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

My column will appear online the second week of every month.
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.

Cats Have the Last Laugh 'tho it Be Silent

There was an article in "The New York Time", Science Section (9/5/06), commenting on a cat's sense of humor." I've never known a cat that doesn't have an inborn flair for humor. I'm reminded of a cat's guardian who told me how his cat would no longer sleep with him and how the cat decided to sleep inside on the rug— so he got out his sleeping bag and slept along side him. Morning came. He woke up stiff and bleary-eyed but no cat. Made his way to the bedroom only to find his cat luxuriously stretched out on his bed.

Humor with a touch of style!

Dear Carole Wilbourn:

Recently I noticed my cat, JuJu, had a crescent-shaped bald
patch on his body beside his right elbow, which started to multiply into
other crescent-shaped patches above and below the original one. I was
puzzled and a bit alarmed, until I saw him lying on his side grooming himself,
and actually yanking his hair out as he attempted to pull it through his
clenched jaw. Then I realized what happened. I remembered having seen
JuJu grooming himself when he still had his teeth-how he would chomp on
his hair and pull it through his teeth, "combing" it, as it were.
Long story short-he must have finally realized he wasn't "combing" his hair
anymore, since he can't slide through his teeth, and he's grooming
himself in a more "normal" way. The hair on the bald patches is beginning to grow back. Now that it's over, I can chuckle!

Trini E., NYC

Dear Guardian Trini;

You are quite observant and your Juju, thank goodness, realized he should change his style of grooming. This is a fine example of how a cat adapts.

Dear Carole,

Please help answer a major question that I have. In the last 6 months, I
have adopted a 1 year old male cat and then a 4 month old female cat. In the
last couple of months, I have caught them doing unusual sexual things. My
husband keeps telling me that what I see is really not what is going on. I
don't believe him! What are my cats doing?

Melanie 

Dear Guardian Melanie;

It's not unusual for cats to be sensual and sexual even after the male is neutered and the female is spayed. Sounds like you have two very sensual and creative cats. Good for them!

Dear Carole,

My husband and I have had four cats for quite some time. Recently, we
welcomed a tiny and lanky black stray kitten into our home. He was very
scared of me beforehand, but with a lot of time and food, I was able to get
him up on the front porch. My husband opened the door, and he walked right
in. Immediately, he was rubbing the other cats and seemed so happy to be
with them. Although he was still a bit skittish of us, he played and ran
around with the other kittens.

Last week, we took him to our vet, where he received shots for rabies,
distemper, and FEV. Ever since then, he has completely withdrawn. He just
lays curled in a ball, and usually if we walk towards him he runs off,
usually into the basement. He has a good appetite and uses the litterbox,
but other than that, he's totally antisocial. He doesn't socialize with the
other cats, either.

Could it be that he is sick from the shots our vet gave him? Or is more
along the lines of trust? I truly appreciate your help.

Best, Valerie 
Pittsburgh, PA

Dear Guardian Valerie;

Very good of you to take this kitten into your home. But, yes, the vet visit was a breach of trust, too much at one time for such a timid soul. However, your intentions were good. Unless he appears physically ill, allow him to hang out as he is but talk to him softly. Repeat that he's safe, courageous and loved. He won't understand your words but he'll respond to your comforting body language and voice. He should start to become friendly again. Treat this as a petite set-back. He's in good hands.

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 

Bloomfield Public Library 
There will be a guest cat.
Saturday, October 14th at 1pm
90 Broad St.
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973)566-6200
http://www.bplnj.org/

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, click 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..

Molly Of Myers Keswick Is Rescued

"Oh come on Molly you can do it," said cat therapist Carole Wilbourn. 

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Cat therapist Carole Wilbourn used the sounds of whales on tape and catnip to try and lure Molly out Wednesday. CBS

Feral Cats

Saturday, September 9, in San Francisco, the third annual National Feral Cat Summit will take place. You don't want to miss the only conference in the U.S. devoted exclusively to feral cats. Click on to neighborhoodcats.org for details.

Feral Cats

Each day we strive to give our cats the very best care. Helping feral cats is a valuable and wonderful way to extend social response to Neighborhood Cats can be your source of assistance.

You may even be the guardian of a feral cat—so you're aware of the beauty they possess. My late cat, Ziggy-Star-Dust was a feral kitten and the cure for my anxious, reformed attack cat, Sunny-Blue. After Sunny passed-on, Star-Dust took on many of his Sunny's traits—particularly, Sunny's Siamese cry. He was nine years old at the time but lived until seventeen. He taught me so many things, including patience and loyalty.

There is a chapter on feral cats in my book, THE TOTAL CAT, click on to my site, thecattherapist.com, for more info. You can also refer to the archives for my column, click on to Archives at top of page. There are articles from 11/04, 1/05, 11/15/05.

Let us all be socially responsible for feral cats on behalf of our own cats.

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

» CAROLE'S NEWSLETTER--THE WILBOURN WAY"