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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.

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Cancer touches just about everyone – family, friends, and us. Different kinds of cancers also can affect our four-footed family members.

My guest on today's podcast is Dr. Karen Oberthaler, veterinarian and board-certified veterinary oncologist. She is co-founder of Treeline Veterinary Cancer Care in both Boulder and Eagle, Colorado.

In this episode, Dr. Oberthaler discusses common types of feline cancers, including where cancers in cats are most likely to appear. She talks about methods of cancer diagnosis and treatments. Also, Dr. Oberthaler visits with me about differences between human cancer treatments and those of cats.

https://www.treelinevet.com

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Just about everywhere we look this time of year there are baby animals. My wife and I have seen baby groundhogs, goslings, calves, and, of course, kittens.

Kitten season lasts from spring to late fall, but now is the peak time of the year for their arrival. It’s also when shelters take in large numbers of the babies, along with mother cats.

With me on the podcast today to visit about kittens, health, and adopting them is Carol Griglione, executive director of the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines, IA.

Carol discusses a number of important aspects of kitten adoption, including the biggest challenges of bringing a little feline into the home. She also talks about whether adopters have specific criteria for what they want in a kitten. In addition, she discusses what to look for regarding the health of a kitten before adopting it and common signs that might indicate there is a health issue with the animal. Carol also talks about how adopters can prepare their home for a kitten.

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This episode of The Hissing Feline revisits an earlier show on which I interviewed Crystal Jolly, a pet sitter with 15 years of full time experience and 25 years part time work in the field. Topics include how Crystal became 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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In the US, there are millions of un-homed cats, often referred to as community cats. What is a community cat? How do people care for them? How can people become involved with those cats? Those are just a few of the questions this episode of The Hissing Feline podcast will address.

This episode features an interview with Stacy LeBaron, founder of Community Cats Central in Vermont. The organization offers a wealth of online information, training, a podcast, and other ways to help deal with community cats.

In this episode, Stacy talks about how and why the organization was started and its outreach. She also notes the importance of veterinarians to the efforts of Community Cats Central and communities across the country. One section of the organization's website features The Community Cat Pyramid, which delineates the four aspects of decreasing community cat population.

For more information, visit the organization's website at https://communitycatscentral.com

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You are probably familiar with therapy dogs that are specially trained to give comfort and emotional help to people in medical settings, schools, and care facilities. But did you know that cats might also offer the same benefits?

My guest on this episode of The Hissing Feline is Dr. Patricia Pendry, professor of Human Development in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences at Washington State University. Her research examines human-animal interaction, including a study about cats as therapy animals. On today's show, Dr. Pendry talks about a research study she co-authored that focused on cat traits that might help with having cats in therapy situations. She also discusses what is next in research about cat therapy.

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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.