Pounce! 2026
Sessions
We’re working on our upcoming schedule. Check back soon for updates!
Saturday & Sunday 9am-7pm EST
Bringing together feline behavior experts from around the world, IAABC Foundation is proud to present Pounce! 2026, the feline educational event of the year! Pounce! is a 2 day, deep dive into all things feline behavior. Whether you’re a cat trainer, behavior consultant, or part of a veterinary team, you’re sure to find excellent, science-backed education in every presentation for you to use to help our feline friends.
Pounce! 2026 Schedule
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Saturday, November 7, 2026
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| 9:00 am |
Dr. Lisa Radosta DVM, DACVB - Stressed. Marking. Misread: Cat Behavior Research Deep Dive
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| 11:00 am |
Ale López-Irala CCBC, FFCP - Building and Growing a Thriving Feline Behavior Practice: From First Clients to Long-Term Success
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| 1:00 pm |
Dr. Kat Pankratz DVM, DACVB - Road Trips, Relocation, and Vet Visits: A practical approach to feline travel anxiety
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| 4:00 pm |
Dr. Ilona Rodan DVM, Diplomate (Emeritus) ABVP - Keeping the Peace: Preventing Intercat Tension, Understanding Its Causes, and Restoring Harmony
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| 6:00 pm |
Joey Lusvardi CCBC - Cat Video Crash Course: Getting Started Creating Cat Videos (Even If You REALLY Don’t Want To)
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Sunday, November 8, 2026
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| 9:00 am |
Dr. Sarah Heath RCVS, EBVS - The Influence of Health on Behaviour Change in our feline companions
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| 11:00 am |
Dr. Maggie O’Brian DVM, MS, DACVB - Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome: A Clinical Deep Dive
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| 1:00 pm |
Lisa Stemcosky CCBC, SBA, FFCP - Human-Directed Aggression in Cats: Exploring Causes, Context, and Change
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| 4:00 pm |
Misty Hampton CCBC, Fear Free Trainer - From Overstimulation to Relaxation
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| 6:00 pm | Dr. Ilona Rodan DVM, Diplomate (Emeritus) ABVP; Dr. Kat Pankratz DVM, DACVB; Joey Lusvardi CCBC; Lisa Stemcosky CCBC, SBA, FFCP - Panel Discussion |
Speaker(s)
Alejandra López-Irala CCBC, FFCP
Alejandra Lopez Irala is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, CCBC. She is the owner of Rasca y Pica in Buenos Aires, Argentina, whose goal is to help everyone learn about cats and highlight their welfare.
Her life focuses on the domestic feline so she can help people better understand and relate to their pets, leading to a stronger bond and a more rewarding relationship between animal and human.
She loves teaching others through writing, behavior consulting on all things cat related, including feline behavior. She is an active member of Pet Professional Guild, Member of International Companion Animal Network, and Fear Free.
Ale is passionate about continuing education and has completed university level veterinary extension courses, AVEPA, Karen Pryor Academy, NAC, Maddie’s Fund. She has a degree in Management as well as being a Veterinary Assistant for over 8 years and has worked many times at the University of Florida at Operation Catnip. She has worked in organizations, rescues, and with pet owners throughout Argentina and part of the USA. She is currently completing her degree in Environmental Management.
Her life focuses on the domestic feline so she can help people better understand and relate to their pets, leading to a stronger bond and a more rewarding relationship between animal and human.
She loves teaching others through writing, behavior consulting on all things cat related, including feline behavior. She is an active member of Pet Professional Guild, Member of International Companion Animal Network, and Fear Free.
Ale is passionate about continuing education and has completed university level veterinary extension courses, AVEPA, Karen Pryor Academy, NAC, Maddie’s Fund. She has a degree in Management as well as being a Veterinary Assistant for over 8 years and has worked many times at the University of Florida at Operation Catnip. She has worked in organizations, rescues, and with pet owners throughout Argentina and part of the USA. She is currently completing her degree in Environmental Management.
Dr. Ilona Rodan DVM, Diplomate (Emeritus) ABVP
Dr. Ilona Rodan is a feline specialist with ISFM Advanced Certification in Feline Behaviour with Distinction. She is a past-president and active volunteer of the Feline Veterinary Medical Association. Rodan co-chaired the 2024 Intercat Tension Guidelines, as well as other guidelines, an educational toolkit, and feline welfare position statements. She presents internationally on feline medicine and behavior, and leads workshops on cat-friendly interactions and handling. In her spare time, she loves spending time outdoors in nature and spending time with her family.
Lisa Stemcosky CCBC, SBA, FFCP
Lisa Stemcosky (she/her) is the owner of PawLitically Correct, a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (CCBC) and Shelter Behavior Affiliate (SBA) with the International Association for Animal Behavior Consultants, and a Fear Free Certified Trainer. With over 16 years of experience in private behavior consulting, shelter behavior, and behavior modification, she provides comprehensive support to cat guardians locally and internationally.
Based in Washington, DC, Lisa specializes in behavior plans tailored through species-specific training and environmental modifications. She spent a decade at the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA), where she developed training plans, performed behavior work with both cats and dogs, and supported adopters and
fosters via consultations and group classes.
Lisa has delivered workshops at shelters and national conferences and served as Cat Division Chair for the IAABC, where she is now a Board member. From 2017 to 2021, she mentored shelters nationwide through the Jackson Galaxy Project’s Cat Pawsitive Pro program.
Based in Washington, DC, Lisa specializes in behavior plans tailored through species-specific training and environmental modifications. She spent a decade at the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA), where she developed training plans, performed behavior work with both cats and dogs, and supported adopters and
fosters via consultations and group classes.
Lisa has delivered workshops at shelters and national conferences and served as Cat Division Chair for the IAABC, where she is now a Board member. From 2017 to 2021, she mentored shelters nationwide through the Jackson Galaxy Project’s Cat Pawsitive Pro program.
Dr. Maggie O’Brian DVM, MS, DACVB
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Maggie O’Brian completed her undergraduate degree in Animal Nutrition at Ohio State University and graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Following graduation, Dr. O’Brian worked in an emergency and primary care practice for one year before completing a 3-year residency training program in Behavioral Medicine at Ohio State in 2021. In October of 2021, she earned her board certification in behavior.
Dr. O’Brian is the managing partner at a behavior specialty practice in Charlotte, NC, as well as the managing partner at a consulting service to help pets with behavior problems across the country.
Dr. O’Brian lives in Charlotte with her husband, Colin, her son, Wally, and her Beagle mix, Mashed Potatoes.
Dr. O’Brian is the managing partner at a behavior specialty practice in Charlotte, NC, as well as the managing partner at a consulting service to help pets with behavior problems across the country.
Dr. O’Brian lives in Charlotte with her husband, Colin, her son, Wally, and her Beagle mix, Mashed Potatoes.
Joey Lusvardi CCBC
Joey Lusvardi is a an IAABC Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and Accredited Professional Feline Trainer. He runs Class Act Cats where he helps cat parents solve behavior concerns using science backed, modern, and ethical behavior modification methods. As part of his work, he creates free resources on his award winning blog and YouTube channel.
Joey holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree from Concordia University. He started working with cats following his normally very sweet cat developing aggressive behaviors toward him and wanted to help others who struggle to figure out what to do with their own cats. Because of his strong background in the behavioral sciences and behavioral health, working with cats came naturally to him. He currently lives with his two feline overlords, Poutine and Prozac, in Minneapolis, MN.
Joey holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree from Concordia University. He started working with cats following his normally very sweet cat developing aggressive behaviors toward him and wanted to help others who struggle to figure out what to do with their own cats. Because of his strong background in the behavioral sciences and behavioral health, working with cats came naturally to him. He currently lives with his two feline overlords, Poutine and Prozac, in Minneapolis, MN.
Dr. Kat Pankratz DVM, DACVB
Dr. Pankratz graduated with her veterinary degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2014 and pursued a small animal rotating internship in New York. She completed her behavioral medicine residency program at North Carolina State University and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2018. She stayed on at NC State for her fellowship and as a clinical instructor before joining the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR in 2019. She teaches veterinary behavior to the public, veterinary students, and fellow veterinarians through conferences hosted throughout the US and Canada.
Dr. Lisa Radosta DVM, DACVB
Dr. Radosta is a board certified veterinary behaviorist and owner of Florida Veterinary Behavior Service since 2006.
She lectures nationally and internationally for veterinarians, their staff and lay people. She has written book chapters for textbooks including Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat; Blackwell’s Five Minute Veterinary Consult and Canine and Feline and Small Animal Pediatrics. She is the coauthor of From Fearful to Fear Free, out April 2018.
She has published scientific research articles in Journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science and The Veterinary Journal and written review articles for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Compendium, NAVC Clinician’s Brief and AAHA Newstat. She is the section editor for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. She serves on the Fear Free Executive Council and the AAHA Behavior Management Task Force.
She has been interviewed for many publications including Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, Palm Beach Post, NAVC Clinician’s Brief, Sun Sentinel, WebMD, AAHA trends, Real Simple, Chewy, and AAHA News Stat. She has appeared on Lifetime television, Laurie Live, News Channel 25 (West Palm Beach, WPBF), Mitch Wilder's Amazing Pet Discoveries, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, News Channel 10 (Miami, ABC), and Steve Dale's Pet Talk. She podcasts and teaches webinars for VetGirl and Dog Nerds.
She lectures nationally and internationally for veterinarians, their staff and lay people. She has written book chapters for textbooks including Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat; Blackwell’s Five Minute Veterinary Consult and Canine and Feline and Small Animal Pediatrics. She is the coauthor of From Fearful to Fear Free, out April 2018.
She has published scientific research articles in Journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science and The Veterinary Journal and written review articles for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Compendium, NAVC Clinician’s Brief and AAHA Newstat. She is the section editor for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. She serves on the Fear Free Executive Council and the AAHA Behavior Management Task Force.
She has been interviewed for many publications including Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, Palm Beach Post, NAVC Clinician’s Brief, Sun Sentinel, WebMD, AAHA trends, Real Simple, Chewy, and AAHA News Stat. She has appeared on Lifetime television, Laurie Live, News Channel 25 (West Palm Beach, WPBF), Mitch Wilder's Amazing Pet Discoveries, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, News Channel 10 (Miami, ABC), and Steve Dale's Pet Talk. She podcasts and teaches webinars for VetGirl and Dog Nerds.
Dr. Sarah Heath RCVS, EBVS
Dr. Sarah Heath is an RCVS and EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine and Clinical Director and owner of Behavioural Referrals Veterinary Practice in Chester. Sarah is the author of the Heath Model and promotes the concept of Comprehensive Veterinary Healthcare, which takes into account physical, emotional and cognitive aspects of health in non-human animals. She has a special interest in the interplay between emotional and physical illness and particularly in the role of pain.
Misty Hampton CCBC, Fear Free Trainer
Misty Hampton, CCBC, FFCP, is an educator, and a cat trainer and behavior consultant. She has been teaching for over 25 years. Her experience includes working with a local home-schooling community, tutoring high school students, teaching summer classes for the local science museum, and leading a birding club through Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation. She is a certified resilience and wellbeing coach through the Youth Coaching Institute, and she brings her coaching skills into working with clients.
Misty has always loved animals. She worked at a cat rescue for two years before starting her business, Fellow Creatures Pet Consulting. Her passion is helping people better understand misunderstood animals. She shares her life with her husband Jesse and their five cats: Linus, Jasper, Abigail, Pearl, and Piper.
Misty has always loved animals. She worked at a cat rescue for two years before starting her business, Fellow Creatures Pet Consulting. Her passion is helping people better understand misunderstood animals. She shares her life with her husband Jesse and their five cats: Linus, Jasper, Abigail, Pearl, and Piper.
Details
As a Full Student, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- Participation in online meetings (if applicable to your course)
- Access to the course forum for discussions and collaboration
- Access to direct instructor support when needed
- Graded homework assignments (if applicable to your course)
- Increased Continuing Education Units (CEUs), reflecting the enhanced level of learning
As Auditor, you will:
- have access to all pre-prepared course materials on the learning platform (ie. videos, quizzes, handouts, etc.)
As Auditor, you will NOT:
- participate in online course meetings
- have access to the course forum
- have contact with the course instructor
- submit homework assignments for grading by the instructor