Jackson Galaxy

Jackson Galaxy
Born Richard Kirshner
(1966-04-28) April 28, 1966
New York City
Nationality American
Occupation Cat behaviorist
Television host
Known for My Cat from Hell
Spouse(s) Minoo Rahbar (m. 2014)

Jackson Galaxy (born April 28, 1966, as Richard Kirshner)[1] is a cat behaviorist and the host of the television show My Cat from Hell.

Early life and education

Jackson Galaxy, born Richard Kirshner in Manhattan,[1] legally changed his name when he was in his twenties. Galaxy learned cat behavior through his work with rescue cats,[2] originally with the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Boulder, Colorado.

Career

Galaxy moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1992 and was a rock musician.[3] After working in animal shelters there, he went into private practice as a cat consultant in 2002, co-founding Little Big Cat, Inc., with Dr. Jean Hofve, a holistic veterinarian. Together they provided consultations to cat owners, focusing on the connection between physical and behavioral health.

In 2007, Galaxy moved to Los Angeles, where he re-established, and continues to maintain, a private consulting practice. Working one-on-one with cats in their homes, he works with clients to improve their cats’ behavioral issues.

Galaxy also works closely with animal shelters and rescue organizations, teaching his "Cat Mojo" approach to feline behavior to volunteers, staff and adopters and helping with both behavioral and environmental enrichment programs for their feline residents.

He currently serves on the board of directors for Stray Cat Alliance and Fix Nation in Los Angeles as well as the Board of Advisers for Neighborhood Cats in New York City.

Galaxy has appeared as the official cat behaviorist for Game Show Network’s Think Like a Cat and as the cat behavior expert on Animal Planet’s Cats 101. He has also been featured by such media outlets as 20/20, Extra, The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, the New York Post, and AOL.

Since May 2011, Jackson has starred in a reality TV series produced by Animal Planet titled My Cat From Hell, in which he helps cat guardians—often couples—resolve conflict and behavioral issues between them and their cats. Since December 2013, he has been host of the web series Cat Mojo on the Animalist Network, where he shares his thoughts on everything from cat-related issues like declawing and use of squirt guns to his craziest behind-the-scenes stories as a cat behaviorist.[4]

Jackson is also the author of bestselling books about cats and a process called "catification" involving creating cat-friendly spaces within a home. These titles include Catify to Satisfy: Simple Solutions for Creating a Cat-Friendly Home (with Kate Benjamin), Catification: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!) (with Kate Benjamin), Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean (with Joel Derfner) and the upcoming Total Cat Mojo: Everything You Need to Know to Care for Your Favorite Feline Friend (with Mikel Delgado).[5]

Personal life

Jackson Galaxy married Minoo Rahbar at the no-kill pet sanctuary of Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, on June 29, 2014. Their dog, Mooshka, served as ringbearer.[6]

After topping 400 pounds and suffering several health problems, Galaxy underwent gastric-bypass surgery in 2007.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy talks about his new book". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ Friedlander, Whitney (June 14, 2012). "Jackson Galaxy, the 'Cat Whisperer' of Animal Planet's My Cat From Hell". LA Weekly. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  3. ↑ "How Jackson Galaxy transitioned from Boulder musician to TV's cat tamer". Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Cat Mojo With Jackson Galaxy". Animalist.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Penguin Random House - Jackson Galaxy - About the Author". Penguin Random House. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  6. ↑ "'Cat from Hell' star Jackson Galaxy weds at pet sanctuary". Today.com. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  7. ↑ Stephens, Stephanie. "My Cat from Hell's Jackson Galaxy: Animal Planet Host Wants to Turn Animal Shelters into Coffee Shops". Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  8. ↑ "'Jackson Galaxy weight loss: Did gastric-bypass surgery save My Cat From Hell host?". Bellenews. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
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