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KISS Guide to Cat Care
Kiss the competition goodbye! Find out how to keep your cat happy and healthy with DK's KISS Guide to Cat Care. Uncover the origins of these mysterious creatures, from their feline ancestors, the Miacis, to today's fascinating breeds. Investigate the inner workings of the cat in simple diagrams. Master cat-care basics, from food and toilet training, to exercise and typical costs. Learn all about cat psychology to help you understand the quirks of different breeds. Discover how to care for a sick or injured cat, when to call the vet, and what can harm your cat. Find out about behavioral problems and tips for dealing with all personalities, from furniture scratchers to attention-seekers. The Keep It Simple Series is the new standard in how-to books! Written by leading experts, each book includes full-color photographs and illustrations throughout, making these the first and only truly accessible guides for beginners. The KISS format is designed to help readers build confidence from the start, and learn gradually and thoroughly to the very last page. Much more than introductions to various subjects, these inspiring and innovative books are the ones that readers can trust!
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2001
1 person is currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Steve Duno
25 books12 followersVeteran pet behaviorist/author Steve Duno has to date authored eighteen books and scores of magazine and web articles. He has covered a wide variety of subject matter on both dogs and cats, including basic training, aggression, environmental enrichment, behavior modification, breed profiling, trick training, and pet health care. His career in dog training began in 1989 when he rescued Lou, a feral six month-old Rottweiler/shepherd. The offspring of guard dogs on a Mendocino marijuana grow, the sick and injured Lou was both smart and wild. In an effort to tame the intelligent pup, Duno inadvertantly began his twenty year career as a behaviorist and trainer. Together, Duno and Lou helped to save hundreds of dogs from euthanasia. Formerly a teacher in New York City and Los Angeles, he currently lives in Seattle with his family and an ever-changing assortment of rescued pets.
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October 29, 2014K.I.S.S. Guide to Cat Care
Foreword by Christopher Walken
IT SEEMS TO me that we humans sometimes forget that we are animals too; in the best sense - the pure sense of the forest where our first memories were made. And there are as many kinds of us as there are of them: solitary, gregarious, monogamous; the beach master with his harem; those who meet once and move on; the hunters; the vegetarians.
We have domesticated many animals, but cats seem to have retained a sense of the forest. Their cleanliness is famous. They have grace in so many ways. From the tintinnabulation of their walk, to the way they tend to leave a small amount of food in the bottom of their bowl in what looks to me like an offering. Their self assurance and ability to articulate their needs to us with such clarity and insistence. They pose for us as naturally as Garbo because they are entitled to.
When it comes to dogs, size does not matter. Cats are fearless. They are fierce and nice - a wonderful combination of qualities. I can think of no other familiar animal with such natural confidence. And self confidence sounds like self awareness. These things combined with inquisitiveness and communication skills suggest genuine intelligence. They seem to possess an independent mind. And what about that purr? No one knows the mechanism of it. It is a mysterious as human laughter.
I've heard that the symbol we use to signify a question (?) is, in origin, an Egyptian hieroglyph that represents a cat as seen from behind. I wonder if the Egyptians were expressing suspicion or an inquiring mind...or something else?
I had a cat who lived a long time. Long enough to enjoy a number of places my wife and I had lived in, finally settling in the country, where he hunted, played, groomed, slept, ate. Then it came time to die. He grew very thin and fragile over the course of a few months. He kept his chin up, but it was sad to see the good nature of his spirit struggling. I work at home a lot, often in the kitchen, which has a large window looking out over a long driveway full of trees. One morning, having coffee, I felt a familiar bump against my leg. My old cat was looking at me in a powerful way. I rubbed him for a while. He purred. He drooled. I got up and gave him what he wanted, and then I let him outside and went back to my coffee. For the next ten minutes I watched him creak his way down the long driveway. He was almost out of sight when my wife walked into the room. "Look," I said to her. "Isn't it wonderful? He knows it's time to die. He said goodbye and now he's back off to the woods to be by himself, listen to the birds and the wind, and go to sleep. Nature is so pragmatic, so amazing...."
My wife took a long look at him, then at me. She went to the front door, flung it open, and yelled, "Pookie, get back in here." My ancient cat stopped in his creaky tracks, looking exactly like a question mark from my angle (though in my mind's eye I could see his face). He looked confused, then suddenly determined, energized, victorious. He bumpily made a 180-degree turn and headed back toward the house. My wife waited out the whole journey, standing at the open door. He reached the stairs, and, with a sudden burst of youth, mounted them and ran into the house. He placed himself in the middle of the living room rug, which seemed odd since he had a favorite chair. He cleaned himself for a while and took a nap.
He was up and down that day a few times for a bite of turkey baby food and a drink from his bowl. Later, a demand to be rubbed; then back to his nap in the middle of the rug. My wife and I kept him company as we watched TV, then we left him there and went to bed. The next morning, he was dead; as if he'd said, "That was good. I was brave. Time to go....See you again???"
He had spent his last days hunting, playing, grooming, sleeping, eating - being a cat, being happy. What more can we want from our feline friends?
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN
Feb 2001
NYC, USA
Foreword by Christopher Walken
IT SEEMS TO me that we humans sometimes forget that we are animals too; in the best sense - the pure sense of the forest where our first memories were made. And there are as many kinds of us as there are of them: solitary, gregarious, monogamous; the beach master with his harem; those who meet once and move on; the hunters; the vegetarians.
We have domesticated many animals, but cats seem to have retained a sense of the forest. Their cleanliness is famous. They have grace in so many ways. From the tintinnabulation of their walk, to the way they tend to leave a small amount of food in the bottom of their bowl in what looks to me like an offering. Their self assurance and ability to articulate their needs to us with such clarity and insistence. They pose for us as naturally as Garbo because they are entitled to.
When it comes to dogs, size does not matter. Cats are fearless. They are fierce and nice - a wonderful combination of qualities. I can think of no other familiar animal with such natural confidence. And self confidence sounds like self awareness. These things combined with inquisitiveness and communication skills suggest genuine intelligence. They seem to possess an independent mind. And what about that purr? No one knows the mechanism of it. It is a mysterious as human laughter.
I've heard that the symbol we use to signify a question (?) is, in origin, an Egyptian hieroglyph that represents a cat as seen from behind. I wonder if the Egyptians were expressing suspicion or an inquiring mind...or something else?
I had a cat who lived a long time. Long enough to enjoy a number of places my wife and I had lived in, finally settling in the country, where he hunted, played, groomed, slept, ate. Then it came time to die. He grew very thin and fragile over the course of a few months. He kept his chin up, but it was sad to see the good nature of his spirit struggling. I work at home a lot, often in the kitchen, which has a large window looking out over a long driveway full of trees. One morning, having coffee, I felt a familiar bump against my leg. My old cat was looking at me in a powerful way. I rubbed him for a while. He purred. He drooled. I got up and gave him what he wanted, and then I let him outside and went back to my coffee. For the next ten minutes I watched him creak his way down the long driveway. He was almost out of sight when my wife walked into the room. "Look," I said to her. "Isn't it wonderful? He knows it's time to die. He said goodbye and now he's back off to the woods to be by himself, listen to the birds and the wind, and go to sleep. Nature is so pragmatic, so amazing...."
My wife took a long look at him, then at me. She went to the front door, flung it open, and yelled, "Pookie, get back in here." My ancient cat stopped in his creaky tracks, looking exactly like a question mark from my angle (though in my mind's eye I could see his face). He looked confused, then suddenly determined, energized, victorious. He bumpily made a 180-degree turn and headed back toward the house. My wife waited out the whole journey, standing at the open door. He reached the stairs, and, with a sudden burst of youth, mounted them and ran into the house. He placed himself in the middle of the living room rug, which seemed odd since he had a favorite chair. He cleaned himself for a while and took a nap.
He was up and down that day a few times for a bite of turkey baby food and a drink from his bowl. Later, a demand to be rubbed; then back to his nap in the middle of the rug. My wife and I kept him company as we watched TV, then we left him there and went to bed. The next morning, he was dead; as if he'd said, "That was good. I was brave. Time to go....See you again???"
He had spent his last days hunting, playing, grooming, sleeping, eating - being a cat, being happy. What more can we want from our feline friends?
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN
Feb 2001
NYC, USA
October 25, 2024
I read this book as part of my library’s yearly reading challenge. Despite the book being 23 years outdated, I still found a lot of the information inside to be useful. 4.5 years too late, but useful none the less 😅
February 13, 2019
This book is a fascinating, visually appealing book, with a lot of information that I have not seen anywhere else. Cats are amazing creatures, and this book verifies that!
July 11, 2020
Very informative! I've learned so much about cats
September 11, 2007
I have to admit that I was disappointed. My cat recently had kittens, and this book was no help at all. It has no section on pregnancy, only a very small section on breeding your cat for profit. Well, this was purely accidental, but I still wanted some help on caring for her during her pregnancy and labor, as well as some tips on caring for the kittens. It doesn't have anything like a section on kitten developmental stages. When do they eat solid food? When can I separate them from their mother? When should I get her fixed so we don't do this again? It also didn't have much on caring for sick or injured cats.
What it did have, and I really didn't need, was a section on teaching your cat tricks. Hello! She's a cat, not a dog. I don't really need to teach her tricks. Of course, if you are interested, then this book may help. But it didn't have what I was looking for at all.
What it did have, and I really didn't need, was a section on teaching your cat tricks. Hello! She's a cat, not a dog. I don't really need to teach her tricks. Of course, if you are interested, then this book may help. But it didn't have what I was looking for at all.
May 2, 2009
I've had a cat for 18 years and I've never read a book on cat care until now. Maybe I should have read this earlier, but the fact that my cat surived my ignorance for 18 years is a plus, I think. I certainly enjoyed reading the book and learned some facts I did not know. I was primarily interested in the information provided on the aging feline and was gratified to find some information I can use. The Keep It Simple format made the information easy to find and to understand. I expect that I and my beloved 18 year old cat will both profit from the knowledge I gleaned from the book.
October 3, 2011
I'm a sucker for anything cat or dog related (or any animal for that matter!). I'm no expert at all, I just enjoy reading and learning. But this book really did keep it simple...too simple I thought. Maybe because I do read a lot on the topic, but a lot of the information here seemed common-sense. Easy to find information though, and the writing is very clear and concise.
June 28, 2007
useful info for cat owners
May 21, 2008
This teaches you EVERYTHING you need to know about cats, I read it in 3rd grade! It's REALLLLYYY helpful. Get this book if you have multiple cats!
December 8, 2016
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews