Carole is available for bi-coastal house calls, international phone consults and her current book is THE TOTAL CAT (Quill). She also sees appointments at Westside Veterinary Center in Manhattan. Subscribe to Carole's free newsletter on her website by clicking onto www.thecattherapist.com/wilbourn_way.htm

I.D.A. is very pleased to announce the winners of the MEN AND THEIR CATS CONTEST and I, personally, want to thank you men for all of your entries. It's wonderful that you all share such a loving and meaningful life with your cats. 
1st Place: Sebastian Click to read story
2nd Place: Bobbie 
3rd Place: Franci
Honorary winner - Ed Childers

Thank you for sending along your testimonials. It lets other guardians know that their cat questions can be solved and lets me know that my column is helping cats to leave the couch.

CAROLE'S SPEAKING APPEARANCES 

How To Talk To Your Cat
Meet the Cat Therapist Carole Wilbourn
April 29, 2006 at 1:30 p.m.
Nutley Public Library
Drive Nutley, NJ 07110 973-667-0405
Click for details

Your Cat Wants You to Know....
Riverdale Library
May 18, 2006 7pm
93 Newark Pompton Turnpike
Riverdale, NJ 07457
973-835-5044
Click for details

QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY
May 20, at 2pm
FOREST HILLS
108-19 71 Avenue, Forest Hills 11375, 718-268-7934
Click for details

FABULOUS FELINES

Don't miss out. You owe it to your cat/s. Scan photos to thecattherapist@idausa.org

Click on to Fabulous Felines and you'll see why this is a Feline Must!

TESTIMONIALS

Cat guardians, There is a new addition to CATS ON THE COUCH. Click on to TESTIMONIALS and read all about Winston and his rescue.

If you have a question guardians, please send an email to Carole. Scroll down to see my column. I can't answer every email I receive, so please check the archives. Your answer may be already there.

STROLL WITH YOUR CATS

There's a perfect and fun way to safely enjoy the outdoors with your cats. Click on to thecattherapist.com and then to Kittywalk

CAT TALK

CAT TALK is now available. Find out what your cat is TRYING TO TELL YOU. So guardians, lick on to the Cat Store.

CAROLE'S NEWSLETTER—"THE WILBOURN WAY"

The Wilbourn Way Newsletter is Carole's free email newsletter, which brings you Carole's personal view on cat culture monthly. Click on to her website for more details.

MY CAT WILL NOT STOP HOWLING

Dear Carole,
I have a male cat that is not neutered. I think he is part Siamese but I am not sure. He has started howling all night. It is nonstop. He was an outside cat but since he is not neutered and is recovering from a large abscess we have now kept him in doors. My question is if we neuter him will it stop some of the howling at night. He is not in pain as far as I know because he does not do it during the day. I cannot handle it anymore I feel like I have a small child in the house. Please help!!!

Brieanna

Dear Guardian Brieanna:
Your cat is a tom cat and is acting like one. Nocturnal howls and wounds from feuds are classic tom cat traits. Yes, do have him neutered. These traits or symptoms will disappear as his testosterone lowers—probably within about two-three weeks.

Schedule an appointment with the vet. It will be a win-win!

PICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Chief is a domestic longhair, probably a Mane Coon mix. He came to me as a stray a couple of years ago. It was love at first sight. I called the shelter to see if he was missing and registered him in case anyone showed up looking for him. After a couple of months I was granted his legal guardian. I get a lot of kidding about the relationship between my cat Chief and I. Someone even mentioned making a movie called HAIRBALL MOUNTAIN. We do have a very unusual connection, and many that witness us together remark on it. He is good about making eye contact to try and get across what he is thinking. I would say that there is a non verbal communication process akin to telepathy but that may seem far fetched for some, unless you are around us and see it for yourself. I am sure body language plays a huge part in it, but it sure seems more than that. Normally his point is easy to catch and further more he is very quick to understand and catch on to what I am expecting at most any given moment. He understand the basic commands, come, down, no, and praise; however he is not always that eager to obey unless there is a motivator present. Then he's as good as any dog. By the way I am a certified K-9 trainer. Sometime one just runs across an animal that has that special consciousness. When that is present in a particular animal they just shine and they stick out way beyond what one would expect. That really makes having a relationship with that living creature a wonderful experience. I don't see many cats that are this social but I have been truly blessed with Big "Chief" Sparrow Feather.

Dear Guardian John:
Big Chief Sparrow Feather appears to enjoy your life's philosophy and the feeling is mutual. What a fortuitous find!

HOUSE PHOBIC

Dear Carole Wilbourn:
Our 10 year old spayed Persian cat is terrified of our house—except for the kitchen. We moved here a year ago. She's fine in the kitchen. But any other room is a disaster. She used to shake and her pupils would widen. The vet started her on zoloft and alprazalin, which has stopped the shaking. But unless we carry her, she won't leave the kitchen. She's also content when we take her out on the patio but won't go on the grass. We've moved nine times since we've had her and she's never had this terrified reaction. What do you make of it?
Charlie, Milwaukee, Wis.

Dear Guardian Charlie:
Sounds like your many moves have caught up with your kitty and now she's in "panic mode". Also, something must have frightened her when you first moved to this house and she found refuge in the kitchen. Whatever traumatized her caused her to become phobic of the rest of your house. The kitchen is her haven. Now that she feels safe in your arms in other rooms and on the patio, this is a break-through.

SOLUTION
You may be able to continue to slowly ease her fear by trying the following: Set up a sunny room close to the kitchen with her favorite food and very soft music. If she likes catnip, sprinkle some on one of her toys and place it on the floor. Pick a time to do this when she's hungry. Place her on the floor but sit beside her and stroke her back or head. If she resists, hold her while she eats. Repeat this every couple of days until she becomes comfortable in this room. When she accepts this room you can slowly move on to others—probably, one at a time. You will become a very patient person—thanks to your kitty.

Tuesday, April 18, '06

NEW SCHEDULE FOR CATS ON THE COUCH COLUMN

MOLLY OF MYERS KESWICK IS RESCUED

"You're going to make it, Molly," I whispered. "What's she saying?,” said one of the reporters to Kevin Clifford, the tunnel worker, who became Molly's rescuer. "Ask her,” he answered, and looked my way. 

"Molly's saying: "I'm here. Come get me." I said and continued to talk to her as the music of humpback whales and ocean sounds played in the background. My part was to help to give her the continued strength and spirit to keep up her valiant fight for survival. Throughout my many years of providing therapy for cats, this process has worked. It's a combination of my body language, voice and the particular music. 

Every now and then Molly would remain silent as the rescue workers hammered out bricks of the deli. I would then raise my voice and she would respond with a meow. When the drilling started, Molly's meow became "panicky."

But it was then that the end was near. Yes, Kevin Clifford, the tunnel worker was able to pull her out from between the three layers of bricks and sheet metal where she had been wedged in for two weeks. Good Friday was, indeed, a good Friday for Molly of Myers of Keswick. Mr. Myers, her guardian, gave Molly a tasty meal which she immediately tucked into. "I'm sure you'll agree she's in good shape for all she's been through," said Mr. Myers. Molly would spend the night at his daughter's apartment and return to the shop in the morning. As I walked the couple of blocks back to my apartment, I was filled with relief and happiness. I could fall asleep knowing Molly wasn't trapped inside the building around the corner. Yes, I would sleep soundly with my cat Diana-Moon-Dust.

Robert Caplin for The New York Times

MY CAT'S CHEEKS

MUTE KITTEN

Dear Guardian R.:

Not every kitten or cat is vocal. Your kitten may be saving her voice for her right moment. One day she may start talking—or she may be an example of the "silent meow."

Remember, please add a picture of your cat along with your cat questions.

» CAROLE'S NEWSLETTER--THE WILBOURN WAY"