Rita Reimers · The Cat Analyst™
Cat Behavior Consultant.
Lifelong Cat Advocate.
Cats have been at the center of my life for as long as I can remember. Today, I help cat guardians understand their cats, work through behavior challenges, and build happier lives together.
I am a triple-certified cat behavior consultant, writer, and podcast host. Through every part of my work, my goal remains the same: helping cats stay in the homes that love them.
ABCCT Certified
Fear Free® Certified
Surrender Prevention Certified
My Life as a Cat Behavior Consultant Devoted to Feline Well-Being
What began as a deep love for animals grew into a lifelong passion for understanding feline behavior and improving the lives of cats and their people.
As a cat behavior consultant and cat parent in a multi-cat household, I bring both professional training and everyday experience to my work. I know that a behavior problem can affect an entire household—and that understanding the cat behind the behavior can change everything.
I am also a shelter and rescue cat advocate. Under the guidance of Dr. Rachel Geller, I became a Certified Surrender Prevention Specialist, strengthening my commitment to helping families find solutions that keep their cats at home.
“I do not just study cat behavior. I live it every single day.”
My L.U.C.K.Y. C.A.T. Philosophy
Over the years, I have developed my L.U.C.K.Y. C.A.T. philosophy, the framework that guides every consultation I do. Each letter represents a principle that supports peaceful coexistence:
- L = Love: Approach your cats with love and patience.
- U = Understanding: Learn what motivates each cat and respect individual needs.
- C = Communication: Read body language, listen to vocalizations, and notice what each cat is telling you.
- K = Kindness: Guide and redirect gently. Never use harsh punishment.
- Y = YOU: Your actions, timing, and responses shape how safe your cats feel.
- C = Consistent: Respond predictably and maintain routines that build trust.
- A = Attention: Give each cat individual attention and notice changes in behavior.
- T = Time: Give the process the time it needs. Lasting change cannot be rushed.
Helping Cats and Their People Understand Each Other
Every cat has their own story, emotions, fears, and way of communicating with the world around them.
Whether you are struggling with litter box issues, tension between cats, anxiety, introductions, or behaviors you simply do not understand, my goal is to help create more peace, trust, and understanding between you and your cats.
When we learn to listen to what cats are trying to tell us, relationships can heal, homes can become calmer, and cats can stay where they belong—with the families who love them.
My Greatest Teachers of Cat Behavior Are My Cats
My home is shared with 13 cats, most of them rescues. Each has their own personality, quirks, routines, and relationships. Together, they make sure my education never stops.
My Multi-Cat Home Is My Classroom
Living in an evolving feline social group has given me an everyday understanding of cat behavior that complements my professional training. I see how relationships change, how routines affect confidence, and how a small adjustment can make a big difference.
My home is never boring—and my cats always have another lesson waiting for me.
My Cats Teach Me Something New Every Day
Over the years, I have experienced many of the concerns cat guardians struggle with: difficult introductions, litter box issues, territorial disputes, redirected aggression, anxiety, over-grooming, nighttime chaos, and the balancing act of helping multiple cats live peacefully together.
I understand how emotionally overwhelming these situations can feel because I have lived through many of them myself. Understanding why a behavior is happening is where we begin.
Every Cat Behavior Has Meaning
“Where someone sees a problem cat, I see a cat with a message.”
A behavior can tell us something about a cat’s needs, surroundings, relationships, or emotional state. My job is to help you understand that message.
Whether I am working with a client, writing an article, hosting 19 Cats & Counting, or managing life inside my own clowder, I am always looking for the “why” behind the behavior.
There Are No Bad Cats, Just Misunderstood Behaviors
Behavior concerns are rarely about cats being “bad.” Often, something in their environment, health, emotions, or relationships needs attention.
By looking at the whole picture, we can work toward replacing frustration and confusion with understanding, trust, and harmony.
A Career Built Around Cats and Their People
My work has taken me from caring for cats in their own homes to helping families through consultations, writing about feline behavior, and bringing cat conversations to listeners around the world.
- Cat Behavior Consultant: Personalized guidance for cats and the people who love them.
- Host of 19 Cats & Counting: Conversations with veterinarians, behavior experts, rescuers, authors, celebrities, and fellow cat lovers on Pet Life Radio.
- Founder and Former CEO of Just For Cats Pet Sitting: Seventeen years of caring for cats and building a cats-only pet sitting business, now part of Meowtel.
- Co-Founder and Former CEO of Cat Behavior Alliance: Helping cat guardians understand behavior and strengthen their relationships with their cats.
- Writer and Former Catster Columnist: Sharing practical insights into feline behavior and life with cats.
Sharing What Cats Have Taught Me
My work has appeared in publications, podcasts, and interviews where I share one goal: helping people better understand their cats.
