Science-Backed Support for You and Your Cat

My Credentials and Professional Background

Hi, I’m Lucia Fernandes , the heart behind Better Cat Behavior.

I’m not just a cat lover; I’m a certified feline behaviorist who has studied the science behind cat psychology, health, and emotional wellbeing.

I’ve walked this path in real life: from London alleyways helping frightened rescues, to homes filled with confusion and stress, and alongside my own seven cats, each with their own needs, histories, and quirks.

My work is grounded in formal education, ongoing training, continuous professional development and experience.

Diploma in Feline Psychology and Behaviour

Centre of Excellence (UK) – Graduated with Distinction

This immersive course gave me advanced-level training in feline emotional intelligence.

I learned to read body language, recognize fear-based behavior, build trust, and implement safe, positive, and compassionate behavioral modification strategies.

This foundation is the basis for all that I offer clients, whether it's helping with litter box avoidance or interpreting sudden aggression, or excessive vocalization.

Advanced Pet Nutrition & Veterinary Nursing

Oplex Careers (UK) – Higher Distinction Completed

So many of the behavioral problems are related to physical health.

This dual certification enables me to see how diet, stress, pain, and behavior are interrelated.

It taught me how nutrition affects mood, energy, anxiety, and recovery.

Whether you're choosing the right food, managing allergies, or tending to an older cat, I can guide you using evidence.

Real-Life Experience That Matters

Certifications matter, but it is the day-to-day experience that gives my work meaning.

I have seven adopted cats at home, each of whom has lived his or her history. Some frightened, some eccentric, one who was completely feral and now sleeps soundly beside me.

They have taught me far more about trust, toughness, and healing than any textbook ever could.

I also care for a few feral colonies, offering food, shelter, TNR and elbow space, on their terms. These cats don't always desire hugs, but they do require protection, respect, and tranquility. They have taught me to listen more, push less, and develop understanding slowly and gently.

That hands-on approach is what sets Better Cat Behavior apart.I don’t believe in quick fixes. I believe in cat-centered, gentle care — rooted in science, shaped by experience, and built on trust.

Understanding Cats Beyond What We See

Before dedicating my work fully to feline behavior, I studied music production — a field that taught me how sound, rhythm, and frequency shape emotional states.

Living and working with over one hundred rescued cats over the years, alongside my lifelong passion for both cats and music, led me to notice something important: cats do not experience sound the way humans do.

While certain music may feel calming or pleasant to us, it can be overwhelming, unsettling, or even stressful for cats, especially in indoor environments where sound is constant, enclosed, and often unpredictable.

In addition to formal training in feline behavior, nutrition, and veterinary nursing, my work is deeply influenced by this background in sound and auditory perception.

I’ve studied how acoustic environments affect emotional regulation, not just in humans, but in cats living indoors, where sensory input plays a critical role in perceived safety.

Through research, observation, and practical experimentation, I’ve explored how specific soundscapes, rhythms, and frequencies can either increase stress or gently support calm, predictability, and emotional safety in cats.

I am currently developing cat-specific music informed by behavioral science, sensory regulation research, and observed emotional responses in rescued and sensitive feline populations.

Why My Credentials Matter to You

If you're reading this, I'd wager you've been informed your cat is "just being stubborn."

But I want to inform you: your cat is not bad, they're attempting to communicate something.

Whatever you're going through:

• Sudden biting

• Inappropriate scratching

• Hissing, hiding, or litter box problems

• Or a cat that's just "off"…

If you’d like to understand how this knowledge translates into real-life support, you may want to explore:

→ Meet Lucia — my personal story and what led me to this work

→ Cat Behavior 101 — the foundations of understanding feline behavior as communication

→ Behavior Stories — real cats, real homes, and the small changes that made a big difference