conquered my heart.
I was running a seasonal community re-homing center for cats at the time and I got a call from one of the baristas at the local cafe. There was a cute cat that was hanging around, he seemed super-friendly at times, skittish and wary at others, but the bottom line was that the cafe’s owners did not want him around. Could I help? Of course!
Well, Julius and I went to the vet, found out he was about 3 months old, got him cleaned up, vaccinated, castrated and ready to find his forever-home. But I was striking out. No one seemed to want a kitten or cat just then. Poor little guy!
So I thought about it, and decided to try to take him in myself.
Oh boy was that the wrong move! (And now I know why!)
My older cat wanted nothing to do with him. It was all hissing and yowling from the very start. I tried all the “cat whisperer” tips on introducing cats that I could find on the internet. Nothing.
My other kitty (a smaller female) was terrified of him.
Julius was a cute and friendly bag of beans, sometimes verging on being a little terror. Just like his namesake. But, just like his namesake, he had irrefutable charisma and charm.
What to do?
I looked into all the other permanent re-homing centers in my area. They were all terrible! (Animal shelters in this country are still far from being cat-friendly!!) I finally found one that claimed to have cat’s best interests at heart. Well sometimes even the best intended claims and reality are so so far apart. While they claimed to understand cats it was clear even to me that they knew nothing about the species. They took him in, locked him up in a 60cm x 80cm cage and left him there “in quarantine” for three weeks!. They did this despite the fact he had just been in quarantine with me. They did this despite the fact I described his lively character and needs. They subjected him to tests I had already had done at my vet (FIV, FeLV). Then they were surprised that a naturally energetic cat lashed out – from fear, from a build-up of energy. They had no clue. They labelled him as “untamable and dangerous” and “not suitable for re-homing”. I was heart-breaking. The sweet and rambunctious Julius had been labeled as feral.
I vowed I would never do this or let this happen to a cat again.
(Now don’t worry, the story has a happy end. I doubled down on my efforts to find him a home and he now lives with an elderly pair, in the countryside, who both spoil him rotten! He is a happy, socialized, amazingly loving cat!)
The result? Well, I went back to school to learn about cats formally. From all angles. Especially the behavioural side. To understand felines: why they are the way they are, why they do what they do, and especially to know what to do to prevent situations like the one I inadvertently created for Julius. I wanted to learn and be able to make cat’s lives, and our lives with them, even better.
That is how it all began. That is my story.
And now I want to share what I learned, to help other cats and their humans, to live better lives, together, in harmony and understanding.
One paw at a time.
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