A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

Amyshadowkarma 1200x1200   Amy Shojai

Amy Shojai, CABC

location-pin Sherman, Texas

School: Goshen College

Expertise: pets

Amy Shojai, CABC

  • Certified Animal Behavior Consultant (cats/dogs) via IAABC.org
  • Certified Fear Free Trainer
  • Founder, Cat Writers' Association
  • Member, Dog Writer's Association of America
  • Member, Alliance of Independent Authors
Winner of dozens of writing awards, including:
  • 2023 AVMA Steve Dale Excellence in Media Award; 2017 Inaugural "Fear Free Pets" Award; Winn Feline Foundation (now Every Cat) Media Appreciation Award; Friskies Writer of the Year (two-time winner); Texas Veterinary Medical Association, Mark Francis Award for Journalistic Excellence
  • Has appeared on Animal Planet
Author of 35-plus pet-care books including:
  • The First-Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats, New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs & Cats, Dog Facts: The Pet Parent's A-to-Z Home Care Encyclopedia, Cat Facts: The Pet Parent's A-to-Z Home Care Encyclopedia, Complete Puppy Care, Complete Kitten Care, Complete Care for Your Aging Dog, Complete Care for Your Aging Cat, ComPETability: Solving Behavior Problems in your Multip (Cat) (Dog) (Both) Household, Cat Life: Celebrating the History, Culture & Love of Your Cat, Dog Life: Celebrating the History, Culture & Love of Your Cat

Experience

Amy Shojai, CABC, is a certified animal behavior consultant and nationally known authority on pet care and behavior. She began her career as a veterinary technician and is the award-winning author of more than 35 pet titles, including pet-centric thrillers.
She writes for the veterinary and pet products industry, with more than 4,000 articles and columns published. Amy wrote the expert content at puppies.About.com and cat behavior content at cats.About.com (now TheSpruce.com). In addition to Family Handyman, she has written for Reader's Digest, HuffPost, MarthaStewartLiving.com, Chewy.com, DailyPaws.com, FearFreePets.com, HillsPets.com, AdamsPetCare.com, Purina, HomeAgain, Sergeants, Good Good, Catster.com, Dogster.com, Daily Paws and many more.
She hosted the Pet Peeves radio podcast, offers a fun Ask Amy video on YouTube and appears as a pet expert on Animal Planet’s DOGS 101 and CATS 101. Amy toured as the national spokesperson for Purina Kitten Chow “Lifetime of Love” and the Cat Chow “Way of Life” and wrote the award-winning “Cats Emotional Health” column as a Cat Chow Mentor for more than a decade.
Amy frequently lectures at conferences and gives webinars about writing as well as a variety of pet-related issues. Perhaps most memorably, she represented the “cat side” and won a nationally televised tongue-in-cheek debate (NBC Today Show, Fox, CNN and others), arguing whether cats or dogs are the more appropriate White House pets.

Education

Goshen College BA, Music, Communication, Media Studies

Articles

How to Clean Your Dog’s Teeth Easily and Effectively

Nearly all dogs develop dental problems and stinky breath. Learn how to clean your dog's teeth and improve their oral health with these vet-approved tips.

8 Cat Scratching Posts to Keep Claws Off Your Furniture

Cats scratch to stay physically and emotionally healthy. Choose one of these cat-tested and pet-parent-approved cat scratching posts to keep felines happy (and your furniture safe).

5 Best Dog Cooling Vests and Bandanas to Prevent Your Dog from Overheating

Heatstroke can be fatal for dogs, but you can protect them and have a fun summer in the sun by using a dog cooling vest or bandana.