UNDERSTANDING YOUR FELINE COMPANION
Lucia Fernandes, Feline Behavior and Environmental Enrichment Specialist (CoE, Oplex Certified)
My Credentials and Professional Background
Hi, I’m Lucia Fernandes, a Feline Behavior and Environmental Enrichment Specialist and founder of Better Cat Behavior.
My work includes advanced research into environmental enrichment strategies, including species-specific sound environments and feline stress regulation.
My work is grounded in formal education, ongoing professional development, and years of direct experience supporting cats and their families through science-based, compassionate guidance. This page documents the training, certifications, publications, and research that inform everything I do.
Professional Certifications
Diploma in Feline Psychology and Behaviour Centre of Excellence (UK) — Graduated with Distinction
This course provided advanced-level training in feline emotional intelligence, body language interpretation, fear-based behavior, trust-building, and the implementation of positive, non-punitive behavioral modification strategies. It is the foundation for everything I offer, whether supporting litter box avoidance, interpreting sudden aggression, or recognizing subtle anxiety in cats who appear outwardly calm.
Advanced Pet Nutrition and Veterinary Nursing CPD Certified (UK) — Completed with Higher Distinction
Many behavioral problems have a physical component. This dual certification gave me the tools to understand how diet, stress, pain, and behavior are interrelated, and how nutrition affects mood, energy, anxiety, and recovery. It allows me to look beyond the behavioral surface and consider the physical and physiological factors that may be contributing to what a cat is experiencing.
My Publications
I am the author of The Litter Box Solution, a behavior-based framework for resolving persistent litter box problems that combines behavioral science, environmental modification, and stress management into a structured protocol for guardians.
My second book, Scratching Solved, is an enrichment-based guide to understanding why cats scratch and how to redirect the behavior without punishment or suppression.
My third book, The Advanced Play Handbook, is a specialist guide to play as a behavioral and therapeutic tool for indoor cats, drawing on enrichment science and predatory behavior research.In parallel, and as a Cat Music Researcher, I am developing original compositions designed specifically to reduce feline stress and support emotional regulation in indoor cats, an area that connects my background in music production with applied behavioral science.
The Litter Box Solution, Scratching Solved, and The Advanced Play Handbook are currently in pre-launch. Early subscribers receive priority access before public release, a 30% discount on the regular price, and a bonus case study delivered to their inbox within minutes of joining. If any of these titles would help you and your cat, you can join the waiting list here.
Early subscribers receive priority access before public launch, 30% off the regular price, and a complete bonus case study delivered to their inbox within minutes of joining, showing exactly how one cat stopped bed-peeing in 12 days. No obligation. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cat Music Research
As a Cat Music Researcher and trained music producer, my work explores how sound, rhythm, and frequency shape emotional states in cats. Before dedicating my work fully to feline behavior, I spent five years studying music production in London, a background that continues to directly inform my research.
Living and working with over a hundred rescued cats, alongside a lifelong engagement with both cats and music, led me to notice something important: cats do not experience sound the way humans do. Music that feels calming or pleasant to us can be overwhelming, unsettling, or even stressful for cats, particularly in indoor environments where sound is constant, enclosed, and often unpredictable.
Through research, behavioral observation, and practical experimentation, I have 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 original music compositions informed by behavioral science, sensory regulation research, and observed emotional responses in rescued and sensitive feline populations.
This work sits at the intersection of sound design, environmental enrichment, and feline behavioral science, an area few specialists have explored in depth.
Real-Life Experience That Matters
Certifications and publications matter, but it is direct experience that gives this work its depth.
I share my life with seven rescue cats, each with their own history, personality, and challenges. Some arrived frightened and hypervigilant. Others were physically unwell. One was completely feral and is now a calm, settled presence in my home. They have taught me more about trust, resilience, and behavioral change than any course could.
I also support feral cat colonies, providing food, shelter, and TNR care on their terms. These cats do not seek closeness, but they deserve safety, respect, and consistency. Working with them has taught me to observe more carefully, intervene less, and build understanding slowly and without pressure.
That direct, ongoing experience with cats across the full spectrum of temperament and history is what shapes the practical, grounded quality of everything I produce.
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.
Methodology
My approach is built on four principles that run through every resource, case study, and piece of guidance on this site.
The first is that behavior is communication. Every behavioral challenge is treated as information about what a cat is experiencing, not as defiance or dysfunction to be suppressed.
The second is that environment precedes correction. Before any behavioral intervention, the physical and sensory environment is assessed and adjusted. Most behavioral challenges reduce significantly when the environment is right.
The third is that emotional regulation takes priority over behavioral compliance. A cat that feels safe behaves differently from a cat that is simply being managed. The goal is always genuine calm, not performed calm.
The fourth is that every cat is individual. What works for one cat may not work for another. Assessment, observation, and adaptation are built into every approach.
Where to Go Next
If you would like to see how this training and experience translates into practical guidance, you may find these pages helpful: Meet Lucia for my personal story and what led me to this work, Cat Behavior 101 for the foundations of understanding feline behavior as communication, and Behavior Stories for real cats, real homes, and the changes that made a difference.
If you have a question about your cat's behavior, you can reach me directly here. Every message is read personally.