A woman with dark hair and makeup holding a black cat with green eyes.

Meet Your Cat Behaviorist

Leen Clov: Helping you think like a cat.
Specializing in Fear, Aggression, & Litter Box Challenges

My passion for cats started when I was around 4-5 years old and I observed the neighborhood cats coming into my grandmother’s garden. I was fascinated by their grace and audacity. That early fascination evolved into a lifelong pursuit of understanding these impressive hunters that the neighborhood welcomed to repel pests, who understood when and where the scraps of meat would be dropped, and lived in harmony with the people around them.

With over 10 years of hands-on experience in animal behavior and welfare, I specialize in helping cats and their guardians navigate complex behavior challenges, including fearful or undersocialized cats, cat-to-cat aggression, and litter box problems.

As the former Feline Behavior Specialist at the ASPCA’s Animal Recovery Center, I’ve worked extensively with high-stress and behaviorally sensitive cats, developing individualized behavior modification and enrichment plans using positive reinforcement, low-stress handling, and science-based methods.

I’ve also had the pleasure of working with dogs as a certified trainer also having worked as a canine behavior specialist at the Animal Care Centers of NYC and have focused my efforts in understanding animal behavior and the human-animal bond.

As a cat behaviorist, my approach centers on communication, choice, and consent giving your cat options and control. This helps you better understand your cat, reduce stress in your home, and make practical, lasting improvements in your cat’s behavior.

Certified Advanced Feline Training Professional (CAFTP)

Additional Certifications:
Low Stress Handling Certified Silver
Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer (ABCDT)

Training Philosophy

SMART Cat Behavior treatment takes a comprehensive, individualized approach to understanding not just the behavior itself, but who your cat is, your home environment, and the relationships within it. From there, we develop practical, relationship centered strategies that create meaningful, lasting change.


This approach is built around five core pillars:

Support natural needs

Manage unwanted behavior

Build alternative, preferred behaviors

Strengthen relationship and trust

Tailor the environment


Together, these elements create a framework that respects your cat’s needs while helping you build a calmer, more cooperative life together.

A person with long hair wearing a cream-colored knitted sweater with black stripes, holding a black and white cat with large yellow eyes.
A person's hand is reaching out to a cat, with the cat's paw and part of its body visible in the foreground.
Close-up of a calico cat with primarily white fur, brown, orange and black markings, resting its head on a person's hand. The cat's eyes are closed and it appears to be content.