Pam Johnson-Bennett > Quotes

“Cats are true carnivores. While you may choose a vegetarian lifestyle, don't assume it's healthier for your cat also. Cats aren't able to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A the way we can. They must get vitamin A from animal tissue (called preformed A). Cats are also unable to convert linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid) to arachidonic acid the way dogs can so they must get preformed arachidonic acid from its only source—animal tissue.”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Twisted Whiskers: Solving Your Cat's Behavior Problems

“most valuable lessons in life: love unconditionally, express your true feelings, respect others’ territory, protect the family, get enough sleep, and always keep an eye open for mice!”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Think Like a Cat

“Cats aren’t shirts that you buy at the store and then return if they don’t fit. Nor are they a pair of shoes you can give away or toss out when you’ve outgrown them. While these comparisons may seem ridiculously obvious to you, the sad fact is that too many cat owners actually do view their cats that way. As a result, countless cats end up relinquished to shelters or just abandoned because they didn’t meet their owners’ expectations of the perfect cat.”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Think Like a Cat

“Studies have shown that vibrations of 25 hertz applied to extremities promote wound healing, and increase bone density and muscle mass. They also help with pain relief. The cat’s purr is 25 hertz (25 cycles per second).”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Think Like a Cat

“If you don’t have any other cats already at home, though, I would strongly recommend that you do consider taking two kittens. Adopting or purchasing two kittens will be a very rewarding experience. They’ll continue to learn from each other as they grow, they’ll have companionship (because you can’t always be around), and from a behavioral standpoint, it’s a heck of a lot easier to bring two kittens into a household together than to get just one and decide after he’s an adult that he needs a buddy. Adult cats are territorial and introducing a second cat takes finesse. I can’t even count how many owners of adult cats have told me how they wished they’d adopted a second kitten when they had the chance.”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Think Like a Cat

“Whether it's just a pesky little annoying behavior you'd like to tweak or a major problem that has you at the end of your rope, you must shift your thinking in order to look at the possible true cause, as well as determine whether its truly a behavior problem or a normal behavior that needs a better alternative.”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Starting from Scratch: How to Correct Behavior Problems in Your Adult Cat

“We ask so much of our cats. We leave them alone all day with nothing to do, thrust unwanted companions on them, lay down ever-changing rules and force them to adjust their schedules to coincide with our more convenient ones. We don't walk them and then insist they a litter box that often falls way below their standard of cleanliness. We're positive that the motivation behind their furniture scratching is willful destruction, because there's a scratching post somewhere in the house -- oh yeah, it's in the laundry room (so what if that's also where the dog sleeps). We spank our cats and then don't understand why they're defensive. We yell at them and then act surprised when they no longer want to be around us. We rub their noses in their messes because somebody somewhere told us that's the way to train a pet. We punish our cats when we come home from work at night for something they did earlier in the day -- it doesn't matter that the cat is now peacefully sleeping in his bed -- he'll *know* why he's being yelled at. We play with our cats when it's convenient but push them away if they playfully bat at the newspaper we're trying to read. We treat our cats as children, adults, friends, enemies, confidants, even dogs -- but not often enough as *cats*. Finally, we think our cats should *know better*, when in reality, *we're* the ones who should.”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat—Not a Sour Puss

“Limit catnip to once or twice a week.”
― Pam Johnson-Bennett, Think Like a Cat