Cat Chat®

284 Episodes

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Do Cats Meow More for (Human) Males?

2026-01-1920:36

#287: Kaan Kerman in the Department of Psychology at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, talks about getting international attention for his research study that showed cats vocalize more with the male humans in their lives than the women. The study was designed reliably — so what conclusion can we draw from its conclusion?

Expecting? “Borrow” a Baby to Acclimate Your Cat!

2026-01-1219:23

#286: Stephen Quandt (https://catbehaviorhelp.com/) says the time to get your cat ready for the new sights, sounds and smells of a newborn are before your baby comes home. Get a recording of baby crying sounds and play it quietly at first then increase the volume. Elevate the cat’s food and water bowls in anticipation of an eventually crawling baby. Bring in all the baby furniture and equipment you can and let the cat investigate it. And if you know someone with a babe in arms, ask them to co...

Our Shared History with Cats

2026-01-0529:07

#285: Jerry D. Moore’s nonfiction book “Cat Tales: A History” is a long look back at how cats evolved alongside humans and made a pact to cohabitate with us (on their terms!)

Cat Tails Tell A Tale

2025-12-2911:39

#284: Mikel Maria Delgado discusses the variety of positions in a cat’s tail and how it reflects their feelings and mood, which is very particular to each kitty. Tracie likens deciphering cat tails to learning to read Morse code signals.

The Urban Kitty Living Large (even in a small apartment)

2025-12-2216:38

#283: Stephen Quandt (https://catbehaviorhelp.com/) suggests ways to make a cat-centric city apartment including a space-saving cat climbing tree that is suspended from the ceiling and a window perch.

Feline Purradise: the Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary

2025-12-1525:35

#282: Keoni Vaughn, the Executive Director and caretaker of 767 cats (!) at the Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary on the tiny Hawaiian island of Lāna‘i, explains its history and how they look after these previously feral cats (40% of whom become so tame they are adopted out to some of the nearly 20,000 tourists a year), while protecting a rare and vulnerable local bird population.

Ursula K Le Guin’s "Book of Cats"

2025-12-0817:38

#281: Jennifer Mowdy of the Literary Cat Co bookstore and cat cafe (where you can buy the book) joins Tracie to discuss this beautiful, quirky posthumous book of collected works (prose, poetry, drawings) relating to cats, from the late renowned science fiction author, Ursula K Le Guin.

Your Cat’s Kidneys Need Help!

2025-12-0129:51

#280: Dr. Michelle Dulake discusses the ingredients in her Fera Pets Kidney Support for cats: how it binds the phosphate in their diet, which is the culprit in most chronic kidney diseases. Tracie recommends that the sooner you start the supplement (and switch to an all wet food diet!), the better chance you have to stave off the inevitable kidney disease that affects all cats as they age.

Take the Lid Off That Litter Box!

2025-11-2410:22

#278: Mikel Maria Delgado talks about how very much cats dislike covered litter boxes — which might be aesthetically pleasing to humans, but can be scary for cats who feel trapped because there’s only one way in and out and no way to guard against intruders.

The Black Cat Detective Agency Series

2025-11-1722:13

#279: David Stirling wrote “The Cat That Followed Phantoms” and “The Cat That Chased Cadillacs” which Tracie compares to Richard Adams’ “Watership Down,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Stuart Little" and “Alice in Wonderland,” introducing us to an utterly believable alternate feline universe in which cats have fully realized inner and outer lives in which they talk, wear nice outfits, solve mysteries, have interpersonal dynamics — and boil water for tea in their little kettles.

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen

2025-11-1010:36

#277: Jennifer Mowdy — owner of the Literary Cat Company book store and cat rescue — discusses this magical, allegorical Japanese best-selling novel by Yuta Takahashi, about a restaurant that appears only to those who need closure with a departed loved one and need to have one last meal with them.

They Have a Cat in This Fight

2025-11-0333:21

#276: Dr. Bruce Elsey talks about the $17 million he and his wife Kathy [a Multiple myeloma survivor herself] have raised over the years for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation through their Dr. Elsey’s Fund to Cure Cancer — through litter coupon donations and an annual million dollar matching grant — because all cancer research helps find treatments and cures for every kind of cancer and the Elsey’s feel fortunate that their cat-centric company has been able to make a difference.

Have Cat, Will Travel

2025-10-2717:09

#275: Stephen Quandt (Certified feline behavior specialist in private practice (https://catbehaviorhelp.com/) working virtually with clients works in feline behavior and for the Animal Care Centers of New York City) gives recommendations on traveling with a cat, whether in a car or plane — for holiday travel, relocation or emergencies.

Loki, Ukrainian Cat

2025-10-2015:33

#274: Filmmaker Tania Bashkatova discusses her film “Loki, Ukrainian Cat,” (which will be in the 8th Annual NY Cat Film Festival premiering in NYC October 26th) chronicling the journey her cat Loki had to make with her to escape the Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Cat Sushi

2025-10-1311:08

#273: Mikel Maria Delgado's kitties love the Cat Sushi bonito flakes but are uninterested in other crunchy treats - proving how important it is to have friends with cats who can happily receive your food and toy “rejects!”

Paws & Purpose

2025-10-0629:02

#272: Film director Kim Best discusses having two films (yet again!) in the upcoming NY Cat Film Festival — “Paws and Purpose,” a documentary about a cat rescuer in North Carolina and “When Left is Right,” about a “southpaw” kitty.

Cats About Town

2025-09-2913:02

#271: Author of "The Cat Men of Gotham," Peggy Gavan leads cat-centric, architectural and historical walking tours of three different Manhattan neighborhoods at Cats About Town Tours.

Daily Tabby

2025-09-2218:16

#270: Anaya Kay Dalton made her first film as a student about her kitty who went to college with her — and served as an ESA for her and all her roommates as they dealt with anxiety, depression and the general stress of being a student.

Mikel Maria Delgado is an International Star!

2025-09-1512:50

#269: It’s our good luck to have the wisdom and feline support of our very own Mikel, since she is in high demand as a speaker at many conferences — including the very recent World Feline Conference in Scotland, which she describes as having a quite different perspective from gatherings in America.

Finally, Supplements Just for Cats

2025-09-0821:23

#268: Dr. Michelle Dulake — the practicing veterinarian who co-founded Fera Pets supplements and devises all the formulations — talks about how she created feline supplements to address the special and specific health needs of cats, from immune system support to kidney disease.

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