A Must-Read for All Cat Owners and Potential Cat Owners

I’ve never reviewed a book before, and you’ll notice I’ve picked a nice safe non-fiction. I’m really only good at reviewing objective things like pieces of electronics or sporting equipment, where I can answer clear-cut questions like “how big is it?” and “does it work?” When it comes to subjective things like books, music, movies, art, I’m generally not much help. My idea of a movie review would be “I liked it” or “I didn’t like it.” So I’ve chosen a book that’s about as nuts-and-bolts as you can get.

I’m reviewing this book for two reasons: (1) I have three cats, and I really wanted to review something cat-related, but all my cat products seem to be either not listed on Epinions or have already been reviewed a hundred times, and (2) I love this book and can’t say enough good things about it. So here goes…

How big is it? The paperback book measures approximately 8x10” and ¾” thick. It should fit easily on all but the most overstuffed bookshelves. ;-)

Does it work? Emphatically yes. The author, Pam Johnson-Bennett, is a leading cat behavior expert, has written several other cat books and writes for several cat magazines. It always amazes me how many cat lovers don’t truly understand their cats. Pam will cure that problem. She says, “Even if you’re not a cat novice, I’ll bet there are many ways you could improve your relationship.” It's absolutely true.

I've lived with cats much of my life and had my own cats for about three years. Around the time I decided to get my first pair of kittens, I embarked on a frenzy of research, and picked up this book as well as several others. I was horrified to realize how poorly my family had understood the cats we'd had when I was a kid, and how many things we'd been doing wrong. I resolved to get it right with my own cats, and the knowledge I've gained has been invaluable. Pam has helped me raise three terrific cats who are good-natured, tolerant, never scratch or bite the humans, and rarely scratch the couch. I give Pam most of the credit for my success.

Of course, there have still been things we've failed at-- I still can't brush their teeth, and they're not adequately acclimated to travel or to visitors in our house, but it's at least not for lack of knowledge-- it's for lack of working at it, which is purely my fault and not Pam's.

What kind of information is in the book? If it's a useful fact about cat behavior, it's probably mentioned here. There are 18 information-packed chapters, including topics like:

A Guided Tour of Your Cat and the Ways He Communicates
Creating a Safe Home for Your Kitten
How to Tell if Your Cat is Sick
House Rules- Basic Training
Playtime Techniques Used for Behavior Modification
Solving Common Behavior Problems
Litter Box Survival Guide
You CAN Have a Cat and Nice Furniture Too
Relationships: Other Cats, Dogs, Kids
How to Make Grooming a Pleasurable Experience
Taking the Bite Out of Fleas and Ticks
Traveling Without Trauma
What to Do When Your Cat Makes You a Grandparent
What to Know About Your Geriatric Cat
The Goodbye We’re Never Prepared to Say

Just reciting the chapter names doesn’t even begin to convey the amount of useful information in this book. Pam will teach you many things, like why most of the scratching posts you see in the pet stores are crap, the importance of playing with your cats, how training a cat is totally different from training a dog, what to watch out for when adopting a shelter cat, why it is critical not to separate a kitten from its mother before 12 weeks of age, how to introduce a new cat to a multi-cat household, when to pet your cat and when to leave her alone, what foods you should never feed your cat, what common houseplant are toxic to cats, why you don’t need to get rid of your cat if you have a baby on the way, why you should never hit your cat, why you should never allow the cat to treat your hand like a toy… the list goes on and on. It also contains both a resource guide and a topic index, which make it a good go-to reference for trouble-shooting later on.

The writing style is conversational and very easy to read. Throughout the book, points are illustrated by examples from Pam’s own extensive personal experience with cats. Although she is a highly qualified expert, she never talks down to the reader and explains everything in clear, easy-to-understand terms.

This book is a must-have for both novice cat owners and old hands. I highly recommend this book to anyone who lives with a cat, but I think it’s particularly important to read it before you bring that cute cuddly kitten home from the shelter. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is to begin your cat’s behavioral training from Day 1, and to have a game plan and ground rules in place before the cat ever comes in the door, particularly if you will have to introduce the cat to other pets. If you are thinking about getting a cat, I urge you to read this book first to make sure you fully understand the responsibility involved and the host of issues you may face for next 10-20 years.

It is available in paperback only and listed at $16.95, but is currently selling for $10.68 at buy.com or $11.87 at amazon.com.