We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly DeVoss and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I am risk averse. I have always felt like I’ve worked too hard to risk losing my business and failing my customers; if I’m not here to provide services they can count on, then I’ve failed them. I feel responsible to remain fiscally conservative; I’ve never had a debt loan in my business. I have always felt that I should live within my financial means – if we didn’t have it, we didn’t spend it. Could I have grown my business bigger by taking on loans and risk? Maybe. But I operate at the “slow and steady wins the race” pace, keeping a solid foundation and cash reserves for the “rainy day”.

What should our readers know about your business?
The #1 cause of death in cats is shelter euthanasia. That might surprise you. It surprised me when I first heard it. “Behavior” is one of the main reasons people surrender their cats to shelters. Behaviors such as not using the litter box, aggression, and destruction are among the top reasons people abandon pets. I launched Cat Behavior Solutions as a non-profit 501(c)3 so that I could extend professional cat behavior consulting to underserved communities. All people love their cats, but not all people can afford to hire a behavior expert to help them modify nuisances. Being a non-profit allows me to take private donations that provide consultations to low income referrals from shelters and rescue groups. Cat Talk Radio is an outreach program of Cat Behavior Solutions; a podcast that provides weekly episodes of helpful advice. The show reaches a global audience and is an important vehicle for self-help and how-tos. We educate our audience about what cats really need to be able to express themselves in ways that are natural to the species, but also acceptable to us, their roommates. I also work in animal shelters, teaching volunteers and staff how to help the scared and shut down cats who are in their care. I often hold seminars and classes for the public to help them learn more about cats.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
It shouldn’t surprise you that Dallas Animal Services is one of my favorite spots in the city! We have the third largest animal shelter in the nation right here in Dallas – and it’s an amazing organization; very active with volunteers and offering many ways for people to get involved and help. So after a shelter tour, I usually take friends to Beto & Son at Trinity Groves for amazing Next Gen Mexican food. I live in the Design District so a walk across the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge to Trinity Groves offers amazing views of our magnificent skyline. After dinner, we’d walk to the back side of Trinity Groves to the Cake Bar or Kate Weiser Chocolate for sweets. I must be cat-like because I like high places, so I’d have to take a visitor to the top of Reunion Tower for a cocktail and view of Dallas and surrounding areas. Dallas offers some of the best restaurants, so I’d be sure they got to dine at Bob’s Steak and Chop House on Lemmon Ave., Dolce Riviera, and The Charles. I’d also take them to Bishop Arts for a walk about and dinner at Boulevardier. Other cultural stops would include Ochre House Theater and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my Shoutout to all the cat guardians who have supported my journey and who share my passion to keep quality information flowing.

Website: www.cattalkradio.com
Instagram: @MollyDeVoss
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catbehaviorsolutions/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cat-behavior-solutions-dallas