ArcaMax

Dog training books of the day didn't offer much help; training methods for dogs relied greatly on punishment. Bennett instinctively knew that punitive training wouldn't work for cats. She gathered whatever she could from various resources, and a year later, her veterinarian was astounded by the change in her cats. The vet began sending clients Johnson-Bennett's way.

"'Be careful what you ask for' might be the best lesson there," she says with a laugh.

Then an up-and-coming musician, Johnson-Bennett began to sing a happy tune about cat behavior, and soon found steady work helping cat owners deal with their pets' behavior issues, mostly in New York City high-rises.

When she moved to Nashville, TN, Johnson-Bennett began helping cats there, but also documented her house-calls in a classic series of books, including "Psycho Kitty" and "Hiss and Tell: True Stories from the Files of a Cat Shrink." More recent titles include "Cat vs. Cat," "Starting from Scratch: How to Correct Behavior Problems in Your Adult Cat," and an updated version of "Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat - Not a Sour Puss." Johnson-Bennett founded the Cat Division of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

While cats are the most popular pets in America, that actually concerns Johnson-Bennett.

"I worry that some people chose a cat because they don't have time for a dog, and want the independent and less time-consuming choice. We've become so busy and self-involved with work and we're working harder, then we come home, cook dinner, go on the computer and begin to wind down. But the cat has missed us all day, and our arrival is the highlight of the day; the cat is ready to go.

"We keep our cats safe indoors - that's good - but we're getting this incredible Ferrari and putting it in the parking lot. That's why enriching a cat's environment (for when you're not home) and interactive play (when you are home) is so incredibly important."

No wonder she's called the Queen of Cats!

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.

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