Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandra Lopez Irala.
Hi Alejandra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where my love for animals — and especially cats — started at home. Growing up with a cat sparked a curiosity that never left me, and over time that curiosity became a calling.
After years of building my knowledge in animal behavior and welfare across Latin America, I made my way to the United States to do a volunteering program in Gainesville, Florida. That experience was a turning point — it deepened my connection to the field and opened doors I hadn’t imagined. Miami became a second home, a city where I found a community that shares my passion for science-based, compassionate animal care.
I founded Rasca y Pica with a simple but powerful mission: to help people truly understand cats and build stronger, more respectful bonds with them. What started as a behavior consulting practice grew into something much bigger — a platform with over 174K followers across the Spanish-speaking world, where I share education, resources and real solutions for cat guardians and professionals alike.
At the same time, my role within the IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants) has grown significantly. Today I serve as the Latin America Director, working to build a stronger, more connected community of animal behavior professionals across more than 20 countries in our region. It is work that I find deeply meaningful — bridging the gap between world-class expertise and the Spanish-speaking professional community that has long deserved more access to it.
I am proud to work between Miami and Buenos Aires, bringing together two worlds that complement each other beautifully. Every day I wake up committed to the same thing I started with: making life better for animals and the people who love them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road — and I think that is what makes the journey meaningful.
I split my time between Buenos Aires and Miami, and working across two cities, two cultures and two very different professional landscapes comes with its own set of challenges. Almost everything works differently — the professional systems, the certifications, the way people communicate, the way businesses operate. There is a constant process of adapting, and that can be both exciting and exhausting at the same time.
One of the biggest challenges has been working across two very different professional cultures. In Latin America, many of the areas I work in — animal behavior consulting, science-based training, fear-free approaches — are still emerging fields. There is enormous passion and talent in our region, but access to high-quality, evidence-based education in Spanish has historically been very limited. Part of my work has been finding ways to bridge that gap, and that means carefully evaluating different approaches, methodologies and educators to ensure they align with the ethical and scientific standards we believe in at the IAABC.
That process of exploration is not always straightforward. Not everything that is popular is aligned with animal welfare, and not everything that is well-intentioned is grounded in science. Learning to navigate that — and to do so with respect for different professional cultures while still holding firm to our values — has been one of the most complex and rewarding parts of this journey.
And of course, building a community from scratch, across more than 20 countries, in a field that is still finding its footing in our region — that takes patience, resilience and a lot of faith in the work.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rasca y Pica?
Rasca y Pica is a cat behavior consulting and education brand built on one core belief: that understanding your cat changes everything.
I specialize in feline behavior, working with cat guardians and pet professionals across Latin America and the United States to address behavioral challenges — from aggression and litter box issues to anxiety, intercat conflict and environmental enrichment. Every consultation is tailored to the individual cat and their household, because no two cats — and no two situations — are the same.
My services include one-on-one virtual behavior consultations, workshops for cat owners and pet professionals, participation in industry events, and educational content that reaches a community of over 174K followers across the Spanish-speaking world. Whether in a consultation, a workshop or on a conference stage, everything I do is rooted in the same two pillars: education and animal welfare. For many of my followers, Rasca y Pica is their most trusted source of reliable, science-based information about cat behavior in their own language.
What sets Rasca y Pica apart is the combination of scientific rigor and genuine empathy. I work exclusively with evidence-based, fear-free methods — no quick fixes, no outdated techniques. Every recommendation is grounded in the latest behavioral science and adapted to the real life of each family.
Brand wise, I am most proud of having built something that feels both professional and deeply human. Rasca y Pica is known for being approachable without sacrificing accuracy — a space where Spanish-speaking cat owners and professionals can access world-class knowledge, feel heard, and walk away with practical tools that actually work for their specific reality.
What I want readers to know is simple: if you share your life with a cat and something feels off — or even if you just want to understand them better — there is real, science-based help available. And it does not have to feel overwhelming.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
If I had to choose one, I would say perseverance — but the truth is that it works hand in hand with several other qualities that I believe have been equally essential to where I am today.
Passion is what started everything. You cannot build a career around animal behavior and welfare without a genuine, deep love for what you do. That passion is what gets you through the hard days, the slow seasons, and the moments when you question whether you are on the right path.
But passion alone is not enough. Continuous learning has been just as critical. This field evolves constantly, and I have always believed that the moment you stop learning, you stop growing. I invest consistently in my education — attending conferences, completing certifications, connecting with leading experts around the world — because my clients and the animals I work with deserve the best and most current knowledge available.
Honesty is another quality I hold very close. I believe in being transparent with my clients about what behavior science can and cannot do, about realistic expectations, and about the limits of my own expertise. That honesty builds trust, and trust is the foundation of everything.
And finally, resilience. Building something across two countries, two cultures and two languages — while staying true to a scientific and ethical standard that is not always the easiest path — requires the ability to keep going even when things are uncertain. I have learned to see every obstacle as information, not failure.
Together, these qualities have shaped not just my career, but the way I show up every day for the animals and people I serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.holarascaypica.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rasca.y.pica
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rypica
- Twitter: https://x.com/rypica
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alerascaypica
