Allison: I am a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and Trainer, and I’m the person behind Allison Helps Cats. My work has grown from loving my own cats into shelter behavior support, post adoption help, writing, and a small amount of consulting. At home, Andy and I share life with our cats and fosters, and much of what I do grows out of that daily experience.
Andy: Andy is my husband and an important part of the life behind this site. He helps with editing, tech, design, and many of the practical parts of caring for cats and fosters at home. He also provides me a shoulder to lean on, and helps in whatever other ways he can.
Cats
- Lucy: Prior to Lucy (2008-2014), I was a dog lover. Lucy was the cat who changed how I saw cats and changed the direction of my life
- Cinder: Adopted from Hearts United for Animals and its program for pets of domestic violence victims, Cinder teaches me about reserved and insecure cats.
- Bootsie: Adopted from Husker Cats, Bootsie teaches me about adult feral cats. I consider it a victory when she willingly accepts a carrier, medication, and other kinds of health care.
- Rainy: One of our foster successes, Rainy came to us as a kitten. She is a certified therapy cat who has taught me about non-recognition aggression.
- Hallow: A long-term foster from The Cat House, Hallow teaches me about unsocialized cats that are more play than food motivated.
With Gratitude
| I also want to thank some of the people and organizations that have shaped my work and encouraged me over the years. Jayne & the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Law School Jayne and the UNL Law School helped me with the practical early steps of getting started, and I remain grateful for that support. Lincoln Animal Ambassadors This non-profit provides a pet food bank and spay/neuter services. They gave me a place to write and share pet education, which helped shape my interest in behavior and surrender prevention. The Cat House This is Lincoln’s limited admissions cat shelter. They have trusted Andy and me with fosters and gave me opportunities to learn from cats with a wide range of behavior needs. I’m thankful for the ways they have helped me grow. Cotner Pet Care Former head veterinarian Jody Jones-Skibinski served as guest speaker for my local classes and allowed me to work with their three vet clinic cats, even during the pandemic. We’ve had many cat behavior chats. The Capital Humane Society This is Lincoln’s open admissions animal shelter. My time with Capital Humane Society has shaped a great deal of my work. What began as an internship became long-term volunteer involvement, learning, and program building, all because the needs of the cats mattered so much to me. Valerie Ingram and Alistair Schroff of Lakes Animal Friendship Society Valerie and Alistair, a generous pet-loving couple in British Columbia, introduced me to the world of humane education. They regularly send me samples of their products, and hired me to design checklists for their publications. We often provide feedback on each other’s projects. International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and Pet Professional Guild Both the IAABC and the PPG are professional organizations for animal behavior and training professionals consultants and trainers working with many species of animals. Being able to consult with other experts in my field has been invaluable to me. I won the Rebecca Park Scholarship from IAABC and sit on the board of the feline committee for the PPG. Feline Resources for Shelters and Rescues The ASPCA offers this group on Facebook for discussion related to cat welfare and has experts from the ASPCA on hand to help. This group has been one of several places where I have learned from others working in cat welfare, and I’m grateful for the expert input that helped shape some of my shelter work. |
Allison Helps Cats: Certified Cat Behavior Consultant & Trainer 