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About the Author
Even as a small child Trudi wanted to work with animals and if asked what she
wanted to be when she grew up her standard answer was ‘a zoologist’. That was until
she was informed that she would need to stay on at school and continue studying
until she was at least 18! After that she gave up on lofty academic ambitions, although
the desire to work with animals in one way or another continued. After leaving school
(at 17) and after having a variety of jobs, including some time as a zookeeper, she
entered veterinary practice in 1983 and qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1986.
She continued working in veterinary practice for 17 years in total, and it was
while working as a nurse that her interest in companion animal behaviour developed.
She undertook extra study and in 1999 she gained the diploma in advanced studies
in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling from the University of Southampton.
That same year she was accepted as a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour
Counsellors (APBC) and in 2003 achieved certification as a Clinical Animal
Behaviourist (CCAB) under the accreditation scheme run by the Association for the
Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB).
Although having previously worked with both dogs and cats, feline behaviour
and welfare has always been her primary area of interest and is now her sole focus.
Trudi runs a feline behaviour referral practice covering the South West of
England, and in 2018 she was recognized as a Certified Cat Consultant by the
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). She has also
presented numerous talks and contributed written articles and book chapters for
organizations including the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA),
British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), British Veterinary Behaviour
Association (BVBA) and the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC).
To keep up to date with the latest research, continued professional development
is a necessary requirement for any clinical animal behaviourist and something that is
particularly important in the continually evolving field of feline ethology. So at more
than a few decades past 18 years of age Trudi is still studying!