Sarah Whitehead

Cats. Duplicitous, aloof, hard to read and well… just not dogs!

This is what so many ‘dog people’ say to me when I ask them what they think about cats and cat behaviour… and I get it, I really do! However, whether you already love cats but just don’t know much about their behaviour, or are truly a dog person through and through, my new online course will help you understand this remarkable species – and how they can live in harmony with canine friends!   

I’m Sarah Whitehead – with Oakley – my adored, and much missed,  Maine Coon.

I’m a full member of the APBC, and a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist.

I guess that most people know me through the dog behaviour and training world, but for most of my career, I have also had a complete fascination with feline behaviour too – and have seen cat behaviour cases on referral from veterinary surgeons as part of my behaviour practice work for the past 25 years.

To make a very obvious statement – cats are not just small dogs! They are a unique and intriguing species and have very specific needs and wants in terms of being our pets and companions – and yet the vast majority of people live with cats without really knowing how they ‘operate’ on an internal level – or have any understanding that their behaviour is a reflection of their emotional and physical states – and that it can be modified too. In fact, the most common response I get when I tell people that I do cat behaviour work is “Really? Can cat behaviour really be changed?”

 And the answer of course is… well, you can learn to change your own behaviour, and then the cat will too!

 I’ve put this brand new Programme together for three main reasons.

1. The first is that if you are a dog behaviourist or trainer it is inevitable that you will come across dog cases that involve cats – for example, the new puppy in the house chasing the existing cat, and suddenly you need to deal with another species in that situation to ensure everyone’s welfare.
2. The second is that over the past few years, a lot of my new thoughts about dog behaviour have been as a direct result of thinking about and studying feline behaviour. This includes the complex subject of scent communication in dogs, and – you might be surprised to hear – my new thoughts on puppy biting!
3. And thirdly, I’ve created this course because I have had such lovely and positive feedback from my peers and colleagues about my work in this area – and how genuinely helpful they have found it in working with clients and helping their animals - both dogs and cats - and to me, that’s what it’s all about.

So, my aim for “Cat behaviour for dog people” is that it is a fast, fun and enlightening online education Programme for you in the ways of ‘cat’ - which you never know, might just ignite a little passion for this species that I love so much … and even become a full-on addiction!