Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett

by Pam Johnson-Bennett

Vintage paperback published in 2000

Genres: Cats

Hardcover

About the author

Pam Johnson-Bennett is the host of the TV series "Psycho Kitty" which airs on the Discovery UK channel. She is the best-selling author of 7 books on cats and is considered a pioneer in the field of cat behavior consulting. Her ground-breaking book, Think Like a Cat, is considered the cat bible among owners, experts, and shelter personnel worldwide. She is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and a clinical member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants as well as being the Founder and former long-time Chair of the IAABC Cat Division. She has been the behavior expert for Friskies for over a decade and also served on the Advisory Boards of the American Humane Association and Tree House Humane Society. She is a frequent expert columnist for WebVet. She was formerly the behavior columnist for Cats Magazine, Cat Channel, Yahoo, ivillage, Catster and the Daily Cat.

In addition to career in cat behavior consulting, she has also co-authored a book about motherhood. About her non-cat book, she says: "My 8th book is a total departure from cat behavior and delves into the scary, messy, embarrassing and alien world of being a mother of two kids. "Cookies for Dinner" is where I and my co-author fess up about how your breasts basically become the fast-food take-out window at lunchtime and how, at some point, it's a rite of passage for mothers to end up at the supermarket check-out line while still in our pajamas. Oh, and then there's the time I was locked out of my house while wearing less-than flattering swimwear... but I digress."

Reviews

[Hans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Score: 2/5 (parts worth listening once).
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Themes: cats, pet ownership
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I don't think I'm the target audience, since all the pets I've known have been my grandmother's and mother's mostly unlovable cats: a de-socialized and incontinent stray, an irritable and anxious gray, and an insane inbred Siamese.

Nevertheless, I take my kids to the county animal shelter to socialize them (and the animals) and we prefer the cats, so I wanted to know more about behavior.

I think this book is probably meant for individuals who love cats and own (or are thinking of owning) one. The presumption of cat-love is obvious and understandable, even if not useful to me. Generally less useful is that there's some discussion of behavior, but there's a lot more instruction for pet owners than discussion of behavior. And the discussion of first aid and diseases is certainly geared toward someone trying to diagnose a cat before trying the veterinarian (why you would do this instead of just taking your pet makes no sense to me or, evidently, the author, but it's there).

If you fit the target audience, it's probably a 3/5 (worth listening once).

[Jeanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal. Every cat owner should own and read this book. I borrowed a copy from the library and then immediately purchased it for future reference. I learned so much about kittens and cats in reading this and have implemented many tips and tricks at home already. Can’t say enough good things about this book and the author.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE book to read if you are a new cat owner. It is comprehensive, approachable, and clear. All of my questions were answered in the revised edition, and there’s an appendix to reference ailments during the life of your companion.

[KT · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful guide to caring for a cat, covering all stages of a cat's life with particularly good detail on illnesses and cat health

[Vicky Connelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great reference book for cat owners.

[Cora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic reference book for anyone that has a cat. Lots of time spent on every illness and condition a cat might have.

[Вікторія Слінявчук · Rating 5 out of 5]

Справжня котоенциклопедія! Дуже багато корисної інформації. Аж стало соромно, що я мало роблю для своїх котів :D Стала більше уваги їм приділяти

[Angela Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and interesting read into how to best communicate and understand cats. There’s some great tips and very useful information in here and it’s great for picking up and dipping into every now & then when something crops up with your beloved kitty.