One of the world’s most skilled and gentle cat handlers is, in fact, Filipino.
Donnie Pagsanjan is a Dubai-based vet technician and professional pet groomer with more than 15 years of hands-on experience. As The Calm Cat Whisperer, he has cultivated a loyal online audience of over a million followers drawn not just to his skill, but to his composure and empathy.
Despite his unique approach to feline care, many still pigeonhole him and dismissively label him the “Filipino Jackson Galaxy.” As similarly explored in our recent piece on colonial mentality, this perfunctory comparison fails to capture Pagsanjan’s ethos.
Where Galaxy markets the “cat from hell” trope, Pagsanjan champions earnest, human-feline connection, and the calm approach. Rejecting sensationalism, Pagsanjan, through his viral “spicy cat” videos, has built a massive following on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok that’s centered on de-escalation rather than manufactured drama.
That, and people simply love seeing a guy that loves his job. On the surface, Pagsanjan performs routine pet grooming; in reality, he facilitates a transfer of energy built on mutual respect. We sat down with the man behind the whisper to discuss his craft.
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PAWSTURE: Thanks so much for sharing your time with us. We know you’ve got a busy schedule, so let’s jump right into it. What is your mindset when you’re dealing with a “spicy” cat that’s having a panic attack?
DONNIE PAGSANJAN: Both the cat and I are healing during these moments. But I’m the one projecting calm to the cat, and I often take in their negative energy because I am an empath.
P: The self-awareness about your own empathy echoes your openness about your struggles with anxiety. In a world of loud, fast-paced, stress-inducing content, why do you think so many people are hooked on watching your videos?
DP: I was suffering from anxiety and panic disorder when I started creating these pieces of content. I had no idea that along the way, I was building a community of people who have the same affliction. Some followers have messaged and said they find comfort in what I do and how I do it, and that they love the gentle tone of my voice and ASMR style of my videos. I even get comments and DM’s from random people saying they don’t know why they love my content but they find comfort by watching anyway. Take note, even non cat people.
P: From what we surmise, you’ve been able to re-channel your anxiety into a soothing wave of calm. Folks may misconstrue this as the absence of energy. Can you describe the kind of energy you’re projecting in these instances?
DP: Calm is definitely not the absence of energy. Calm IS the energy itself. I describe my calm energy towards a cat as a warm hug giving comfort and security, and a lot of empathy.
P: But aside from understanding feline feelings, you must have some observations about a cat’s physical behavior. Is there a specific muscle tension or micro-movement in a cat’s body that tells you “I’m about to explode” even before the hissing starts?
DP: To be honest a cat’s body language is not always accurate with regards to how they feel. Yes, cats will give off signs like ears back, tail flicking, dilated pupils, hissing. But I never fully rely on physical warnings. Rather, I still go with how I feel about their energy. But for others who don’t quite grasp energy as a concept, those physical warnings are the cat’s signal to back off.
P: But eventually, you need to cross the physical barrier and actually hold the cat before you can get to work. When you’re holding a cat, how do you teach your hands to be firm enough to be safe, but soft enough not to trigger a fight-or-flight response?
DP: Good question. Over the years of handling cats, I have developed a kind of calm restraint that works. If you notice, I never scruff cats. I never use restraint collars or leashes, and I very seldom use a muzzle on them. I just use my less dominant hand to kind of block their movements with equal or less force than what the cats exerts.
P: Since you work in a facility, do you find that stripping a cat of its territory actually makes them easier to connect with, because they have to rely on you for safety, rather than their environment?
DP: I guess you can say that it is less challenging “territory wise” but, then again, they’ll bring a lot of fear and anxiety that comes with leaving their comfort zone. And the by-product more often than not is aggression or aggressive behavior.
P: Has there ever been a cat that was so aggressive that you couldn’t handle it? Does every cat subscribe to your methods?
DP: For sure. I post unsuccessful groomings on my pages. It’s not only for me, but for everyone to know that there will be times when we just accept defeat. We can’t win every battle, and by posting these pieces of “unsuccessful” content, I want to be able to say that it’s ok to stop when things are out of our control. Trying before giving up is how I look at it.
P: Quick hitter before we call it a day: If you could ban one item or practice that cat owners use thinking it helps, but actually ruins a cat’s trust, what would it be?
DP: SCRUFFING A CAT.
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