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Photo of Anneleen Bru

Anneleen Bru

Cat Behaviourist, Public Speaker & Author | Felinova CommV / I Love Happy Cats

Speaker Info

Anneleen Bru (1985) is a Belgian, internationally recognised cat behaviourist, public speaker and author. Since 2008, her mission has been clear: to make cats happier by helping both cat owners and professionals truly understand feline behaviour and prevent, manage and resolve behavioural problems before they escalate.

She holds an MSc in Communication Sciences (University of Antwerp, BE) and an MSc in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling (University of Southampton, UK). Anneleen is a fully certified member of the IAABC (USA) and co-founder and former chairman of the Belgian Association of Animal Behaviour Professionals.

She is the author of several I Love Happy Cats books. Her first book, Guide for a Happy Cat (2017), has been published in 14 countries, translated into eight languages and sold over 50,000 copies worldwide.

In 2019, she developed the Cat Matrix, a 50-step behavioural framework based on more than a decade of clinical experience. The model has become a respected blueprint for feline professionals seeking structured, science-based solutions to prevent, manage and resolve unwanted cat behaviour.

In 2023, Anneleen co-developed a unique feline product line with Laroy Group and D&D Home, now distributed internationally.

Today, she leads the Happy Cats Academy and Happy Cats PRO Academy, two online learning platforms dedicated to science-based feline behaviour, welfare and prevention, while expanding the Cat Matrix model globally.

Sessions

Friday, 15 May 13:00 - 13:30 30 min
I Love Happy Cats

The Innovation Gap in the Feline Market

Why are feline behaviourists still sending cat guardians to IKEA instead of pet stores? Why do some of the most essential feline needs still require improvisation at home? What if the next breakthrough in feline innovation is not a new colour, material or feature, but an entirely different starting point? Cats experience products through biology, not marketing. Through safety, predictability, choice and nervous system regulation. Yet many opportunities rooted in feline behaviour and stress physiology remain largely unexplored within the pet industry. In this Fresh Ideas session, Anneleen Bru invites you to question assumptions, rethink standards and look beyond product variations. What categories are still missing? Which design principles have not yet been translated into meaningful market solutions? And what becomes possible when innovation begins with feline biology? Fresh ideas do not always start with trends. For cats, they should start with sciencebased insight and true alignment. The next wave of feline innovation may not be louder. It may simply be smarter and more empathetic.

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