Poet the blind cat has never needed eyes to command a camera. With her striking features, Instagram modeling was her natural calling. However, Poet’s mom, Shannon, noticed a change in behavior after the loss of her older cat companion and the arrival of two new kittens at home.
Poet began circling intensely, especially during stressful moments. The behavior escalated into urine marking around the home, withdrawal from her beloved sleeping spot in Shannon’s bed, and increased stress during daily life. Poet even had to step away from her Instagram modeling career. For Shannon, watching her cat struggle was devastating.
That’s when she turned to Dr. Alison Gerken and the SF SPCA Veterinary Behavior Service.
Building a plan for Poet
Shannon and Dr. Gerken built a plan tailored specifically to Poet’s needs. Shannon committed to at least 15 minutes of dedicated, Poet-only play every day—time carved out just for her, away from the other cats and the noise of a busy household. Poet’s plan also included interactive toys (including Poet’s favorite, a self-moving butterfly on a wand) and a “cat desk” next to Shannon’s workspace so Poet could stay close during the day.
After careful evaluation, Dr. Gerken recommended trialing medication to help address the underlying anxiety driving Poet’s behavior. As Shannon puts it: “This was a trial and error, several-week process and did not ‘fix’ her right away. We did not expect it to! We finally found the dose that worked best for her, and she settled back into the Poet habits we love.”
All’s well that ends well
Today, Poet is thriving. She handles Shannon’s long 16-hour ER shifts with far less distress. She interacts more peacefully with the other cats in the home. And most importantly, she’s back to sleeping with her mom every night, loafing on her and delivering the occasional paw to the face, just to make sure Shannon knows she’s there.
Oh, and the modeling? She’s back, baby. You can follow @poet_the_model_cat on Instagram.
Need behavior support?
The SF SPCA Veterinary Behavior Service offers compassionate, evidence-based solutions for pets experiencing anxiety, fear, stress, and a wide range of behavioral challenges. Our team is here to provide care and guidance for any behavior issue you may face.