How To! with Mike Pesca How To Communicate with Your Pet
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Apr 7, 2026 Dr. Mikel Delgado, a cat behavior consultant and animal welfare scientist, breaks down how cats really communicate. Short sentences: he debunks dominance myths and AI translator claims. He explains house-specific meows, body language, and why cats wake you for food. He offers practical strategies to curb night wakeups and respect feline instincts.
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Maine Coon's 4:30 AM Tap Dance
- Steve's Maine Coon Mr. Bad wakes him at 4:30 a.m. by tap-dancing on his head to get fed.
- Steve locks Mr. Bad in the laundry room until 6:00 a.m. as a deterrent but says the cat still learned an inconsistent routine.
Stop Punishing and Change Reinforcements
- Do stop using punishment and manage reinforcement instead to change waking behavior.
- Mikel Delgado recommends altering feeding schedules and the environment so waking you no longer reliably produces food or attention.
Dominance Theory Doesn't Work For Cats
- The dominance model does not apply to cats and can be harmful.
- Delgado says cats lack stable social hierarchies, so 'establishing dominance' is a debunked and counterproductive approach.