He’s Back! Jackson Galaxy Returns for 4th Season

The fourth season of “My Cat From Hell” starts April 6.

His magical touch with ferocious felines in his television series, “My Cat From Hell,” and the candidness found in his book “Cat Daddy” have endeared Jackson Galaxy to cat lovers everywhere.

On Saturday night, cat lovers around the country will turn off their phone, grab a glass of wine, snuggle up with their favorite feline, and tune into the fourth season of the wildly popular show.

What began as a three-part mini-series on Animal Planet has grown from three episodes, to six, then 10 and now 17. This season will include some 32 cases of problematic felines that drive their caregivers to total distraction.

Jackson had just finishing taping for the series – a five-plus month process – when we caught up with him this week and he was gearing up for promotions.

“When there are 32 cases, you have to make concessions, “ he said. The cases chosen for the show, which are “kicked around among the producers,” are more based on the cat dynamics. Some he chose not to tackle because they were “more about the human dynamic.” Then there were those where Jackson said, “I really want this one.”

In working a case, Jackson spends three days with the cat and its family along with phone calls for a total of seven to 11 hours.

“You have to rely on field producers,” he said, “People expect magic and homework has to be done.”

This season has more than its share challenging felines. “A few I looked and said, ‘there was nothing I can do.’” One especially challenging case was a cat with a severe case of hyperesthesia syndrome who was in a constant state of attack. Jackson said it called for thinking outside the box. He worked with a veterinary behaviorist and with the help of medication, they got the attacks down to about four a day, which was “fairly miraculous.”

And then there’s Moose. “He peed more than any cat I’ve seen,” said Jackson. He described how he saw the cat stand on a bed and shoot a stream 10 feet to a wall. He was both peeing and marking. Jackson said he had a urinary tract infection in addition to being a “stressy” cat due to territory issues. Once the issues were resolved, the cat was “much more balanced” with only occasional relapses.

In addition to the regular shows, a web series will air online that will recap and follow up previous seasons.

With the series a wrap, Jackson is heading out to promote his book “Cat Daddy.” Lucky fans will be able to see him in Austin, Kansas City, St. Louis, Miami, Boston, New York, Cincinnati, and Dayton.

After that, he hopes to do more speaking engagements, bringing his unique skill set to shelter workers.

Even Jackson is a tad incredulous about the success of “My Cat From Hell.” “It’s a bad thing to settle into celebrity,” he said. “I’m sort of weirded out, but appreciative.”

He’s grateful to be able to use his fame to highlight the work of cat shelters. After all, that’s where he got his start and realized his gift for working with cats. Recently he was appointed to the board of advisors of the Tree House in Chicago. His long-term goal is to be a voice in the shelter community – something that many people would agree that he’s already achieved.

In the meantime, Jackson is working on a new book, “Catification,” with Hauspanther doyenne Kate Benjamin. Catification is a concept he coined in which an environment is created to best suit the needs of the cat, and hence ameliorate undesired behaviors.

Along with wrangling recalcitrant felines, the Cat Daddy has a bigger challenge – navigating that signature pink ‘57 Lincoln Premiere around LA!

Read my previous interviews with Jackson here, here, and here.