(Animal Planet)
Jackson Galaxy likes to crouch down on the ground and lower his voice to a purr to coax problem cats out from behind furniture, but insists he’s no cat whisperer. “I’m more of a cat listener,” says the feline behaviorist and host of “My Cat From Hell,” which premieres on Animal Planet Saturday at 9 p.m. “I just know what they want and what turns them on energetically.”
With his goatee and tattoos, not to mention his custom-lined guitar-case-turned-pet-supply-kit, Galaxy might not seem like a typical “cat person” — but who better than a New Yorker inked with images of cats and his own set of whiskers to mediate between a fussy feline and its guardian?
Galaxy got his start working at city shelters to pay for his musician lifestyle before finding his true calling as a behaviorist. Today, he lives in LA and makes house calls to desperate owners whose troubled hellcats are drawing claws — sometimes traveling across the country to save a cat from getting kicked to the curb.
“I help people see the world through their cats’ eyes,” Galaxy says.
Here are a few things he wants you to know about your cat:
* He jumps on top of the fridge because he must. The way Galaxy sees it, cats are either bush dwellers or tree dwellers by nature. And if your tree dweller is stuck at ground level in a small apartment, he will seek higher ground. “Give your cat vertical space with cat furniture,” says Galaxy, who’s seen the most inventive designs come out of New York City and Tokyo, where space is at a premium. “Do that, and it’s like you’re doubling his territory.”
* A wagging tail does not mean she’s happy to see you. Unlike their canine counterparts, cats swish their tails when they’re looking to flee (from your arms, a room, whatever). “It’s as if she’s yelling at you, ‘I’m on edge!’” says Galaxy. His simple rule, whether a cat is growling, hissing or wagging: “If they holler, let them go!”
* This is his world — you just live in it. “Cats are primal — territory is most important to them,” says Galaxy. “Of course, you’re important to them, too, in large part because you play a big part in their territory, providing food and warmth.”
* Your cat isn’t the problem; you’re the problem. “Cats react to the situation their guardians have set them up to react to,” says Galaxy. If you get tense every time you pick up your cat, she’ll get tense, too — and possibly draw her claws as she squirms out of your arms. If you’re calm and confident around your kitty, she’ll mirror the behavior.
* He really won’t go crazy cooped up indoors. “Cats should be out in the world, but it’s just not safe,” especially in the city, says Galaxy. “I believe in indoor cats. If you’re resourceful with toys and perches, you can provide that level of exploration and challenge that they need within your home.”
* A good chin scratch is always purrfect. Cats emit large doses of pheromones from their cheeks, chin and between the eyes, so when you stroke your pet’s face, not only are you showing love, you’re helping him spread his scent all over you — and claim ownership of his territory. “You’re simply a very important piece of that territory — you must be owned!” explains Galaxy.