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Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet
Cats have been popular household pets for thousands of years, and their numbers only continue to rise. Today there are three cats for every dog on the planet, and yet cats remain more mysterious, even to their most adoring owners. Unlike dogs, cats evolved as solitary hunters, and, while many have learned to live alongside humans and even feel affection for us, they still don’t quite get us” the way dogs do, and perhaps they never will. But cats have rich emotional lives that we need to respect and understand if they are to thrive in our company.
In Cat Sense, renowned anthrozoologist John Bradshaw takes us further into the mind of the domestic cat than ever before, using cutting-edge scientific research to dispel the myths and explain the true nature of our feline friends. Tracing the cat’s evolution from lone predator to domesticated companion, Bradshaw shows that although cats and humans have been living together for at least eight thousand years, cats remain independent, predatory, and wary of contact with their own kind, qualities that often clash with our modern lifestyles. Cats still have three out of four paws firmly planted in the wild, and within only a few generations can easily revert back to the independent way of life that was the exclusive preserve of their predecessors some 10,000 years ago. Cats are astonishingly flexible, and given the right environment they can adapt to a life of domesticity with their owners—but to continue do so, they will increasingly need our help. If we’re to live in harmony with our cats, Bradshaw explains, we first need to understand their inherited quirks: understanding their body language, keeping their environments—however small—sufficiently interesting, and becoming more proactive in managing both their natural hunting instincts and their relationships with other cats.
A must-read for any cat lover, Cat Sense offers humane, penetrating insights about the domestic cat that challenge our most basic assumptions and promise to dramatically improve our pets’ lives—and ours.
In Cat Sense, renowned anthrozoologist John Bradshaw takes us further into the mind of the domestic cat than ever before, using cutting-edge scientific research to dispel the myths and explain the true nature of our feline friends. Tracing the cat’s evolution from lone predator to domesticated companion, Bradshaw shows that although cats and humans have been living together for at least eight thousand years, cats remain independent, predatory, and wary of contact with their own kind, qualities that often clash with our modern lifestyles. Cats still have three out of four paws firmly planted in the wild, and within only a few generations can easily revert back to the independent way of life that was the exclusive preserve of their predecessors some 10,000 years ago. Cats are astonishingly flexible, and given the right environment they can adapt to a life of domesticity with their owners—but to continue do so, they will increasingly need our help. If we’re to live in harmony with our cats, Bradshaw explains, we first need to understand their inherited quirks: understanding their body language, keeping their environments—however small—sufficiently interesting, and becoming more proactive in managing both their natural hunting instincts and their relationships with other cats.
A must-read for any cat lover, Cat Sense offers humane, penetrating insights about the domestic cat that challenge our most basic assumptions and promise to dramatically improve our pets’ lives—and ours.
307 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
662 people are currently reading
5668 people want to read
About the author
John Bradshaw
11 books79 followersJohn Bradshaw is Foundation Director of the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol. He lives in Southampton, England.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 566 reviews
March 21, 2019
John Bradshaw is a master of redundancy—in both the bad and the good senses of the word. He has a few simple ideas bolstered by sparse research—cats are barely domesticated, cats are not social, cats are predatory and territorial, cats think we are non-hostile cats, cats think we are their mommies, cats use their senses differently than we do—and he applies and re-applies these ideas to different aspects of cat lore (archeology, history, research, training, etc.) in a way that reinforces his insights but also wearies our attention. The reader senses that he has heard this somewhere before. And he has . . . a couple of pages ago.
Because of my irrational fondness for a marmalade tuxedo named Banjo, I am particularly interested in the history of orange cats. I thought the two most fascinating facts in the book were these: 1) if Ancient Egyptian paintings are an accurate guide, the orange cat was probably the first variation specifically bred for color, and 2) that marauding Norseman favored the orange cat may be inferred from the fact that today the districts in England which have the highest percentage of orange cats are precisely those areas once pillaged and settled by the Vikings. (I am sure the book contains other fascinating cat facts as well, but—since they are not about orange cats—I cannot recall them at the moment.)
July 9, 2013
This is essentially three books in one: a summary of archaeological and DNA evidence tracing when cats were first domesticated, and attempting to determine the origins of our domesticated cats today; an analysis of the author's experiments to determine links between cat behavior (and best practices in cat ownership) and what Bradshaw refers to as feline science, largely drawn from behavioral psychology; and a more polemical discussion of some controversies surrounding cats today. These controversies include the attempts of wildlife advocates (often in the UK) to restrict cats' behavior as predators from endangering local wildlife populations, as well as a discussion of concerns about how current breeding practices may bring out cats' less domestic instincts and imperil their position as pets.
I found the focus of this book to be somewhat problematic. It's written for general audiences, but includes very basic (and often overly general) summaries of academic research, sometimes without footnotes for sources information in the first part of a book. Bradshaw relies heavily on his own research in the second part of the book, which makes his discussions rather one-sided. I understand not including information in experimental design and methodology given his audience, but as an academic I couldn't help but wonder how much weight to put on these experiments as sources of information.
As a proud owner of two cats, I agree entirely with Bradshaw that it's incumbent on owners to understand cats from their own perspectives, and that an understanding of their genetic makeup, evolution, and instincts helps enormously with this process. However, I found this a rather frustrating read for the reasons I mentioned above. It seems like an unwieldy cross between a book for a general audience and a book based on academic research.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I found the focus of this book to be somewhat problematic. It's written for general audiences, but includes very basic (and often overly general) summaries of academic research, sometimes without footnotes for sources information in the first part of a book. Bradshaw relies heavily on his own research in the second part of the book, which makes his discussions rather one-sided. I understand not including information in experimental design and methodology given his audience, but as an academic I couldn't help but wonder how much weight to put on these experiments as sources of information.
As a proud owner of two cats, I agree entirely with Bradshaw that it's incumbent on owners to understand cats from their own perspectives, and that an understanding of their genetic makeup, evolution, and instincts helps enormously with this process. However, I found this a rather frustrating read for the reasons I mentioned above. It seems like an unwieldy cross between a book for a general audience and a book based on academic research.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
October 3, 2013
I saw some complaints from other reviewers that this is three books in one--evolution, history, and psychology--but to me this was a feature, not a bug. A little bit of everything I'm looking for in books about cats.
Bradshaw's musings on the future of the domestic cat are thought-provoking and though I'm fully in favor of all pets being neutered and spayed, he has a good point that in the case of an animal capable of teetering between wild and domestic from one generation to the next, it makes sense to continue some on-purpose breeding of the most docile if we want to continue enjoying and having them accepted as pets.
His sensible evaluation of the studies claiming that cats are destroying birds and other wildlife is also well worth a read for cat lovers.
I appreciated the copious citations to all kinds of cat research--and there's definitely not enough in the world, especially on their health and psychology--along the way.
Bradshaw's musings on the future of the domestic cat are thought-provoking and though I'm fully in favor of all pets being neutered and spayed, he has a good point that in the case of an animal capable of teetering between wild and domestic from one generation to the next, it makes sense to continue some on-purpose breeding of the most docile if we want to continue enjoying and having them accepted as pets.
His sensible evaluation of the studies claiming that cats are destroying birds and other wildlife is also well worth a read for cat lovers.
I appreciated the copious citations to all kinds of cat research--and there's definitely not enough in the world, especially on their health and psychology--along the way.
May 11, 2016
I play mama to the classiest cat there is:
She's also kind of a beast, forever reminding me that she's more important then the boyfriend:
Still, I love her to pieces and fret that she's gonna call child services on me when I have to leave her overnight. My hope was that learning a little kitty psychology will help soothe my guilt and get her to stop biting my butt. This book didn't give me as much straightforward information as I'd hoped.
Bradshaw spent a lot of time exploring the evolutionary history of the domestic cat -- most of which I honestly skimmed. He then offered some insight into how cats learn to socialize -- most of which I could have told you when I was nine, having grown up with a steady stream of feral cats hanging around the back yard. A lot of heavy scientific discussion to explain that cats aren't likely to be friendly unless they've been around people from a very early age.
I had hoped that maybe the book could be applied a little more directly to my cat's quirky behaviors, but I was rather disappointed.
She's also kind of a beast, forever reminding me that she's more important then the boyfriend:
Still, I love her to pieces and fret that she's gonna call child services on me when I have to leave her overnight. My hope was that learning a little kitty psychology will help soothe my guilt and get her to stop biting my butt. This book didn't give me as much straightforward information as I'd hoped.
Bradshaw spent a lot of time exploring the evolutionary history of the domestic cat -- most of which I honestly skimmed. He then offered some insight into how cats learn to socialize -- most of which I could have told you when I was nine, having grown up with a steady stream of feral cats hanging around the back yard. A lot of heavy scientific discussion to explain that cats aren't likely to be friendly unless they've been around people from a very early age.
I had hoped that maybe the book could be applied a little more directly to my cat's quirky behaviors, but I was rather disappointed.
December 26, 2013
I purchased Cat Sense immediately upon listening to Terry Gross' interview with the author and am sad to say I was disappointed. I mean, to be completely honest, I read it hoping that it would unravel/discuss the adorable quirks we see in our own cats (which may or may not have explanation yet), and not things I'd already learned while Googling shit like "why is my cat a jerk" and "why does my cat poop literally 2 inches from the litter box." Also, coming from a biology background and having taken even the most rudimentary neuroscience/animal behavior classes (and having watched all 7 available seasons of Big Cat Diary on Netflix, cough), I didn't feel any of the information presented was particularly new to me.
So yeah. 3 stars. I don't know if it was the author's writing style, the "we think this may be the case explaining ____ but [Kanyeshrug] who really knows" theme surrounding all cat-related research, or the "well no shit I've only owned a cat for 4 months and I could have told you that" attitude I felt myself developing while reading... but I honestly just felt this book was dry and I skimmed a lot of it. And that's NOT to say I don't have a taste for books about animal behavior/evolution, seeing as I enjoyed the everliving hell out of Brian Hare's The Genius of Dogs.
On the bright side, this book gave me a few good tips on how to/renewed my motivation to clicker train my cat. Much excite.
So yeah. 3 stars. I don't know if it was the author's writing style, the "we think this may be the case explaining ____ but [Kanyeshrug] who really knows" theme surrounding all cat-related research, or the "well no shit I've only owned a cat for 4 months and I could have told you that" attitude I felt myself developing while reading... but I honestly just felt this book was dry and I skimmed a lot of it. And that's NOT to say I don't have a taste for books about animal behavior/evolution, seeing as I enjoyed the everliving hell out of Brian Hare's The Genius of Dogs.
On the bright side, this book gave me a few good tips on how to/renewed my motivation to clicker train my cat. Much excite.
February 13, 2018
Overall 4 stars with the first 5 chapters being 5 stars (the last few chapters were kind of dull). A fantastic scientific history and modern analysis of Cats. I noticed this book didn't get great reviews from others and I'm not totally sure why... I think many people were expecting this book to either be a 'How to Train your cat' or 'Cute cat stories' book, but it's neither. It's a fairly in-depth and formal analysis of cats, so if evolutionary history doesn't excite you then chances are you'll find this book boring (or even controversial if you don't appreciate/respect the science). But if you really want to know more about your cat (or cats in general) on a fundamental level, this is definitely a must read.
September 11, 2013
Stepford Cats...
Bradshaw starts his story of the domesticated cat by taking us back to 10,000 or so years ago, explaining that probably the relationship between man and cat began when humans started to store food, thus requiring rodent control. He discusses the ongoing genetic links between domestic and wild cats and suggests what steps may have taken place over the history of the cat to lead to today’s level of domestication. He regularly informs us that his views are often no more than educated guesswork, since far less research has been done on the cat than the dog.
In the last few chapters, Bradshaw discusses the place of the domestic cat in today’s world, suggesting that the cat will have to change if it wishes to survive in an increasingly urbanised society where many people see cats as wildlife-murdering pests. He points out that most pet cats, especially males, are neutered before breeding (with the exception of pedigrees) and that this may have the unintended consequence of demand for kittens being met by rescued feral litters or by mating between wild males and domestic unneutered females. He proposes that in fact cats should be bred carefully for personality and trained to live happily, either as indoor cats or as non-hunting outdoor cats. He makes valid points about the lack of territory available to each cat in an overcrowded world and about the increased levels of anxiety this can cause.
While there is a lot of interesting stuff in here, there are a couple of things that prevent me wholeheartedly recommending the book. I found the presentation of the first section about the history of the cat quite dry and often repetitive – it may be of more interest to someone with a scientific interest in the subject, but for this casual cat-loving reader there was too much concentration on genetics, while there was little new in the tale of how the cat became a domestic pet.
The second section was more interesting to me, but here I found I disagreed fundamentally with the thrust of his argument – that we should be trying to breed cats to be more domesticated. He makes the point himself that cat owners love them because of their independence and relatively easy care, while suggesting that that independence should be bred out of them and that they should be subjected to intensive training. I would suggest that, in that case, might as well get a dog. As someone who’s not very keen on selective breeding of any (domestic) animal, I was also uneasy about messing with the breeding to produce something that would really end up looking like a cat but not behaving like one. If we as a race decide cats are not suited to our environment (and I don’t accept that) then surely better to stop keeping cats rather than to play god. When one considers some of the horrors that selective breeding has produced in both dogs and cats, can we really want to go further down that route?
So Bradshaw’s assumption that this is the way to go meant that instead of, as I had expected, giving us advice on how to make sure our existing cats are well cared for, in fact he seemed to be suggesting the demise of the cat as we know it to be replaced with designer Stepford Cats. A reasonably interesting read but, for me, more of a warning of why scientists should never be allowed out without a bell on their collar than a convincing argument for the future of the moggie.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Bradshaw starts his story of the domesticated cat by taking us back to 10,000 or so years ago, explaining that probably the relationship between man and cat began when humans started to store food, thus requiring rodent control. He discusses the ongoing genetic links between domestic and wild cats and suggests what steps may have taken place over the history of the cat to lead to today’s level of domestication. He regularly informs us that his views are often no more than educated guesswork, since far less research has been done on the cat than the dog.
In the last few chapters, Bradshaw discusses the place of the domestic cat in today’s world, suggesting that the cat will have to change if it wishes to survive in an increasingly urbanised society where many people see cats as wildlife-murdering pests. He points out that most pet cats, especially males, are neutered before breeding (with the exception of pedigrees) and that this may have the unintended consequence of demand for kittens being met by rescued feral litters or by mating between wild males and domestic unneutered females. He proposes that in fact cats should be bred carefully for personality and trained to live happily, either as indoor cats or as non-hunting outdoor cats. He makes valid points about the lack of territory available to each cat in an overcrowded world and about the increased levels of anxiety this can cause.
While there is a lot of interesting stuff in here, there are a couple of things that prevent me wholeheartedly recommending the book. I found the presentation of the first section about the history of the cat quite dry and often repetitive – it may be of more interest to someone with a scientific interest in the subject, but for this casual cat-loving reader there was too much concentration on genetics, while there was little new in the tale of how the cat became a domestic pet.
The second section was more interesting to me, but here I found I disagreed fundamentally with the thrust of his argument – that we should be trying to breed cats to be more domesticated. He makes the point himself that cat owners love them because of their independence and relatively easy care, while suggesting that that independence should be bred out of them and that they should be subjected to intensive training. I would suggest that, in that case, might as well get a dog. As someone who’s not very keen on selective breeding of any (domestic) animal, I was also uneasy about messing with the breeding to produce something that would really end up looking like a cat but not behaving like one. If we as a race decide cats are not suited to our environment (and I don’t accept that) then surely better to stop keeping cats rather than to play god. When one considers some of the horrors that selective breeding has produced in both dogs and cats, can we really want to go further down that route?
So Bradshaw’s assumption that this is the way to go meant that instead of, as I had expected, giving us advice on how to make sure our existing cats are well cared for, in fact he seemed to be suggesting the demise of the cat as we know it to be replaced with designer Stepford Cats. A reasonably interesting read but, for me, more of a warning of why scientists should never be allowed out without a bell on their collar than a convincing argument for the future of the moggie.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
June 7, 2013
Three years ago, I found this little lady in the middle of the street:
My neighbor had abandoned her when they moved and she seemed to be looking for a forever home. My first meeting with her had been the night prior to my birthday when I found her on top of my trashcan. It wasn't until that morning when I went outside again that I found her in the middle of the street hungry. I had learned from earlier childhood experiences that cats were not the nicest animals and had preferred dogs as companions but there was something about her that I couldn't put my finger on. It seemed that she knew I needed someone. I had just lost my dog of nineteen years and I was still grieving for her but Lily brought the light back into my life.
Three years has passed and I am still relatively new to having a cat. I have done numerous of research on cat owning but most of the websites have been repetitive. And although I have asked friends on their experiences, I have learned that each experience is different. Still they did not give me quite enough insight into being a new cat momma.
This book gave me an honest look into the history of cat domestication as mouse hunters in homes to what to honestly expect when having a cat. From the information provided, I learned to be a bit more confident with her.
If you are a new cat owner, I recommend you read this book.
My neighbor had abandoned her when they moved and she seemed to be looking for a forever home. My first meeting with her had been the night prior to my birthday when I found her on top of my trashcan. It wasn't until that morning when I went outside again that I found her in the middle of the street hungry. I had learned from earlier childhood experiences that cats were not the nicest animals and had preferred dogs as companions but there was something about her that I couldn't put my finger on. It seemed that she knew I needed someone. I had just lost my dog of nineteen years and I was still grieving for her but Lily brought the light back into my life.
Three years has passed and I am still relatively new to having a cat. I have done numerous of research on cat owning but most of the websites have been repetitive. And although I have asked friends on their experiences, I have learned that each experience is different. Still they did not give me quite enough insight into being a new cat momma.
This book gave me an honest look into the history of cat domestication as mouse hunters in homes to what to honestly expect when having a cat. From the information provided, I learned to be a bit more confident with her.
If you are a new cat owner, I recommend you read this book.
May 23, 2014
I give very few 5 star reviews, but this is one of them. As you can tell by my facebook picture, I cohabit with a tuxedo cat. I've looked everywhere for a book about cat psychology and never found anything as comprehensive as this one. This one looks at their behavior based on scientific analysis of current observation and experiments. (None of the experiments involve harming cats.) It's the first one I've seen that talks about genetic influences, although Ive seen what looked family traits in the cats I've known. I think it's answered a few questions I've always had about Mitzi's behavior. Of course, he admits that there are lots of open questions, but then cats wouldn't be cats if we knew everything, would they?
Many reviewers apparently didn't like the fact that it wasn't a "care and feeding" kind of book, or that it wasn't full of kitty anecdotes. Since I've already seen a number of those and didn't need another one, Bradshaw's is definitely what I was looking for.
Many reviewers apparently didn't like the fact that it wasn't a "care and feeding" kind of book, or that it wasn't full of kitty anecdotes. Since I've already seen a number of those and didn't need another one, Bradshaw's is definitely what I was looking for.
May 10, 2025
One of the most boring cat books I've ever read. The book could not decide whether it was intended for a specialist audience or a popular market. Also the author seems clearly biased towards dogs. Check out this sentence: "The relationship between cat and owner is fundamentally affectionate, surpassed in its richness and complexity only by the bond between dog and master."
Surely the quality of that rich, affectionate bond is a matter of opinion rather than fact. And certainly a controversial opinion to be trumpeting in a book supposedly about cats.
Took me ages to figure out that most of this book is talking about un-neutered cats. He has a good point at the end — that the cats who are breeding are often a little wilder. If we are to develop pet cats less prone to be rampant killers, perhaps we are going about it the wrong way.
Surely the quality of that rich, affectionate bond is a matter of opinion rather than fact. And certainly a controversial opinion to be trumpeting in a book supposedly about cats.
Took me ages to figure out that most of this book is talking about un-neutered cats. He has a good point at the end — that the cats who are breeding are often a little wilder. If we are to develop pet cats less prone to be rampant killers, perhaps we are going about it the wrong way.
February 19, 2017
Bradshaw is the founder and director of the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol. He writes as both an expert in animal behavior and a cat lover. I only skimmed this one rather than reading it in full because I expected it would repeat a lot of the information in The Lion in the Living Room. There is indeed a fair amount of overlap in the discussion of domestic cat evolution and the environmental effects of cats’ hunting instinct, but Bradshaw’s book is unique for the amount of time it gives to cat genetics and behavior, especially things like breeding and how cats interact with other cats and with people. (He seems to think that humans need to steer cat evolution towards friendliness by not automatically neutering every cat and allowing the friendly ones to breed. Hard to see how this would work in practice, though.)
This would be a good halfway house if you want a readable but quite scientific book about cats. The Lion in the Living Room is the better all-round introduction, though.
Favorite lines:
This would be a good halfway house if you want a readable but quite scientific book about cats. The Lion in the Living Room is the better all-round introduction, though.
Favorite lines:
“Part of the pleasure of owning a pet comes from projecting our thoughts and feelings on to the animal, treating it as if it were almost human. We talk to our cats as if they could understand our every word, while knowing full well that they certainly can’t.”
“Purring therefore seems to convey a general request: ‘Please settle down next to me.’ In the gentlest way, the purring cat is asking someone else, whether cat or human, to do something for it.”
“Since most pet cats do not hunt seriously, it seems curious that they spend so much time outdoors, apparently sitting and doing nothing or meandering between the same locations they visited the previous day.”
July 31, 2017
Kissan mieli lupaa auttaa kissan omistajia ymmärtämään paremmin lemmikkiensa käytöstä. Tässä se suorituu kohtalaisin arvosanoin. Lukijana odotin tieteelliseen tutkimukseen perustuvaa tietoa ja sitä myös sain. Parhaimmillaan kirja auttaa ymmärtämään kissojen tyypillistä, käytöstä ja merkitystä, joka tuolla käytöksellä on aikanaan ollut kissojen evoluutioympäristössä.
Kirja etenee tutkimustieto edellä ja oivaltava kerronnallisuus on vähäistä. Kirjoitustapa on kuivakka, itseään toistava ja yhteys kotikissojen arkeen ontuu useissa kohtaa. Hyvänä esimerkkinä on kirjan aloittava n. 100 sivun mittainen, yksityiskohtainen kuvaus kotikissan esi-isistä, niiden ravinnosta ja elinolosuhteista, jonka relevanssi kotikissan omistajalle jää minulle hämärän peittoon.
Kissan mieli alleviivaa sitä, kuinka vähän lopulta tutkittua tietoa kotikissoista on esimerkiksi koiriin verrattuna. 300 sivuisen kirjan keskeiset pointit olisi pystynyt typistämään helposti muutamaksi artikkeliksi.
Kirja etenee tutkimustieto edellä ja oivaltava kerronnallisuus on vähäistä. Kirjoitustapa on kuivakka, itseään toistava ja yhteys kotikissojen arkeen ontuu useissa kohtaa. Hyvänä esimerkkinä on kirjan aloittava n. 100 sivun mittainen, yksityiskohtainen kuvaus kotikissan esi-isistä, niiden ravinnosta ja elinolosuhteista, jonka relevanssi kotikissan omistajalle jää minulle hämärän peittoon.
Kissan mieli alleviivaa sitä, kuinka vähän lopulta tutkittua tietoa kotikissoista on esimerkiksi koiriin verrattuna. 300 sivuisen kirjan keskeiset pointit olisi pystynyt typistämään helposti muutamaksi artikkeliksi.
August 26, 2021
Excelente libro, me ha enganchado desde la primera página. John Bradshaw ha escrito un libro muy fácil de leer y realmente interesante. Está escrito para lo leamos dueños de gatos sin necesidad de tener conocimientos del comportamiento gatuno.
Bradshaw comienza hablando de la evolución del gato hacia la medio domesticación actual y luego habla brevemente del gato a través de la historia. Una vez establecida esta introducción, habla en diversos capítulos de como el gato ve el mundo, como se relaciona con los humanos y con otros gatos, además de como es, tanto física como psicológicamente. Aporta mucha información práctica que nos puede ayudar a los dueños a convivir mejor con nuestros gatos, y a que ellos también convivan mejor entre ellos. Junta sus propias experiencias con sus gatos y diferentes estudios a lo largo de los años con estudios de otras muchas personas.
Habla de como el periodo de dos a tres meses es el más importante para el desarrollo del carácter del gato: cuanta más gente conozca en este periodo de tiempo, más acostumbrado a los humanos estará en el futuro, y es importante que conviva con otros gatos de pequeño (no solo de su propia familia) para que después tolere mejor la presencia de otros gatos.
Así mismo, la experiencia que un gatito tiene en sus primeros meses le servirá como guía para comportamientos futuros.
Y aunque pueda resultar extraño, Bradshaw sostiene que es importante entrenar a un gato de forma parecida a como se hace con los perros.
El libro finaliza con un capítulo dedicado a los gatos del futuro y como deberíamos buscar genéticamente que el gato sea más doméstico para adaptarse mejor a su popularidad como mascota y para evitar que peque de sus tendencias de cazador. Aquí, por ejemplo, comenta que la práctica de esterilizar gatos para evitar camadas, aunque actualmente es la mejor forma de evitarles sufrimientos, supone que se están perdiendo los genes de los gatos más amables con lo cual los gatos de futuro serán más propensos a ser salvajes y esto es un problema si queremos que el gato continue teniendo popularidad como mascota, así como tener argumentos que darle a la gente que opina que el gato es un peligro para la biodiversidad.
En definitiva, me ha encantado el libro, he sacado de él una cantidad ingente de información y me ha hecho ver a mis gatos de forma diferente, prestando más atención a quienes son y porque son como son. He subrayado muchas cosas y se quedará como libro de referencia para el futuro.
Bradshaw comienza hablando de la evolución del gato hacia la medio domesticación actual y luego habla brevemente del gato a través de la historia. Una vez establecida esta introducción, habla en diversos capítulos de como el gato ve el mundo, como se relaciona con los humanos y con otros gatos, además de como es, tanto física como psicológicamente. Aporta mucha información práctica que nos puede ayudar a los dueños a convivir mejor con nuestros gatos, y a que ellos también convivan mejor entre ellos. Junta sus propias experiencias con sus gatos y diferentes estudios a lo largo de los años con estudios de otras muchas personas.
Habla de como el periodo de dos a tres meses es el más importante para el desarrollo del carácter del gato: cuanta más gente conozca en este periodo de tiempo, más acostumbrado a los humanos estará en el futuro, y es importante que conviva con otros gatos de pequeño (no solo de su propia familia) para que después tolere mejor la presencia de otros gatos.
Así mismo, la experiencia que un gatito tiene en sus primeros meses le servirá como guía para comportamientos futuros.
Y aunque pueda resultar extraño, Bradshaw sostiene que es importante entrenar a un gato de forma parecida a como se hace con los perros.
El libro finaliza con un capítulo dedicado a los gatos del futuro y como deberíamos buscar genéticamente que el gato sea más doméstico para adaptarse mejor a su popularidad como mascota y para evitar que peque de sus tendencias de cazador. Aquí, por ejemplo, comenta que la práctica de esterilizar gatos para evitar camadas, aunque actualmente es la mejor forma de evitarles sufrimientos, supone que se están perdiendo los genes de los gatos más amables con lo cual los gatos de futuro serán más propensos a ser salvajes y esto es un problema si queremos que el gato continue teniendo popularidad como mascota, así como tener argumentos que darle a la gente que opina que el gato es un peligro para la biodiversidad.
En definitiva, me ha encantado el libro, he sacado de él una cantidad ingente de información y me ha hecho ver a mis gatos de forma diferente, prestando más atención a quienes son y porque son como son. He subrayado muchas cosas y se quedará como libro de referencia para el futuro.
September 1, 2017
The reason I bought this book was that it had a ton of information about the history of feline evolution, the social history of cats and humans, as well as some fascinating biological information about cats. I didn't buy it to find out more about what makes my cat so cute and quirky, nor to explain personality or whatever.
I do confess - the evolutionary stuff was a bit dry and long, it was hard for me to get through. I can't remember the names of any of the animals and locations in modern cats' lineage at this point.
What I do remember is that it made me hate the Ancient Egyptians. Apparently, Ancient Egyptians loved cats so much that they bred them in large numbers so they could kill them and mummify them to sell as trinkets for people to offer as sacrifices at temple. Stupid English people took cemeteries of mummified cats by the ship load, one shipment was 19 tons, to turn into fertilizer back in England.
A redeeming tidbit about the Ancient Egyptians: worshippers of Bastet would get on party barges, singing, drinking and mooning people on the shore! That sounds like a party. Of course, my cats prefer private cello solos.
While monastic intellectuals appreciated cats they still demonized them in sermons and the Catholic Church sanction cruelty toward cats throughout the 17th c -- I mean, come ON, these cats are killing your vermin that cause plague and you think it's ok to ...oh, wait, the CATHOLIC Church? Nevermind. Rampant cruelty for centuries from the cult that brought humankind the Spanish Inquisition and other atrocities.
Note to self: Cats do not require Vitamin C.
One of the best things I learned was the section about cats' eyesight (they see yellow and blue best, same as dogs) and about their sense of smell (better than dogs but they don't care what we think). Cats don't see things the way they do -- it reminds me of flying in my friend's private small plane. He said "look up and down to scan for movement and other aircraft" -- which is different from how we operate on land or water.
Cats have a similar special way of looking at the world -- they mostly look for movement, and they look ahead to get the lay of the land, memorize where things are and then proceed to get tangled up in your ankles because, well, your ankles were NOT there when they decided to walk that direction. I imagine that is also why my cats like running up and down the length of the house in the most unobstructed path -- must be very fun for them.
Near the end - the author threw out a very interesting point about sterilizing cats. If we continually sterilize human-friendly/oriented cats, we'll keep ending up with cats who have behavior problems (and health problems, too!). I can attest to this -- I have fostered pregnant friendly ferals and moved their kittens right into foster care, and I have fostered 2-7 month old feral kittens and there's a huge difference in how the animals behave.
My two recent fosters (who are still here) may never be social cats - I can't walk up to them and pet them in the daytime but they seem to be enjoying life as indoor cats and get along with my other cats. They are even learning to make requests of me for food or to open doors. My middle kitty is a "failed feral" - she's very sweet but still quite shy and hides from strangers. The youngsters are still pretty wild even after living with me for 18 months, and often act like I'm going to eat them instead of give them food.
Frankly, there are entirely too many humans on the planet (especially Americans - 5% of world population using 40% of world resources) -- I would prefer to focus on population control of my fellow citizens as one of the chief problems with world resources and quality of life for all living creatures.
I do confess - the evolutionary stuff was a bit dry and long, it was hard for me to get through. I can't remember the names of any of the animals and locations in modern cats' lineage at this point.
What I do remember is that it made me hate the Ancient Egyptians. Apparently, Ancient Egyptians loved cats so much that they bred them in large numbers so they could kill them and mummify them to sell as trinkets for people to offer as sacrifices at temple. Stupid English people took cemeteries of mummified cats by the ship load, one shipment was 19 tons, to turn into fertilizer back in England.
A redeeming tidbit about the Ancient Egyptians: worshippers of Bastet would get on party barges, singing, drinking and mooning people on the shore! That sounds like a party. Of course, my cats prefer private cello solos.
While monastic intellectuals appreciated cats they still demonized them in sermons and the Catholic Church sanction cruelty toward cats throughout the 17th c -- I mean, come ON, these cats are killing your vermin that cause plague and you think it's ok to ...oh, wait, the CATHOLIC Church? Nevermind. Rampant cruelty for centuries from the cult that brought humankind the Spanish Inquisition and other atrocities.
Note to self: Cats do not require Vitamin C.
One of the best things I learned was the section about cats' eyesight (they see yellow and blue best, same as dogs) and about their sense of smell (better than dogs but they don't care what we think). Cats don't see things the way they do -- it reminds me of flying in my friend's private small plane. He said "look up and down to scan for movement and other aircraft" -- which is different from how we operate on land or water.
Cats have a similar special way of looking at the world -- they mostly look for movement, and they look ahead to get the lay of the land, memorize where things are and then proceed to get tangled up in your ankles because, well, your ankles were NOT there when they decided to walk that direction. I imagine that is also why my cats like running up and down the length of the house in the most unobstructed path -- must be very fun for them.
Near the end - the author threw out a very interesting point about sterilizing cats. If we continually sterilize human-friendly/oriented cats, we'll keep ending up with cats who have behavior problems (and health problems, too!). I can attest to this -- I have fostered pregnant friendly ferals and moved their kittens right into foster care, and I have fostered 2-7 month old feral kittens and there's a huge difference in how the animals behave.
My two recent fosters (who are still here) may never be social cats - I can't walk up to them and pet them in the daytime but they seem to be enjoying life as indoor cats and get along with my other cats. They are even learning to make requests of me for food or to open doors. My middle kitty is a "failed feral" - she's very sweet but still quite shy and hides from strangers. The youngsters are still pretty wild even after living with me for 18 months, and often act like I'm going to eat them instead of give them food.
Frankly, there are entirely too many humans on the planet (especially Americans - 5% of world population using 40% of world resources) -- I would prefer to focus on population control of my fellow citizens as one of the chief problems with world resources and quality of life for all living creatures.
November 14, 2018
Good book about what's known about the psychology, genetics, and socialization of the domestic cat.
What's most remarkable to me is just how little basic science has been done -- many basic things like knowing the optimal age to home kittens with their new families, the extent of genetic influence over personality traits, etc. have never been studied.
A particularly scary thing is that widespread neutering of pet cats has led to the least sociable and human adapted cats being responsible for most new kittens (unaltered female cats kept in homes, but feral tomcats rather than outdoor pet tomcats); this has apparently led to observable behavioral differences in kittens in areas where the majority of pet cats are neutered.
Pedigree cats don't seem to have been bred with personality taken into account, and the market for random-bred or non-pedigreed cats based on personality may not exist, but it seems like there should be a market for a super-premium known-parentage cat, raised in a home environment until age 8 weeks or so, combined with feline enrichment and other pet ecosystem products -- basically the "Apple" of cats.
What's most remarkable to me is just how little basic science has been done -- many basic things like knowing the optimal age to home kittens with their new families, the extent of genetic influence over personality traits, etc. have never been studied.
A particularly scary thing is that widespread neutering of pet cats has led to the least sociable and human adapted cats being responsible for most new kittens (unaltered female cats kept in homes, but feral tomcats rather than outdoor pet tomcats); this has apparently led to observable behavioral differences in kittens in areas where the majority of pet cats are neutered.
Pedigree cats don't seem to have been bred with personality taken into account, and the market for random-bred or non-pedigreed cats based on personality may not exist, but it seems like there should be a market for a super-premium known-parentage cat, raised in a home environment until age 8 weeks or so, combined with feline enrichment and other pet ecosystem products -- basically the "Apple" of cats.
March 28, 2016
I remember frying fish for dinner at grandmother's. I was 7-8 years old and loved the stray cats visiting the garden. She lived in a rural-ish place in the middle of the city, so the cats were pretty wild compared to domestic ones. I gave them fish in secret but then my grandma caught me and told me to recall God's name when I feed the cats, otherwise they were going to pee on the Sirat Bridge that I'll pass when I die. When she left, I fed one more cat, which was black, without God's name. I never believed that a cat I fed would pee on my way anyway.
Unfortunately cats have been considered as bad omen in different cultures and therefore being exposed to hate and massacre. Because they are being wild and not fully domesticated, people often tend to call them "ungrateful, selfish, disgraceful" etc. But humans are these as well. Since we can't accept a cat with its personality, since it just doesn't fit into our criterias, since we can't truly own them, we rather prefer to put the negativity suit on cats.
What I like about this book is that, let alone it being a scientific book, it's a good introduction for understanding why cats are what we say about them. I find the book pretty objective about the claims on cats, even though the author gives his points of view clearly. He was persuasive enough to make me believe that he's gone through a lot of documents in writing this book and put enough effort to make the language easy for the dummies (maybe that's why some found this book not academical enough). This is one of the books which made me sit in front of the computer to google subjects (and lost my pace), but I had a rewarding outcome for doing that.
This book basically gives information on the genetics and evolution of the cats, domestication process, how the cats perceive the world and the "owners", what might they be thinking, their place in the wildlife and the possible future theories. A well-made plan for such a book. Also the drawings are beautiful. I think the cat-haters can read this book to learn not to make the cats scapegoats in order to support wildlife - where there is human, cats are not the real destroyers. I think my almost 100 year-old grandma should read this book too, if only she could.
I have never known how to name my place in my cats' lives. I can't call myself as an owner; who am I to own them? I am not really a mother either, but they feel like my children (the book has an explanation to that also). But the book suggests about how cats interpret us humans to be: as part mother substitute, part superior cat. I might be this. This almost made me cry. I don't really mind if my cats are domesticated or selfish (they are plain stray cats after all), but after reading this book, I am more aware of how to make them feel happier and peaceful. I owe this to them, because they make me so.
Unfortunately cats have been considered as bad omen in different cultures and therefore being exposed to hate and massacre. Because they are being wild and not fully domesticated, people often tend to call them "ungrateful, selfish, disgraceful" etc. But humans are these as well. Since we can't accept a cat with its personality, since it just doesn't fit into our criterias, since we can't truly own them, we rather prefer to put the negativity suit on cats.
What I like about this book is that, let alone it being a scientific book, it's a good introduction for understanding why cats are what we say about them. I find the book pretty objective about the claims on cats, even though the author gives his points of view clearly. He was persuasive enough to make me believe that he's gone through a lot of documents in writing this book and put enough effort to make the language easy for the dummies (maybe that's why some found this book not academical enough). This is one of the books which made me sit in front of the computer to google subjects (and lost my pace), but I had a rewarding outcome for doing that.
This book basically gives information on the genetics and evolution of the cats, domestication process, how the cats perceive the world and the "owners", what might they be thinking, their place in the wildlife and the possible future theories. A well-made plan for such a book. Also the drawings are beautiful. I think the cat-haters can read this book to learn not to make the cats scapegoats in order to support wildlife - where there is human, cats are not the real destroyers. I think my almost 100 year-old grandma should read this book too, if only she could.
I have never known how to name my place in my cats' lives. I can't call myself as an owner; who am I to own them? I am not really a mother either, but they feel like my children (the book has an explanation to that also). But the book suggests about how cats interpret us humans to be: as part mother substitute, part superior cat. I might be this. This almost made me cry. I don't really mind if my cats are domesticated or selfish (they are plain stray cats after all), but after reading this book, I am more aware of how to make them feel happier and peaceful. I owe this to them, because they make me so.
August 26, 2013
My cat sits on my lap while I read. He occasionally turns his head up to look at me, and waits patiently for my kiss on his forehead. My husband and I trained our cat for of a lot of things. He doesn't scratch furniture, climb on kitchen counters, eat our food, claw or bite us while roughhousing. He sits (marginally) patiently when we clip his claws or give him a brush or flea meds. Early on, we trained him to like being picked up and have his paw handled. But we didn't train him to like being kissed. He just does, without any food involved. What does this have to do with the book I'm reviewing? Nothing, but I can't review a cat book without a cat story of my own.
Anyway, since I really need to be reviewing this book, I'll begin by saying that the book's title is a misnomer. How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet isn't actually addressed at all. There's the history of my cat, and while it was fun to read, I was looking for something to make my cat even more comfortable, if possible. It's also not for my cat in the sense that I have a neutered ginger male who's never been outside except in the safety of his carrier. He tries to catch bugs that make it inside the house, but he isn't very good at it. He eats well, and he's pretty happy playing with inanimate objects and us.
Also, Bradshaw spends time explaining that most of the "science" isn't actually quantified at all. Most of it, he says is in its infancy, or that it's too new, or that there's no focus or it's based on what he knows from his own cat(s). What actual Feline Science there is, I already know given how OC I am. I know more theory than this book offers, considering Bradshaw doesn't address anything that actually would help keeping pets healthy and happy. The nutritional quality of the food we feed them, for example, or how to know if a cat is sick. What I did learn is what I've always suspected, that cats are quirky and march to the beat of their own drum. At the end of diligently reading this book, I've still no idea why my cat is the way he is and why he does the crazy, stupid things he does. I don't know how to be a better pet caregiver than I already am.
A pity, since my household will go through a radical change in a bit (my reason for picking up the book), and any advice on how to introduce the cat to this with as less stress to him as possible would have been highly appreciated. A chapter or even a little block on "cats and children" would have been appreciated. As it is, I learned history, not science. 3 stars, for the interesting facts about cats through the ages.
I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
Anyway, since I really need to be reviewing this book, I'll begin by saying that the book's title is a misnomer. How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet isn't actually addressed at all. There's the history of my cat, and while it was fun to read, I was looking for something to make my cat even more comfortable, if possible. It's also not for my cat in the sense that I have a neutered ginger male who's never been outside except in the safety of his carrier. He tries to catch bugs that make it inside the house, but he isn't very good at it. He eats well, and he's pretty happy playing with inanimate objects and us.
Also, Bradshaw spends time explaining that most of the "science" isn't actually quantified at all. Most of it, he says is in its infancy, or that it's too new, or that there's no focus or it's based on what he knows from his own cat(s). What actual Feline Science there is, I already know given how OC I am. I know more theory than this book offers, considering Bradshaw doesn't address anything that actually would help keeping pets healthy and happy. The nutritional quality of the food we feed them, for example, or how to know if a cat is sick. What I did learn is what I've always suspected, that cats are quirky and march to the beat of their own drum. At the end of diligently reading this book, I've still no idea why my cat is the way he is and why he does the crazy, stupid things he does. I don't know how to be a better pet caregiver than I already am.
A pity, since my household will go through a radical change in a bit (my reason for picking up the book), and any advice on how to introduce the cat to this with as less stress to him as possible would have been highly appreciated. A chapter or even a little block on "cats and children" would have been appreciated. As it is, I learned history, not science. 3 stars, for the interesting facts about cats through the ages.
I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
October 9, 2013
The history and physiology sections were interesting, but I suspect I could find those in other books or the Internet. Mostly I think I disagree with the author's main premise that cats should evolve to be more "palatable" in order to survive with people--they need to be better socialized to get along with other cats and (human) strangers, and they need to stop hunting. He seems to disregard the fact that many cat lovers love cats because of their quirks, not despite. Also, the idea that by neutering pet cats instead of (what?) ferals, we're breeding out the "sociability" and "friendliness" that we all clearly so desire in our felines does not seem sound to me. He seems anti-TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release), which I also find baffling for a "cat lover". Finally, when he got on the PETA-like bandwagon that there are not enough homes in the world for all the adoptable cats, though thankfully stopping short of endorsing PETA's final solution, he lost me.
November 18, 2013
This book could be good. An anthropological look at the history of domestic cats. I could work with that. But this author is a moron. He doesn't know enough to keep his house cat indoors and get them fixed. I've never met a cat who isn't content to live indoors once fixed and provided with a steady diet of fresh food and water. And I've met a lot of cats. And a lot of people who care for cats.
And the anthropology, ostensibly Bradshaw's area of expertise... he drones on like an abhorred college professor. I can just see him standing in front of a huge lecture hall boring his students to sleep - the ones who bother to attend anyway. He didn't even try to imbue his subject matter with some of the liveliness of cats.
And the anthropology, ostensibly Bradshaw's area of expertise... he drones on like an abhorred college professor. I can just see him standing in front of a huge lecture hall boring his students to sleep - the ones who bother to attend anyway. He didn't even try to imbue his subject matter with some of the liveliness of cats.
August 8, 2013
I received a free digital copy from Basic Books Group by requesting on Netgalley.com
This book is for cat lovers/cat interested only. I do not believe others would spend the time reading it. This book, in my opinion, does not reveal anything new about cats. For people who doesn't know much and would like to know more it is an interesting read. For me, it was a bit dull.. Nothing new in there for me.
This book is for cat lovers/cat interested only. I do not believe others would spend the time reading it. This book, in my opinion, does not reveal anything new about cats. For people who doesn't know much and would like to know more it is an interesting read. For me, it was a bit dull.. Nothing new in there for me.
August 13, 2016
As a cat lover, I found this book on the history and personality of cats fascinating. The author has studied them for many years and writes very convincingly about the many aspects of raising a cat. I know it has changed my outlook on owning multiple cats and how I treat the one we have. The ending is a bit of downer and he paints a difficult future for our feline companions. I highly recommend this for all my cat loving friends.
August 15, 2021
It contains some interesting insights but it is too long and repetitive. I read an early edition, maybe a later one would be better?
July 27, 2022
Como recente cat owner, escolhi ler este livro por ser um dos mais recomendados na área.
Gostei bastante da abordagem do autor e senti que foi uma excelente introdução à biologia e história evolutiva do gato doméstico.
Revela a razão para imensos comportamentos curiosos que observamos nos gatos e ajuda-nos a compreender como estes veem o mundo. Acaba por alterar a nossa perspetiva como humanos donos de gatos, e consequentemente a relação entre ambos.
Gostei bastante da abordagem do autor e senti que foi uma excelente introdução à biologia e história evolutiva do gato doméstico.
Revela a razão para imensos comportamentos curiosos que observamos nos gatos e ajuda-nos a compreender como estes veem o mundo. Acaba por alterar a nossa perspetiva como humanos donos de gatos, e consequentemente a relação entre ambos.
February 22, 2014
This book had a really easy target in me. Basically, if you can tell me something--almost anything--about domestic cats, I am interested in hearing it. My brain may have been infected by that virus scientists claim cats infect mice with, making them slow to run and attracted to cat smell. I love cats. We have four of them. So even when the book made a claim about cats (black cats are friendlier!) that it later retracted (never mind--no evidence for that!), I still found it interesting. All cats started out as tabbies and then there were color mutations--tell me more!
That being said...A lot of the characteristics in this book listed as scientific "discoveries" are only really discoveries given the norms of animal science. Which is to say that some of the layperson's ways of relating to and conceiving of a cat seem to be closer to true than decades of science treating animals like little robots responding to stimuli. Cats have emotions! (anger, fear, anxiety, affection) Cats have personalities! (or at least temperaments: some are bold, some are timid) These seem like gimmes to the casual pet owner, even if it is genuinely a breakthrough for biologists to be able to *prove* these things.
Also, the tracing of the genealogy of the domestic cat gets a little old, in spite of some fascinating and sad anecdotes about ancient cat torture. And Bradshaw's perspective feels a little simplistically Darwinian; he views every aspect of cats through the prism of natural selection, and while I don't have a problem with that logic per se, it sometimes seemed a bit simplistic and a blunt instrument through which to understand the idiosyncracies of cat behavior. This led Bradshaw's recommendations for cat futures to feel a bit eugenic, and while that shouldn't surprise, since the domestication of animals has frequently led to a focus on desired breed traits, it felt a little utilitarian, and his prognostications about all domestic cats being neutered and the "wild genes" dominating and ruining the kitten population felt a little dour.
I suspect that some of the issues I took with the book came from our divergent disciplines and their conventions, and furthermore, I think I would love to have a cup of tea and talk cat behavior with this guy. My favorite part of the book is the description of the cats' sensory and balancing systems and how they differ from those of humans. Getting a glimpse into the mechanics of that (and its probable results) was fascinating.
Also, this book made me so happy that our cats like each other because, at least based on Bradshaw's account, it seems vastly improbable that they ended up doing so. He emphasized cats' bonding with their family pairs, and our two littermates are not particularly friendly with one another. He also stressed how difficult it is for cats of similar ages and disparate family lines to get along, and all of our cats do get along; two of our cats (not related) adore each other. Bradshaw acknowledges that introductions matter here, so hooray for following humane society instructions when introducing cats to one another!
I'm not sure I learned a tremendous amount reading this book, and even for a cat lover like me, there wasn't a tremendous amount of cat trivia that made me say "aha!" Moderately diverting.
That being said...A lot of the characteristics in this book listed as scientific "discoveries" are only really discoveries given the norms of animal science. Which is to say that some of the layperson's ways of relating to and conceiving of a cat seem to be closer to true than decades of science treating animals like little robots responding to stimuli. Cats have emotions! (anger, fear, anxiety, affection) Cats have personalities! (or at least temperaments: some are bold, some are timid) These seem like gimmes to the casual pet owner, even if it is genuinely a breakthrough for biologists to be able to *prove* these things.
Also, the tracing of the genealogy of the domestic cat gets a little old, in spite of some fascinating and sad anecdotes about ancient cat torture. And Bradshaw's perspective feels a little simplistically Darwinian; he views every aspect of cats through the prism of natural selection, and while I don't have a problem with that logic per se, it sometimes seemed a bit simplistic and a blunt instrument through which to understand the idiosyncracies of cat behavior. This led Bradshaw's recommendations for cat futures to feel a bit eugenic, and while that shouldn't surprise, since the domestication of animals has frequently led to a focus on desired breed traits, it felt a little utilitarian, and his prognostications about all domestic cats being neutered and the "wild genes" dominating and ruining the kitten population felt a little dour.
I suspect that some of the issues I took with the book came from our divergent disciplines and their conventions, and furthermore, I think I would love to have a cup of tea and talk cat behavior with this guy. My favorite part of the book is the description of the cats' sensory and balancing systems and how they differ from those of humans. Getting a glimpse into the mechanics of that (and its probable results) was fascinating.
Also, this book made me so happy that our cats like each other because, at least based on Bradshaw's account, it seems vastly improbable that they ended up doing so. He emphasized cats' bonding with their family pairs, and our two littermates are not particularly friendly with one another. He also stressed how difficult it is for cats of similar ages and disparate family lines to get along, and all of our cats do get along; two of our cats (not related) adore each other. Bradshaw acknowledges that introductions matter here, so hooray for following humane society instructions when introducing cats to one another!
I'm not sure I learned a tremendous amount reading this book, and even for a cat lover like me, there wasn't a tremendous amount of cat trivia that made me say "aha!" Moderately diverting.
November 14, 2013
Intended to share a few anecdotes about my cat family but got sucked into the black hole that is cat videos on Youtube.
Some background....
I have always been fond of animals. All sorts of animals. I was the kind of kid who had a funeral for a dead bee I found on the sidewalk. I believe I inherited this soft spot for furry things and flying things and many-legged things from my mother. My father was decidedly less enthusiastic about the idea of bringing pets into the home.
How I landed my first pet....
I wanted a dog. I reeeeeallly reeeeeeeeeeally wanted a dog. I was in elementary school at the time. I begged my parents. My dad brings home a tarantula.
Pets I grew up with (in order of appearance)...
Tequila the tarantula
Maxie the guinae pig
Sweetie the budgie
Bluezie the budgie
Olive the budgie
Crickette the dog
Kellie the dog
Mojo the dog
But no cats because my mom was fiercely allergic to them.
Then there were lovely goldfish. Many of whom died by the hands of callous college roommates.
All this to drive home the point that I knew very little about cats prior to owning them. I'd seen them in television and movies but I had no real practical experience. I like to think of my two cat household as a happy accident. Minnie and Moo-Moo were both strays and I've been winging it as a cat owner.
How the new feline science can make you a better friend to your pet? Not exactly. Very light on practical advise to people living with cats.
Some background....
I have always been fond of animals. All sorts of animals. I was the kind of kid who had a funeral for a dead bee I found on the sidewalk. I believe I inherited this soft spot for furry things and flying things and many-legged things from my mother. My father was decidedly less enthusiastic about the idea of bringing pets into the home.
How I landed my first pet....
I wanted a dog. I reeeeeallly reeeeeeeeeeally wanted a dog. I was in elementary school at the time. I begged my parents. My dad brings home a tarantula.
Pets I grew up with (in order of appearance)...
Tequila the tarantula
Maxie the guinae pig
Sweetie the budgie
Bluezie the budgie
Olive the budgie
Crickette the dog
Kellie the dog
Mojo the dog
But no cats because my mom was fiercely allergic to them.
Then there were lovely goldfish. Many of whom died by the hands of callous college roommates.
All this to drive home the point that I knew very little about cats prior to owning them. I'd seen them in television and movies but I had no real practical experience. I like to think of my two cat household as a happy accident. Minnie and Moo-Moo were both strays and I've been winging it as a cat owner.
How the new feline science can make you a better friend to your pet? Not exactly. Very light on practical advise to people living with cats.
May 26, 2016
Do you love cats? Cat Sense explores the evolution and history of cats, from their earliest encounters with humans to the present day. Bradshaw also discusses cat psychology--just why does your cat do the things he does? An enjoyable read, a bit redundant in sections, that will satisfy any cat lover's need to learn more about their feline friends.
January 11, 2022
Un completo recorrido sobre todo lo que se conoce hoy en día acercar de nuestros peludos compañeros. Que, como se nos señala casi desde la primera página, es en realidad muy poco. Al menos cuando lo comparamos con nuestras otras mascotas preferidas, los perros.
Empezamos revisando lo que se sabe sobre los posibles ancestros de los gatos, cómo se cree que empezó el proceso, aún incompleto, de domesticación y cómo se ha tratado a los gatos a lo largo de la historia, para luego hacer un análisis de su fisiología y comportamiento y sociabilidad.
Sí reconozco que, aunque me ha gustado, lo he encontrado algo irregular: mientras la parte central (características y comportamiento) me han resultado muy interesantes, el comienzo, con una interminable diquisición sobre los orígenes de la especie, me resultó muy pesada, y puede hacer abandonar a lectores que piensen que el resto vaya a seguir el mismo estilo. También me resultaron flojos los dos últimos capítulos, sobre la genética y su influencia tanto en el comportamiento como en el desarrollo futuro de la especie, donde se dedica principalmente a especular sin aportar nada firme.
Quitando esto, un libro muy interesante, que aportará mucha información a los amantes de los gatos, aunque también les hará conscientes de todo lo que queda aún por descubrir sobre ellos.
Empezamos revisando lo que se sabe sobre los posibles ancestros de los gatos, cómo se cree que empezó el proceso, aún incompleto, de domesticación y cómo se ha tratado a los gatos a lo largo de la historia, para luego hacer un análisis de su fisiología y comportamiento y sociabilidad.
Sí reconozco que, aunque me ha gustado, lo he encontrado algo irregular: mientras la parte central (características y comportamiento) me han resultado muy interesantes, el comienzo, con una interminable diquisición sobre los orígenes de la especie, me resultó muy pesada, y puede hacer abandonar a lectores que piensen que el resto vaya a seguir el mismo estilo. También me resultaron flojos los dos últimos capítulos, sobre la genética y su influencia tanto en el comportamiento como en el desarrollo futuro de la especie, donde se dedica principalmente a especular sin aportar nada firme.
Quitando esto, un libro muy interesante, que aportará mucha información a los amantes de los gatos, aunque también les hará conscientes de todo lo que queda aún por descubrir sobre ellos.
July 29, 2019
Han estado alrededor de nosotros por más de 5.000 años (10.000 años en las estimaciones mas optimistas). Aún así, hace apenas unas décadas eran despreciados u odiados por una importante fracción de la humanidad que no salía de su eterno romance con los perros (incluso con tortugas, peces y pájaros antes que con gatos).
Atar explosivos a la cola de un gato, "patear el gato", meter una camada completa en un costal o ahogarlos para deshacerse de ellos, eran consideradas prácticas normales con los únicos felinos que lograron domesticarnos.
Aquellos que tenían gatos como mascotas o amigos esporádicos, los alimentaban como si fueran perros: restos de comida o el clásico plato de leche (cuando hoy sabemos que el único mamífero que siendo adulto es tolerante a la leche es el humano).
Todo parece haber cambiado en años recientes. ¿Habrá sido Internet y sus videos virales? o ¿algo cambio en la sociedad que nos ha hecho mas conscientes de los animales que viven entre nosotros?
Independiente de cuál sea la razón, es claro que hoy los gatos son los animales domésticos más queridos del planeta (por encima incluso de los populares perros que tienen hoy más detractores que los gatos).
Este florecimiento de la popularidad de los gatos ha hecho que muchos se hayan volcado en las últimas décadas (¡por fin!) a entender la biología y comportamiento de estos felinos asombrosos.
El libro de Bradshaw, es un ejemplo justamente de ello.
Se trata de una compilación de resultados científicos, escritos de una manera asequible y agradable, algunos de ellos obtenidos por el mismo autor, que cubren desde la peculiar historia de la especie, en el mundo salvaje (del que no se han desligado completamente) y entre nosotros, hasta los esfuerzos más recientes para comprender su psicología, la base genética de la diversidad de sus personalidades e incluso el futuro de la especie entre los humanos.
Una verdadera delicia para los dueños de gatos que además somos curiosos y queremos comprender científicamente a nuestros amigos ronroneadores.
He aprendido con el libro mucho sobre nuestros tres gatos: Bigotes, Corchea y Vega. Algo que creo le pasará a cualquier humano con gatos que lea el libro.
De Bigotes, un gato carmelita rayado , ahora sé que por su color solo podría ser macho. También sé que su personalidad de gato clásico de compañía (dependiente y amoroso) si bien moldeada por la interacción con los humanos en sus primeras semanas de vida, es común entre los individuos con rasgos similares (tal vez desciende de gatos pelocorto americano o inglés).
De Corchea, una gata negra, aprendí que su color es producto de una mutación no muy común. Corchea es pues nuestra gata mutante. La misma mutación la hace, al parecer, mucho más dulce y cercana a los humanos. De los tres ella es la única que se deja cargar por largo tiempo y se relaja al punto casi de volverse casi líquida en los brazos (un rasgo que ha sido observado en algunas especies de gatos con pedigrí).
De Vega, una gatica que adoptamos después de encontrarla en una casa en el campo, y que entro en celo tan solo unas semanas después de llegar a nuestra casa, ahora sé que su desesperación cuando es cargada o acariciada, se debe posiblemente a que, por su vida en el campo, no interactuó de forma cercana con humanos en sus primeras 4 o 6 semanas de vida. Aún así, su vida con nosotros la ha convertido en una gata casi "social" (sigue comportándose de forma torpe cuando busca nuestra atención, acercándose como sin querer queriendo).
De todos los datos increíbles que aprendí en este libro, uno me sorprendió de manera especial: el efecto que la esterilización generalizada podría terminar teniendo sobre la especie.
Hoy es casi una condición básica para adoptar un gatito, tener los medios económicos para esterilizarlo. Machos y hembras, sea que vengan de camadas de gatos callejeros o con una historia familiar reconocida, son esterilizados en los primeros meses de vida.
Lo hacemos, desde mi perspectiva como compañero humano de gatos, por nuestra propia comodidad. No queremos un gato macho en la casa buscando desesperadamente salir para aparearse, ni una hembra produciendo sonidos extraños en la mitad de la noche o asumiendo posiciones curiosas frente a sus "hermanos".
Sin embargo, esta práctica esta haciendo que los nuevos gatos que nacen no sean descendientes de los gatos que viven plácidamente entre nosotros, que se alimentan con una comida integral y no necesitan salir a cazar menguando las poblaciones silvestres de pájaros o reptiles o que toleran la presencia de gatos extraños sin sufrir de ansiedad y estrés. Los mejores gatos no se están reproduciendo por nuestra culpa y es posible que con el tiempo, entre más queremos a los gatos, estemos volviendo la especie al principio, es decir, seleccionando sin querer queriendo los genes de una especie no muy cercana, poco sociable, pero que vive entre nosotros por el interés de una fuente de relativamente segura de comida. ¿Qué podemos hacer? Primero, lea el libro. Segundo, y es mi sugerencia, por cada 3 gatos que tenga en su vida, deje que al menos uno se reproduzca, por lo menos una vez.
Atar explosivos a la cola de un gato, "patear el gato", meter una camada completa en un costal o ahogarlos para deshacerse de ellos, eran consideradas prácticas normales con los únicos felinos que lograron domesticarnos.
Aquellos que tenían gatos como mascotas o amigos esporádicos, los alimentaban como si fueran perros: restos de comida o el clásico plato de leche (cuando hoy sabemos que el único mamífero que siendo adulto es tolerante a la leche es el humano).
Todo parece haber cambiado en años recientes. ¿Habrá sido Internet y sus videos virales? o ¿algo cambio en la sociedad que nos ha hecho mas conscientes de los animales que viven entre nosotros?
Independiente de cuál sea la razón, es claro que hoy los gatos son los animales domésticos más queridos del planeta (por encima incluso de los populares perros que tienen hoy más detractores que los gatos).
Este florecimiento de la popularidad de los gatos ha hecho que muchos se hayan volcado en las últimas décadas (¡por fin!) a entender la biología y comportamiento de estos felinos asombrosos.
El libro de Bradshaw, es un ejemplo justamente de ello.
Se trata de una compilación de resultados científicos, escritos de una manera asequible y agradable, algunos de ellos obtenidos por el mismo autor, que cubren desde la peculiar historia de la especie, en el mundo salvaje (del que no se han desligado completamente) y entre nosotros, hasta los esfuerzos más recientes para comprender su psicología, la base genética de la diversidad de sus personalidades e incluso el futuro de la especie entre los humanos.
Una verdadera delicia para los dueños de gatos que además somos curiosos y queremos comprender científicamente a nuestros amigos ronroneadores.
He aprendido con el libro mucho sobre nuestros tres gatos: Bigotes, Corchea y Vega. Algo que creo le pasará a cualquier humano con gatos que lea el libro.
De Bigotes, un gato carmelita rayado , ahora sé que por su color solo podría ser macho. También sé que su personalidad de gato clásico de compañía (dependiente y amoroso) si bien moldeada por la interacción con los humanos en sus primeras semanas de vida, es común entre los individuos con rasgos similares (tal vez desciende de gatos pelocorto americano o inglés).
De Corchea, una gata negra, aprendí que su color es producto de una mutación no muy común. Corchea es pues nuestra gata mutante. La misma mutación la hace, al parecer, mucho más dulce y cercana a los humanos. De los tres ella es la única que se deja cargar por largo tiempo y se relaja al punto casi de volverse casi líquida en los brazos (un rasgo que ha sido observado en algunas especies de gatos con pedigrí).
De Vega, una gatica que adoptamos después de encontrarla en una casa en el campo, y que entro en celo tan solo unas semanas después de llegar a nuestra casa, ahora sé que su desesperación cuando es cargada o acariciada, se debe posiblemente a que, por su vida en el campo, no interactuó de forma cercana con humanos en sus primeras 4 o 6 semanas de vida. Aún así, su vida con nosotros la ha convertido en una gata casi "social" (sigue comportándose de forma torpe cuando busca nuestra atención, acercándose como sin querer queriendo).
De todos los datos increíbles que aprendí en este libro, uno me sorprendió de manera especial: el efecto que la esterilización generalizada podría terminar teniendo sobre la especie.
Hoy es casi una condición básica para adoptar un gatito, tener los medios económicos para esterilizarlo. Machos y hembras, sea que vengan de camadas de gatos callejeros o con una historia familiar reconocida, son esterilizados en los primeros meses de vida.
Lo hacemos, desde mi perspectiva como compañero humano de gatos, por nuestra propia comodidad. No queremos un gato macho en la casa buscando desesperadamente salir para aparearse, ni una hembra produciendo sonidos extraños en la mitad de la noche o asumiendo posiciones curiosas frente a sus "hermanos".
Sin embargo, esta práctica esta haciendo que los nuevos gatos que nacen no sean descendientes de los gatos que viven plácidamente entre nosotros, que se alimentan con una comida integral y no necesitan salir a cazar menguando las poblaciones silvestres de pájaros o reptiles o que toleran la presencia de gatos extraños sin sufrir de ansiedad y estrés. Los mejores gatos no se están reproduciendo por nuestra culpa y es posible que con el tiempo, entre más queremos a los gatos, estemos volviendo la especie al principio, es decir, seleccionando sin querer queriendo los genes de una especie no muy cercana, poco sociable, pero que vive entre nosotros por el interés de una fuente de relativamente segura de comida. ¿Qué podemos hacer? Primero, lea el libro. Segundo, y es mi sugerencia, por cada 3 gatos que tenga en su vida, deje que al menos uno se reproduzca, por lo menos una vez.
August 25, 2018
Trust England to produce such a powerfully factual book on pet behavior.
August 30, 2018
The curse of the uninteresting library book. Ended up skimming it so I could return it today.
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