5 comments about Whole Health for Happy Cats: A Guide to Keeping Your Cat Naturally Healthy, Happy, and Well-Fed (Quarry Book).

1. Very helpful! The author, Sandy, knows a lot about the health of cats. I recommend it to anyone who loves their kitty cats.



2. This book is wonderful. It is just packed with information for keeping your cat healthy. Wonderfully written and illustrated with side notes filled with bursts of info that you will reflect back to over & over again. Most treatments, for common cat aliments, are all natural cures but it also lets you know when to call the vet & how to be a partner with your vet when your cat needs medical aid. Beautifully illustrated with rich photos of normal cats. Good book for anyone regardless of experience with cats. You will learn why you cat does what they do and what to do when it is a problem. Info ranges from kittenhood to litter box to calorie control to illness remedies - this book will never get dusty on a shelf, it has gained a permanent spot on the table by my chair.



3. Whole Health for Happy Cats has become my cat bible. It lives in the kitchen with my `human' recipe books. Like them, it's covered in...ahem... `stuff', as I refer to it so often, particularly with regard to making nutritionally-balanced, cat-appropriate food.
   
   My three cats are benefiting greatly from the info on nutrition and gentle holistic means for treating illness and disease. I'm also benefiting by saving a fortune on vet visits and expensive drugs that often just treat the symptom, not the cause. I feel so much more empowered knowing that I can treat common ailments myself, using items readily available from most health food stores. The book also explains when I should go to the vet without delay. The book is thoroughly researched using the latest information available. For this reason, it's far more useful than older books on the subject.
   
   Without this book, I wouldn't have the confidence to make my animals' food myself. This book has all the information I need to know that the food I'm giving them is not only enjoyable for them to eat, but is nutritionally balanced, based on the latest research in cat nutrition. Given the tragic pet food contamination that killed thousands of cats and dogs, I can sleep at night knowing that my guys won't be the victims of less-than-optimum quality control and cat-inappropriate `filler' ingredients that are in so many commercial pet foods.
   
   I particularly love the `mix and match' table which shows you how to nutritionally balance various types of meat with the other things cats' need.
   
   For those who don't want to make their cats' meals, the book includes details on what to look for in commercial cat food, and what to avoid.
   
   The book covers a whole raft of issues including diet, first aid, treating minor ailments, behavioural issues, reducing stress during vet visits, cat-toxic plants, how to introduce cats to each other to minimise hissing, spitting and flying fur, solving toilet troubles and how to resolve conflict in multi-cat households. There's even a recipe for safe, cat-appropriate tooth paste to maintain good teeth and gum health (I'm psyching myself up to try that out) and a gentle tummy soother.
   
   The book is very easy to read, with lots of gorgeous photos, side bars, graphs and tables and interesting facts and figures. An absolute winner. I've given copies of this book to others and it's also in my public library.
   
   My cats are healthy, lean, purring machines and they have this book and the author's extensive knowledge to thank for that. Every purrson should have a copy.



4. I first found the web-site and bought the book; first for myself and then many friends. It's so very wonderfully written. Nothing 'in your face' that you have to do certain things. So easy to read and the photos are great. I've recently had a problem with a couple kitties and with the help of Sandy's book, things are SO much better.... Please get it and read it....and get some for your friends....



5. This book has become a most valuable resource in my house, I have learned so much about proper cat care from Sandy Arora and treasure this book very much. I keep it handy with my cookbooks in the kitchen even :) This book helped me learn to take better care of my cats, they have made the smooth transition to an all raw diet, supplemented by other natural methods of keeping. My copy was always out on loan that I finally got a second copy!

5 comments about Scaredy Dog! Understanding and Rehabilitating Your Reactive Dog.

1. We were frustrated with our dog and didn't know how to handle him lunging and barking at people and other dogs. The author, Ali is very understanding and helpful as she has had the same issues with one of her dogs.
   For anyone who has a "scared" dog, this is a MUST read! Easy to read and understand! I read the book three times and keep it handy to reference!
   We are lucky to live close to Ali and have met with her for private classes. She is awesome! Start with her book!!



2. I bought the book to help me understand a dog I had adopted who had severe issues. I was on the verge of seperating her from the rest of the family before I read this book. Now with a better understanding of why she has these behavior issues and how best to deal with them, owner and dog along with the other dogs in the home all live happily together. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a dog with behavior issues and truly a desire to work through them. I gave it four stars only because it did not address every problem my dog had.



3. So many of us adopt a dog and then find out that he/she is aggressive toward other dogs while out walking. I appreciated learning the word "reactive" because it was so apt. This book should be in the hands of everyone who adopts a dog, particularly an adult dog from a shelter. I figured out how to manage without the book but loved reading Brown's book as a check on how well I handled my dog's spontaneous eruptions whenever he spotted another canine anywhere near. I wish I had read this book at the time I most needed it. My 50 pound ruffian still erupts when another dog gets in his face, but now I know what to do. This is a slim easy-to-read manual that gets right to the heart of the problem, explains it, and tells you what to do. And it works.



4. I read this book right before meeting with a client with a reactive dog and the little bit I learned was critical.



5. Very good information in dealing with the difficult reactive dog. Not a textbook, but an easily read paperback.

No comments about Play With Your Dog (Dogwise Training Manual).

5 comments about Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed..

1. What a wonderful book. I had received it as a gift initially then purchased a copy for another animal lover. It is the best gift for those who have a tender spot in their heart for shelter/rescue dogs.



2. Every pet owner should read this to understand the realities of what happens. Then pass it along to their children. Shelters are overwhelmed with these stories. Some end well, but many more do not.



3. Great for any pet lover or aspiring owner. You'll be moved to run to the shelter on your lunch break and make a new home for some eager little animal. Thanks Patrick McDonnell! Love Mutts. Love this book!



4. Pet lovers and those who enjoy the Sunday funny pages have a treasure indeed in "Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed.", a compilation of over one hundred of McDonnell's Mutts comic strips; on the opposite page of each strip are full color photos of pets found in animal shelters and their heartwarming success stories. A perfect gift for the dog or cat lover, "Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed." is highly recommended for community library pet and humor collections.



5. I awaited the release of this book very eagerly, looking forward to seeing a lovely little all-black shorthair cat named Pauline featured as a starlet. And there she is, cute as can be!

3 comments about Canine Massage: A Complete Reference Manual.

1. I am going to school to learn Pet Massage and this book has been a great help. We need more people to learn to massage their dogs and keep them health and happy.



2. I found Canine Massage: A Complete Reference Manual to be a valuable reference tool for dog massage. Together, I purchased Canine Massage: Complete Reference Manual and Canine Massage DVD (Integrated Touch Therapy). Having the ability to reference and read what is described on the DVD has enabled me to put together a great massage therapy program for my canine clients.



3. Now in an updated second edition, Canine Massage: A Complete Reference Manual is for dog trainers, breeders, handlers, and ordinary pet owners alike. Author and licensed massage therapist Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt, who treated athletes and world dignitaries before he applied his animal empathy talents toward canine massage, offers clear information illustrated with practical black-and-white "how-to" diagrams. Chapters cover dog kinesiology, principles and concepts of massage, common stress areas, stretching, hydrotherapy, common problems such as inflammation and scar tissue, and much more. Canine Massage is a serious, in-depth guide written by an expert, for professionals, although it is comprehensible to lay people. A "must-have" for anyone charged with holistic therapeutic treatment of a stressed or sick dog.

5 comments about Cat People.

1. Not "hilariously entertaining" as the front cover would have you believe -- that is, nothing in here is laugh-out-loud funny. But it's a whimsical and amusing look at how obsessive cat owners can be through the eyes of two who sort of slid into that borderline obsession and how they got there. Interspersed are some interesting factual asides about cats and famous cat owners, but this is more of a short book-length personal essay about the pleasures and perils of multiple cat ownership. Good airplane reading.



2. Cats are fascinating, delightful creatures and when I read this book, I knew the authors felt the same way. Margaret's relationship to Chutney reminded me of my relationship to Rascals, my ginger cat who could better be called Lover Boy. The story of the New York City cat who fell out the window onto the awning of a nearby building was thrilling. Each and every one of the cats and the people who loved them just opened my heart even more to cats. I loved the book and bought copies to give away to friends and relatives who are "cat people." If you are a cat person, you will love this book.



3. I have written a cat book similar to this one, and I've been trying to find an agent to represent it, so I was curious to see how this one read. Well, considering the author is an editor at a major publishing house, that explains how such a small book, 163 pages and of almost paperback book dimensions, got published. And how it got published despite a rambling storyline that doesn't seem cohesive at times, with chapters that seem to come from other books and stuck in at random.
   
   In short, the plot is: two people who like cats well enough meet, marry, and because they live in the country, acquire more cats. They are very civilized people, so the book is told in a very civilized, high society way, which waters down the humor of it a bit.
   
   And it seems their neighbors, who had more than 20 cats at one time, would make a better book than the Kordas, who seldom have more than five in the house at a time. I have eight rescued strays and I live in the suburbs, so I think even I have a more interesting story.
   
   Mr. Korda's little cat drawings are cute, though, and occasionally some of the stories are endearing or made me laugh, but the careless editing and plotting just got me mad, especially when I think of all the agents that keep turning me down and yet THIS got published.
   
   And my other major upset, and a warning to cat lovers who might be thinking about buying this book, is what the Kordas did to Mrs. Bumble, the biter. They had her put to sleep. No, they didn't try a behavioral therapist first. They didn't try anything. They had a barn and a tack room, for goodness sakes, and they didn't even transfer her to barn cat status. Because she would occasionally bite hard without provocation, they put her down! She was a beautiful, healthy cat and even the vet had reservations, but did what the Kordas wanted. Death to cat. That kind of turned me off on these people, and the Mrs. Bumble incident comes halfway through the book, so you're ruined for the rest of it. I don't think you get to call yourself "Cat People" when you do something like that.



4. I had actually picked this book up on a whim while shopping at barnes and nobles, and i have to say, its one of the best feel good books I've read. Its true thats its about the Korda's and their cats with a few inputs of friends and famlilies cats as well. But either way, it was very enjoyable. Even after I had finished the book, I wanted to know more and more about their cats. The book is filled with humorous stories about cat antics and the very different personality of each cat they've come across. I found myself laughing aloud, nodding my head in agreement, and indeed - calling over my boyfriend to read aloud to him a sentence or a paragraph even of things I found too amusing. This is a must have for all cat lovers. Its a quick read too, so if you're going on a trip, it'll be the perfect reading companion.



5. I am a huge cat lover. Can't live without them, couldn't imagine even trying. So I was excited to get this book, as it seemed right up my alley. When I got it, I was disappointed in the size but good things come in small packages (or so they say) and I gave it a shot.
   
   I'm still disappointed. For an editor-in-chief, Michael Korda is in serious need of one himself. Run on sentences and completely non-sensical paragraphs abound, and if he switched persons once he did it 50 times. One minute he's talking about his wife and her cat, and the next we're reading from his wife's point of view, and then all of a sudden it's 3rd person. I had to read sentences over and over just to get what was being said!
   
   I didn't feel an emotional connection with the cats, either. How is it possible to desensitize a cat lover of my status? Bad writing, that's how. I was sad when the cat was hit by a car, but it was such a fleeting moment - given less than a paragraph of mention - that I couldn't feel THEIR loss.
   
   Given what I know now, I wouldn't have bought this book. Take that as you will. I expected this to be funny and touching, much like Marley and Me (which I highly recommend) - but it fell much too short.

5 comments about The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know.

1. The Cat Bible reads like a text book and isn't something I see us keeping. I'd rather have a cat guide that was easier to read and proivded information in a cleaner manner.



2. While I've had cats before, this book is incredibly valuable. We just got a new kitten and found great info on training him with techniques we've never considered before. I recommend this for anyone getting a kitten regardless of your history of having cats.



3. I bought this book hoping to find good, practical advice about owning my first cat. Instead, I found the book to be extremely condescending and preachy. Rather than giving truly practical advice about cat-related matters, I was treated to Ms. Hotchner's personal diatribes on issues such as declawing, cat food, spaying/neutering, etc. I would have vastly prefered a more dispassionate discussion of the pros and cons of these issues rather than Ms. Hotchner's one-sided opinions.



4. Good but it lacks some schematic drawings of a cat's anatomy.
   
   Sandra



5. This is a handy-dandy guide to almost everything you need to know about your cat. It covers everything from kitten behavior to most common medical problems. If you're looking for a guide specifically on how to raise a kitten or what to do in a medical emergency, I'd go with something else. This is more of a guide on basic questions you might have for your cat. It covers a lot of areas , but nothing too terribly in depth. I recommend it for general feline questions.

5 comments about Aquarium Corals : Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History.

1. This book is extremely deep in its explanation of all of the families of corals found in saltwater reef aquariums. Its a pretty heavy read, and I recommend something a little more basic if you are just getting into reef aquariums. This is my second book on corals, after a more basic and general saltwater hobby book. Had I not read the first one, I would have been a little overwhelmed by this one. Also, its a beautiful hardbound book that would do well as a coffee table book. The pictures of the corals are beautiful. I purchased it used, and the seller was punctual on delivery, with the book being in as good, if not better condition than was described.



2. An essential book for marine reef hobbyists, if you are interested in aquarium corals, this is one of the references you must review. Good pictures, extended information about each coral genus and quality information about coral care and maintenance in different types of reef aquariums.
   Excellent quality-price relation for a book of one of the subject reference authors.



3. This book is simply "the bible" for corals. Not only it has an outstanding presentation (hard cover, deluxe paper, thousands of high-quality pictures) but also everything you need to know about corals. Great for the beginner, indispensable for the seasoned hobbist. If you are into reef tanks, you must own this book.



4. the book was everything i expected and more.it gave me a real understanding of the corals in my care and gave me great confidence in looking after them.great reading and great pics



5. Want to know just about everything there is to know about coral? Then this is the book for you. Tons of information and loaded with great pictures too.

5 comments about Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food.

1. My husband saw first hand the inside of a rendering plant located less than one mile from us...he saw dead animals of all kinds, dogs and cats and road kill...he was sick for days after that...This dog/cat food debacle ties in very closely with a USDA program called NAIS...NAIS(national animal identification system) was made to benefit corporate ag so they could sell their meat products on a global level but while they get one lot number per groups of factory farmed animals, the private horse/livestock owner will have to register their premises with the govt, microchip and file reports on all births, deaths and off-property movements and if disease is suspected, a 6 mile radius of animals can be depopulated. Cats and dogs are not included, YET! In a nutshell, NAIS is like a world traveler having a disease but forcing YOU to take/pay for the meds, then he goes a declares he is cured, and continues to travel the world. Makes absolutely no sense, benefits no one, but that is how NAIS will work. NAIS will affect everyone who eats, and not in a good way. see nonais dot org for more info.



2. This book raised and answered a lot of questions about what, exactly, is in the food I give my dogs. It also includes great advice on how to read pet food labels, and how to decipher the pet food "lingo" on the packages. I recommend this book for any dog or cat owner, to help them make good choices about the food they give their pets.



3. This book is difficult for me to read because I thought that I have always fed my dogs wholesome food when I was actually poisoning them because I bought into the lies of the pet food industry.
   
   I found the layout of the book to be very helpful in identifing what the "real" ingredients in pet food were, and most times, they are shocking; meat and bone meal = road kill and euthanized companion animals, among other things. The book shares what should and shouldn't be on the ingredient label. The author presents information on why the food industry is the way it is, and the newest revised addition explains the details pet food recall of 2007.
   
   The suggestions the author makes are very user friendly. She does not assert that animal caretakers must stick to one type of diet, but expains the pros and cons of all diets (commercial, home cooked and raw foods like BARF) in a relatively unbiased way.
   
   This book is an extremely important resource to have for those of us who love our animal companions and want to ensure we provide them the best life possible.



4. I am a veterinary student and read this book for a project. I could not believe the inaccuracies that this author presents in her book. She bases all of her "facts" on emails and assumptions. First, there are no antibiotics in your meat! There is a little thing called the "withdrawal period" for all drugs used in food animals. Cows cannot go to slaughter until the antibiotics are out of their systems. This is a law. The withdrawal periods are established when drugs are created and approved by the FDA. Second, the amount of hormones that are put into cattle are so minimal that they cannot do you or your pets any harm! One 3 oz piece of steak contains approx. 1.9 ng (that is .0000000019 g) of estrogen. A 3 oz portion of cabbage contains 2000 ng of estrogen. The average man produces 136,000 ng of estrogen everyday! So what is 1.9 ng going to do to you, really. Third, yes, pet food companies use rendered meat in their foods. However, they also cook the meat at extremely high temperatures and pressures to kill the bacteria, spores, and parasites. I would like to see fresh meat used in pet food, but until consumers are are willing to pay twice as much for dog food, that is not going to happen. And finally, homemade diets are a bad idea. Raw meat contains deadly bacteria, parasites, and more. Plus the bones are an intestinal obstruction just waiting to happen. There are many many other problems with this book that I could go on about, but my review is long enough. So you may read this book for fun, but realize that the majority of it is just fiction and should be dismissed.



5. LITTLE DOES THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THE DOG FOODS THEY FEED THE FAMILY PET CONSISTS OF ROAD KILL, EUTHANIZED PETS, CANCER/CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS AND ALL OTHER ANIMALS THAT ARE RENDERED FROM ANIMAL HOSPITALS/SHELTERS/HUMANE SOCIETIES AND EVERYWHERE ELSE...UNLESS YOU PAY FOR A SPECIFIC CREMATION OF YOUR PET, IT IS RENDERED WITH MILLIONS OF OTHER PETS...RENDERED IS BOILED UNTIL MEAT IS OFF THE BONES, OR IN HOT OIL. RENDERED PETS ARE PUT IN DOG/CAT FOODS AND MAKEUP, AND ALOT OF OTHER PRODUCTS THAT ARE LABELED "ANIMAL PROTEIN" OR "BONE MEAL" OR EVEN "MEAT BY PRODUCTS" THAT DO NOT SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT IT IS BEEF, PIG, CHICKEN OR TURKEY...ALL THESE CHEMICALS ARE MAKING OUR PETS SICK AND GET CANCER AND DIE AT A YOUNGER AGE. I TRUSTED THE FAMIOUS NAMES AND BRANDS AND THEY ALL HAD THE POISON THAT CAME FROM CHINA...I WORKED IN THIS FIELD FOR YEARS AND COULD NOT TELL THE PUBLIC, BUT NOW I AM FREE TO SPEAK MY MIND...WAKE UP AMERICA!

5 comments about Dog Language: An Encyclopedia of Canine Behavior.

1. The content of this book I found a little thin. Did not really get into the subtlties of dog communications



2. A highly technical, behaviorist slanted, wordy A-Z book of behaviors. A dull read which necessitates extraction for application in dog training. Not exactly what I thought it would be - but none the less a good reference book.



3. This was not at all what I thought it would be based on the description, etc. on Amazon and I was very disappointed.



4. Excellent book for all two-leggeds. The format is encylopedic, but what seems intuitively to be a fault is really a plus. The book has become close to number one on my shelf of books directed at learning dog. Short of growing a tail, this book will yield rewards in enriched relationships with the four-leggeds.



5. We are now fostering and I was curious what the dog was telling us. This is an excellent book on letting you figure out what the heck your saying.