MEET THE BEHAVIOURIST

Hi, I’m Amanda Tong — feline behaviourist, cat-human translator, and passionate advocate for understanding the animals we share our lives with.
I hold an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln, UK, and over the past 9 years, I’ve worked hands-on with animals of many species—including dogs, rabbits, and horses—but my heart (and most of my work) belongs to cats. So now I specialise in CAT BEHAVIOUR ONLY! Unless you have a dog living with a cat, then I will agree to work with your dog too. *Special access because of your cat*

I have worked with over 300-350 cats, helping their humans navigate everything from the mysterious to the maddening. Whether it’s a cat who suddenly starts toileting outside the litter box, a shy rescue struggling to settle into a new home, or two cats who were best friends yesterday and are now aggressive overnight, I’m here to unravel the why behind the behaviour—and create a plan that’s grounded in empathy, science, and species-specific understanding.

Some common issues I help with include:

Inappropriate toileting or marking
Aggression toward humans or other animals
Anxiety or fear-based behaviours
Compulsive behaviours like overgrooming
Excessive vocalisation or night-time restlessness
Inter-cat conflict in multi-cat households
Preparing cats for life changes like house moves or new family members

But my work doesn’t stop at one-on-one consultations. I also collaborate with cat brands to help them educate their customers, using science-backed behaviour insights to build trust and loyalty. I also partner with NGOs, shelters, and rescuers to support successful adoptions—because behavioural issues are one of the top reasons cats are returned to shelters, and I believe that with the right tools and understanding, many of those situations are preventable.

At the core of everything I do is a deep respect for cats as a species with their own needs, communication styles, and emotional worlds. My role is to act as a translator between cat and human, making sure both sides feel heard, seen, and supported. I create content on my Instagram @theanimalbehaviouracademy to demystify cat behaviour, encourage lifelong learning, and empower guardians to care for their cats not just with love—but with knowledge.

Because when we take the time to understand our cats, we don’t just fix behaviours—we build better relationships.

Also, let me add a picture of my cat (oscar) and dog (joey) here so you can admire their cuteness...

The Story of Joey

My dog the Muse
Photography: Ruel Rebello

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Joey was one of the most complicated dogs I've ever met. In fairness, I was a lot stupider back then as well.

He has taught me more than any behaviour book could. For that I am grateful.

I remember the first day Joey came home. He was so tiny that he immediately walked behind the fridge when we tried to take him out he SCREAMED. That was the moment I realized how scared he was and how this was not going to be a regular journey with a dog.

He didn't wag his tail for about 3 weeks and it took him months to wag his tail at the rest of the family. He was the type of scared dog who shut down and froze when he was scared. It's not the normal defensive or retreated scared. This made it harder to spot and he would not tell you when he was afraid.

As he was growing up he would pick things up and chew on them as any puppy does. I was still quite new to the field and I helicoptered him trying to churn out "good behaviour". My grandparents would take things away from him (for his good) like plastic pieces, tablets, bags or tetra packs left out etc. Soon enough he began to guard these items.

If I constantly took things away from you, I'm sure you would get very good at hiding or guarding them.

At the same time, he began to growl and lunge at the broom, anyone who was cleaning or even wiping the sofa or table. Later we realized he was very uncomfortable with any kind of movement. We even considered getting some neurological tests done as at the time it made no sense for him to behave this way.

He wasn't left alone as the family thought of him to be a baby that needed constant supervision and
the first time he was left alone; we came home to poop and pee on our sofas. From there on out every time he was stressed or frustrated in anyway he would jump up on a sofa/ beanbag and just pee. This got so bad that he would jump up and look directly at us, he would quickly pee and jump down and go to sleep. We didn't recognize this anxiety till much later.

As Joey has grown up with cats around he has always been okay with them. We didn't allow or encourage chasing so he was able to chill with them. However, if I would pet one he would get very agitated about the cat taking away a resource (attention) and would try and intimidate them and growl at them. This is commonly perceived as dog jealousy. Whereas it's a dog way of trying to protect something if someone is trying to take it away.

If people in the house would come close to each other, poor little Joey would think a fight was gonna happen. This is because in the doggy world, direct eye contact and a head-on approach is more indicative of a conflict. He would try and resolve this conflict by coming in between those people. Little did he know my grandfather was coming to me to ask about why his phone is on silent.

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is little Joseph views the world through his own doggy eyes. These "issues" that humans complain about are all just misunderstandings.

Joey is 5 years old now, he doesn't jump on the furniture and he goes to the toilet on a few plants outdoors (accidentally killing them). I'm proud to say that now we can sweep or mop the whole house in front of him and he is as chilled as a cucumber. He does not try to intimidate the cat if you throw a ball for him and divide your attention. We worked on this slowly by teaching him that it was not the end of the world. We are better able to understand all the triggers that stress him out and give him space to work through any anxiety he may have about movement.

Everyday is a new journey. I understand what you are going through but I'm here to tell you that it's going to get better and it's worth it. Joey is not defined by the issues he had. He is defined by how he overcame them.

He knows how to sit, lie down, go to his bed, play fetch and tug, drop and leave, touch with his nose, spin, hands up, play dead, recall, leave the food, go through your legs, stay, find the treats and ball, bring the toy, crawl, wait and can pee on command.

He knows how to wait until the guests have said hello before going to great them. He can identify all his toys by name and knows the names of 10 important people/dogs/cats in his life. He knows the meaning of phrases like "not now" or "tomorrow Joey". He accepts medication and comes for his bath willingly (in exchange for some tasty treats of course) He also attempts to hunt some rats in our compound.

He has been making attempts to communicate what he wants by going back and forth between those objects. For example, if he wants you to go out with him he will run to the door and come back to you and go back to the door. He can recognize small tone changes when you are trying to fool him. This means we need to spell things out so that the dog won't understand but it still reflects on his capabilities.

Overall, he is such a loving dog who is smart as a whip. I wouldn't change a single thing about him because he has made me who I am.

I love you Joey.