This interview delves into the world of feline behavior with Anita Kelsey, a renowned cat behaviourist and groomer. Discover her journey into this specialized field, the personal qualities required, and the rewarding yet challenging aspects of helping cats and their owners.
The Path to Becoming a Cat Behaviourist
Anita Kelsey’s career as a cat behaviourist wasn’t a direct plan but rather a natural progression from her deep-seated passion for cats. Initially working in the music industry, her interest in feline behavior grew as she spent more time with cats. Witnessing the positive impact of the free advice she offered led her to pursue formal academic study. This decision was crucial to gain the necessary qualifications to work alongside veterinarians and establish her own practice.
Essential Qualities for a Cat Behaviourist
Success in this field requires more than just a love for cats. Anita emphasizes the need for empathy, a profound understanding of natural feline behaviors, and significant patience. Crucially, effective communication with the human element is paramount, as owners are the ones implementing the necessary changes. Being open-minded is also vital, as Anita believes there’s always more to learn in this ever-evolving field.
Beyond Behaviour: Cat Grooming Expertise
In addition to behavior consultation, Anita is also a skilled cat groomer. She pursued this skill after observing the poor condition of some cat breeds, aiming to educate owners and provide professional grooming services. The most challenging aspect of grooming, she notes, is when owners disregard her advice, leading to recurring matting issues. Furthermore, working with fearful or aggressive cats, often due to past negative grooming experiences, presents significant difficulties.
Inspiration and Learning from Feline Companions
Jackson Galaxy stands out as a major inspiration for Anita, whom she regards as the best feline behaviourist globally due to his gentle spirit and deep understanding of cats. Her reading habits lean towards factual content, with National Geographic and scientific works on felines being favorites. Most importantly, Anita has learned to view cats as animals first, understanding the world from their perspective, which she states is always correct.
Addressing Challenging Behavioural Issues
One of the most difficult aspects of her role involves managing cats exhibiting acute aggression towards their owners without clear warning signs. Ensuring owner safety while respecting the owner’s desire to keep their pet is a significant concern. Anita addresses this by providing owners with comprehensive information and advising them to create distance from the cat during aggressive episodes. She stresses the immense responsibility of accurately diagnosing issues to ensure both cat and owner well-being.
The Profound Connection with Cats
Anita’s lifelong love for cats stems from childhood. She admires their beauty, their unique wisdom, and the way they enrich our lives. Her personal feline family includes two Norwegian Forest cats, Kiki and Zaza, whom she affectionately calls “high maintenance princesses.”
A Shift from Music to Feline Welfare
After a 25-year career as a professional songwriter, the changing music industry landscape due to illegal downloading and a personal tragedy prompted Anita to re-evaluate her life path. A new career focused on cats helped her overcome a period of depression.
Commitment to Animal Rescue and Advocacy
Anita is actively involved with The Mayhew Animal Home, a local rescue center. She dedicates time to sitting with cats at the shelter and has previously assisted with re-homing efforts. She also raises funds through videos of rescue cases, demonstrating her passion for giving animals a better future.
Two significant issues that ignite Anita’s passion are the practice of declawing cats, which she believes should be banned worldwide, and trophy hunting of big cats, which she deems a “disgusting sport.”
Professional Contributions and Work-Life Balance
Anita contributes to “Your Cat” magazine, initially commenting on an article about indoor cats, which led to her writing the entire piece. She now serves on their expert panel, offering advice on cat grooming. The most common behaviour issues she addresses include multi-cat household problems, aggression, and litter box avoidance.
To maintain a healthy work-life balance, Anita now reserves weekends for personal time and minimizes evening work unless specifically requested by a client. She believes in the importance of relaxation and rejuvenation for both mind and spirit.
Overcoming Stresses and Maintaining Perspective
While generally not stressed as a behaviour consultant, Anita experiences significant anxiety as a groomer when shaving elderly cats with fragile skin, fearing accidental injury or undue stress. She emphasizes the immense pressure groomers face in such delicate situations.
What comes easiest to Anita is connecting with cat owners, as she is one herself. She understands their deep love for their pets and can empathize while offering professional advice. Her favorite way to relax is by walking and immersing herself in nature, finding peace and tranquility in the countryside.
Embracing the Joys and Challenges of Helping Animals
Anita copes with tragic animal circumstances by focusing on the positive impact individuals and organizations make. She finds solace in memories of people who significantly improve the lives of animals, balancing the world’s cruelty with acts of kindness and compassion.
