Give your best friend more purr and pounce with this whiskers-to-tail guide to the good life! One reason we’re wild for cats is that our cats are still wild at heart. On our laps, they’re purring lovebugs, but on the prowl, they’re fearsome hunters—with territorial instincts to match. The Handbook for a Happy Cat takes us inside the feline mind to decode what our cats really want in life and how they try to tell us. You’ll learn: Why a bigger water bowl does away with “whisker stress” How to move like a mouse for maximum fun at playtime Skills to teach your kitten for a lifetime of easy vet visits, grooming, and more Subtle signs of stress such as excessive scent-marking and lip-licking How to tell frolic from fighting in the multi-cat household (and how to give frenemies a fresh start) What makes a scratching post so tempting that your sofa will be spared How to reassure a spooked cat with the “slow blink” Why it’s pointless to “punish” a cat—but training is possible! Certified behaviorist Liesbeth Puts traces every feline mystery to cats’ natural behavior and needs. A happy cat is a cat who can be herself!

Whether you are thinking of getting a kitten, already have a cat, or are considering adopting a rescue moggy, this is the book for you! The chapters cover: breeds and types, advice on rescuing versus buying, feeding, training, sleeping and play, keeping your cat healthy, grooming, the pros and cons of indoors and outdoors cats, caring for senior cats, dealing with destructive behaviour and aggression, how to integrate a second cat and troubleshooting tips for all-round happiness. With adorable photos throughout, this wonderfully informative book deserves a place in every cat owner's home.

Give your best friend more purr and pounce with this whiskers-to-tail guide to the good life! One reason we’re wild for cats is that our cats are still wild at heart. On our laps, they’re purring lovebugs, but on the prowl, they’re fearsome hunters—with territorial instincts to match. The Handbook for a Happy Cat takes us inside the feline mind to decode what our cats really want in life and how they try to tell us. You’ll learn: Why a bigger water bowl does away with “whisker stress” How to move like a mouse for maximum fun at playtime Skills to teach your kitten for a lifetime of easy vet visits, grooming, and more Subtle signs of stress such as excessive scent-marking and lip-licking How to tell frolic from fighting in the multi-cat household (and how to give frenemies a fresh start) What makes a scratching post so tempting that your sofa will be spared How to reassure a spooked cat with the “slow blink” Why it’s pointless to “punish” a cat—but training is possible! Certified behaviorist Liesbeth Puts traces every feline mystery to cats’ natural behavior and needs. A happy cat is a cat who can be herself!

"Finally, a book that deals with stray cats; a how-to guide to trapping and dealing with a stray cat. As a pet owner, animal lover and director of a humane organization that deals with stray cats every day, this book gives us one more tool to offer to people who want to help the thousands of strays that wander our streets. Bravo!" Joseph J. Sprague, Jr., Executive Director, Tree House Animal Foundation "Tamara Kreuz cares about the plight of stray and feral cats and gives practical ways to help them. Individuals and shelters can benefit from this book. If those who find stray animals can themselves set about to help by finding homes for domestic strays, or by creating safe havens for feral cats, this will make life a lot easier for shelter personnel, who are all too often overburdened by the number of animals they receive. We highly recommend The Stray Cat Handbook." Louise Holton and Becky Robinson, Co-founders, Alley Cat Allies: The National Feral Cat Network "This is a must read for those considering animal rescue work. The information and suggestions provided are first rate and are based on actual experiences." Linda A. Heller, Division Manager, Orange County Animal Services (Florida) A Howell Cat Book of Distinction

Domestic cats have high cancer rates, chronic disease, and immunodeficiency in spite of increased indoor living, plentiful food, and limited exposure to infectious agents and parasites. This book emphasizes prevention. To prevent disease, we try to make environmental and dietary choices that support the vital energy to the body. Obvious requirements include proper light, fresh air, and clean water as well as exercise, stimulation of the senses, and food that nourishes without harming. But meeting these requirements requires some effort. If it were a simple choice, many people would choose to treat and care for their pets with natural therapies. Unfortunately, most cat caregivers find the expectations and requirements of natural pet health care fairly imposing. Whole Health for Happy Cats provides the basic information you need to incorporate holistic treatments into your cat’s everyday care, reduce health care costs, and help your cat enjoy a long healthy life. Whole Health for Happy Cats translates the dry and often-overwhelming scientific data found in other cat care books into everyday language. The easy-to-follow guidelines teach cat caregivers to use holistic remedies at home, including homeopathy, aromatherapy, and flower essences. In addition, sidebars, comparison charts, decision-making guides, and extensive resources make this an easy-to-read and informative book.

"I have to hand it to Bradshaw and Ellis: Once you suss out their basic cat-training philosophy, their methods totally work." -- Slate We often assume that cats can't be trained, and don't need to be. But in The Trainable Cat, bestselling anthrozoologist John Bradshaw and cat expert Sarah Ellis show that cats absolutely must be trained in order to enrich the bond between pet and owner. Full of training tips and exercises -- from introducing your cat to a new baby to helping them deal with visits to the vet -- The Trainable Cat is the essential cat bible for cat owners and lovers. "I doubt you'll find a more well-informed or scientific book on cats that better shows you how feline thinking works." -- Times (UK)

Offers tips for spending quality time with cats during bath time, mealtime, quiet time, and playtime.