Flix Fix: Eccentric cat-themed show helps families tame crazy felines

The+uniqueness+of+My+Cat+from+Hell+starts+and+ends+with+its+creator+and+star%2C+the+uniquely+named+Jackson+Galaxy.

The uniqueness of My Cat from Hell starts and ends with its creator and star, the uniquely named Jackson Galaxy.

At first glance, “My Cat from Hell” could be written off as a cat version of “Dog Whisperer.” It turns out the show is a breed all its own.

The setup is simple. It’s yet another pet intervention show, where people with problem cats will call the host for support. In the typical setup, the host will come in and most of their problems will be solved by the thirty-minute mark.

However, the pull of the show for cat-people and non cat-people alike comes in the theatrical and unabashedly campy nature of the program itself.

The uniqueness of My Cat from Hell starts and ends with its creator and star, the uniquely named Jackson Galaxy. He is a self-described “cat behaviorist by day, musician by night,” who sports bright sleeve tattoos of cats, including a cat vampire and a cat mermaid.

He is the kind of man who looks better suited to a biker bar than a cat shelter. He has piercings, an impressive beard and drives a Pepto-Bismol pink convertible.

The quirkiness doesn’t stop there. The problems Galaxy are called in for are presented as astronomical.

Apocalyptic font and music choices, tearful interviews and home footage dramatically zooming in on scratched up arms and shattered china set a sensational tone that is hard not to get pulled into.

What separates Galaxy’s methods from the tactics shown in the “Dog Whisperer” is not only working with a cat, but working with the cat owners to foster a healthy environment for their pet.

His methods are not only about working on behavior but working on a familial cohesiveness and gentleness that can sometimes be very touching to see. Though goofy and overplayed, the show has saved marriages and brought families together.

All in all, it’s a fun show with a big heart, and definitely worth the watch.

 

Follow Jenna on Twitter @Jenna_Falgout