Introduction 1
About This Book 2
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Starting to Think Cat 5
Chapter 1: Together, Forever: A History of Cats and People 7
From Humble Beginnings: How Cats Became So Popular 8
Some Common Misconceptions about Cats — and the Facts 11
“All cats are cold fish” 11
“Cats love places, not people” 12
“Cats can take care of themselves” 13
Can You Have a Cat If You Have Allergies? 14
The Indoor versus Outdoor Controversy 15
Chapter 2: Kitten or Adult? Boy or Girl? One Cat or More? 19
Kitten or Cat: Which Is a Better Choice for You? 20
Everyone loves kittens! 20
Adult cat considerations 21
She-Kitty, He-Kitty: Which One’s Better? 23
Let the Fur Fly 24
Should You Consider a Pedigreed Cat? 26
Characteristics by Breed 28
The go-go group 30
A touch of the wild 31
Longhaired beauties 33
The big cats 34
Something different 35
The unCATegorizables 36
The Not-So-Ordinary Everyday Cat 37
Chapter 3: Mixes, Markings, and Pedigrees 39
What You Need to Know about Shelters 41
Animal-control shelters 43
Private nonprofit shelters 43
Volunteer Rescue-and-Placement Groups 45
Breeders: The Reputable, the Ill-Informed, and the Avoid-at-All-Costs 46
Finding the elusive “good breeder” 46
Shopping at the cat show 47
Online shopping 48
Spotting the less-than-ideal breeders 49
Pet Stores: What about Those Kittens in the Window? 51
Your Neighbor’s (Or Coworker’s) Kittens 52
Chapter 4: The Wild Ones: Special Cats, Special Considerations 53
Help for the Wild Ones 54
Finding the solution that isn’t 55
Offering a new way of thinking: Trap, Neuter, Release 55
But aren’t these cats pests? 56
Getting Your Feet Wet: How to Help 58
First, do no harm 58
Helping the helpers 59
Feeding community cats: Help or harm? 60
Learning to Care for Community Cats 60
Setting up a routine 60
Lining up help 61
Trapping cats 63
Spaying and neutering cats 64
Releasing cats 64
Housing considerations 65
Part 2: Getting Off to a Good Start 69
Chapter 5: Choosing a Healthy, Happy Kitten or Cat 71
Evaluating the Environment 72
Getting a read on a kitty’s history 73
Making special considerations 74
Choosing a Kitten 75
Adopting at the ideal age 75
Looking at a litter 76
Personality testing your kitten 77
Considering the Second-Chance Kitty 80
Recognizing Good Health in Kittens and Cats 82
The outer cat 82
The inner cat 84
Taking a Leap of Faith with Your Eyes Open! 85
Chapter 6: One Is Never Enough: The Multicat Household 87
You’re in Good Company 88
Another cat — for your cat 88
Another cat — for you 90
Adding to the Family 91
Understanding territoriality 92
Choosing compatible cats 92
Caring for More than One Cat 94
Litter box strategies 94
Cat trees, cubbies, and hiding places 95
Feeding time at the cat ranch 96
Multicat Medical Concerns 98
Parasite problems 98
Infectious viral diseases 99
Chapter 7: Setting Your Cat up for Success 101
Pre-Cat Preparations 102
Eliminating household hazards 102
Organizing a “safe room” 107
Bringing Your New Pet Home 110
Hello, Kitty! 112
Children 112
Other cats 114
Dogs 117
Other pets 119
Chapter 8: Think Like a Cat to Understand a Cat 121
Making Sense of Cat Senses 122
Smell 122
Hearing 124
Vision 124
Taste 125
Touch 125
Speaking “Cat” 126
Eyes 126
Ears 126
Tail 127
Voice 127
Hair and whiskers 128
Posture 129
Chapter 9: Feline Friendly: From Cat Toys to Catios 133
A New Era for Indoor Kitties 134
A Cat Can’t Have Enough Toys 135
Why toys are even more important to an indoor cat 135
With so many choices, go as crazy as you like 135
Feline Furnishings Cats Adore 137
Why every cat needs a place to scratch 137
Perches, catwalks, and shelves 138
Turn on the fun 139
A Constant Supply of Nibblies 140
Finding food is fun 140
Going green 140
A Whiff of Fresh Air 141
Leashes, strollers, and backpacks 142
The very best in cat remodels: The catio! 142
Some Final Thoughts on Environmental Enrichment 145
Someone to play with 145
The you factor 146
Part 3: Enjoying Life Together 147
Chapter 10: Solving Behavior Problems 149
Understanding “Bad” Behavior 151
Looking at the Root of Unwanted Behavior 152
Strategies for Changing Behavior 153
Yes, kitty! 154
No, kitty! 154
Calm kitty 155
Fairness 155
Attacking Behavior Problems 156
Aggression 156
Counter-cruising 159
Clawing 159
Should you consider declawing? 163
Noisiness 164
Chapter 11: Getting Good Litter Box Behavior 167
Defining the Problem 168
What’s being done, and where? 169
Which cat is the culprit? 171
Is Your Cat Sick? 171
Use the Box, Kitty! 174
Cleanliness is next to catliness 175
Offering alternatives 176
Discouraging misbehavior 178
Stopping Sprayers in Their Tracks 179
Retraining through isolation 180
Chapter 12: Out and About with Your Cat 183
Is Your Cat Up to Travel? 184
Health considerations 186
Temperament considerations 186
Leaving Your Pet Behind 186
Prepare for emergencies 187
Pet-sitters 188
Boarding facilities 189
Taking Your Pet with You 190
Air travel 192
Car travel 195
Moving Your Cat to a New Home 195
Using a safe room for moving 196
Anticipating problems 197
Allowing time for readjustment 198
Chapter 13: Littering: Should Your Cat Become a Parent? 201
The Case Against Breeding 202
Spaying and Neutering: What’s Involved? 203
The Birds and the Bees, Kitty-Style 205
Choosing a mate 206
The “oops” pairing 207
Caring for a Pregnant Cat 207
Happy Birthday, Babies 209
Special delivery! 210
After the birth 211
Kitten Development 212
Birth to two weeks 212
Two weeks to eight weeks 213
Eight weeks to fourteen weeks 214
The adolescent kitten 215
Saying Good-Bye to the Babies 215
Chapter 14: Home Care: Good Grooming and More 219
Fur, the Purrfect Complement 220
Why Cats Groom 220
What’s in It for You? 222
Tools of the Trade 223
Coat-care tools 224
Nail-trim aids 225
The Importance of Patience 226
Keeping Kitty Coats in Shape 227
Combing and brushing 228
Cat + water + soap = Oh, my! 229
Keeping parasites under control 230
Clipping Your Cat’s Claws 236
Dental Care 238
Chapter 15: Feeding Your Cat 241
Convenience at a Price? 242
Maintaining the “Perfect” Cat Diet 243
Fulfilling Basic Nutritional Needs 244
Protein 244
Carbohydrates 245
Fats 245
Vitamins 246
Minerals 246
Water 247
Choosing Foods 248
What type? 250
When to feed? 251
What about veterinarian-prescribed foods? 251
Treat your cat! 253
Curbing Eating Problems 254
The too-much cat 255
The finicky kitty 256
Part 4: The Basics of Good Health 259
Chapter 16: Preventive Healthcare for Your Cat 261
Recognizing Signs of Good Health and Bad 262
The physical cat 263
Vital signs 265
The emotional cat 267
Choosing a Veterinarian 269
Understanding Your Veterinarian’s Role in Preventing Illness 271
The not-so-routine exam 271
Vaccinations 272
Parasite control 274
Recognizing Emergencies 276
Chapter 17: Common Cat Health Problems 279
A Cooperative Approach to Cat Health 280
When Does My Cat Need a Specialist? 281
Some Common Health Problems 283
Abscesses 284
Upper respiratory infection 285
Difficulty breathing 286
Three nasty viruses 287
Urinary tract disease 290
Kidney diseases 291
Diabetes mellitus 293
Heart disease 294
Tumors 296
Giving Your Cat Medication 298
Pilling your pet 298
Liquid medication 299
Ear medication 299
Eye medication 300
Chapter 18: Caring for an Older Cat 303
How Old Is “Old”? 304
Normal Signs of Aging 306
Decline of the senses 306
Changes in appearance 307
Behavior changes 307
Special Care for Kitty Teeth 309
Common Problems 310
Hyperthyroidism 310
Constipation/Obstipation 313
Osteoarthritis 313
Home hospice care 314
Knowing When It’s “Time” 314
Euthanasia options 315
Dealing with loss 316
Part 5: The Part of Tens 319
Chapter 19: Ten Cat Myths Debunked 321
Cats Have Nine Lives 321
Cats Need to Drink Milk 322
Cats Purr Whenever They’re Happy 323
Cats Eat Plants If They’re Sick 324
Cats Are Dangerous around Babies 325
Cats Can Be Kept from Using Their Claws 327
A Well-Fed Cat Doesn’t Hunt 327
Cat Fur Causes Allergies 328
Black Cats Are Bad Luck 329
All Calicoes Are Female 330
Chapter 20: Ten Cool Cat-Related Places To Visit 331
Hemingway House 333
The American Museum of the House Cat 333
Citywide Cat Celebration 334
Purrfectly Pedigreed 334
When in Rome, Help the Cats 335
The Ultimate Destination for Cat Cafes 335
Hello Kitty! 336
Snuggle with a Library Cat (While You Still Can) 336
No, They Don’t Throw Real Cats Anymore 337
Safe Home for Big Cats 337
Chapter 21: Ten Common Household Dangers to Your Cat 339
Strings and Similar Things 340
A Shocking Experience 341
The Warm and Deadly Dryer 341
Pain Medicines That Kill 342
Toxic Plants 343
Garage Dangers 344
Four-Wheeled Menace 345
Towering Danger 345
Parasite Products for Dogs 346
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Help Your Cat in a Disaster 347
Have a Plan 348
Have a Grab-and-Go Disaster Kit 348
Get Your Cat ID — and Keep It Current 348
Keep Preventive Care Measures and Health Records Current 349
Have Restraints Ready 350
Keep First-Aid Supplies on Hand — with Directions 350
Know the Locations of Nearby Veterinary Hospitals and Other Animal Services 351
Keep a “Lost Kitty” Kit Ready 351
Corral Your Cat 352
Be Prepared to Help Others 352
Chapter 23: Ten Nonprofits Worthy of Your Donations 353
Winn Feline Foundation 354
Alley Cat Allies 354
The Jackson Galaxy Project 355
Morris Animal Foundation 355
Shelter Medicine Programs 356
Help with Spay-Neuter 356
Cat Sanctuaries 357
Big-Box Advocacy 357
Veterinary Schools and Colleges 357
Local Shelters and Rescue Groups 358
Index 359
