Best cat care books according to redditors
We found 237 Reddit comments discussing the best cat care books. We ranked the 93 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 237 Reddit comments discussing the best cat care books. We ranked the 93 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
It’s the Cat Tarot from Megan Lynn Kott
here’s more pictures of the deck FULL of cats! Our Golden boy is sadly the evil one in their eyes
the deck
That actually may be a bad idea. If cats are not brought into a home at the same time (preferably as kittens) it can lead to major stress. My aunt's cat never got used to having a second cat. She is a total bitch to the "new" one, even years later. Read Cat Sense.
Source: National Geographic
Source: a great article on CNet.
A book link to "Cat Sense" (I've read it and really enjoyed it).
The photo is actually my own cat, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. :D
I'm going to recommend this book to you and your soon-to-be-enormous monster kitty.
Bengals are smart cats. They're also big. And yours has thumbs. You are likely to be outsmarted by your cat on a daily basis, so I recommend training and playing with him every day until he is too tired to move.
Also, there's nothing quite like having a cat who will stand on his hind legs and give you kisses on command. Very rewarding, and you end up thinking "sure, my cat can be a right dick sometimes... but that's because he's amazing."
Enjoy the benefits of conversion, including purrs, happy kneading, head butts, all sorts of amusing forms of playing, etc. Cats make great pets, and kittens are literally "aww-inspiring" with their adorableness.
If you don't have a lot of cat experience and plan on keeping this kitty permanently, I'd recommend reading the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson Bennett. It's comprehensive, easy-to-read, and gives you advice for pretty much every possible scenario--including learning how to keep your cat from waking you up at night.
My bff swears by this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not-ebook/dp/B005ERIIRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492975987&sr=8-1&keywords=Think+Like+a+Cat
Her cat was waking them up in the middle of the night for food, being a general pain in the ass, etc. She's now stopped. One thing they do is they play hunting games with her before bed and make sure to feed her a few treats so she gets that hunting instinct out of her system and feels fed.
What a little cutie! I have 2 cats, and this book has helped me immensely.
You may want to consider building an outdoor cat shelter. It's easy and fairly inexpensive. If you're looking to adopt this kitty, place an article of clothing belonging to you or your fiance in the shelter; this will help the kitty get used to you.
Best of luck, and keep the rest of us in the loop!
Good luck to you!
If your parents allow you to keep the cat I would highly encourage you to check out some resources on cat behavior and cat care, as many people new to cats don’t really know as much as they think they know.
Basic important information you need to know off the bat:
My recommendations for more info on cats:
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>People Are Scaring Their Cats with Cucumbers. They Shouldn’t.
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>“If you cause stress to an animal that's probably not a good thing,” says Jill Goldman, a certified animal behaviorist in southern California. “If you do it for laughs it makes me question your humanity.”
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>John Bradshaw, a cat-behavior expert at the University of Bristol and the author of the book Cat Sense, agrees, saying the “despicable” videos are “an incitement for people to scare their cats and then invite people to laugh at them.”
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>The fact that the cucumbers are often placed near feeding stations in the videos confuses the cats because they often associate those areas with safety and security, adds Pam Johnson-Bennett, author of Think Like a Cat. "That's a cruel thing to do," she says.
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But, internet points from strangers...
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It's called Meow by M.E. Owmeow, and it's very reasonable priced.
It can be done. If you can train rats, you can train cats. I trained my rats to do some minor tricks by clicker training. You can get a clicker at petsmart or any other pet store for maybe a dollar or two. Here's a book on clicker training cats.
Siblings, yay! They'll already know each other which is helpful when transplanting each to a new environment.
I think this book is a helpful general guide for beginners. This one too though it has a stronger focus on wet food diets.
Congratulations on your new kitten! I'm also a relatively new cat owner (about 8 months), but have learned there are plenty of things you can do to keep an indoor cat entertained.
A good place to start is looking into cat towers, climbers, and window perches – according to cat experts like Jackson Galaxy, cats build confidence by being able to traverse a room freely in their own spaces. Cat tunnels and even cardboard boxes can provide provide fun hiding spots if your cat is more of a "bush dweller." Cats are natural explorers, so try to picture your apartment or home from your cat's point of view (think both vertically and horizantally) and provide plenty of points of interest.
Examples: My cat loves watching the neighborhood from the window on this perch. You could even hang a bird feeder outside to provide extra stimulation. Mutlilevel cat towers and climbers also increase a cat's engagement with his envirnonment (you can also install DIY cat shelves).
It's important to play interactively with your new cat to bond, but make sure he has some toys to keep him occupied when you're not around as well. My cat loves this toy and there are plenty of other independent cat-puzzle toys out there. The more stimulated a cat is, the less behavioral issues you will have.
I hope this helps! I would reccomend that any new cat owner look into the TV show "My Cat From Hell" by Jackson Galaxy and/or read the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennet.
This book is available on Kindle too. Thats hilarious to me.
Personally I would stay away from Scottish Folds, the "fold" in their ear is a deformity that has been breed into them and can be painful for the cat and lead to other health problems. Some countries are even considering banning the breeding of them because its cruel to the animal.
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It sounds like you are going to be getting the kitten from a breeder (its the only way to know for sure what breed of cat you are getting since they have papers, cats from a shelter are going to be considered domestic short or long hair since they don't have papers). Please make sure that you do your research on the breeder, you don't want to use a back yard breeder. Questions to ask; are the kittens/cattery registered with TICA, are the kittens raised under foot, what diseases and genetic conditions do you test for, what is the health warranty? A respectable breeder would never let a kitten go home before 14 weeks old, anyone that says the kitten can go home before that should not be trusted.
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If the kitten is going to be left alone for that amount of time expect it to get into everything and cause trouble while you are gone. The kitten can be left alone and end up fine but you have to leave it with a range of toys to play with and make sure that you are spending a lot of time with it when you are home.
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For litter, use Dr Elseys Ultra, it cost more but you will never have a problem with smell as long as you are cleaning it ever day. I use a simple litter box I got at the Dollar Store, you don't need anything fancy.
https://www.chewy.com/dr-elseys-precious-cat-ultra/dp/32362?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Dr.%20Elsey%27s&utm_campaign=hg
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Nails should be trimmed every two weeks or so, you can tell when they start to get really sharp again and need it. I hold my cat on my lap with her belly up and do one paw at a time. If she is fighting me I will wrap her in a blanket and remove one paw at a time. Make sure that you are getting your kitten used to her paws and nails being touched and it will make the process a lot easier as she gets older. When you are holding her just gently rub her paws every so often.
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Make sure you are brushing regularly, especially if you get a long hair breed like a Ragdoll, matts suck and are hard to remove.
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Items you will defiantly need, cat tree, scratching post, a horizontal cardboard scratch pad and a mix of toys.
This is a great scratching post, its large, hard to knock over and you can get the optional seat to attach to the top of it.
https://www.amazon.com/SmartCat-3832-Ultimate-Scratching-Post/dp/B000634MH8/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=cat+post&qid=1549895273&s=gateway&sr=8-16
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Dry food is horrible for cats, its like eating fast food for every meal. It causes dehydration, kidney and bladder problems, obesity and diabetes. Please feed the highest quality wet food that you can afford.
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Please make sure that you get the kitten nurtured and keep it inside at all times (unless you are going to train it to walk on a leash). Cats that are let outside have a dramatically lower life expectancy.
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Do not declaw, not only is it cruel but it causes a lot of behavior problems, you can teach the kitten to not scratch the furniture by using treats. When it is scratching something its not supposed to pick them up and place them by the post/scratch pad and use your fingers to show them what to do. When they use the post/pad give then a treat right away.
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For a first time cat owner I highly recommend reading this book, it goes over everything that you need to know.
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=how+to+raise+a+well+adjusted+cat&qid=1549894696&s=gateway&sr=8-1
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Your problem is... you have a kitten.
Honestly, all of this sounds like a normal young cat with a lot of energy who's bored out of her mind. Different cats have different energy levels, and your mom also had multiple cats together. Your kitten is alone, so all of her entertainment comes from you or from finding things to do herself, many of which won't please you. I would check out something like this book, which is a quick, easy read and covers strategies for all of the problems you're having. In brief, here are some things to try:
Good luck!
Edit: I fail at Reddit formatting, apparently. ;_;
maybe take a look at https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524653488&sr=8-3&keywords=pam+johnson-bennett+books
this book has solutions for all kinda kitty problems.
While contrary to dogs, cats will feel more secure in small places. Put some of her things that has her scent on it. Like beds and litter box. And keep her in a small room, even a bathroom.
If you want to learn more detailed and advanced things about keep cats as pets, this book is pretty good: https://www.amazon.com/Trainable-Cat-Practical-Making-Happier/dp/0465050905
My roommate got me this book for Christmas and it's super easy. All you need is a hot glue gun and a box cutter and a yardstick.
Sorry for your kitty's diagnosis :( You might be interested in reading The Natural Cat. It has some great alternative and holistic health tips. I've learned with my own cats to get all the info you can, even a second opinion. Hopefully you will find some useful info that may make this diagnosis easier on you and Theo :)
Pam Johnson-Bennett has written several books about feline behavior. Most of them are for dealing with problematic behavior, but Think Like a Cat is her general care guide. I highly recommend her books; I've had cats all my life and her books are the best I've read.
Rider deck is often suggested for beginners because of the clear visuals. But I personally think it’s more important to seek out a deck that resonates with you.
I felt comfortable with and drawn to this cat tarot deck. It’s my first and only deck. The messages can be a little tricker to interpret for the minor arcanum without its book for reference, but that also nudges me to study up and find my own meanings within the cards. Probably reigns true for others and their unique decks, too. There are plenty of resources to help you learn online, so follow your intuition!
I know you're kidding, but there are actually some really helpful books for cat owners.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1579128939/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1404699158&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40
A new challenger appears!
Cats and what stresses them, can be hard to resolve. I like to remind owners you don't need to cut all nails in one sitting, do one a night! Over fast, less injuries and stress for everyone. Also, great book for cat owners dealing with behaviour issues https://www.amazon.ca/Cat-Whisperer-Cats-What-Do/dp/0553807854
Good luck!
Cat Sense by John Bradshaw. Highly recommended so far (only 1 chapter in!) http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Sense-Feline-Science-Better/dp/0465031013/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407414304&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+sense
My kitten is 8 months old, and I move her constantly (partially out of necessity, partially to train her into it). I got her at 4 months, she spent a week at my apartment, and then I went to see my family for the holidays. My parents are divorced so I was shuffling between two houses the entire time. She was so young that this was not stressful at the time, and now she is used to it. I think she also sees her carrier as "home". This weekend I took her to my SO's new apartment, she spent maybe half an hour investigating everything and then settled in and started treating it like her home (still very curious though).
A couple of side notes:
I agree with others' advice about getting a kitten. Normally I'd say get an older cat as a student, they are less time-consuming and expensive, but if you have the resources get a kitten for sure. You will be able to train your cat so they are comfortable with your lifestyle. I also highly recommend Think Like a Cat, I read through it before picking up my kitten and it helped me with strategies for training her. I have owned cats before, but she is my first baby.
I would suggest trying out the raw diet as well. I have a kitty with irritable bowel, and I'm considering switching him to raw; I've been doing alot of reading on it lately.
This book was informative : http://www.amazon.com/Your-Cat-Simple-Secrets-Stronger/dp/0312358024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313206337&sr=8-1
Also, this website has pretty detailed info.
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood
When feeding raw, be sure to feed organ meats, as your kitty needs taurine, and thats where taurine comes from.
Also, my kitty may have asthma, and the meds for that, if you go the oral steroid route, are super expensive. I've looked into that on forums for asthmatic cats, and some people order from canadian and other foreign pharmacies. Apparently you can get medications for significantly cheaper by this route.
Please, please do not listen to the Petco person. Senior cat foods tend to advertise "reduced protein" formulas which means more carbohydrates (especially in dry foods) which you do NOT want for a cat, especially an older one that vomits often. The more carbohydrates and fillers, the more the cat has to eat to fill itself, the more vomiting and pooping and gut irritation, on top of a high possibility for diabetes, urinary issues, food allergies, and skin conditions. Cats throw up sometimes, but rarely. If a vet isn't concerned about this, that sounds like a red flag. How often is "a bit" for your cat?
I really recommend switching to a frozen raw diet as well. If that's not an option, then certainly switch to canned. No dry food whatsoever and especially do not free-feed. If you do more research into the topic (I highly recommend both http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood and Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins's book, http://www.amazon.com/Your-Cat-Simple-Secrets-Stronger/dp/0312358024) you'll get a better idea of why it is that cats need essentially a zero carbohydrate, all-meat moist food diet, and how improper high-carbohydrate diets are inappropriate for cats and lead to several serious medical issues (vomiting is just a symptom of other problems).
Socks, especially fluffy socks. Never too many fluffy socks, seeing as laundering them very quickly murders them.
I'd also really like money for my boyfriend to build me a new computer, money to responsibly care for a large fish tank and its stock, and some additional furniture when it comes to big budget items. My birthday's this month and I've been mildly stressed about it. Mostly I want money and a job.
Oh, and this has been on my Amazon wish list for awhile now. On that note, a Kindle!
Shadow is probably very stressed out right now. Moving houses is a nightmare for cats because they depend on everything being the same from day to day. There are four things I would recommend looking into.
First is, if I'm understanding correctly, she has free access to the entire house, but only hisses in your bedroom? If that's the case, have there ever been any other cats or dogs kept in that bedroom? Could there be another cat's scent in there, maybe from a cat spraying or having litter box problems? A black light flashlight can help you find these spots on the carpet and walls if they're there, and then you can use an enzymatic cleaning product called Nature's Miracle to remove the scent. Remember, cats can smell things that we can't.
One of the pheremonal calming products people have been mentioning is Feliway. I think you could really benefit from a diffuser for your room. I know it says it's for scratching and urine marking, but it works for stress in general. It does also come in sprays which you can spray on certain things like cat carriers, furniture, etc. but supposedly it does need pretty frequent application, just so you know. Don't be discouraged if the diffuser doesn't seem to work right away. It can take a week or more but I've seen a definite improvement for my cats.
You might also want to pick up a book called Think Like a Cat, or something similar. There are so many things we as humans do that cats find threatening, startling, upsetting, etc. and we don't even know it. The truth is that she is hissing at you for a reason, whether it's the way you're approaching her, something she now associates with you, who knows. I bet you could figure it out with some insight from a good source.
One final thing that's pretty important. Cats who hiss, growl, or jump when touched sometimes are doing so because they're in pain. Pay attention to how exactly she's reacting to you. Especially since you say she has a heart problem, it's possible that she is physically uncomfortable. You may want to explain what's happening to your vet and see if they can find a physical cause.
And of course... a little sprinkling of fairy dust for luck ;)
The Ghatti books by Gayle Greeno are about a society of legal judges who use psychic cat-like bonded animals to rule on guilt/innocence.
There's also The Cat Tarot: Cat Tarot: 78 Cards & Guidebook https://www.amazon.com/dp/145217363X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l1qoDbMSKG6XX
And The Considerate Cat Tarot: https://consideratecat.com/ the inspiration & cause this deck supports is just too pure ❤
I want to give you a hug. You just rock so much. So happy that you know it was for the best--you really do know what's right, deep down. When I split with my ex, I took long walks in Manhattan in the middle of the night and generally put myself in danger. Don't go do all that...just do exactly what you need to do. Find that self-loathing zen that helps you run an entire mile. Or the self-loving zen that helps you realize you always wanted to try rock climbing, and it satisfies your elective. I love to hide in a book when I need to hide: here's one that helped me get away once...http://www.amazon.com/Finders-Seekers-Ghattis-Gayle-Greeno/dp/0886775507
I always recommend getting this book, you don’t have to read it cover to cover it has a great index for different topics and stages in life.
Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143119796/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SBqxCb0QCT0KV
There's a lot more out there now than there was when I started thinking about this stuff 15 years ago. Two books I found useful were this one and this one, both clicker-based. Karen Pryor, of dog clicker training fame, also has a book for cats, although I haven't read that one. Nowadays there are even YouTube channels devoted to cat training, and lots of good one-off videos for specific tricks too. I think I'd have used videos often if there'd been more of them at the time, because shaping does work somewhat differently than with dogs, and cats can be harder to read during training, so there is a bit of a learning curve.
For interactive play, I started out with just a laser pointer and basic "found toys," like dangling strings through holes cut into paper bags, or into boxes filled with crumpled paper. Eventually I discovered the Neko Flies rod toys, which you walk around swooshing in figure-8s through the air and above boxes, furniture, cat trees etc. I think they may be phasing these out now, which is unfortunate because they're a lot more durable than most toys of this type, and it's easy to change up which toy is on the rod, or to take a toy off the rod and run laps lashing it behind you for a change of pace.
It's all so basic really, and even then plenty of cats seem fine without any of it, but for me these things were key to shaking off my old (bad) habits of mind towards cats. I liked them, but I didn't really respect them, and a big part of that was that I'd never really experienced a mutually rewarding interaction with one beyond petting a purring cat when both I and the cat were in a good mood, which I assumed was all they were capable of.
Oh no! This book has a ton of great tips to make your cat and new puppy be comfortable with each other. :)
read Your Cat. It's helped us with our two cats. Better to start early though. Cats with habits are hard to change. Avoid that prescription food unless it is the only option that will work. Prescription food companies care more about profits than cat health (meaning it will be high in carbs and carbs are terrible for cats...they eat only protein in the wild).
edit: the amazon description for that book is terrible. It's a scientific perspective on cat health from a former pet food company vice president. She currently has a cat vet practice and shares her secrets for extending cat life from the typical average of 9 years to about 20 years.
Find it here!
Cats have a natural cycle that isn't often encouraged when they live indoors:
If you play with your kitty 10-30 minutes before you feed her at night (right before you go to bed), she's more likely to spend a good amount of time grooming and then settle down to sleep. This can help keep her from waking you up in the mornings.
Every time you feed her before you're ready to get up, you're telling her that her actions give the desired response, and she should keep doing what she's doing.
While the vacuum method can be effective, it can also be highly disruptive to everyone in the household and may cause anxiety and stress in your cat, causing her to act out in other ways.
She will learn the hard way after your surgery that waking you up doesn't feed her, but you'll also need to make sure that you're not waking your sister up to feed her to get her to leave you alone. It may take an entire month for kitty to catch on.
This book is excellent for learning cat behavior, and ways to deal with problems like yours.
Good luck!
Solid advice above. When kittens do something mama cats don’t like they pick them up and remove them from the situation and physically put them elsewhere. You can do similar by immediately re-directing the unwanted behavior with wanted behavior. Is going to mean having some cat toys stashed all over the place for redirection to correct play at any moments notice.
Cats also do well with their natural rhythm discussed by Jackson Galaxy as hunt, catch, kill, eat, groom, and sleep. Plugging into this natural rhythm of their’s seems to really solve a lot of cat behavior problems.
He has solved so many unbearable situations with cats and has studied their behavior for a very long time. You will learn so much insight and why you are doing certain things to change certain behaviors it is well worth the less than $12 and the time you will spend reading it. Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143131613/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WRCHCbTMQSY5F
Cats do super well with positive reinforcement. I took my cats favorite treat which is freeze dried salmon bites and only allowed her to have those when she did positive steps towards learning to use her new cat wheel. It may have been that she simply walked up to the wheel and took a treat off of it. But within four days that cat was on the wheel running by herself with my encouraging her with a little piece of salmon. For a while the silly girl would jump on it every time I went by the wheel, ran a few steps, and then sat waiting patiently for her treat which I continued to give to her but now she only gets them sporadically because let’s face it she couldn’t possibly run off that much salmon and I couldn’t afford to keep going at that rate with it LOL. Please note that there was a great deal of verbal praise lavished upon her every time she performed positively. Many time she is just happy to be praised still when she gets on her wheel as opposed to the edible treat. The point is it didn’t take much to completely ingrain that into her behavior. She also uses the wheel completely on her own for her enjoyment and getting her cat zoomies worked out. Even the manufacturer of the wheel said to allow your pet at least 60 days to become accustomed to the wheel and begin using it. It is common to see Bengals and other high energy cats on the wheel but mine is a beautiful tabby colored domestic medium hair born into a feral litter who I fostered when they were four weeks old from the local shelter.
My girlfriend made it using instructions from a book called "Cat Castles: 20 Cardboard Habitats You Can Build Yourself."
You think animals don't have a conscience or morality? You may want to take a look at this
This
And also this that just warmed my heart today
For the record, not everyone was raised in the social environment that gave them an edge for taking things head on. I don't think it's fair of you to speak like you know how to solve everyone's problems and that they just need to toughen up. Their own coping mechanisms may just be the reason they continue on. As someone going into social work, I hope that you have an experience that broadens your views, in a way that I probably won't be able because hey, I'm just one stranger on the internet.
Have a good day~
The New Natural Cat is great, literally an encyclopedia for everything cat-related. It has some stuff that's a little... out there (like how to telepathically let your cat know you're going on vacation) but if you just ignore the woo then it's great! I found the sections on grooming and common health problems very helpful.
My deck is actually https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tarot-78-Cards-Guidebook/dp/145217363X but that one is adorable too!
I have a cat that gets crystals, that I have to constantly manage. However, to properly know how to manage it, you need to find out if your cat has struvite or calcium oxalate crystals. Mine has had struvites, which I think is a bit easier to manage.
A few things I've learned about struvites:
A great book to read about cat health (written by a vet that takes a more "whole cat" approach, looking largely at feed) is Your Cat. It really does a great job at dissecting the current state of feline diets, and the role they play in many feline illnesses. I HIGHLY recommend it.
Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Crafting-Cat-Hair-Cute-Handicrafts/dp/1594745250/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411944853&sr=1-1&keywords=crafting+with+cat+hair Might be her thing....
Or even knit a cat to wear the baby things:
http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Your-Own-Easy---Follow/dp/1579128939/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411944885&sr=1-6&keywords=crafting+with+cat+hair
Because Mr. Orange Pants does not seem amused.
Well, to some extent this is just how they play. When my cats were newly adopted they would just hiss at each other for hours for about a week. Usually they grow used to each other, but I did things like feeding them together, playing with toys and rewarding both equally, and I think it helped a bit. This book also helped tremendously to get insight as to how cats think and respond to new environments. I used Feliway as well, but I don't think that's really what helped.
it's the Cat Tarot and I bought mine from Amazon!
The best advice I can give is to slowly reintroduce the cats. Here's an article on how you can do that and here's a book by the same author that I've heard good things about. Since you already have a gate, you can use that as an extra step to lead into the open door stage. It sounds like you're already site-swapping and letting them be together sometimes, so you'll need to take a bunch of steps back and start at the beginning. The advice I've gotten on behavior issues is "if you think you're going too slowly, go slower." You should always introduce cats slowly, and since your cats already have a negative history with each other, it's going to take a long time in each stage. Try to be patient!
A few other things:
Edit: Just saw that your vet recommended timeout and the spray bottle. Might want to consider a second opinion with a vet who has more up-to-date knowledge about behavior, or jumping straight to a veterinary behaviorist.
My adopted Bengal, Pearl, did it without training when I first brought her home (she was 1). She would drop the toy at a little distance from me and unfortunately, I tried to train her to bring it closer. Instead, I somehow extinguished the behavior completely, as she decided that "closer" really meant "drop it." Now, I'm working on it again, starting with praising her a lot every time she just picks up the toy when I throw it. Otherwise, she'll pounce and run toward the toy, but not always even pick it up. I really think it's a lot of fun for her watching me run back and forth and get down on my knees to get it myself each time I throw it! But there have been a few times when she brings it right back, and they seem a little more frequent, so that's progress.
I'm not really a trainer, but according to the little I've read, giving praise as I do for even the tiniest movement toward the end goal is how to do it. And then once the minimal behavior is established, then you can up the ante and only praise when she takes it a little bit further toward the end goa I should add that when I first got her I always praised her heavily when I fed her or when she was enjoying being petted. Now, just praise alone is a great treat for her, which I think will help motivate her during future fetch training.
I haven't finished reading it, but The Trainable Cat seems like a great book with lots of ideas and tips, and background understanding so you know better how your cat sees the world.
> Cat Training in 10 Minutes
Disappointed that this is a book, not a 10 minute video.
http://www.amazon.com/Training-Minutes-Miriam-Fields-Babineau/dp/0793805309
Time to go back to day 1 and reintroduce the cats. I highly, highly recommend getting a copy of "The Cat Whisperer" by Mieshelle Nagelschneider and following the chapter on reintroducing cats. It goes really in-depth and has the best step-by-step plan I've seen for reintroducing the cats to each other with the highest possibility for success.
this is a book
The Ghatti's Tale is on a planet called Methuen...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Ghattis-Tale-Book-Finders-Seekers/dp/0886775507
I learned a lot of them reading this book. It was pretty good!
We just recently took in a new kitten (Turbo) who is a couple of weeks older than yours. We were initially having very similar problems with constant biting.
The good news? It seems to be totally normal. From what I’ve read, there’s a ton of developmental stuff that happens between 7 to 12 weeks of age—specifically regarding kittens learning a restrained bite from play-fighting with their litter mates. Unfortunately our little balls of teeth and fury didn’t get those experiences, and thus are working through that phase on our hands, arms, and legs.
The bad news? It’s going to take a lot of patience and consistency from you and your family over the next few weeks, but this behavior can (and absolutely must) be trained out of them. Here’s what we’ve been doing that seems to be working thus far:
If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett. When we got our first cat, it helped me understand so much about their behavior and how to communicate effectively. I highly recommend it!
Good luck!
My old gal was getting to heavy on high quality, but commercial kibble. I was looking for something cheaper than raw food, which I'd used for years previously.
My vet suggested a recipe from Dr. Pitcairn (here's his book: http://www.amazon.com/Pitcairns-Complete-Guide-Natural-Health/dp/157954973X). The recipe I use is easy enough to make, once you have the supplements; it includes beans, rice, meat, vitamins, kelp, garlic, veggies and a few other things.
My dog lost about twenty pounds in three months and her back trouble disappeared.
https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tarot-78-Cards-Guidebook/dp/145217363X
I recommend reading "Think Like a Cat" as this will fill you in with all your questions and continue to be a great reference down the line. Also check out littlebigcat.com and Jackson Galaxy's youtube channel, as well as some episodes of My Cat From Hell (many are available online) to get more insight into cat behavior. In short though, some highlights:
Good luck to you and your new kitty friend!
Virtually any dog in the universe can fit the criteria of what you described, but all breeds have their little variations.
For example, my favorite breed is the German Shepherd. And there are German Shepherds that do really well in apartment life, and others that don't. If you go to a breeder for your dog, you're going to want to find a breeder that emphasizes pet quality, safe, sane dogs. The difference between a Labrador from hunting lines and lines bred for therapy and service dog work is night and day. If you go to a shelter to adopt a dog, I would recommend taking a qualified trainer with you that's well-read on selection testing dogs, and most of all, use the resources at your disposal. Talk to the people who run the shelter and/or the rescue. They have the most experience with the dog. They will be able to help you the best.
With the two breeds you mentioned (Golden Retrievers, specifically) keep in mind the shedding issue. Labs shed too, but Golden's are just about as bad as Shepherd's (which are both, very bad.) If you have carpet, be prepared to vacuum everyday. If you intend to let your dog sleep with you on the bed, or chill on the sofa, be ready to clean your furniture daily. Your clothes will be covered in hair if you do not. Your boss will not like you showing up to work wearing your dog.
Also, please, if you haven't already, look into your apartments restrictions for pets and dog breeds, and keep in mind that if you intend on moving, you will be taking your dog with you. I love all breeds of dogs, but apartments do not. Rottweilers, German Shepherd's, Doberman's, Pitbulls (and mixes) come under notorious scrutiny when moving. For your future dogs sake, pick a breed or mixed breed that your landlords are cool with.
Some of my favorite books include:
Dog Training for Dummies which is a very basic introduction to how dogs learn, and explains the different methods available to you in an unbiased manner.
Some of my personal favorite books include:
How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend by the Monks of New Skete.
The Art of Raising A Puppy by the Monks of New Skete
The Divine Canine by the Monks of New Skete
If you haven't already guessed, I'm a huge fan of the Monks of New Skete. The put huge emphasis on calm, structured leadership and positive method obedience that works in real life situations. Plus, they're German Shepherd people. Double points.
Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin.
Dr. Temple Grandin is a high-functioning autistic that teaches at Colorado State University's veterinary science department. I've taken several classes with her, and her understanding of animals is absolutely impossible to challenge. This book is more about genetic theory and science-backed training methods. It's good reading material if you want to know more about animals (she discusses dogs and livestock in detail) but is not a training guide. She also has a lot of technical articles available on her website here.
Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Harowitz. This is a cursory introduction to canine ethology. It is not a guide, but if you want to know about how dogs think (how dogs can "smell time" for example) this is where you start.
How to Speak Dog by Stanley Coren emphasizes communication with dogs, backed in animal biology and evolution.
Canine Body Language: A photographic guide by Brenda Aloff describes in vivid detail what dogs are "saying." It's not a training guide, but will help you understand your dog much better.
Katz on Dogs by Jon Katz, a great common sense training guide to working with dogs in the home, and outdoors.
Soul of a Dog also by Jon Katz, which goes into greater detail on the personal side of working with dogs, with very helpful examples.
Imagine Life With a Well Behaved Dog by Julie Bjelland. Great book on structure and positive method dog training.
Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Dr. Pitcairn was one of my college textbooks and it's a great start for dog nutrition and chemical-free health care for dogs. This is not a training guide, but nutrition and health are just as important (if not more) than training, so I figured I'd share.
With the exception of the first book on the list, all of these books are fairly detailed. I would highly recommend the Monks of New Skete books before any of the others. But they're all very good.
Additionally, you can read many of the articles on the AKC.org website regarding dog training, and Leerburg has some great comprehensive advice on training the working dog, which can also be applied to training family pets. He also sells a variety of videos and ebooks on the same subject matter.
TL;DR How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend & The Art of Raising A Puppy explain everything you ever need to know about training a dog, ever.
have you seen this book Cat vs Cat? i found it pretty useful when i had three cats.
Excuse me but I read it on Reddit so.
All credit for the below to u/Alantha
Source: National Geographic
Source: a great article on CNet.
A book link to "Cat Sense" (I've read it and really enjoyed it).
The photo is actually my own cat, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. :D
> extremely territorial with other cats
Just FYI: if you know and have access to the cat you may adopt. there are steps you can take to make this easier for you (her). it's not a deal killer, it just makes in more challenging.
EDIT: There are great books on the topic. Doing this successfully takes time on your part (up to a month or two), but biology is on your side. You may be able to make it work.
Look into: http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Vs-Keeping-Peace-ebook/dp/B001QL5MSW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381274840&sr=8-2&keywords=multiple+cats+book
The author is legit; I own this book from her, as well as others.
Cat Tarot by Megan Lynn Kott
I found them at urban outfitters but they have them on amazon!
Cat Tarot: 78 Cards and Guidebook
Is this for real? If yes, then total cat mojo.
You should read The Trainable Cat
A lot of the problems you’re describing can be corrected using the methods in this book. People make the mistake of thinking they can deal with cats the same way they deal with dogs, and then get mad when they don’t listen like it’s the cat’s fault. But it’s not. Cats have a lot more wild in them than dogs do, and need to be handled much differently. If you can implement the information in the book I linked, you may be surprised at how different your cat’s behavior becomes. If you just want someone to blindly obey you and love you with no work put forth on your end, then by all means stick to dogs.
My source was written by a veterinary Ph.D. and active researcher: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BKRW528/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1#nav-subnav
You linked to a wordpress blog and a brief article neither of which refuted anything I said. I don't know where you got the idea that I said cats weren't pets. I said it's debatable if they're domesticated.
It's been 2 years, and you have been very patient! Only a bit more to go!
Dealing with cats is as much of a skill as drawing, for example. You can look at people who have been drawing for years and think "I keep seeing people working miracles with a pencil on paper and here I am, barely able to draw a straight line". But that's not constructive, anyone can learn to draw. Talent is a part of it, but only a small one. The rest is learning and practice.
I have been reading a ton on cat behavior over the past few years. The first cat I had (when I was 6) was really mean, he would scratch me and bite me, and barely let me pet him, and I didn't understand what was going on, and my parents made me give him away. I always wanted a cat though, and wanted to understand what happened. My current cat also came with some behavior issues, but surprisingly, all this learning paid off. He is the sweetest cat and I am clicker training him to sit and give kissies. I still have much to learn, and I am trying to share what I've learned with other people in the meanwhile.
I found Pam Johnson-Bennett's books to be great. I found "Think Like a Cat" in particular to really help me understand cats. I also found My Cat From Hell to be an interesting series, and it helps in seeing interaction directly, although be aware that Jackson Galaxy is not a certified behaviorist as far as I know, and he believes in homeopathic medicine woo, so take everything he says with a grain of salt.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trainable-Cat-Practical-Making-Happier/dp/0465050905 is a good place to start.
I GOT A WEIRD OFF VIBE FROM MAN FRIEND THIS WEEKEND AND IT'S VERY UPSETTING. I AM MOVING IN 19 DAYS AND I AM SO STRESSED OUT. IT FEELS LIKE STABILITY IS NEVER GOING TO BE A THING THAT I GET TO HAVE. AMAZON RECOMMENDED THIS BOOK TO ME AND ALSO THIS BOOK. IT'S MY FUTURE.
I'm so sorry you're having to treat infections, it sounds like your cat has a more severe case! :( I am happy to tell you what has worked for us.
To cure this particular flare-up, we added water to her food for hydration and gave her some tuna (more pungent so she would eat it even with her nose clogged).
We also purchased this moving water fountain. She slurps out of that thing where she wouldn't even look at her water bowl before. We also ran a humidifier for a while. She might have been on the up and up anyway, but all of this seemed to do the trick.
I mainly try to reduce her stress by keeping everything consistent, especially the kind of litter I use. If you're not already, do consider using a dust-free corn based litter like World's Best. Their lungs are smaller and the dust can really aggravate them.
Anitra's Vitamineral Mix is something you might want to look into as a wet food supplement. I considered using Feliway like one poster here suggested, but the price kind of kept me from pulling the trigger and we've been fortunate to not have another outbreak.
You might have known all of this already, in which case just ignore me, but I really hope your kitty gets feeling better. The Natural Cat is a book that really helped me after I first adopted. I don't agree with everything she prescribes and she's big on holistic treatments (avoiding the vet and medication as much as possible) but the lady knows her cats and I think everyone has something to learn. When nothing else has worked, it might be worth a shot! Take care!
These two are general guides on cats. Both are very good:
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014200281X
This is a book on clicker training, I haven't tried the techniques, but the book seems good:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890948144
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468512743&sr=8-2&keywords=Cat+training
This book has great reviews
Since they already have the cat (kitten?) I would highly recommend the book Think Like a Cat. People think cats can't be trained, BUT THEY CAN. They should never scratch your furniture (scratching posts/ mats should be in every room) or go outside their box (it has to be cleaned twice a day, two boxes is always a good idea). Also, active play everyday is crucial. No playtime = they will fuck you up! Watching "My Cat From Hell" on youtube might help as well. Good luck!
Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life - for understanding the importance of diet and general health issues. Vicky Halls have written several books that I find well written, entertaining and full of good advice with regard to behaviour.
Sometimes the color might stain your lips, but sometimes it's intentional. My pretty.
They tell me my black dresses look like they belong with a witches broom. Something lengthy won't ride up while riding my broom, eh?
“All those poor elves I haven’t set free yet, having to stay over during Christmas because there aren’t enough hats!”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. To help my kitty pet feel festive when snow falls.
If you've ever seen Hocus Pocus, which dear goodness I hope you have you might recall the line Booo0000000OOOook! As any good witch, my animal will be a kitty, and of course, kitties can be bossy.
I inherited a naval trunk. Need something to seduce the strapping young wizards won't I?
DIY Child's Cape. I'll also need something to hand to that sobbing girl in the bathroom..
I’m getting two kittens this fall and someone recommended this book
Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat
I haven’t read it yet, but it has great reviews!
Let me recommend a good book.
It's called THINK LIKE A CAT.
I don't agree with everything the author says, but mostly she gives a lot of good practical advice.
Edit: I have no affiliation with the products I suggested, I just love them :-)
To stress the point already made, please know introductions take time. Be patient!!! Very patient. Keep conscious of your emotional reactions and be neutral. You need....and I mean need, Feliway spray and plug-ins. I had aggression issues etc with my multi-cat situation and this spray was a god send. I'll never be without it!! It also works for spraying and stressful vet visits and also bringing the cat home from the vet smelling funny to the rest of them. Use it everyday till they calm down and then use when needed.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=feliway+&x=20&y=13
The new cat should for at least a week, have it's own room or space so as to acclimate and become secure in its new environment. Introductions through partially blocked doors(enough to sniff but not attack) should be the norm for awhile. Feed all the cats together, the aggressor on one side of the door and the others on the other side. This begins to get them to have a positive association with each other. Do this also if you give treats and play with them using the cracked open door as a safe guard but keeping them doing the same activity in a positive way. As your new cat settles in, each time it gets aggressive, start over by putting it in its 'safe place'. This can take months. It's okay and normal and shake off your own stress about the time line and work involved. Remember they pick up your stress so if your neutral or positive they will eventually fall in line.
Another product I've used with much success is 'Rescue Remedy' for pets. This product works serious wonders when a cat is stressed, anxious, fearful etc, and is phenomenal when used with the Feliway spray. It's a liquid and they make act freaked out when they first take it. Give it to the cat in a calm safe room and do not react to it's reaction....the cat is fine! Mine got to the point where if I put the drops on the counter they will lick it up. The first reaction tho was to run away and hide. After about twenty minutes I would usually find them in their favorite spot napping or at least right as rain!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=rescue+remedy+pet+formula&rh=n:1055398,k:rescue+remedy+pet+formula&ajr=3
Get a few books from amazon for a multi-cat household and learn more than you do now.
http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Vs-Keeping-Peace-When/dp/0142004758/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1299807101&sr=1-3
Remember to relax and don't react to any aggression in a negative way and don't ever punish a stressed cat. (unless your a pro like my vet, who has a dreamlike quality to handling stressed animals) The reaction to getting punished when they are stressed etc could be more aggression and a longer acclimation time.
Also make sure you have enough high spots for them to perch on. Three or four cheap book shelves that you can staple carpet to and hang, kitty trees or the top of regular bookshelves will work.
I hope this helps. This coming from a cat person who it took months to get my peaceful home back and a huge learning curve. Now I have the situation under control, now that I have the right tools!!
All my best to you!!
I won't reiterate what others have said, but I want to suggest that you Watch some My Cat From Hell Episodes, I've learned so much about cats watching that show. Or at least read Total Cat Mojo by Jackson Galaxy. The guy is amazing with cats and he can help clue you in on some actions you can take to help you and kitty get along better.
Maybe this book? https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Castles-Cardboard-Habitats-Yourself/dp/1594749418
Yup. Very fun thing about kittens is they love the attention usually!!
There is this cool book I found recently if you want to learn more about cat behavior!
Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BKRW528/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0mVzzbTPC1FHW
I recommend Michelle N's book on cat behavior, it really helped me fix some behavior problems my cats were having after we moved. She describes fixing litter box problems as "making them an offer they can't refuse" with a clean litter box in an ideal location for the cat. Turns out my cats hated to new super expensive flushable corn cob litter I'd switched to after being fine with it for 3 months. I switched back to the pricey arm n hammer I'd been using, no more peeing on the furniture. And they needed daily excercise with a chase toy with a kill and a hot dog treat to stop howling all night. Anyway looks like you're on the right track, good luck!
Edited to say I know that book had ways to get rid of the neighbors cats and deter them, don't remember how it worked.
> Elephants, birds, insects, dinosaurs... how?!
I don't identify as young earth creationist and am undecided about the flood (particularly because I know so little about geology), but I disagree that ark logistics can serve as a valid argument against it. I spent a Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago looking into it for myself and this is what I came up with. Copying from my notes:
Dimensions and capacity of the ark:
Which species:
The word for "animal" is ובבהמה (be-hay-maw', Strong's 0929), which means a beast or large quadrupedal animal.
"creeping thing" is הרמשׁ (remes, Strong's 07431), which means "a reptile or any other rapidly moving animal"
The word for "breath" is נשמת (nesh-aw-maw', Strong's 05397), which can translate as "breath" or "intellect/soul". The NET footnote translates it, "everything which [has] the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils"
Number of species and genera:
Why it makes sense to count genera and not species:
Size of species:
Insects/arachnids/myriapoda:
Food storage space:
Water storage space:
Food for carnivores:
So it seems possible to me. Using the numbers above our ark is 44% full. We still need room for ramps and passageways after all. And some stretch room of course.
I highly recommend Cat Vs Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennet, and part of what this book will tell you is to separate them and then take things very, very slowly for several weeks. This book will give a step-by-step guide to how to re-introduce these cats to each other. We followed this when we added a cat to our household, and things went really well.
I am going through the same thing. I'm at the tail end of the process. Still some work to do, but overall, much better than it used to be.
My vet recommended a book called "The Cat Whisperer". There's some really great steps for the reintroduction process. The book is great to have on hand and there's no need to read through all of it to get what you need. I read bits and pieces from the relevant chapters.
Start by exchanging scents (she recommends using a clean sock or a blanket) and slowly move into viewings. Separate them before anyone can have a bad time and continue to extend the visits for longer. Make sure good things happen when they're around the other cats.
Also, a behaviorist recommended to me that we ensure the cats have plenty of vertical space and that there's plenty of food, water and litter so the cats don't get overly territorial.
The Pitcairn book is fairly good, although I think he's a little heavy on vegetable matter- but it's from decent sources, like millet, which may be more affordable to those who need to make do.
Raw and cooked food options may be more affordable here in the US, where food is so heavily subsidized that it's ridiculous how inexpensive meat is. I can get beef heart for under $1/pound when I buy 60-pound cases. We have food co-ops that help increase availability of organ meat; I don't know quite so much about the European options, but you might check at your butcher store, see what's inexpensive.
I absolutely love this deck and plan to make it my new one whenever I buy another. This is the amazon link because it’s the first to show up.
Is this the book? Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143131613/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.InSDb2QV9EYS
So, I was reading a book called Cat Sense (by former AMA'er John Bradshaw), and he offers the idea that, while capture, spay/neuter, release is a good thing, it's possible that it will quickly start to favor, evolutionarily, those feral animals (cats, of course, in the case of his book) that are wild enough to be difficult or impossible to catch (since they'll just keep on reproducing, while the more tame/social-with-humans animals will be taken out of the gene pool).
Any thoughts on this?
I'll thank you for enforcing my inference that secularism is a magnet of some of the rudest, most arrogant people I've ever come across. I'm absolutely astounded as to how you expect me to take you or your tired masquerade seriously when not only have you failed to refute my worldview, but instead have to rely on tired polemics and question begging premises to even muster a response among a bombardment of petty insults. Regardless of our differences in worldviews, I must offer my contention that I feel sorry for anyone who feels the need to be the source of such vulgarity. Even if you think I'm wrong it's just simply disappointing that you fail to treat me like a proper human being.
You insist that the sources I provided are unsound because a few of them are uncited when the purpose of those articles is to serve the role of a historian; collect uncontroversial evidence that can easily be verified by a Google search and make an inference. The Wikipedia articles cites the inferences of experts and the scholar I linked demonstrated that the premises made by those experts are unsound. He thus refutes their inference. Simple.
I did neglect that /r/Creation is private, so I'll put /u/JoeCoder's comment here:
Dimensions and capacity of the ark:
Which species:
Number of species and genera:
Why it makes sense to count genera and not species:
Size of species:
Insects/arachnids/myriapoda:
Food storage space:
Water storage space:
Food for carnivores:
So it seems possible to me. Using the numbers above our ark is 44% full. We still need room for ramps and passageways after all. And some stretch room of course."
Your other claims are superfluous at best, completely irrelevant at worst.
There isn't any clinical research showing the health benefits of raw, but the people at r/rawpetfood could probably direct you to studies on nutrition in general. The only study I have seen was one showing that owners of raw fed pets believed their pets to be more healthy, but that means absolutely nothing in terms of the true benefits. There are a few studies showing that raw meat is more digestible than the meat in kibble, but cooked ground meat still scored even higher.
A book that might be useful is Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. This is at least written by someone with a PhD in veterinary microbiology and immunology. A lot of other supposed "veterinary" advocates of raw food have PhDs in bullshit fields like "natural nutrition." Natural nutrition is not a real field. Actual scientists recognize that the naturalistic fallacy has no place in research. But I wouldn't hold out for a thoroughly peer-reviewed and respected study on the benefits of raw feeding.