Advertise on podcast: The Hissing Feline

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 seniorModern cat longevityWhat makes a senior cat specialTypes of health problems with cat ageDifficulty jumping onto a bed, chair, or couchWhen to see a veterinarianResources recommended for owners of senior cats to learn moreFor more information about Dr. Jacobson and The Hometown Veterinarian in Marshalltown, IA, visit the clinic website at https://www.hometownveterinarian.com/

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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' AssociationWho 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 CatVideoFestRegistration and cost informationFor more information about the conference, visit the Cat Writers' Association website at CatWriters.com.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 retrovirusTypes of retroviruses in kittens Cat owner knowledge and awareness of retroviruses in a kittenWhat is physically happening to a kitten with a retrovirusHow retroviruses are spreadPrognosis for kittens with a retrovirusEarly versus late detection implicationsWhat makes kittens susceptible to retrovirusesHow veterinarians test for retroviruses and treats themHow kitten owners and workers can reduce the incidence and spread of retrovirusesManagement of the virusesRecommended additional resources to learn more about kitten retroviruses Learn more about The National Kitten Coalition at kittencoalition.org.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 appointmentA 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 justcatsclinic.com.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 interactionCat-human bondingHow cats demonstrate connections with their humansMental health benefits of having a catCats and human mood improvementPhysical benefits of having catsPositives of cats for seniorsPractical benefits of catsFor more information about Highlands Animal Care, visit their website at pawshealthpartners.com.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 kittensDifferent reasons cats purr, including physical benefits for the catHissingYowlingBody language Ear positionEyes, such as blinking and staringPostureTail location and shapeOther communication expressions KneadingRubbingFor more information about the Billings Animal Family Hospital, visit their website at www.billingsanimalfamilyhospital.com.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 bookInitial thoughts before starting the book projectInspiration for writing the bookHow research about cats informed the book, including examples of findings from researchWhat Kat learned from writing the bookWhat people can learn about cats from reading the novelHow interested listeners can get a sample of the bookHow people can obtain the full bookGet more information about Kat's novel by visiting her website at thecatstale.com/wild-kin-press/the-wild-side-of-the-wall.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 DiseaseRisk factors and causes of kidney diseaseCats that are most susceptible to the disease Symptoms cat owners might observeEffects of feline kidney diseaseDiagnosis/screeningImportance of seeing a veterinarian early if an ailment is suspectedVeterinary treatment methods, including new methods and technologiesWhat cat owners can do at homeOngoing monitoring when a cat has CKDPrognosis of CKDEnd-stage CKDFind out more about the work of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine here.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 medicationsPrognosis 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.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 involvementGrowth of the Fest in the USInternational aspect of the FestTypes of videos that are included in the productionThe process of receiving, sorting through entries, and selection criteriaHow the Fest helps local shelters with part of the proceedsFor more information about the Fest, visit CatVideoFest.com. Learn more about CVF Director Will Braden by clicking here.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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 justcatsclinic.com.

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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/

We would enjoy hearing from you. 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/