The Hissing Feline

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Cats that live outside can be difficult to domesticate and are not the type of cat to have as an indoor pet. Those felines can still have meaningful lives by becoming working cats in settings where they feel right at home.

This edition of The Hissing Feline focuses on Camp Purr at the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines, IA. You’ll learn about how feral or semi-feral cats fill valuable positions as mousers in barns and similar environments.

My guest this week is Carol Griglione, executive director of the Animal Rescue League.

Here are some of the things about working cat you will learn on the show:

• History of Camp Purr
• Cats involved in the Camp
• Purpose of the Camp program
• Difference between TNR cats and working cats
• Best types of cats to have jobs
• Types of jobs and locations for working cats
• Benefits of working cats for humans and the cats
• Requirements of adopting two cats together
• Success stories
• How adopters should prepare for working cats
• What adopters can expect from working cats
• Qualifications to adopt working cats
• Responsibilities of adopters

Be sure to tell your friends about The Hissing Feline and click the “follow” button on the platform where you listen to this podcast.

For more information about the Animal Rescue League, visit the organization's website at https://arl-iowa.org/.

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Depending on health and other factors, in-door cats can live into their mid- to upper teens. Some cats exceed that average, even living into their twenties. Senior cats are special, but they can have many needs. This edition of The Hissing Feline podcast focuses on geriatric cats…their health, characteristics, and care.

Joining me today on this edition of the show is Dr. Grant Jacobson, founder of The Hometown Veterinarian in Marshalltown, Iowa.

Here are some topics discussed in the show:

• Age segments of cats and relation to human years, incluidng when a cat is considered a senior
• Modern cat longevity
• What makes a senior cat special
• Types of health problems with cat age
• Difficulty jumping onto a bed, chair, or couch
• When to see a veterinarian
• Resources recommended for owners of senior cats to learn more

For more information about Dr. Jacobson and The Hometown Veterinarian in Marshalltown, IA, visit the clinic website at https://www.hometownveterinarian.com/

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Are you a shelter worker or a part of the cat writing community? The annual conference of the Cat Writers’ Association is designed for you.

This episode of The Hissing Feline gives you details about the event that takes place November 6 and 7 in the Dallas – Ft. Worth airport area.

My guest on this episode is Dusty Rainbolt, a winning author of fiction and nonfiction books, a cat behavior consultant, and a blogger. She is a past president of the Cat Writer’s Association and is co-chair of the 2026 conference.

What you will hear on this show:

• History, purpose, and goals of the Cat Writers' Association
• Who are the cat writers?
• 2026 Conference theme: “Meow Y’all: Saddle Up for the Future of Pet Media"
• Overview of conference speakers, presentations, and topics
• Special events, including a screening of the CatVideoFest
• Registration and cost information

For more information about the conference, visit the Cat Writers' Association website at CatWriters.com.

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This week's podcast focuses on feline retroviruses, particularly those conditions in kittens.

Returning to the podcast is Dr. Emily Coleman. She is a veterinarian and the executive director of The National Kitten Coalition.

This episode of the podcast features several topics, including the following:

• What constitutes a retrovirus
• Types of retroviruses in kittens
• Cat owner knowledge and awareness of retroviruses in a kitten
• What is physically happening to a kitten with a retrovirus
• How retroviruses are spread
• Prognosis for kittens with a retrovirus
• Early versus late detection implications
• What makes kittens susceptible to retroviruses
• How veterinarians test for retroviruses and treats them
• How kitten owners and workers can reduce the incidence and spread of retroviruses
• Management of the viruses
• Recommended additional resources to learn more about kitten retroviruses

Learn more about The National Kitten Coalition at https://kittencoalition.org/.

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Taking your cat to the veterinarian can be a challenge. Putting your four-footed child into its carrier is just the start. Then, there is the battle of giving your cat a pill if the vet prescribes medication.

“There must be a better way to deal with those situations,” you tell yourself.

Yes, there is! You’ll hear about solutions to those problems on this episode of The Hissing Feline podcast.

Joining me on this podcast is Dr. Elizabeth Chapman, owner and medical director of Just Cats Clinic in Reston, VA.

Vet visit tips you will learn about on this show:

• The vet visit starts long before the appointment
• A better veterinary visit starts by changing what the carrier, car, handling, and even medications mean to the cat at home.
• Carrier training: Stop hiding the carrier. The carrier should be furniture, not an alarm bell.
• Choosing a good carrier.
• Practice when you aren't going anywhere.
• Introduce "medication foods" before you need them. Don't let the first Pill Pocket mean "there's a pill in this."
• Pre-visit medications.
• What to do the morning of the appointment.
• Dealing with the car ride.
• Tell your vet is your cat is terrified.
• The bigger message: Stress is cumulative.
• Takeaways: Three things owners can start doing today:

Learn more about Just Cats Clinic in Reston, VA, at https://justcatsclinic.com/.

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Cats offer a lot of enjoyment to our lives. Watching Fluffy play with a toy mouse or scamper across the floor to catch a ball is as entertaining for us as it is for the cat.

This edition of The Hissing Feline focuses on the ways cats benefit humans. My guest for this episode is Dr. Erica Monaco, owner and medical director of Highlands Animal Care in Henderson, NV.

Show highlights:

• Different perspectives of cat vs. dog interaction
• Cat-human bonding
• How cats demonstrate connections with their humans
• Mental health benefits of having a cat
• Cats and human mood improvement
• Physical benefits of having cats
• Positives of cats for seniors
• Practical benefits of cats

For more information about Highlands Animal Care, visit their website at https://pawshealthpartners.com/.

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Do you talk to your cat? Did you know that your cat also communicates with you?
On this episode of The Hissing Feline podcast, you’ll learn about how cats use vocalizations and body language to express themselves to humans and other cats.

My guest is Dr. Sarah Bruggeman, Senior Associate Veterinarian at Billings Animal Family Hospital in Billings, MT, and a member of the Feline Veterinary Association.

Dr. Bruggeman discusses topics, including those listed below, about feline communication:

Vocal communication

• Mother cat to kittens
• Different reasons cats purr, including physical benefits for the cat
• Hissing
• Yowling

Body language

• Ear position
• Eyes, such as blinking and staring
• Posture
• Tail location and shape

Other communication expressions

• Kneading
• Rubbing

For more information about the Billings Animal Family Hospital, visit their website at https://www.billingsanimalfamilyhospital.com/.

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Have you wondered what a cat feels when its paws touch cool grass or a crunchy leaf? When it hears the buzz of an insect…or comes face-to-face with a human? There’s a new book that lets you sense and think like a cat.

Kat McCarthy is my guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline. She is an author and a member of the Cat Writers Association. Kat talks about her novel, “The Wild Side of the Wall: A Cat's Tale of Courage, Kinship, and Joy.”

On this episode, Kat discusses the background of her book, what inspired the novel, what she hopes readers take away from it, and how listeners can obtain a copy of her book.

• Her goal for writing the book
• Initial thoughts before starting the book project
• Inspiration for writing the book
• How research about cats informed the book, including examples of findings from research
• What Kat learned from writing the book
• What people can learn about cats from reading the novel
• How interested listeners can get a sample of the book
• How people can obtain the full book

Get more information about Kat's novel by visiting her website at https://thecatstale.com/wild-kin-press/the-wild-side-of-the-wall/.

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Chronic Kidney Disease is one of the most common health issues cat owners face, especially in older cats.

What symptoms might cat parents observe that point to kidney disease? How is the disease diagnosed? What treatment methods are available?

Dr. Jessica Quimby joins me on this episode of The Hissing Feline to talk about feline chronic kidney disease. She is Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. Dr. Quimby is a board certified internal medicine specialist.

During the show, Dr. Quimby discusses several aspects of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD):

• Explanation of Chronic Kidney Disease
• Risk factors and causes of kidney disease
• Cats that are most susceptible to the disease
• Symptoms cat owners might observe
• Effects of feline kidney disease
• Diagnosis/screening
• Importance of seeing a veterinarian early if an ailment is suspected
• Veterinary treatment methods, including new methods and technologies
• What cat owners can do at home
• Ongoing monitoring when a cat has CKD
• Prognosis of CKD
• End-stage CKD

Find out more about the work of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine here.

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Some great changes are coming to The Hissing Feline podcast in September:

• Same excellent cat expert interviews.
• New podcast logo.
• Inspiring Cat Stories after each interview, with stories from listeners.
• The Hissing Feline website that has links to current and previous episodes, the Cat Stuff blog, profiles of the podcast crew, and a contact page with information about how to submit an Inspiring Cat Story.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and other podcast platforms.

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Watching our cats age is not easy, especially when they have chronic pain, kidney disease, weight loss, arthritis, and other debilitating conditions. Some cats experience mental decline also known as Feline Cognitive Dysfunction.

This episode features a visit with Dr. Melissa Boldan about feline dementia. Dr. Boldan is associate veterinarian at Trailside Animal Hospital in Columbia, MO. She also is a contributing author of articles about cat and dog health topics to PetMD.

Here are some of the topics discussed on this podcast:

• Feline dementia defined.
• Cats most likely to get dementia.
• Symptoms cat owners might observe.
• Veterinarian diagnosis process.
• Medication-related treatments for feline dementia.
• Feline dementia treatments outside of medications
• Prognosis for cats with dementia.
• What cat owners can do to support their cat as it declines.
• Resources for understanding and managing dementia.

Click here to learn more about Trailside Animal Hospital in Columbia, MO.

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Very popular types of online videos feature cats. They are everywhere on social media. People simply cannot get enough of cats being cats.

The guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline is Will Braden, director of the Cat Video Fest. On the podcast, Will discusses a number of topics about the Fest:

• Fest history and Will's involvement
• Growth of the Fest in the US
• International aspect of the Fest
• Types of videos that are included in the production
• The process of receiving, sorting through entries, and selection criteria
• How the Fest helps local shelters with part of the proceeds

For more information about the Fest, visit http://CatVideoFest.com.

Learn more about CVF Director Will Braden by clicking here.

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There are many shelter cats that are considered "unadoptable" or overlooked. They are felines that are more difficult to adopt out due to various circumstances. That includes cats that might have either a shy or aggressive personality, those that are undersocialized, felines with medical situations (e.g., feline leukemia, diabetes, and cancer), special needs cats, and cats that are in their senior years.

This episode of The Hissing Feline podcast features an interview with Nikki Healy, executive director of the Good Mews Animal Foundation in Marietta, Georgia. In this show, Nikki talks about overlooked cats and discusses some people's perception about adopting those cats.

Nikki talks about the benefits both to adopters and felines of adopting overlooked cats. She also explains what adopters of these cats need to know.

Finally, Nikki discusses the importance of people educating themselves about adopting overlooked cats and lists some resources for more information about those types of cats.

You can learn more about the Good Mews Animal Foundation by visiting the organization's website at https://www.goodmews.org/.

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One big health concern of cat owners is feline diabetes. What are symptoms that cat parents can recognize? What treatments are available for the disease? How can diabetes be managed in cats?

This episode of The Hissing Feline features a discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Chapman about feline diabetes. Dr. Chapman is owner and medical director of Just Cats Clinic in Reston, VA.

The show focuses on topics such as factors that contribute to feline diabetes, signs of diabetes that cat owners might observe, and detection methods and diagnosis by veterinarians. Dr. Chapman also talks about complications of feline diabetes and methods to manage the condition. She provides important resources to learn more about feline diabetes.

Find out more about Just Cats Clinic at https://justcatsclinic.com/.

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Cat emergencies can happen anytime and with little or no warning. On this episode, well known pet first aid expert Arden Moore talks about recognizing when a cat is in distress and what to do in those instances. She discusses the most common types of situations that require feline first aid and how to prepare for emergencies.

For more information about Arden Moore's Pet First Aid 4U, visit https://www.petfirstaid4u.com/

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Fostering kittens is more than feeding and caring for them over a period of time. Fostering plays an important role in the growth and life of a cat. It helps with socialization and prepares cats to be adopted into their forever homes. It’s kind of like a cat internship.

My guest on this episode is Summer Preuit, the kitten fostering coordinator at The Cat House in Lincoln, NE. Summer discusses foster parent requirements and preparation, including having a proper environment for fostering. She also talks about the supplies needed for fostering kittens. Summer discusses the challenges of fostering and benefits of fostering (for cats and the fostering person). She includes a fostering success story about a mother cat that lost her kittens paired with kittens that lost their mother.

Finally, Summer lists several resources if listeners want more information about fostering.

https://thecathouse.org/

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Today's guest is Allison Hunter-Frederick. She is a certified cat behavior consultant and trainer located in Lincoln, NE, and owner of Allison Helps Cats.

On the podcast, Allison talks about whether the type of cat relates to trainability. She also shares some of the most asked questions she has received about cat training and reasons people have for wanting to train a cat.

In the second segment of the podcast, Allison discusses strategies for training, including having a positive approach and preparing for setbacks.

Find out more about Allison Helps Cats here.

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Community cats are a big concern of neighborhoods across the US. There are many cat-related organizations in towns and cities that are dedicated to dealing with populations of feral and stray cats. Their efforts not only focus on trap, neuter, and release programs, but also on the importance of educating the public about community cats.

My guest on today's podcast is Cindy Campbell, board member and volunteer at Friends of Feral Felines in Charlotte, North Carolina. She first discusses the history and mission of the organization. Cindy encourages people to look at cats differently and to consider a "back-to-basics" approach to dealing with community cats. She also talks about the importance of community involvement and some of the biggest issues communities face regarding community cats

www.friendsofferalfelines.org

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Cats are skilled at hiding illness and pain. Determining if your cat is experiencing pain can be difficult. What are the signs? What are different sources of cat pain? What treatments are available to deal with their discomfort? Those are some of the questions this episode of The Hissing Feline will address.

Returning to the show is Dr. Bruce Kornreich. 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 signs that a cat is experiencing pain. He also differentiates between acute and chronic pain. Regarding chronic pain, Dr. Kornreich talks about osteoarthritis in cats and various treatment options. He also notes the importance of veterinary care for suspected cat pain and having a pain management plan in conjunction with the cat owner’s veterinarian.

Find out more about the Cornell Feline Health Center here.

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Imagine having a warm cup of coffee, a tasty snack, and an opportunity to visit with cats all in the same location. It’s the perfect combination.

Across the United States there are an estimated 300 cat cafés, many of which give patrons a chance to enjoy their favorite café amenities while checking out cats from local shelters for adoption.

This episode of The Hissing Feline podcast features and interview with Mary Jankowski, owner of Iowa’s first cat café, known as Coffee Cats. The cafe is located in the Valley Junction community of West Des Moines, IA.

On the show, Mary talks about how Coffee Cats was started and what went into planning for and starting the cafe. She discusses benefits of the cafe to both visitors and the cats, which are available for adoption from the Animal Rescue League. Mary also talks about different types of events the cafe has that connect visitors with the cats.

See the Coffee Cats website here.