Dr. Vitale is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and expert in cat behavior and cognition. Her research and expertise has been internationally featured in media outlets such as Science and National Geographic and in film documentaries such as How the Cat Conquered the World (ARTE France) and Inside the Mind of a Cat (Netflix).

Cats readily learn new behaviors. Cats can be taught tricks, to walk on harness and leash, and to participate in their own care, also known as cooperative care. Cats are always learning from their environment, whether their caregiver actively trains them or not. Learning principles can be applied to promote the welfare of cats.

Cats and humans have a long history of co-existence that spans back nearly 10,000 years. Cats can form strong relationships with humans and research indicates that domestic cats display socio-cognitive abilities, such a responsiveness to human behavior and gestures, that help them engage in social relationships.