IAABC 2011 Conference Speaker: Pam Johnson-Bennett

Eric Goebelbecker on December 01, 2010

This week we are launching a series of informal interviews with our speakers for the 2011 IAABC Conference. We have a very exciting slate of candidates and this is a great way for you to get to know them before the conference begins.

Pam Johnson-Bennett is the founder and co-chair of the cat division, a former vice president of the IAABC and the author of seven books on cat behavior, but let’s let Pam speak for herself.

IAABC: Who are you?

Pam Johnson-Bennett, CCBC

IAABC: What do you do for a living?

I’m a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and author of 7 books on cat behavior.

IAABC: How did you get started in animal behavior?

Totally by accident! Many years ago I adopted two kittens and begin to make every mistake in the book when it came to understanding cat behavior. This was before the field of animal behavior was popular and there certainly wasn’t anything on cat behavior and psychology. It became up to me to figure out what I was doing wrong and how to re-train my cats. Apparently I did a good job because veterinarians started calling me to work with their clients’ cats. So a career in cat behavior consulting was born (much to my mother’s dismay).

IAABC: What do you enjoy the most about your work?

Watching owners get back the relationships with their cats that they always wanted.

IAABC: What do you enjoy the least about your work?

When I called in to work on hoarding cases or abuse cases. I do a lot of crying on those days.

IAABC: What do you do when you are not working in animal behavior?

Try to keep up with my eight-year-old daughter and six-year-old son.

IAABC: What do you think is the most important thing people need to know about their companion animals?

Animals aren’t disposable. Don’t give up on your animal just because he isn’t behaving the way you think he should.

IAABC: What do you think is the most important thing we should teach our companion animals?

To trust us.

IAABC: What is your favorite aspect of animal behavior conferences?

It’s an opportunity to get the very latest information from leaders in the field. It’s also wonderful to be surrounded by people who are as excited about this profession as you are. I always come away from conferences feeling energized.

IAABC: What was the last conference you attended?

The AVMA conference in Atlanta in past summer.

IAABC: What kind of presentation do you prefer (live animals present, power point, whatever?)

I love it all. That’s what great about conferences—you can experience a variety of presentation styles.

IAABC: Tell us about your animals at home

I have two geriatric cats, Mary Margaret and Bebe, who were once feral. It was a long rehab process but they’ve been enjoying the cushy indoor life for many years now. I have a melanistic bengal named Pearl who was dumped in my backyard last winter. She’s an absolute delight and I couldn’t imagine our family without her. We also recently added a dog, Griffin, to our household. He was rescued from a hoarding situation.

IAABC: What would you most like to convey to behavior consultants and trainers?

Never stop learning and never get discouraged. We’re the voices for the animals. They’re depending on us.

IAABC: What would you most like to see in our work together?

The availability of certified behavior consultants and trainers increasing so owners don’t have to turn to unqualified so-called “experts.”

IAABC: What's the strangest consultation you've ever had (or the most challenging?)

I’ve had so many in my career that I ended up writing a book about my favorites called Hiss and Tell: True Stories from the Files of a Cat Shrink.