Cat Chat®: Recent Episodes
Tracie Hotchner
Welcome to the new CAT CHAT, brought to you by Dr. Elsey's, the wonderful private company owned by Dr. Elsey, whose mission is to formulate litters to help keep cats in loving homes. Tracie wrote THE CAT BIBLE: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know and with that book and this show, her own mission is to entertain, educate and inspire cat lovers to offer their kitty cats the best possible life in nutrition, affection, and environmental enrichment. With Dr. Elsey's support, CAT CHAT® brings you interviews with cat authors and experts so you can better understand and appreciate your feline family members. Sit back and enjoy the conversations that we hope will deepen your knowledge and affection for all cats. Thanks for listening!
Feel free to reach out to Tracie at RadioPetLady@gmail.com.
161: Dr Elizabeth Hodgkins talks about the importance of slow and steady weight loss for overweight cats (no more than 1/4 lb a week) because abrupt weight loss can overwhelm their liver and cause life-threatening fatty liver disease. The fat cat needs at least 50% of his diet from high quality protein, which will bind with the fat packed around his liver and package it out of his body.
160: Author Cate Conte discusses her most recent Cat Café Mystery, set in a haunted inn visited by a psychic during Halloween, with an intrepid cat who solves one of the many mysteries.
159: Jonathan Losos returns with his book “The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved From the Savanna to Your Sofa” and describes what we can gather from the many different meow sounds each cat can make.
158: Tracie’s co-host, Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, explains the anatomy of a cat’s whiskers and also what you can learn about a cat’s frame of mind from watching the twitch of those whiskers.
157: Brian Porter (the author of “Dreams of Arcadia,” a novel about a country veterinarian) discusses the challenges of taking in 11-year-old kitties, who had spent their entire lives in one home with his mother, until she passed away.
156: Carolyn Rafferty created the Scoop Buddy — a simple clip to hold a plastic bag on the end of the litter box to catch the litter when cleaning. Her company, Cat Savant, is a MissionMeow partner along with Tracie, supporting generous grants to cat rescuers.
155: A listener whose kitten had feline leukemia gets sick every 2 weeks with 3 really bad days. Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins recommends finding a cat-focused vet to consider broad spectrum antibiotics to manage the upper respiratory symptoms.
#0154: The simple answer is: Good grief NO! Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado discusses the myriad behavior problems that arise from cats who are not fixed, which optimally needs to happen before a kitten turns 5 months of age (when they can start reproducing --- kittens having kittens.)
Christina Rutz (Full Circle MO Feral, St Louis) on winning MissionMeow grant to help them support volunteer TNR trappers
Dr. Mikel Delgado on the challenges of bringing a foster cat into your home, and problems it can cause with resident cat(s)
Jonathan Losos (“The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa”) on “the cat conundrum,” how most cats have changed little over time, others radically different
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado on various ways cats deal with the loss of a housemate, some despondent, others exhibit no grief
Emily (Travel Cat) on the innovative kitty backpacks, cat-safe harnesses and related travel items to make it easy to take cat with you
DJ Bornschein (Catsbury Park, New Jersey) on MissionMeow grant allowing them to expand their TNR, Catsbury Lounge and adoption
Long-time listener Jean from Cincinnati (who bought "The Cat Bible" when she adopted cats, Iris and Lily) asks about feeding wet food only, gets recommendations for Weruva, Dr. Elsey's CleanProtein
Annie Butler-Shirreffs (Editor of “Catster”) on why cats chirp, the origin of the sound and what purpose it serves
Dr Mikel Maria Delgado on figuring out why your kitty walks all over your kitchen counter: food obsession, elevation, or social interaction
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado advises you to “Ditch the spray bottle” if you don’t want to ruin your relationship with your cat, address cat issues instead
Annie Butler-Shirreffs (Catster) on anatomical wonder of a cat's tail, and 8 different tail signals Catster identified, including “question mark,” "tip twitch,” & “cat tail hug”
Dr. Mikel Delgado discusses things NOT to do with your cat, e.g., don't hit, squirt or throw anything, don't let kids pick up the cat, don't ignore changes in behavior, etc.
Annie Butler Shirreffs (Catster) on their recent article describing sounds cats make, including the Friendly Trill, Midnight Whine, Demonic Growl, Sleep Siren, etc.
Dr. Mikel Delgado discusses questions to ask to determine if your cats are roughhousing or having a real cat fight
Mission Meow founder/director Sally Williams invites Tracie (inspired by Cat Chat co-host Mikel Maria Delgado) to become a Mission Meow partner
Zazie Todd ("PURR: the Science of Making Your Cat Happy") on why touching your cat should not be your decision alone, respecting cat's personality and mood
Dr. Mikel discusses the sort of cats who thrive in a cat cafe environment, those who do not, and how to keep a cat cafe from becoming "petting zoo"
Mikel Maria Delgado discusses study in Paris, France looking at whether a cat's pet parent's voice means something to them
Mikel Maria Delgado (Mission Meow) on giving sizeable grants to feline non-profits to make a significant impact on lives of cats
Kimberly LaRussa on how Ten Lives Club in Buffalo became the largest No-Kill cat Shelter in New York State
Zazie Todd ("PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy") discusses what animal welfare groups in the UK call the Five Freedoms
Dr. Mikel on not subjecting your cat to a bath --- a cat's self-grooming is sufficient --- and on finding the right grooming brush or grooming glove
On choosing a cat (or kitten) and how their personality develops over time with you in your home
Shana Aufenkamp on volunteering with Sue Bell (Homeward Trails Animal Rescue) to bring some cats from Ukraine back to Washington, D.C.
Melissa Jenkins (Operation Catnip, Gainesville Florida) on performing up to 200 surgical sterilizations of stray cats in a day in M.A.S.H. style clinics
Cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel (FelineMinds.com) on planning ahead and preparing a cat for the eventual arrival of a new baby
Sally Bahner ("The Art of Kitten Raising") on all the ways you can get a kitten off to a happy healthy start in life
Dr. Mikel Delgado discusses how cats crave warmth because their bodies do not regulate their core temperatures as well as ours do, and recommends heated cat beds
Dr Mikel and Tracie bemoan the madness of trying to take canine "talking buttons" and apply them to cats
Cat Chat --- Brought to You by Dr. Elsey’s (12-21-2022) #0123: Cate Conte’s newest Cat Cafe mystery revolves around the death of a cat hoarder and community antipathy towards her.
Cat Chat --- Brought to You by Dr. Elsey’s (12-14-2022) #0122: Pet me where?! --- a cat would say, if only people would listen (and notice signs of discomfort before the cat resorts to biting or scratching). Dr. Mikel explains that most people don\'t realize there are ways to pet a cat (briefly, and when \"asked\") and places not to touch them (belly or hind end) that would enhance their relationship with their cat if they understood human-feline differences in what is pleasurable in physical touch.
Tracie gives advice to Kathy from idaho, who recently re-homed a very frightened, underweight Ragdoll kitty, Freya, on how to to overcome the cat's distrust of people
Dr. Mikel describes what zoomies are, sudden bursts of energy, completely normal cat behavior, known as Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPS)
Dr. Elsey on donating $15 million to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation since 2009, the power of pets to help cancer patients, and the humans-animal bond
Terry Masear ("Connecting With Enchanting Cats"), a hummingbird rehabilitator half the year, on her Abyssinians, as described in her enchanting book
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado (FelineMinds Cat Behavior Consulting) on how it's instinctive for a cat to bury their waste, keeping right size/number of regularly cleaned litterboxes
Zazie Todd ("PURR: the Science of Making Your Cat Happy") on what attachment means to a cat, misinterpreting a cat's feelings, how felines form bonds, express feelings
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado and Tracie discuss misuse of crate training on a cat with out-of-litter-box issues, and crate overuse with dogs
Director Sarah Jayne Portelli and her co-creator Ivan Malekin ("Cats of Malta") on inspiration to make documentary about the island's dedicated community of cat minders
Mikel and Tracie discuss types of cats known as Asians, breeds developed by crossbreeding, and hair-mutation breeds, including the long-haired Siamese, known as a Balinese cat
Sami Carroccio (Cat Cavorting) on supporting TNR community in Phoenix, how she volunteered at a shelter, then served on boards of animal welfare non-profits before starting her own
Dr. Mikel Delgado and Tracie on the many ways insect proteins (biologically appropriate) are finding their way into cat food and treats
Cat Chat — Brought to You by Dr. Elsey’s (09-21-2022) #0110: Marco Nunez --- a young filmmaker who decided during the Covid pandemic to make a film tribute to his beloved kitty Lilliput --- put his iPhone to use as a video tool. Tracie chose his tongue-in-cheek film for the 5th Annual NY Cat Film Festival, which Marc is excited to attend as his first trip to New York City for the October 23rd premiere.
Zazie Todd ("PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy") talks about improving the life and comfort of senior cats
Dr. Sharon Eisen (Complete Cat Care Clinic, Brookfield, Connecticut) on advantages of cat clinic where no dogs are allowed, and breeding British Shorthair cats
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado and Tracie discuss joys & challenges of having multiple cats in one household
Dr. Mikel discusses "a superstitious meower," a cat who believes its meows make things happen
Dr. Mikel Delgado and Tracie discuss why automatic litter boxes can cause problems for cats, leading to OLB (out of litter box) issues
Dr. Mikel Delgado and Tracie urge people not to leave cats alone for more than 24 hours because they need interaction with their humans
Dr. Mikel Delgado and Tracie discuss the many items of technology designed to improve life with your cat
Tracie speaks with Laura about why one of her three cats began pooping outside the litter box and gives possible solutions
Zazie Todd ("PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy") on why it is natural and necessary for cats to hide
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado (FelineMinds.com) discusses why cats fight and gives advice on how to handle/prevent cat fighting
Garrett Clancy ("Crazy Cat Lady") on the feral cat crisis in Los Angeles and the efforts of cat advocates
Zazie Todd ("PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy") explains why using aversive techniques to control a cat's behavior will backfire
Dr. Mikel Delgado discusses redirected aggression in cats when aroused by seeing a strange cat outside the window
Zazie Todd (PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy) discusses how odors increase a cat's pleasure or discomfort
Maria is over-the-moon with relief and gratitude for having trusted the feedback and changed the litter box layout for Molly
Zazie Todd (PURR: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy) on her book and spreading happiness in the lives of cats and their owners
Stacy LeBaron, on her Community Cats Podcast asks Tracie how she became a professional advocate for cats and their people
What to do when you've adopted a cat whose arrival creates disharmony for him and the resident kitties?
Julie Kelly (Let's Be S.M.A.R.T.) discusses non-profit cat rescue and public education program in Athens, Greece
Documentary director Aaron Hancox (Running Wild: the Cats of Cornwall) on conflict over feral cats in Cornwall, Ontario Canada
Is kittie Allie pooping on kitchen table because of constipation, and the Bristol Stool Chart
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado (FelineMinds.com) on how to prepare your cat when you are moving to a new home
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado (FelineMinds.com) discusses how to prepare your cat for travel, by car or plane
Ellen Carrozza (Chris Griffey Memorial Foundation) discusses helping very sick neonate kittens
Dion Leonard on how he was inspired to write Lara the Runaway Cat in the voice of his own adventuresome ragdoll cat
Mel Futorian (Mel & Bobcat) on how her kitty Bobcat got her through a challenging illness
New cat introductions should follow the "slow cat protocol" to acclimate cats to the smell and sight of each other
Dr Mikel Delgado discusses British university research study that labeled natural, normal cat behavior using words like "psychopathy"
Karim Ghonima (filmmaker/artist) on his elaborate animated feline film series Nauticats
Tracie and Mikel Delgado discuss why it's not a good idea to add another cat or adopt a "bridge kitty."
Dr. David Bruyette discusses Anivive's work on genetic test to detect a cat's predisposition to feline diabetes
A discussion with the Marcel Heijnen, author/photographer, of the unique book, Shop Cats of China
Dr. Mikel Delgado discusses whether its possible to alter a cat's nature to make them more affectionate, more outgoing, less timid
Holiday-themed novel The Twelve Days of Snowball is told partly from the point of view of Snowball, official feline of a Victorian B&B, busy matchmaking humans
Cat Chat --- Brought to You by Dr. Elsey’s (11-24-2021) #0068: Dr. Elsey, who owns Dr. Elsey\'s Precious Cat, has raised over $14 million dollars for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (a disease his wife Kathy lives with) by donating proceeds from their litter sales for one month, along with coupon incentives to cat owners. Tracie and he discuss the value of funding \"orphan cancers\" which are neglected by the large cancer associations and how research for treatment and cures for any cancer help move the needle forward in knowledge about all cancers and hope for those who have it.
Cat behavior consultant Dr. Mikel Delgado discuss cats using toilets, litter box problems and how to resolve them
Mel Futorian ("Mel & Bobcat") talks about recovering from Covid-19 in the early days, emergency surgery, and how her adopted kitten helped her through a difficult recovery
Christina Ha (Meow Parlour, NYC) talks about Dr. Elsey's Power of Purrsuasion cat adoption campaign coming back to New York City
Marilyn Kreiger (Naughty No More) helps Tracie figure out why a listener’s cat bites/attack his ankles
Andrew Graham talks about the woman who gave a full life to disabled cat featured in "Winston the Kitty Who Couldn't Pee."
Pam Johnson-Bennett (Cat vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More than One Cat) on honoring each cat’s personal choices
Atypical's Tal Anderson on challenges of pandemic isolation as autistic person/actor and how observing her cat gave her uplifting perspective
Director Mark Rivers discusses The Cat Flap, his funny film featured in upcoming 4th Annual NY Cat Film Festival
Cat behavior consultant Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado on value of putting in a catio for your cat to enjoy fresh air safely
Author Cate Conte discusses the newest addition to her delightful cozy mystery series, this one set at a cat cafe on a vacation island
Ellen Carrozza (Licensed Veterinary Technician) embraces use of cat calming pheromones at cat-only clinic where she works
Dr David Bruyette (CMO of Anivive) discusses a medical breakthrough for a drug in development for feline coronavirus FIP, with possible applications for people and COVID 19
Dean Nicholson (Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride) on his ongoing world bicycle travels with rescue kitty Nala
Steve Applebaum (Animal Behavior College) on how to kindly train your cat out of various behavioral issues
Does your kitty bug you in the middle of night? Dr. Mikel Delgado (co-author of Total Cat Mojo) suggests ways to get a good night's sleep.
Heather Gibson on choosing Tonkinese cats to breed as therapy pets at her Elevated Cattery
Cat Chat – Brought to You by Dr. Elsey\'s (07-21-2021) #0052: Dr. Audrey Cook, Chief of the Internal Medicine Department at the Veterinary College of Texas A&M University, has the rare distinction of being a member of both the U.S. and European Colleges of Internal Medicine, as well as being on the American Board of Feline Practitioners. She talks frankly about nutrition and diabetes in cats, and how wrong the veterinary profession was about the right diet for cats back in the \'90\'s, with some doctors still mistakenly continuing to recommend dry food.
Neil Berkeley talks about his film God's Little People, chronicling a couple who created a cat sanctuary on the Greek island Spyros
Catster editor in chief Annie Shirreffs discusses the origins of the magazine (and online presence) from early days as Cat Fancy to its current mission
Dr. Mikel comes up with some theories to explain why Tracie's friend's cat became horrified and then hyper-vigilant about her new Italian patent leather shoes
Tracey Lenac (Black Cat Holistic Rescue) explains the value of practicing Reiki with any pet
Paul Koudounaris discusses A Cat’s Tale: A Journey Through Feline History, which features elaborate costumes and headdresses modeled by his cat, Baba
Dr. Mikel Delgado explains the mysteries of catnip: a cat's response to it is genetic and for about 60% it's a wonderful exciting experience.
Dr. Elizabeth answers Susan's concern about the possibility of her cat getting cancer from the rabies booster at the injection site
Dr. Elsey talks dicusses how many cat foods do not respect the 60% protein in a cat's natural diet, which is why he created Clean Protein, kibble Tracie doesn't call "kitty crack!"
After cat on birth control developed mammary cancer, Dr. Elizabeth discusses whether contraceptives are ever appropriate for a cat
Dr. Elsey (Precious Cat) discusses the history of cat litter, where it comes from, how it is made, and how he engineered it so cats would like it better.
Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Mikel Delgado (Feline Minds) discusses how cats are sociable, and how to read their feelings
Black Cat Rescue (Boston, Massachusetts) on overcoming the prejudice against black cats
Tracie discusses with JoAnn the problem of (and solution to) feeding dry food, i.e., "kitty crack" to her carb-addicted cat, Levi.
Laura Clark on why cat owners more eager to feed MeatMe's humanely-raised, organic, raw meats to their pets than dog owners
Encouraging cat lovers to engage with their kitties in fun pursuits and challenges for fun, from everyday tasks to advanced tricks & activities
Cat Chat – Brought to You by Dr. Elsey’s (03-03-2021) #0030: Susanne Schotz talks about her book The Secret Language of Cats: How to Understand Your Cat for a Better, Happier Relationship and how to improve and enrich your interactions with your kitty.
James Gorman on his New York Times article about the inequity in animal medical research, with dogs used much more frequently than cats
Cat impresario Kate Benjamin talks about how her cats helped her through her medical challenges and how they can serve for everyone as healing and loving family members
Community Cats Podcast presents online educational conference with 20 fantastic presenters, CDE Cage raffle and trivia prizes
Dr. Kelly Severino (University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School) on need to surgically remove all of a cat's teeth
Meghan Herron (Editor, Decoding Your Cat) on preventing/changing unwanted cat behaviors, explains differences in cat breeds
Freyda in Queens, New York wants advice on how to prepare for her cat's future re-homing when Freyda herself dies
Aerospace engineer Mac Delaney discusses Engineering For Cats: Better the Life of Your Pet with 10 Cat-Approved Projects
Laura Moss (Adventure Cats) discusses things you can do inside & outside to enrich your kitty's life
Jackson Galaxy talks about virtual Cat Camp, featuring a full schedule of fun interactive experiences, and panel discussions with cat experts
Susanna Finn (Black Cat Rescue, Boston, MA) talks about how black cats are the last to be adopted from shelters
Morgan Ritz of The Cat Connection rescue group discusses their upcoming fund-raising event, Whiskers & Whiskey, a virtual silent auction and VIP room
Author Rita Mae Brown (A Hiss Before Dying) talks about her cat-centric period mysteries
How to satisfy your cat's primal need to hunt, as described in Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones
Phillipa Sandal (Seafurrers: The Ships’ Cats Who Lapped and Mapped The World) talks about the history of feline mascots on exploration and navy ships
Dr. Ariel Mosenco (University of Pennsylvania Veterinary College) on radioactive therapy used to treat cats with hyperthyroid disease
Sarah Ellis (The Trainable Cat) discusses how to understand the world from a cat’s point of view.
Pam Johnson-Bennett discusses her book, Catwise: America's Favorite Cat Expert Answers Your Cat Behavior Questions.
Dr. Meghan Herron (Decoding Your Cat) discusses the four things a cat needs: hunting, scratching, chewing, and viewing.
The arc of Jackson Galaxy's life from dog lover to shelter worker to Cat Daddy, the world's most famous cat lover
Cat Chat – Brought to You by Dr. Elsey’s (08-24-2020) #0003: The first of several conversations with Dr. Meghan Herron, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, who co-edited the new book: DECODING YOUR CAT: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors And Reveal How To Prevent Or Change Unwanted Ones. This book has advice and information essential to new cat owners and equally fascinating to those who already think they know everything about their kitties. This is an introduction to the subtle ways in which we can communicate better and provide a superior life for our cats.