Essential Items for Your Pet’s First Aid Kit (and Why You Need Them)
As pet caregivers, we know that accidents can happen at any time, often when we least expect them. While a first aid kit for your…
Advice and Guidance
A Mini Guide to Feline Health E-Book
Written by Caroline Clark, an experienced veterinary nurse and animal behaviour counsellor, A Mini Guide to Feline Health is a practical resource for cat caregivers and professionals.…
Using a Timeline to Plot the Development of a Problematic Behaviour
When I am working on a behaviour case, I usually use a timeline to plot the development of the problem. This is done by taking…
Carrying Out a Stress Review of a Cat’s Home Environment
When I have been asked to help a cat with behavioural problems, I always carry out a stress review of their home and surroundings. This…
Recommendations for Approaching and Interacting with Unfamiliar Cats
Based on Care: Cat Friendly Interaction (iCatCare 2022)
Helping Cats with Separation Anxiety Tendencies: Preparing Your Cat for Changes in Caregiver Routine
Holidays, hospital stays or new jobs might mean a cat has to be left alone for longer periods or is unable to be with a…
Enhancing Cat Adoption Success: Tips for Encouraging Positive Cat-Human Interactions in Shelters
Adopters usually want a cat that they can engage with. Shelter staff can encourage positive cat-human interactions and thereby improve the prospect of a cat…
How to Prepare Your Cat for Environmental Changes: Tips for a Smooth Transition During Home Renovations and Visitors
Changes to a cat’s physical environment can be disconcerting for them especially if they are exclusively kept indoors. Being ahead of the game when disruptions…
Preventing Cat Conflicts: Protocol for Non-Recognition Aggression
After a trip to the vets, cattery or groomers a cat will inevitably pick up new, strange scents. Certain procedures (bandages, medical collars, hair clipping…
Habituating a Cat to the Veterinary Experiences
Caregivers can do a lot to help habituate their cat to some of the stimuli they are likely to be exposed to at the veterinary…
Touch-Withdraw-Reward Training: A Guide to Aid Feline Socialisation and Husbandry
This training should form part of a kitten’s socialisation programme but can be useful to habituate cats of any age. However, it is unsuitable for…
Preparing Your Home and Welcoming Your New Cat: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step One: Preparing for the new arrival A basic shopping list of necessary items Step Two: Welcoming your newcomer Step Three: Introducing them outdoors *A…
Creating a Refuge Room for Cats: Ensuring Safety and Comfort During Stressful Situations
Establishing a refuge room in the home, designed to induce a sense of safety and calm, can be helpful for a range of situations: When…
Introducing a Puppy to a Resident Cat
When introducing a puppy to a resident cat, good preparation and gradual, supervised introductions increase the chance of a positive outcome. Stage One: Preparation Stage…
Introducing New Cats to a Home with a Resident Cat(s)
Step One: Giving time to settle and adjust Step Two: Introducing Scents During scent transference, each cat should either ignore the odour or react positively…
Guidance for Veterinary Teams: Helping A Cat Feel Comfortable
Administering Medication and Taking Bloods in the Veterinary Environment Adapted from AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Handling Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, by Rodan I.…
Using Long-line Training Leads
Long-line leads are generally used to teach a dog a recall cue which is obviously important and should form part of any dog’s general training. Howe…
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How to Choose and Introduce a Dog Harness
Care should be taken when selecting a harness because one style doesn’t fit all and some with ‘anti-pull’ features can cause pain. Many styles c…
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Facebook Live with Dogwise
You may already be familiar with Dogwise but if not, it’s a one stop online book store and video streaming platform that specialises in… you’ve…
Top 10 Tips for Keeping Your Dog Summer Safe
Summer is a fantastic time for enjoying being outdoors with your dog but there are lots of potential hazards both in the garden and further away from …
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Dog Enrichment: Creating an Agility Course
In this video I share some ideas for creating a canine sensory agility course. Canine enrichment ideas are almost endless and it doesn’t have to be …
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Helping Dogs & Cats Through Fireworks Season
Dog-appeasing pheromone is associated with increased safety and security. Research shows that using Adaptil (by CEVA) in the location of a hide increa…
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What is Clicker Training?
Information on how animals learn to use a clicker and why it is effective, with links to helpful resources.
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Preparing Your Pet For Firework Season E-Book
Every year, millions of pets suffer from fear and anxiety because of the sudden loud noises and bright flashing lights. This E-Book provides tips and …
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Creating A Calm Environment For Cats
In this video Caroline shares some tips on how we can keep cats calm, relaxed and happy. Providing an environment that fulfills or mimics natural beha…
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Preventing Separation Anxiety in Cats
In this video Caroline shows you how to keep cats occupied whilst in lockdown, whilst also making sure they keep their independence...
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Harvesting and Transferring the Cat’s Odours to a New Environment or Object
Suddenly introducing a cat to a new environment, making changes to the home or introducing new objects and furniture can disturb a cat’s familiar scent.…
Separation Anxiety in Dogs E-Book
This E-Book has been designed to help owners of dogs that suffer from separation issues. It will also be useful for helping dogs adapt when owners ret…
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Introducing Rabbits Safely
Rabbits are social animals and normally prefer to be with another rabbit, so here are some tips on how to introduce rabbits for the first time.
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Help! My Cats Don’t Get Along: Tips for Peaceful Coexistence
“Help! my cats don’t get on” is a frequent call I get from cat owners. It usually follows after another cat is introduced to keep…
Rabbit Health & Welfare
Being able to recognise disease and pain in your pet is a skill that is important to develop. This short download covers some health disorders that af…
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Caring for your Rabbit
In the UK, the rabbit is the third most popular pet and, like the dog and cat, make a rewarding companion. Here are a few tips on how to keep your rab…
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Aggression in Parrots
There are many reasons your parrot may be showing aggression. This guide explains the signs and triggers that may help you analyse the behaviour of yo…
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Introducing Guinea Pigs for the First Time
Guinea Pigs are social animals and normally prefer to be with another Guinea Pig. If your guinea Pig has been kept alone it is important to ensure tha…
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Systematic Desensitisation & Counter-Conditioning
A helpful guide to improving or resolving fear of animate stimuli, e.g. people or other animals & also fear of inanimate objects and noises.
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Understanding and Dealing with Overly Attached Parrots
A common problem that arises for parrot owners’ is the bird that becomes overly bonded to one particular member of the household. Aggression can be…
Guide to Crate Training
Helpful information to crate/confinement training your dog, including the benefits and a simple guide.
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Using a House Line
The house line is a useful way of managing and safely controlling your dog without using force or direct physical contact/attention. It is a method …
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Claw Marking
Helpful information on why cats scratch, positioning scratching posts for your cat and the materials to use.
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Protocol for a Homemade Cleaning Preparation to Eliminate the Scent of Urine and Faeces
House soiling can occur for many reasons although in some cases it can continue due to the cat/ dog detecting the scent where it has previously marked…
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Meeting Visitors in the Home
This handout has been designed for dogs that either get very excited when visitors arrive or show fear or anxiety towards them.
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Top Tips for Living with a Blind Cat
Cats and other animals always amaze me at the way they adapt to disabilities. This is certainly the case when caring for one that loses…
Preventing Euthanasia: The Importance of Puppy Socialisation and Training
A new study, undertaken in the UK on behavioural reasons for deaths in dogs under three years of age, has found that a staggering 33.7%…
Understanding Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) in Cats: What Owners Need to Know
At 7 years of age and above, most cats are still playful and may appear youthful but there is an increasing risk of feline age-related…
Snake Bites: What to Do If Your Dog Encounters an Adder
Now that it’s spring and the weather is warming up, most of us will be planning some lovely long walks with the dog. Whilst out…
Healthy Together: Keeping Fit with Your Dog
Keeping in good shape mentally and physically makes sense for all of us and sharing a healthy life with your dog means that you can…
Understanding Canine Behaviour: Are Dogs Like Us?
Working as a canine behaviour counsellor means that I often have to help people understand why their dogs react or behave in a particular way.…
Understanding Common Feline Behaviours
All cats are individuals and have their own personality types. However there are a number of common behaviours that most cats exhibit. Knowing what some…
Unraveling Feline Aggression: Understanding the Causes and Managing the Behaviour
Aggression is a broad term. In a cat it ranges from hissing and growling, up to a full blown attack. However this description doesn’t tell…