5 comments about Outwitting Cats: Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Persuading the Felines in Your Life That What YOU Want Is Also What THEY Want (Outwitting).

1. I have lived with kitties my entire adult life and love them dearly. I also have many "how to" kitty books. This is by far the best. Interesting, fun, and comprehensive. What more can we ask? Buy it! You need this book!



2. I have been looking for the cat complement to Dr. Fogel's wonderful "The Dog's Mind" ("The Cat's Mind" isn't it!). This book fits the bill. For someone who knows virtually nothing about cats and did not intend to have one, the introduction to the physical and mental nature of felines is indespensible. The behaviors covered are exactly what is needed as well. The author is obviously a "cat person" and gets a little biased, but the info is still solid. And it is so well-written that I had a hard time putting it down!
   
   Whether or not you agree with the title ("Outwitting" is a series, BTW, and authors had to kinda retrofit their writing to fit the theme - Outwitting Dogs is another excellent entry in the series), this book holds nothing but useful information.



3. This book was very informative and entertaing at the same time. I highly recommend!



4. This is a wonderful and practical book about feline behavior and why your cat is the way it is. It lays it out straight to those of us who couldn't figure out why our cat would never listen when told "No!" and never come when she is called. They're cats, not dogs, not babies... they are independent-minded and headstrong and no amount of punishing, bribing or begging will get the cat to do exactly what you say.
   
   The book is full of practical information about how to deal with "naughtiness", how to read your cat's body and vocal language, and how to be a better cat parent. It's also decidedly funny and even tongue-in-cheek at times ("Mewphy's Law #11: If you pester a cat long enough, you will get scratched. Mewphy's Law #12: You will deserve it.") It's packed with information about the history of cats and the physiology of cats, but the really pertinent information is the psychology and behavioral aspects of cats, something that most cat-care books don't give a lot of information on.
   
   This book is really excellent, particularly if you're new to owning cats (as I am) and need a little bit of guidance in figuring out their personality.



5. This book is interesting and easy to read, and I definitely learned from it, despite the fact that I'm no beginner with cats.
   It provides a good basics, from a history of the domestic cat, to an overview of a cats body structure, to tips on making your house more "cat friendly." I was just a bit dissapointed in the "outwitting" suggestions though.
   Although there are a few ideas that I may try, many were either obvious (to outwit a cat who eats magazines, put the magazines in a drawer), gross (to outwit a cat who eats off your plate, just let them have a few bites and they'll lose interest) or impractical (to outwit a cat jumping on furniture that you don't want them to, set up motion-activated audio recordings of you yelling.)
   I would still recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning about cat behavior and/or looking for ideas on improving their cat household. It's one of the best overall cat books I've read, but the title is just a little bit misleading.

5 comments about Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers: Stories that celebrate our feline friends (Cup of Comfort).

1. This is an excellent book for cat lovers, filled with short stories both happy and sad.



2. This book is simply wonderful for any animal lover, but purr-fect for cat lovers. Each story, there are 50, is enjoyable and there is not one among them that won't touch you in some way. Each tale is unique but carries a common heart-warming thread. You could reasonably read a complete story in small snatches of stolen time, or you may find you must keep reading. :-)
   
   You will laugh and cry and you will FEEL. The stories in this book are short in duration but long on feeling. The reader comes away with a better understanding of just how much they will never wholly understand the depth of soul held by our feline friends. I have 2 kitties myself and have always had cats in my life. I have long held the belief that cats have personalities and spirits and a greater intelligence and sense of empathy they are usually given credit for. This book proves the point many times over.
   
   I loved reading this medley from the first story to the last. What a fantastic collection.



3. I bought this book from the recommendation of my mother who is also the mommy to two Tonkinese cats. My kids adore her cats, and although we have a dog in our household, after reading this book, I can see why so many are touched by cats, and how individual they really are. This book definitely had a warm and wonderful touch that brought smiles and tears to my eyes!



4. The best book I have ever read about our feline friends.Each author shows its love of cats.I highly recommen this book to anybody who has or does not have a cat."The Power of the Purr"was one of the best of the short stories.The compasson showen by both the author and our animal friends makes you feel good inside. Thanks Gail.



5. You can't meet the mysterious eyes of a cat and not think about what she's been up to. Now we know.
   
   Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers is a delightful anthology that includes 50 kitty-inspired tales guaranteed to charm any feline fan. Whether you're in the mood for a laugh or a tug of the heartstrings, this satisfying volume delivers.

2 comments about Garfield Fat Cat Three Pack Volume VII (Garfield Fat Cat Three Pack).

1. Garfield is one the worlds most famouse cats, It's almost a sin not to love him!!! He gives us three times the laughs in a book so funny, you'll need to get mental help before you forget some of his funniest moments.



2. This book is humor way off reality. Do you know Garfield hates spiders? When he kills a spider, Jon open his newspaper,magazine,etc,and find a HUGE imprint of the spider! That's all for now. BYE!

4 comments about The Stray Cat Handbook (Howell Reference Books).

1. Ms. Kreuz's book is truly the textbook for all things feral cat-related. The book even contains some extremely useful information for anyone considering starting their own cat rescue organization or for the average person just wondering what they can do to help that scrawny stray without getting an arm clawed off in the process. Well-written, clear, and concise- I can't recommend this book enough to anyone interested in feline welfare.



2. This is an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in helping stray cats. Using advice I garnered primarily from this book and my vet, I turned a wounded stray cat into a contented house cat.



3. I heard this author was on TV after winning a special award because of its concise and well written content.



4. This book gives a clear cut, no nonsense, help for those of us with many stray and feral cats in our neighborhoods. As the preface states: "it is a definite how to guide for helping the millions of stray and feral cats currently living outdoors."

4 comments about Natural Nutrition for Cats: The Path to Purr-fect Health.

1. This little gem really spells out how to feed your cat. I have known for years that a raw diet is the best way to feed them, but I could never get my two boys to eat anything raw. This book has helped me feed them right. I am almost there. In another few days they will be eating a completely raw diet. I no longer give them dried food. I know they like it but it is so bad for them, even the high quality, low carb variety that I have because it has been cooked. My cats have already lost weight and their coats are shinier and healthier. Knowing what I know about the human diet (that we eat too many carbs and not enough fat) I am certain that having my cats eat an ancestral diet is the way to keep them healthy and disease free. I highly recommend this book if you want your cats to live a long and healthy life.



2. I found the subject intriguing and have a lot of respect for holistic approaches. The discussion of the dark side of the pet food industry was troubling and made me really rethink what I am feeding to my cat. I also respect the author's emphasis in obtaining nutrients from food (the synergistic blend of nutrients in food can't be duplicated in a lab) rather than pills and supplements. Her approach to nutrition can and should very easily transfer to how we (humans) should eat for optimal health.
   
   Unfortunately, there is some seriously sloppy science and argumentation that occurs in the book. For one, the author states that grains should not be part of a cat's diet. Grains are cheap and make up a large part of commercial cat food. Cats are evolutionarily equipped to eat raw meat so that's what we should feed our cats. She insists that this is safe because cats survived millions of years eating raw meat without bacterial problems. The problem in this country is that our farm animals are eating things that they were not evolutionarily equipped to eat. Cows being fed grain has resulted in the evolution of acid-resistant E. coli strains. The acid-resistant E. coli strains have been an issue for human health too. Our farm chickens are also raised in very unsanitary conditions resulting in higher levels of Salmonella, making me very wary of feeding raw chicken to my cat. The author did warn against feeding our cats raw pork because it might not be safe - I'm not sure why she thinks pork is unsafe while beef and chicken are. As far as I know, the main reason why people cooked pork to well done was to kill the parasitic roundworm Trichinella spiralis. Nowadays, the risk of contracting trichinosis from eating undercooked pork is very rare. But T. spiralis is still found in wild animals. So yes, it is natural for cats to hunt and eat wild animals like rabbits. But it is also natural for cats to contract parasites from these natural diets. While the author stresses that we should try to feed our cats organic meats if budgets allow. I agree with this. But feeding our cats raw conventional meat has its potential risks. The author clearly has her own agenda and makes no mention of these potential risks. She dismisses any real discussion about these risks by giving anecdotes of all the healthy pets she and her vet have met who eat raw food diets. These anecdotes are helpful but they are not scientific.
   
   While criticizing how the pet food industry derives its nutrient formulations from studies done on animals that are not cats, the author will make a case for why artificial dyes, benzoic acid, BHA,BHT, MSG, and citric acid are bad for cats while referencing studies that most likely were not done on cats (I'm not entirely sure because the author never footnotes any of the scientific claims she makes). I understand that it is not scientifically sound to make conclusions about cat nutrition if all the studies done were done on horses because they are two different animals, but as someone who is relatively familiar with the scientific process, many of the breakthroughs found in human nutrition were from studies done on animals that were not human. Other breakthroughs were from accidents - yes it's sad that many kitties died because the pet food industry did not realize that taurine was an essential amino acid. It's happened in the human world too. Sometimes the only way to figure out FOR SURE that something is essential for a particular animal is to do testing on that animal. But I'm sure if scientists were starving some cats of an essential nutrient to prove that it is essential, the author and others would throw a fit.
   
   All in all, the book does a good job in starting a cultural dialogue on the issue. That's it. Hopefully it can result in more scientific inquiry on what is best for our cats. Until then, I will be on the lookout for better resources.



3. Lots of great (scary!) info on the unregulated pet food industry in this country. If you are on the border about switching your cat to a raw food diet, this book will give you the motivation to never feed with commercial pet food again! Lots of detail on how to make your own food and what supplements to add (and why). After conventional vets could do no more for my kitty (and I think were making him worse!) I started taking him to a small-animal osteopath/homeopath. She has been using raw diets on her animals for 12 years and said she found that the animals actually do better on just whole ground up animals (including some liver, heart, gizzard and the ground bones). She did not recommend feeding extra supplements.. If all the supplement preparation in the book looks too overwhelming for you, just try the ground up animal since it is still WAY better than the commercial poisons. Just remember that you must include some taurine (heart and gizzards) and a small amount of liver and some bone for them to get a balanced diet. I think the supplement controversy comes in because cats eating whole animals would eat the stomach and everything and most likely get some vegetable matter from what their prey (mostly mice) would eat. Find a good butcher who will grind whole chickens, cornish hens or quail, rabbits, and turkey meat with added organ meats. They will most likely want to do it at the close of business just before they clean their machines since they would contaminate other meats ground afterwards.. Get the meat coarse-ground and add some small cut-up pieces if you have the time so your kitty has something to chew on.. Also,try to get meats without hormones or antibiotics since cats little bodies really aren't equipped to handle all that either.. although, raw with hormones and antibiotics is still better than commercial as well.. Have patience, if your kitty is addicted to his crunchies, you may have to put a few in the raw food to get him to start eating.. My sister and I both did the "sink or swim" philosophy with our cats (here's the food, eat it) and they both took to it pretty quickly.. and are eating with gusto now! One great benefit is that their poo gets tiny and all dried up with no smell! My kitty had HUGE stinky poo before the raw diet: guess the commercial food had so little nutrient value that it all came out in the litter box! ..Oh, and my kitty is now putting weight back on and his fur is getting thicker every day!



4. This book contains information that every pet owner should know about! I have a good friend whos cat was killed by eating a well known brand of cat food that was included in the pet food recall last year. This book gives you all the information you need to protect yourself and your cat from such a tragic fate. The book is a worthy follow up to Kymythy Schultze's other two books that I recommend to everyone. The No-Cook book for People and Pets is my favorite receipe book of all time, and the Natural Nutrion for Dogs and Cats book was what started me feeding a homemade diet years ago. She has done a brilliant job of updating the information in the first book and adding new and very timely information for cats and their people. As usual Ms. Schultze adds her brand of humor and charm to the subject, making it a very enjoyable read. I really enjoyed the cat pictures too. Great book!

3 comments about What Vets Don't Tell You About Vaccines.

1. This is an excellent reference with easy to understand explanations a lay person can readily use when taking their dogs to the vet. I wish this information would have been available when my dogs were pups. I would not have exposed them to repeated vaccines. I believe some of their current health issues are because I blindly went along with my traditional vet's recommendations. I am very glad this is in print again since it is heavily referenced in her newest book "Shock To The System" which I highly recommend!



2. About ten years ago I had no idea there was any controversy regarding annual vaccinations.
   
   I then watched the World in Action programme in which Catherine O'Driscoll was highlighting the dangers of the vaccination programme. I was shocked. I felt sure the Veterinary Establishment would prosecute her for bringing their work in to disrepute but, no - they met behind closed doors instead!
   
   I then got her book and decided to thoroughly read it - and I was even more shocked but, at least I understood why the Veterinary Establishment didn't prosecute her: because the information in her book came from the vet's own manuals; own handbooks - hence the title: 'What Vets Don't Tell You About Vaccines'.
   
   For anyone who really really really love their dogs, this book is a must.
   
   In Summary:
   
   MLV vaccines should not be given to those with B and/or T cell immunodeficiencies
   
   MLV vaccines should not be given to those with allergies, skin disease, heart disease, neurological problems
   
   MLV vaccines can stimulate autoimmune diseases
   
   In addition to 'faulty genes', environmental factors can render vaccines harmful
   
   Vaccines can overwhelm even a healthy host if negative environmental factors exist
   
   We question the assertion that only a tiny minority of animals are affected
   
   Vets have not been taught the full truth about vaccines.
   
   And that says it all. A friend of mine puts it more simply:
   
   Healthy animals don't need them,
   And unhealthy ones shouldn't have them,
   So no animal should get them!



3. We people have a tendency to believe that anyone whom we think know more than we do, are "gods". By this definition all that we don't understand, and that people tell us, we tend to believe and honor as true...like sheep in a herd we follow the leader.
   Ms O'Driscoll makes sure that NO ONE who reads this book will leave untouched by the facts she unconvers. And it is not one fact, it is one after another! One more horrifying than the other. She shows that very many of today's allergies, asthma, arthritis etc are really often due to immunization and booster vaccines. I say, this book is not only good, it is NECESSARY!
   It is written about dogs, but make no mistake: dogs are people too. And we have blood, heart and spleen, like any dog. We are made up with the same system and "they" push and FORCE us to inoculate or children, to actually SET THEM UP for lifelong suffering. And then they deny it.
   I wish everyone - even people without pets read it, and especially - I wish a book like this was written also concerning humans. This is SUCH an easy to read book, with SUCH a chocking message, and this is something we need to take our hearts today. Now. Not wait. Knowledge is power, ignorance is extremely expensive.

5 comments about The Cat Who Came for Christmas.

1. "The Cat Who Came for Christmas" is an utter joy to read. If one obtains pleasure from cats as I do, Amory's memoir will allow them to purr and feel the feline's silky fur against their skin.
   
   As an animal activist, Amory did not own his own cat, but suddenly, out of nowhere; he is (owned) by a stray that he calls Polar Bear. If anybody has ever had a cat, they know that she will take over the entire house as Amory's cat does. Didn't you know that cats are the center of the universe?
   
   Amory talks to Polar Bear as if he's his best friend, and the reader enters into a dialogue of sweet ecstasy. Amory takes the cat's personality and characteristics and makes him human. It's almost as if Polar Bear should be sitting at the kitchen table with a knife and fork eating his Fancy Feast!
   
   The writing is beautiful.... long flowing sentences.... charming insight about the cat's world, life, beauty, grace, and breathtaking nine lives. I loved it!



2. I received "The Cat Who Came for Christmas" as a Christmas gift, and I could not put down this biography of Polar Bear and his human. Some aspects of the true story made me sad, but Cleveland Amory's love for animals was inspiring. I love cats, but I am unemployed now due to multiple sclerosis (MS), so I cannot afford the responsibly of adopting a kitty. I have a lot of time and love to devote to a shelter cat, but I have no money. Caring for a cat or kitten would make my life so much better.
   
   Christine Powers
   Waltham, MA



3. Amory's tale of his rescued cat in their first year together is a classic. Any cat lover can tell you, saying that a cat is strange, peculiar, or particular is simply redundant. Yet, they are as individual as finger prints. And in spite of their circumstances, many of them are very loving and generous with their time and attention (except when they're sleeping of course). Amory's Polar Bear, white cat, green eyes, is a perfect example of feline gratitude.
   
   Rescuing an animal is often as traumatic for the rescuer as it is for the rescued. They do not understand what the person is trying to do or why. Often they've been abused, verbally or physically, by nearly every person they've ever met. The ability to bounce back, as Polar Bear shows, is indicative of the capacity and need for love that cats have. When their person demonstrates such love, they will put up with shots, vet visits, even cat psychiatrist visits; although not without letting everyone know what they they think of it.
   
   Amory has given the world a story that all people owned by cats can appreciate. I'm sure that most cats who know the story approve as well. This could be a cautionary tale for unwary people who have no experience with cats. It certainly is a wonderful recounting of a cat and person relationship, one that we who are owned by cats applaud.



4. I am a cat lover and once, I had a Christmas cat too. She was a stray and she visited me on the eve of Christmas. From then on, we're friends. As much as I would like to give this book a 5-star rating, I couldn't do it. It started all right and after all, it's 5 more days to Christmas -- a great time to read something like this. I even like it's first sentence: "To anyone who has ever been owned by a cat, it will come as no surprise that there are all sorts of things about your cat you will never, as long as you live, forget."
   
   Sadly, further down the reading, it got tired. Too much historical details and whatever else. I had to force myself to continue reading and there came a point I just can't do it anymore. I waved the white flag. Don't get me wrong, I love cats but I wished the book could've been more reader-friendly.



5. I love this book and have read it three times over the years. From the first page I found myself fascinated by the relationships, the personalities, the emerging love between this strong-willed kitty and the people who were trying to save him from a brutal life on the streets of New York.
   
   If you love cats, or if you would just like to understand "cat people" better, this is a light, quick read that will make you smile.
   
   It's not great literature (hence, the four stars) but it is a memorable and charming tale that I will probably read for a fourth time someday. I'm glad I bought it and I highly recommend it.

No comments about Good Cat Spell Book.

5 comments about Why Paint Cats: The Ethics of Feline Aesthetics.

1. Buy this book and share with all your friends- the cat painted as a showgirl got a great laugh here at work.



2. I don't know what I was expecting in this book. I had seen a couple of the pictures out of context and was intrigued by the paint jobs on these cats. My first disappointment in the book came when I opened the package and discovered just how tiny this book was. I had not paid attention to the size listed on Amazon and was very upset that the book was so tiny and the pictures so small. As I flipped through the book, the stories behind each paint job were entertaining. A good number of the paint jobs began to disturb me in their weirdness. Some of the cats were admittedly beautiful enhanced with "naturalistic" paint jobs, but others were quite humiliating and I cannot fathom why someone would want their cats painted in a humiliating way. I have not opened the book since zipping through it the first one or two times and would hesitate at recommending it to a true cat lover.
   
   About a week after posting the above review, I found out that the cat paintings in this book were likely computer generated (check out snopes). If that is true then even the stories behind the paint jobs are a farce. Yet another reason not to bother buying this book.



3. (As a cat lover) I wish my cat could look at this book. I am sure he would be entertained!! The enhancement of a beautiful animal is much appreciated. I love it when children look at this book. Their comments are wonderful.



4. I bought this work on the way to a party a few years ago.. It became an instant hit. People who were shy and didnt know anyone, bored children, happy party people, everyone took a few minutes to pore through this book, talk about it to their neighbors.. and debate which cats they liked best, and what they they thought of the idea of cat painting.
   
   A splendid, funny, thought provoking book, that will forever cahnge the way you look at cats.



5. I did not notice these were miniature books only 4" by 4", you can't see any of the paintings they are too small.

5 comments about Mog the Forgetful Cat (Mog).

1. I bought this book for my children as it was my favorite one as a child. Too bad the publisher has changed some words for political correctness. Buy the vintage version, not a new copy. Most disappointing.



2. I first bought this book for my daughter when she was 3. she is now 31 and I am buying Mog second time around for the next generation. How's that for staying power and enjoyment?



3. Some stories stay with you forever...this is definitely one of them for me! I remember so many things from this book, "Drat that Cat!" being the number one thing. I also fondly recall the family sitting around the dining table eating breakfast and each of them having little egg cups for their soft-boiled eggs. How they served the thief (who wears a little mask over his eyes!) coffee while they wait for the policeman to get their statements. And of course the accident-prone yet loveable MOG! The illustrations are beautifully rendered and the story is so one-of-a-kind. Terrific and highly recommended book!



4. This book was one of my favorites as a child, so I purchased a copy to give my four year old niece for Christmas. I couldn't believe they changed the best part of the story, and replaced it with "Bother That Cat"
   
   I had my original copy for years, and read it often when I worked as a nanny or in daycare. The children always loved shouting "Drat That Cat!" at Mog's antics.
   
   Disappointed.



5. My granddaughter loves this book and it has to be read to her over and over again, especially at bedtime. I think she identifies with someone who is forgetful, but for whom things work out in the end. This book has been giving us no end of pleasure.