You Don’t Have to Live Like This – You Can Get a Trainer For Your Cat
Tips to help you find a legit behaviourist (according to a veterinary behaviourist)
You love your cat, and your cat loves you back (as long as you don’t make it a big deal, OK?). But, some days, it feels as if your kitty is writing a thesis titled “How to Push My Parent to the Edge of Mental Wellness”. The vet can’t find a single medical reason that your cat refuses to use the litter box, scratches up the furniture, sucks on fabric or grooms nonstop. Your next call: a behaviourist.
There is no hard and fast rule about who can call themselves a ‘behaviourist’ in the UK; an initial online search turned up behaviourists with qualifications ranging from “loves cats” to veterinarians who are certified in veterinary behaviour.
If you need help to deal with unwelcome behaviours, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a behaviourist that doesn’t have the knowledge or skill to address the issue. The fact that there are very few behaviourist regulations in the UK means that it can be hard to know who to call to help you deal with cat behaviour issues.
Here are some tips to help you find a legit cat behaviourist.
Start with credentials
You’ll undoubtedly stumble on a number of websites for behaviourists who mention “extensive experience working with cats” but their experience, while important, is no guarantee that their approach is based in science or best practices. In fact, a behaviourist who lacks the know-how to treat feline behaviour issues could make the problem worseopens in a new tab, according to Cats Protection.
Making your vet the first stop in your search is the best bet. According to Batterseaopens in a new tab, “Your vet should be able to recommend a good behaviourist... All good cat behaviourists in the UK work on referral from vets only.”
Looking at credentials can also help you determine who invested in advanced education and training to understand and treat cat behaviour issues beyond just using the ‘behaviourist’ title.
Examples of professional associations for pet behaviour counsellors in the UK include the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC)opens in a new tab or the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC)opens in a new tab, and their websites have search functions to help you locate a behaviourist near you.
Veterinary behaviourists undergo rigorous education and training, but certifications or membership in professional associations are no guarantee that a behaviourist has experience or skills to treat your cat’s particular behaviour issues. It’s important to do your research before handing over your credit card number for a session.
Questions to ask before hiring a behaviourist
Tell me about your skills and experience.
Have you had other clients with similar issues and what was the outcome?
Can you explain the possible root causes of the behaviour?
What do you recommend as a treatment plan?
Can you provide references?
Dr Maggie O’Brian, veterinary behaviourist and managing partner of Southeast Animal Behaviour & Trainingopens in a new tab notes that you should feel comfortable with the responses the behaviourist provides and be on the lookout for red flags like big promises to fix an issue quickly. “We don’t know how cases are going to go until we start treatment plans,” says O’Brian .
Take your time finding a behaviourist you like and trust; someone who is willing to answer your questions and offer detailed information about their approach to treating behaviour issues ensures that you (and your cat) will have a positive experience.
“If your cat has a long history of [a behaviour] it’s going to be a much longer road,” says O’Brian. “We can definitely still help if it’s been going on for a long time… but the earlier you can tackle behaviour concerns, the better.”
