Are Cats Really Evil or Just Psycho?
I must admit that the YouTube videos of cats versus dogs, cats taunting other cats and even tormenting their humans can make me laugh. But it is no laughing matter if it is YOUR cat who is biting you, stalking you, ambushing you when you come around the corner or is blatantly aggressive towards your guests. You’ve rationalized this unsavory behavior to the fact that is is a rescue and must have abused or for being feral, being a Calico, being a long haired….fill in the blank.
Are felines just unbalanced and inherently untrustworthy? Or are we setting them and us for failure because we don’t understand the feline mind? They really aren’t just little dogs.
To help us unravel the ball of yarn that is a cat’s unique psyche is my guest board certified veterinary behaviorist and author, Dr. E’Lise Christensen. When she is not lecturing in the U.S and internationally, you can find her practicing at Behavior Vets of Colorado at Animal Care Center of Castle Pines.
BIO:
Dr. E'Lise Christensen DVM is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and an international lecturer and author. As the only board-certified veterinary behaviorist in Colorado, she sees patients with a huge variety of serious behavioral issues.
Dr. C received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 2002. She first became interested in veterinary behavior as a high school student when she worked at a veterinary practice and began training animals for pet therapy at a local substance abuse facility. While in veterinary school she researched separation anxiety in shelter dogs, was an assistant trainer at an animal shelter, and studied with numerous board-certified veterinary behaviorists.
After veterinary school Dr. C began a rotating small animal internship at SouthPaws Veterinary Referral Center in Springfield, Virginia. While working there she continued her studies in veterinary behavior. She practiced feline-only medicine in Arlington, Virginia and general medicine in Bloomingdale, New Jersey before entering the Behavior Residency Program at Cornell University in 2004. During her residency she researched the behavior of dogs, cats, and horses and treated behavioral problems in a number of different species. Her most cited research involved evaluating the efficacy of canine temperament tests in the shelter system.
Dr. Christensen has contributed to articles in Dog Watch, Cat Watch, Cat Fancy, Dog Training Solutions, Real Simple, Newsday, and various other print media. She has been a contributor and guest on Foxnews.com's “Pet Health” and “Studio B with Shepard Smith”, ABC News’ “Nightline," and many other radio programs, television programs, and newscasts. She enjoys lecturing internationally on an array of behavior topics including, but not limited to, small animal behavior, public health and animal sheltering topics.
Dr. C is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. She is a member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) Speaker’s Bureau, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and The Association For Force-Free Pet Industry Professionals.