🔗 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure here.
Let Me Save You Some Stress
When I first started this holistic journey, I did what most of us do when we finally wake up.
I panicked.
I saw the ingredient labels. I read the horror stories. I dove deep into veterinary forums, holistic pet health blogs, and online communities...soaking up every case study, lecture, and late-night post from people whose cats had suffered just like mine. I enrolled in a holistic pet health course led by holistic veterinarian, Dr. Katie Woodley and started connecting the dots. Their stories were terrifying. And sobering. I realized I wasn’t alone, but I also wasn’t prepared. My credit card statements ballooned from trying every promising supplement I could find. I was desperate to undo the damage, fast.
What followed was a chaotic mix of good intentions, big feelings, and (let’s be honest) a whole bunch of mistakes.
This isn’t a “how-to” guide. It’s a permission slip. A raw confession from someone who’s been exactly where you are...scared, overwhelmed, desperate to help, and trying to do it right.
If you’re just starting out (or even if you’ve been at this for a while), let me share a bunch of my mistakes (so you don’t have to make them) and the things I wish someone had told me. May it help you go slower, be gentler, and trust yourself more than I did.
Mistake #1: Trying to Change Everything All at Once
The moment I “woke up,” I wanted to throw everything out: litter, food, plastic bowls, scented candles, cleaning products... all of it.
And I did. Kind of all at once.
I threw out every conventional cleaner in the house and started making my own. I swapped plastic bowls for stainless steel, bought silicon food mats, bought a stainless steel filtered water fountain, switched to plant-based cat litter, and filled my shelves with dried herbs I barely knew how to use.
The intention was good. The urgency was real. But my cats? They were overwhelmed…and I was too.
What I’ve learned since:
- Change is necessary, but cats need time to adjust.
- Too many changes at once can cause stress, appetite shifts, and litter box avoidance.
- Your nervous system matters too. You can’t implement mindfully if you’re operating in panic mode.
What I’d do differently now:
- Choose 1–2 changes at a time.
- Observe their behavior for 7–10 days before adding (or removing) more.
- Let your cat lead the pace. Trust is part of the medicine.
You don’t have to fix it all at once. You just have to begin and keep moving forward.
Mistake #2: Expecting Instant Miracles
I thought I’d see changes immediately. More energy, less itching, better poop… the works.
Instead, I got the side-eye from my cats. A few skipped meals. A little diarrhea. A breakout of hives. And a rising panic in my chest.
“Did I screw this up?”
What I didn’t understand is that healing isn’t linear. Detox can look messy. Symptoms might shift before they improve. Or, progress can be invisible for weeks. And expecting instant results set me up to feel like I was failing when I wasn’t.
What I’ve learned since:
- Healing is not always visible, especially in the early stages.
- Detox reactions (like soft stools, breakouts, pickiness) are common and not always cause for alarm.
- The body often prioritizes deeper repair before surface-level symptoms disappear.
- True healing takes time, especially after chronic exposure to meds, toxins, and stress.
- Progress is often subtle: calmer energy, fewer flares, more energy, a softer coat.
- Slow changes are safer, more sustainable, and less stressful for everyone.
What I’d do differently now:
- Start small, track everything, and give each change time to settle.
- Celebrate micro-wins instead of expecting dramatic overnight shifts.
- Remind myself daily: “My cat’s body knows how to heal. My job is to support, not control.”
- Trust the process, and stay curious instead of panicked when things look “off.”
If I could go back, I’d remind myself that the absence of immediate results is not the absence of healing.
Some of the best shifts I’ve seen didn’t show up until week three or even month three.
So if you’re in that waiting period? You’re not failing. You’re just in the space where the real (and often invisible) healing starts.
Mistake #3: Not Considering My Cat’s Unique Needs
In the beginning, I was so focused on getting everything right that I forgot to consider the most important variable of all: the completely unique cats in front of me.
I had four at the time (Vinney, Veda, Jacky, and Joey) and each of them had wildly different needs.
Vinney was always on high alert, my guardian, the protector of the house, with a history of urinary issues. Veda had chemical sensitivities and food allergies so intense, a breakout would make her itch and chew so much it’d leave her skin raw and bleeding. Jacky had asthma and anxiety that flared with the slightest disruption plus early signs of CKD. And Joey? He was my wake-up call. Tons of trauma, injuries, and stage 3 CKD. He needed something deeper than any prescription could offer.
But instead of tuning into their individual cues, I chased protocols. I followed charts. I did what worked for other people’s cats. I didn’t stop to ask: What works for mine?
It wasn’t intentional. I was panicked. I wanted to fix everything. But in the process, I bulldozed past their preferences, their personalities, their needs, and their pace.
“Why isn’t this helping?”
Looking back, it’s clear: I was applying “holistic” from the outside in. Not from a place of deep observation and connection, but from fear.
What I’ve learned since:
- No two cats have the same constitution, trauma history, or timeline.
- Holistic care isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a relationship.
- Just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it’s right for your cat.
- Your cat’s feedback (even resistance!) is valuable data.
- “Doing it right” means doing what’s right for them, not for your checklist.
What I’d do differently now:
- Start small and observe how each cat responds before layering on new changes.
- Customize protocols to fit his or her specific needs (and quirks).
- Let him or her lead the pace, and honor their “no.”
- Trust that connection is more healing than perfection.
Mistake #4: Underestimating Stress (Theirs and Mine)
I thought I was doing everything for my cats...changing the litter, switching the food, incorporating supplements, upgrading the bowls, detoxing the house.
But from their perspective?
It was chaos.
I was so focused on fixing everything, I didn’t realize how much stress I was causing. I was rushing around the house. Adjusting bowls, mixing herbs, reading labels, obsessively tracking litter box habits. I was anxious, second-guessing everything, obsessively watching for changes. My nervous system was in overdrive… and all five of my cats felt it.
They scattered. They hid. They got clingy. They got weird.
It wasn’t just the new food, herbs, or supplements...it was me. I had become the walking embodiment of “something’s not right.”
It took me longer than I’d like to admit to realize: My stress wasn’t invisible. It was contagious.
Cats are energetic sponges, and mine were soaking up all my fear.
“I’m doing all of this for you! Why isn’t it working?”
Because even with the “right” changes, I was overlooking the most important healing ingredient: emotional safety.
What I’ve learned since:
- Cats are hypersensitive to stress, especially ours.
- Energetic safety matters just as much as physical safety.
- Our anxiety can undermine even the most well-intentioned changes.
What I’d do differently now:
- Support nervous system regulation, for both of us.
- Make one change at a time to reduce overwhelm.
- Prioritize emotional harmony over perfection. A calm, connected home helps healing land more gently.
Mistake #5: Adding More Too Fast
When I first started, I thought holistic meant adding: more herbs, more tinctures, more supplements, etc.
But if I could go back, I’d tell myself this: Start by removing.
Before you buy your first mushroom powder or order a probiotic, open your cabinets. Look under the sink. Sniff the air in your home.
Removing is where the magic begins:
- Toss the scented candles, air fresheners, and plug-ins.
- Ditch the chemical-laced carpet powders and stain removers. (Go here for a safe DIY pet stain remover).
- Replace bleach, ammonia, and harsh cleaners with safe, cat-friendly alternatives (vinegar, baking soda, essential oils, and herbs).
- Switch out heavily fragranced laundry detergents and dryer sheets. (Go here to learn how to make a safe DIY powder and liquid laundry detergent).
- Stop using chemical flea collars, spot-ons, and dewormers by default. (Go here to learn how to make a safe flea repellent without the chemicals).
- Question the kibble. If it’s colorful, dry, and loaded with fillers, it’s not real food. (Here and here are 2 good resources to learn more about a species appropriate diet for cats).
- Get curious about your cat’s vaccine schedule. Are repeat shots necessary? Or just habit?
- When to Vaccinate Your Pets and When to Skip It - Vet Breaks It Down
- The Science Behind How Vaccines Work With Dr. Judy Morgan and Dr. Jean Dodds
- Pet Vaccines to give, Vaccines to AVOID!
- Dr Karen Becker and Dr Ronald Schultz on Pet Vaccines
- What Is Titer Testing? (For Cat Parents Who’ve Never Heard of It)
All of these are everyday exposures we don’t think twice about. But for our cats, who groom themselves constantly, live low to the ground, and metabolize toxins more slowly...they add up.
What I’ve learned since:
- Detox doesn’t start with milk thistle. It starts with removal of toxic ingredients in the household.
- The less toxic their environment, the less burden on their body and the more capacity they have to heal.
- A clean space is medicine. Period.
- Simplifying your cat’s world simplifies yours, too.
What I’d do differently now:
- Start with subtraction, not addition.
- Audit your home for hidden toxins and swap them out one by one.
- Stop chasing “miracle” products before building a clean, safe foundation.
- Remember: healing starts with what you let go of.
Mistake #6: Not Tracking What Was Actually Working
I was doing so many things: changing food, adding herbs & supplements, trying new routines. But I couldn’t tell what was helping… or hurting.
No journal. No photos. No notes about poop texture, appetite changes, behavior shifts, or tracking what changes I’d made to their supplement routine.
When something improved? I wasn’t sure why.
When something got worse? I didn’t know what to stop.
It felt like throwing spaghetti at the wall…except the spaghetti was $80 mushroom powders and my cat’s health was on the line.
What I’ve learned since:
- Healing is subtle, and without tracking, you miss it.
- Cats are stoic. You have to notice the quiet shifts.
- A simple notebook or app can save your sanity (and your wallet).
- You can’t make good decisions with no data.
What I’d do differently now:
- Keep a weekly health log: food, supplements, herbs, litter habits, mood, energy.
- Take regular photos of their stool and body condition.
- If I make a change, I give it time and track how it lands.
- Use tracking to empower, not obsess.
So What’s the Truth I Wish I Knew?
That holistic doesn’t mean “perfect.”
It means whole.
To see the whole picture: your cat’s body, mind, history, stress load, environment, and energy. It means tuning in, not just to protocols or products, but to the actual unique living being in front of you.
It’s about being present, curious, and responsive. It’s about doing less sometimes, so their body can do more.
The biggest breakthroughs happened when I stopped obsessing over protocols…and started tuning into what actually felt aligned, for both of us.
If You’re New to This, Start Here Instead
If I could go back and give myself a roadmap, it’d look like this:
- Start with ONE change (like switching bowls or litter).
- Watch your cat. Track how they respond.
- Pause. Breathe. Celebrate the small wins.
- Then (and only then), add the next layer.
Because the truth is: small changes can create big shifts…especially when they reduce stress, toxic exposure, or energetic stagnation.
👉 Want options of holistic swaps you can make? Read: Simple Swaps to Start Your Holistic Lifestyle Journey With Your Cats
A Few of the First Swaps I Made
For my cats
- Stainless steel food dishes
- Stainless steel automatic cat water fountain
- Silicone pet food mats
- Stainless steel XL litter box
- Plant-based, nontoxic cat litter
- Pet chakra blanket
