Educator, Designer, Cat Trainer & Behaviour Consultant
Hi, I’m Sonia Hank. I’m a seasoned educator with 20+ years’ experience and a diploma-qualified cat trainer and feline behaviour consultant. I blend my expertise in pedagogy and curriculum design with feline behaviour science to help guardians raise calm, confident adventure cats.
I oppose free-roaming and indoors-only living. I advocate the adventure-cat lifestyle with supervised time outside that lets cats explore, express natural behaviours, build confidence, and live fully and with purpose. With my cat Kepler, I aspire to be a role model who inspires and empowers cat guardians to see that outdoor time can be calm, skill-based, and safe—balancing feline welfare with wildlife protection and community expectations.
As a former snowboard instructor, science and visual arts teacher, STEAM educator, education director, and university lecturer, my experience shows up in my adventure-cat coaching as clear explanations, practical sequencing, and a natural ability to make complex ideas usable at home and on the trail. My cat-training approach is force-free and welfare-first. Sessions are paced for feline attention patterns and build fluency in small, successful steps before generalising to real-world settings. Core skills include confidence building; establishing a shared vocabulary; harness and loose-lead walking; essential behaviour cues—touch, here, sit, wait, recall; fun tricks and games; indoor enrichment; trail manners; travel routines; backpack acclimatisation; and more. Safety underlies all.
I am also the creative force behind House Copernicus, a small Melbourne studio making eco-printed kangaroo-leather harnesses and bows—because I think cats deserve the best. I handle the entire process—from sourcing and printing to cutting, sewing, and finishing. I use botanical printing techniques to create permanent, plant-made prints on leather. I then craft each harness and bow by hand to create a one-of-a-kind statement piece fit for everyday adventures and special occasions..
As an environmental science major, sustainability underpins both halves of my work. I choose materials for durability and responsible sourcing; construction is small-batch and repair-friendly; packaging is minimal and reusable. The goal is simple: gear that lasts, training that sticks, and adventures that are safe and enriching.
Qualifications: B.Ed (P-12), M.Ed (Curriculum and Pedagogy); Diploma in Feline Behaviour Science & Technology (CASI).
Focus: Evidence-based, positive-reinforcement methods; individualised plans and pacing; clear human coaching.
Special interests: Promoting optimal physical, psychological, & emotional well-being for cats through holistic wellness; safe and stimulating adventures; physical and metal fitness; and lifestyle based learning.
A Word From Our Founder — Kepler Copernicus
Hello, dear human. I am Kepler Copernicus, son of Pyret Price Kasinovah and Lady Saviner. I am a Russian Blue cat. I am best known by my very fitting alias, Mr Beauty. I am a resident field researcher, and the reason any of this exists.
I am an educated adventure cat—I go out on daily walks, climb trees, ride a bicycle; I enjoy hiking, camping, road trips, cafés. I respond to over 50 human words, phrases, and visual cues; I am whistle-trained with sharp recall; and I can perform more than 30 functional tasks and tricks (yes, including my famous shoulder jumps). Training is not a party trick here—it is daily life. My staff say I am a pioneer in a new era of human domestication.
I was raised with careful socialisation from three months old, because my staff believe (rightly so) that cats deserve to live life to the fullest and with purpose. So they trained me to model calm handling, clear communication, and adventure routines. Outside, I work to non-negotiables—wait when asked, keep the lead slack, return on recall. I have a deep bond with my staff—I have earned my freedom because I trust them to guide me, and they trust me to respond.
I am polite, patient, calm and composed. I like routine with room for novelty. I observe with intent and explore with curiosity and caution. I prefer clear cues to guesswork. I eat a carefully prepared home-made raw diet that is complete and balanced, which provides my body with optimal conditions for learning and activity. I dislike heavy machinery and garbage trucks!
My job is simple: wear the couture, demonstrate the science, and prove that cats thrive when safety, agency, and intelligent play are met. Consider me living evidence that kind, science-based training shapes confident cats—and that a well-made harness can look as good as it feels.