Frequently Asked Questions

Trainers have acquired skills to teach a wide range of things from foundational skills such as walking on a harness to specialty training such as nose work or agility.

Behavior consultants, like us at Frisky Feline Behavior Counseling, often have had continued education in behavior modification and focus on changing behavior with hands on approaches (clicker training, desensitization, counterconditioning, environmental modification etc). Behavior consultants take a deeper look at things such as an animal's history, genetics, environment, and lifestyle may contribute to behavior to the behavior.

It is essential that behavior consultants and trainers stay within their boundaries of care to best support the families who count on them. Trainers/behavior consultants are NOT the same as veterinary behaviorists. They do not diagnose or treat behavior conditions - and they do not offer medical advice including supplements or medications. 
 

Veterinary behaviorists are doctors who have gone through vigorous training to offer the largest spectrum of care to families who need help with their pets. They can look at your pet's history, environment, health and much more to create a plan for you moving forward. These professionals can help to take complex and advanced behaviors to the level of care they need through a multi-angle approach.

Many times trainers and behavior consultants will work alongside with a Veterinary Behaviorist or your vet for the best outcome. 
If your vet has suggested working with a Veterinary Behaviorist but you are interested in working with us, please talk with your veterinarian about using our services before booking. We refer clients to Veterinary Behaviorists for cases we deem outside our scope of care.  

• Inter-cat conflicts / bullying*

• New cat introductions

• House soiling / elimination behaviors 

• Furniture scratching

• Boredom or Restlessness 

• Aggression*

• Dog / cat relationships 
  (Just the cat side of things of course!)

• Counter surfing / trash diving

• Waking behaviors

• Fear / anxiety /stress related behaviors

• Support for newly adopted cats

• Desensitizing to brushing, nail trims and other routine care

• Carrier training 

• Relationship building

• Establishing calmer meal times

• Trick training & more!​
  
  ** Severe or complex cases of aggression may be referred out to a qualified veterinary behaviorist so that you and your cat(s) have the best support moving forward. 

Nope! We understand that most cat's would prefer to not travel from the comfort of their home, so we made the decision to be a 100% mobile company. All consultations are done in person or virtually so when it is our scheduled appointment time, all you need to do is be there!

Yes! We offer discounts on your first service for clients with referrals from:

-Veterinarians
-Rescues / Shelters
-Animal Care Providers

     (In Our Network)

-Existing Clients

Be sure to note this on your questionnaire to receive your discount.
 

In both in home and virtual behavior consultations, we take a thorough background questionnaire and then ask supportive questions to get a good understanding of the behaviors you are seeing and your cat's history. ​We will also take a look at the environment to make note of any recommendations we can provide that may further help you on your journey. With our combined education and experience, we are often able to draw a conclusion of what is occurring with your cat(s) based on the information we gather. 

We welcome families to capture videos of the behaviors they are looking to work on for us to assess at our consultation. We only would recommend doing this if safe to do so (do not put dueling cats together for the sake of assessments).

This combination of approaches allow us to have the best possible assessment of your cats behavior. 

While many behaviors can seem undesirable through the human eye, it is essential to understand these behaviors are often just the normal ways cats navigate their world and the challenges they face.

Cats may display "undesired" behaviors for many reasons including genetics, age, health, discomfort, environmental influences, routine, past experiences, trauma, poor relationships/introductions - just to name a few. 

*If your cat is behaving in such way because of a medical issue, your cat will require medical care from a licensed DVM to treat the issue. Our behavior sessions do NOT replace regular routine medical care from your vet and will not treat any behaviors as a result of underlying medical issue or illness.

Behavior and your cat's health go hand in hand. Anytime your cat has a change in behavior your first stop should be your veterinarian to discuss your concerns and to rule out possible health issues. 

It is important to know that behaviors such as aggression or house soiling can be due to underlying health issues that may need diagnostic testing to identify. Even if your cat has had a physical exam in the last 12 months, it does not necessarily mean nothing new is occurring under the surface of what can be seen externally.  PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CAT HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY YOUR VETERINARIAN PRIOR TO SCHEDULING WITH US! 

​

If there are observations or conclusions made during your consultation that we feel best reviewed by your vet we will let you know and are happy to work with your veterinarian moving forward. 

​

 We start with a 90 minute comprehensive behavior consultation with your behavior consultant, Amanda Caron.

During the consultation process we will start with taking a thorough history of your cat(s) and picking apart the behavior concerns at hand. Then we will follow our discussion with a tour of your home and review of any supporting photos/videos of the behaviors you may have.

Through the information we have gained, we will complete our assessment of your cat's behavior and explain our conclusions with you.

Finally, we will show you the best methods to begin to work with the behavior, being sure to provide you with an understanding of how these methods work to get you to your goals. 

We believe the best behavior modification is done working alongside your cat. Let us help you learn to communicate with your cat in ways that will strengthen your bond and allow you to work together VS against one another.

Our work is based on science based, force/fear free methods including methods such as clicker training, environmental modification and management, strategic desensitization and counterconditioning and positive reinforcement.

Behavior plans fit both family/cats  using cat friendly approaches that are effective tools to get you on the path of where  you want to be. 

In short, a love for cats and and interest in animal behavior and psychology led us to this amazing career choice. In addition to our passion, we have extensive education in feline behavior and behavior modification and hold multiple certificates in various aspects of cat behavior. Check out our About page to learn more!

We understand the decision to book a consultation may come with many questions, so we welcome you to schedule a FREE introductory call with us so that we cover your questions about the process. We fully believe in feeling comfortable with your consultant and ensuring it is the right fit before you commit.NO hassles, NO obligations to book.

Feel free to check out what our clients are saying HERE! 

We recognize that we may not be the best fit for EVERY case, ensuring you and your cat are in the best hands is what means most to us so we are happy to refer families to reputable resources when/if possible.

In home appointments can pay by cash, check or Debit / Credit Card. All virtual appointments must pay by Credit / Debit Card.

Sorry we do not accept Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Zelle, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Care Credit. 
​

Payment is due in full on OR before the day of your first appointment. 

Absolutely! You have the biggest role in your cat's journey moving forward. After our session, you will need to continually work on the topics we discussed in order for the process to be successful. This may mean changing your cat's routine, adding to your environment, monitored interactions, and training. Don't worry...we aim to make the process as easy as possible.

The more effort YOU put in, the more YOU will get out of this experience. We cannot expect changes in our cat's behavior without us leading them with changes in our approaches. 

 

We pledge to provide you and your cat with the most supportive and professional advice to help make every effort towards reaching your goals.  In certain situations, we may need to work in conjunction with your veterinarians support to help you reach your goals. It is important to understand that sometimes despite our best efforts, we cannot guarantee the outcome of us working together. We would love to be able to help EVERY cat in EVERY situation - however some cats simply do not respond the way we hope they will with training and behavior modification. Although we see resolution of most behaviors, we cannot predict the outcome of our efforts. We hold no guarantees and offer no refunds.

For cases in which we are unable to achieve your goals, you may be referred to a qualified Veterinary Behaviorist to review your case and offer additional insights. 

Each case is unique, but one thing that remains consistent is that the more effort put into your cat's behavior support plan - the better your results often are. Because of this, the sooner you begin working on your plan outline - the sooner you can begin seeing progress.  Some clients have reported resolution in one session, however many clients need a minimum of 3 visits!