Black Cats Matter
Have you ever feared a black cat crossing your path? This is from ancient superstitions where people thought this meant bad luck. So, to try and dispel these myths about black cats, National Black Cat Appreciation Day was created & celebrated on August 17. There is also National Black Cat Day, which is October 27th, and celebrates the beauty of these fantastic felines, and to raise awareness about the low adoption rates for black cats.
To talk about these two black cat holidays, and how awesome black cats really are, this week Michelle Fern welcomes, cat behaviorists, and hosts of 19 Cats and Counting on Pet Life Radio, Rita Reimers and Linda Hall, along with America’s favorite cat expert and author, Pam Johnson-Bennett. Tune in to this Meow-valous episode!
BIO:
Pam Johnson-Bennett is one of the most popular and sought-after cat behavior experts in the world. She has a private cat-consulting practice in Nashville, appears on Animal Planet UK and Canada, and lectures on cat behavior at veterinary and animal welfare conferences around the world. She's been featured on CNN, Fox News Channel, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox & Friends, Animal Planet Radio, and many more shows. Print profiles include Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Woman's World, Newsweek, Prevention, USA Today, Family Circle, Complete Woman, Newsday, Chicago Tribune, USA Weekend, Washington Post, and Parade. She was VP of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and founded the IAABC Cat Division. Pam served on the American Humane Association's Advisory Board on Animal Behavior and Training. She lives in Nashville, TN.
Cat behavior expert, Rita Reimers, has always been drawn to animals, cats in particular. And they have always been drawn to her. Rita possesses a unique ability to communicate with and understand the tender nature of cats. Rita has been a cat communicator since she was a child, and she now shares her home with cats of all ages and temperaments.
“I never met a cat I couldn’t help,” says Rita. “I understand cats and their subtle ways of letting us know what they want, and it’s become my mission to help cat owners understand and communicate better with their felines.”
Rita’s “cat magic” comes from her over 30 years of experience as a multi cat owner and cat rescue worker. Understanding cats and their behaviors is a natural ability for Rita, and she considers it her “calling” in life. Her Multi Cat Behavior Counseling services have helped people better understand their cat companions, and find solutions to issues that might otherwise cause a cat to be surrendered to a rescue or shelter.
Rita currently writes a cat behavior help and advice column called “A New Cattitude,” which is featured in every issue of Catster, previously known as Cat Fancy. She also writes regularly for such respected websites as Chewy.com, Pet MD, and Pet Central. She is also a sought-after guest writer, providing her advice for pet care companies such as Litter Genie, Meow Mix, and 9Lives.
In addition, Rita is also contributing cat behaviorist for Petcha.com, appearing in Cat Behavior Videos, as well as authoring many articles about cat care. Rita has been interviewed for and quoted in Cat Fancy, as well as in the CATS USA ANNUAL, and KITTENS USA. She has also been a contributor to websites such as Pet360, Catster.com, Vocativ, and Mental Floss, to name a few. Rita has also been seen on Inside Edition, as their Cat Behaviorist for news stories such as Man Held Captive By Nasty Cat. She shares her multi cat behavior expert knowledge with as many people as she can, to help keep cats in their homes with happy owners.
Rita is also a member of the Animal Behavior Society, and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, as well as the Cat Writers Association.
Pet love runs deep in Rita’s family. Her mother, Mary Reimers, is founder and president of The Humane Society of Lancaster, South Carolina, where Rita is a board member. Rita’s long-held dream of starting her Senior Cat Sanctuary, The Carolina Senior Cat Haven, is also in the process of being formed. More details to follow as they become available!
As if all that doesn’t keep her busy enough, Rita is also the Founding Owner and President of Just For Cats Pet Sitting, with locations in Charlotte, NC, and Rock Hill, SC. Rita recently merged her Beverly Hills, CA, location with Meowtel, where is is now an Advisor.
Interesting Fact about Rita: From 2005 until 2008, Rita was heard live weekly as an on-air personality and Associate Producer of the “Lighten Up with Richard Simmons” show, heard exclusively on Sirius Satellite radio station Stars 102. You can also see her in Richard’s “Party Off the Pounds” workout DVD, and his “Love Yourself and Win” DVD, which she also Associate Produced. You can also see Rita in Richard Simmons’ last video series entitled Project Hope.
Cat Behaviorist, Linda Hall, is a true cat mom! And her 11 cats have taught her well!
Linda met Rita Reimers when they both worked for Richard Simmons. When she got her first cat, she knew who to call. After being raised with dogs, Linda found out quickly that dogs and cats are completely different animals! As she gathered more information, she became more fascinated!
In 2016, Rita invited Linda to join her in her company, Just For Cats Pet Sitting (now merged with Meowtel Inc), where her cat knowledge continued to grow. Talking with cat clients, learning about the different needs of thousands of cats and working with a company that is focused on meeting the needs of cats was kitty heaven!
kamrawithcatbehavioristlindahallWhile on business trips, Linda got the opportunity to accompany Rita on a couple of cat behavior sessions. She was hooked! As Linda’s household of cats grew (she currently has 11), her hunger for cat knowledge grew. She enrolled at Animal Behavior College to take their cat behavior courses to earn her cat behaviorist certification. Linda joined Rita doing duo behavior sessions with clients and she loves every minute of it! Helping kitties to be happy and families to live in harmony has been so rewarding!
Linda is co-host of the podcast, 19 Cats and Counting on Pet Life Radio. She has been so blessed to interview cat people who rescue, develop products for cats, and experts in every imaginable area of cat life. She also co-authors Litter Genie’s Kitty Korner and hosts the YouTube show, Let’s Talk Cats, with BFF and fellow cat behaviorist, Rita.
Both Linda and Rita are also supporting members of the IAABC, International Association of Animal Behaviorists.
cat behaviorist on quoraLinda also lends her cat behaviorist expertise on Quora, and gets many requests every day. She loves sharing her knowledge with those who love their feline family members.
Linda currently lives in Ohio with her husband, Brian and has five human children in addition to her eleven kitty kids.
"Cattitude" Theme Song Written & Produced by Mark Winter
© Copyright Such Fun Music (ASCAP)