The Interpretation of Cats: Understanding the Psychology of Our Feline Companions

by Claude Béata

In the tradition of such beloved bestsellers as The Lion in the Living Room and Inside of a Dog comes the international sensation for feline lovers everywhere—a groundbreaking, in-depth exploration of the minds of cats that will help us better understand and connect with our cherished pets. Cats are mysterious creatures, and the relationship between humans and cats has never been simple. Curious and affectionate, independent and uninterested, predator and prey. Their true nature continues to elude us, and their subtle and complex behavioral problems can often seem unsolvable or incomprehensible. So, how can we tell if a cat is suffering? What are the root causes of feline aggression? And how can we treat patients who can’t speak for themselves? In this fascinating book—already a bestseller in its native France—veterinary doctor and psychiatrist Claude Béata draws on cutting-edge research and decades of experience to revolutionize our understanding of cats and transform our appreciation of feline mental wellbeing. Here, we meet Nougatine, a Siamese suffering from bipolar dysthymic disorder, Tabatha, an anxious Ragdoll with attachment issues, and Melly, an Abyssinian struggling with a feline form of schizophrenia—as well as their owners who seek advice and support. Charming, surprising, and offering illuminating insight into a range of disorders, Béata’s book calls for greater compassion and provides a new way of understanding cat behavior so we can care for the mental, and physical wellness of our beloved furry friends.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Cats, Psychology, Nature, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2024

Reviews

[Orsolya · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may be under the impression that the field of psychiatry only pertains to homo sapiens. You’ll be equally surprised to learn, then, that there is an emerging study of the holistic, energy and psychology well-being of animals and especially that of our house pets. We are all animals, after all. Yes, it is scientifically sound to take your pet to the vet when they are sick but sometimes their behavior has psychological roots versus inflammatory. This especially applies to our beloved felines who not only delay showing pain until it is too late; but are also very emotionally sensitive and are the walking definition of ‘creatures of habit’. Decorated French veterinary doctor, animal behavior medicine specialist and veterinary psychologist Dr. Claude Béata has studied the field for decades being featured in medical journals and has come forth with an illuminating text on the subject in, “The Interpretation of Cats: Understanding the Psychology of Our Feline Companions”.

“The Interpretation of Cats” is a marriage blending the families of memoir, psychology, psychiatry, animal behavior therapy, scientific study/research and pet care advice into one smooth, cohesive exploration and introduction into the subject. Béata eases into the diversely structured topic exposing the basics of feline existence, their perception of the world and their interactions with the human with which they co-exist. Intermixing this with case studies from Béata’s own professional patients; “The Interpretation of Cats” illuminates immediately with fresh research that eradicates any bias and reorganizes the original line of thinking regarding felines.

Béata follows with a more in-depth topical look at specific feline issues regarding lack of cleanliness, fur alopecia, aggression, depression, etc; and their underlying root causes that lay within the environment. This is taken a step further with case studies and science that showcases and highlights the actual brain psychology causing these behaviors and how to rectify them. Although this is still an area that needs more study; Béata uses credible case studies and verifiable explanations. None of this bogs the reader with overly technical jargon and thus, “The Interpretation of Cats” is accessible to all cat lovers/owners.

It can be said that Béata plays the content “The Interpretation of Cats” safe by not diving in as deep as some readers would prefer; but this is simply due to the limits of impending studies and forthcoming discoveries. It isn’t that Béata doesn’t want to speak more on the subject but he is merely professional about trustworthiness. “The Interpretation of Cats” is best viewed as an opener into feline psychology/psychiatry and absolutely does this well as cat owners will start to analyze their household kitties with new outlooks upon reading the pages. “The Interpretation of Cats” helps to bring a better understand into cat care and living with your cat companions.

Béata also touches upon some controversial topics such as cats dreaming and the benefits thereof, whether cats should be let outside, euthanasia, whether cats should be single or duos in a household, etc; but without aggressively choosing a ‘side’ and offering a macro view of both sides of the coins. “Although not a conclusive piece; “The Interpretation of Cats” is consistent with its ability to discuss radical thought and is truly groundbreaking in its educational impact.

It should be noted that much of the research, veterinary statistics and even monetary costs mentioned within “The Interpretation of Cats” is restricted mostly to that of Béata’s home country of France. This doesn’t diminish the impact of “The Interpretation of Cats” for international readers and actually encourages the reader to seek out relevant information in their own country.

Béata concludes “The Interpretation of Cats” on memorable note that summarizes the entire piece and offers valuable advice to how to move forward in living with your feline companions. “The Interpretation of Cats” also includes a bibliography source list for further reading.

“The Interpretation of Cats” is a very unique text that introduces a new field of animal science to readers and truly excites and encourages further research on the subject. Cat owners will come away from the text with a whole new look at their pet cats (I can attest to this, as I now try to psychologically analyze all of my cat’s behaviors!). “The Interpretation of Cats” is an excellent book that is recommended for ALL lovers and cat parents.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bad behavioral problem with our beloved kitty drew me ASAP to this book. It is a big bestseller in France where first published, and is said to include compelling anecdotes, cutting-edge research, and years of treatment experience distilled down for cat owners.

I'd heard of psychiatric veterinary medicine for felines before, but not quite in the manner presented here. While I found this book fascinating and written with an intelligent, compassionate, and often charming style, I wanted to get to the "meat" of our problem and possible treatment options more quickly, through the use of concise chapters with headings for specific issues, highlights with bullet points, short summaries in easy to read boxes, and an index.

With a better design, THE INTERPRETATION OF CATS could become a more usable, effective resource for pet owners and their suffering creatures.

Thanks to author Claude Béata, Scribner, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

[Mai H.]

Non-fiction November TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner

[Michelle Graf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC.

While I really don't agree with his stance on letting cats outdoors and breeding/tnr efforts, this was a really interesting dive into cat psychology and what his job as a cat psychologist entails. The book is well-organized in a way that keeps the initial explanation of cats reacting as both predator and prey in mind as it explains the various afflictions, symptoms, and cases.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wonder about a cat’s inexplicable behavior?

Well, now we have a cat psychiatrist to help explain it all!

All of my dogs and cats over the years have been rescues. Most rescues have experienced some sort of past trauma, which can lead to odd or difficult behavioral issues. But as cat owners know, even the best bred, pampered cats can be defiant little creatures, exasperating us humans now and then.

I learned so much from this book. The writing is engaging, like a conversation with a friend. The author uses real cases as examples, featuring and teaching about a wide array of issues.

I alternated between listening to the audiobook and reading the print. I thought Neil Gardner did a fantastic job with the audio narration.

*Thanks to Simon Audio for the free audiobook download, and Scribner Books for the free ARC.*

[Jenni]

Hoping this book will give me the strength to not give in when my cat burrows under the covers to attack me at 4:30 am

[Andy Fleskens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I now understand much more about my cat pippo and his needs - socialising, isolation, cleanliness, disposal, feeding, play, sleep. and how these can all interrelate to cause peace or suffering.
this book has many case studies over the vets career - it's interesting to note the similarities veterinarians have anecdotally noticed in cat/dog psychology to human psychology. with majority of the medication and treatment options for neurodiverse cats being adopted from human medicine with much success.

[Charty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read quite a few cat behavior books and I feel that, in general, each has something worthwhile to offer even if the bulk of the information may be similar.

Cats are so complex, the more viewpoints you can assimilate, the better conceptual picture you have at your disposal. Just as with people, while there are generalizations you can make about the species, each is still an individual with a nature, nurture and environmental factors that make up the many threads of their personality and behavior.

Claude Beata’s book, translated from the French, offers a number of different perspectives. For one, he’s a veterinarian, with a focus/specialty on animal psychiatry which is not a background that most of the authors of cat behavior books I’ve come across have had. Not only are his observations rooted in medical practice, he offers a more European view of animal ownership and welfare than most American practitioners.

He approaches cat behavioral problems from a perspective of regulation/balance. A well balanced cat, whose physical health and environment meets his needs, is a happy, well adjusted companion. It’s the cats whose balance is disrupted that pose challenges for living in harmony with their people.

He explores the main problems people encounter (aggression towards people, uncleanliness, intra-animal conflicts) and offers case studies from his practice, showing the clues he gathers that help him determine the imbalances, and what strategies he recommends (usually a combination of environmental modification, training and nutra-and pharmaceuticals).

There are also digressions on larger topics of cat guardianship such as spay and neutering, indoor versus outdoor living, multiple cats versus singles, breeding versus rescue and so on.

Most fascinating perhaps, is the section where he discusses whether animals, but cats in particular, can suffer from psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar. I gather that this is a relatively new topic in veterinary medicine and is not without its skeptics, but Beata offers some compelling examples, as well as cites to current and on-going research.

Above all, the author’s main focus is on the animal’s suffering and how can we (vets, behaviorists and owners) work to alleviate that suffering and preserve the human-animal bond to the benefit of both. Truly a worthy and important goal.

On the whole, I’d say this is probably aimed more at a specialist audience, other vets, behaviorists, or the lay person who has read extensively and is looking for a different, deeper take on the topic.

[Carissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. Truly, I did. But the way it was written just isn't working for me. It's full of anthropomorphism and bias. A non-fiction that should be informative should really try to stay as neutral as possible and yet it's clear the author has cherry-picked studies to support his views rather than dig deeper.

We could argue it's cultural, but it's harmful, too. I say this as someone in the veterinary world who works with other wonderful veterinarians who knows cats. We discuss them often as they're our favorite subject. My take is Dr. Beata is an old school vet, but one who is more set in his ways than wanting to learn and grow with the body of knowledge.

Now does he have good insight? Certainly. And I hope he opens more eyes to the complexity of our feline companions, but I'm also very wary of his takes on various topics in the modern world and the current reality of cats existing in the current state of the world. And as cats existing not as their own species, but one surrounded by so many others.

[Shravan Vishaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for every cat owner hoping to gain a better understanding of their feline companion's behaviour and many quirks. My only criticism being some parts of the book seems to be aimed at trained veterinary psychiatrists rather than the average reader but don't let that put you off from giving this a read!

[Erika Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming October 2024 to the US! Already a best seller in France, The Interpretation of Cats explores feline behavior and psychology. I feel like I learned a bit from this one, but I also learned that my cats are so good compared to the case studies presented. The author is reliable, as he is a veterinarian specializing in animal psychology.

[Elizabeth Bien · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book was meant for vets.

It was mostly comprised of case studies that weren’t very coherent and didn’t give an overall theory of the psychiatry of cats, if you will.

Maybe what I am wanting out of this book is still too premature, since it’s early days for animal psychology.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miau! Regula de bază: niciodată nu pedepsiți pisicile. Ele nu înțeleg și doar se supără și cred că sunteți asshole.

[CanadianReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are the doctors of nonhuman animals, and our oath, like the Hippocratic oath, enjoins us to relieve our patients’ pain. We weren’t at fault for failing to take mental suffering into account when the state of our knowledge did not allow us to contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of the psychiatric disorders of the animals delivered into our care, but we could potentially be in the future. Now that animal consciousness is at the heart of scientific research and well-being is a major preoccupation in our society, how can we ignore this whole level of animal suffering?
~Claude Béata

Claude Béata is a French veterinary psychiatrist who seems to work exclusively with cats. Details about him in the short author bio at the back of his book and on the internet are scant. From what I can gather, he’s based in the south of France and associated with the University of Toulouse. Unlike most veterinary schools, which provide courses in ethology (animal behaviour), Béata’s institution seems to offer a program in the still emerging (but not yet fully accepted) field of veterinary psychiatry.

As the title suggests, The Interpretation of Cats concerns behavioural problems and emotional/mental pathologies experienced by house cats. The animals, of course, can’t relate the details of their issues to the doctor; their human does that. The veterinarian submits those details and the signs he observes either in person or over videoconference to what he calls the “semiological process” in order to determine their meaning as symptoms, which can then lead him to a diagnosis and treatment plan. The latter often, though not always, involves both pharmacological (or nutraceutical) and behavioural components. Béata says that around 15% of cats undergo medical consultation for behavioural issues.

To state the obvious: cats are not small dogs. They only began to live alongside humans about 20,000 years after members of the canine species developed a “close-knit” bond with our distant ancestors. Felines, unlike dogs and people, are neither social nor hierarchical. They were taken on and accommodated by humans, in spite of mutual mistrust, to kill the mice and rats that plagued early agrarian settlements. Cats have never been fully domesticated, and the author suggests that a basic mistrust persists to this day. Even cat owners sometimes find themselves experiencing a deep “atavistic fear” when Fluffy suddenly transforms into a fierce little tiger.

Yes, cats can be affectionate and form deep, passionate bonds with other individuals. However, for them, being attached does not necessarily mean they like being touched. Furthermore, even though they are willing to share areas with others (humans, cats, and dogs) and they do seek out company, they object to having relationships forced on them. According to the author, such impositions “can be a major source of undesirable behaviour and pathological states.” The idea that pet cats require feline companions is one of the first myths Béata busts. (Another one is the idea that cats cannot live happy, high quality lives without access to the outdoors. His own clinical experience and a study with a sizeable sample carried out by one of his graduate students suggest that indoor cats are no more likely to experience behavioural or psychiatric problems than a cat who has the freedom to explore and utilize its predatory instincts in the natural world.)

According to Béata, there are ten basic feline personalities (which he unfortunately doesn’t identify). He adds that cats display a mix of the traits of the “efficient, fearsome hunter” and those of the “avoidant, self-protective” hunted, emphasizing that many behavioural disorders are related to this dual nature as both predator and prey. Opposed to the breeding of hypertypes (cats with accentuated traits which can cause poor health and suffering), the veterinarian observes that temperament can’t even be reliably bred. Ragdoll cats, for example, purported to be calm and malleable, do not always conform to type. In the author’s considerable experience, the personalities of feline parents and offspring seldom resemble each other.

Some of the problems that people have with their cats are due to the very different behavioural programs of the human and feline species. Misinterpretations are common. Too often we project our own arrangements and desires onto them. Besides making a case for veterinary psychiatry, the author’s goal in writing the book is to reduce human misunderstanding of cats and help readers develop empathy for animals with very different needs. He informs us about those needs and invites us to put ourselves in a cat’s place, “not to think like a human pretending to be a cat, but to see the world through the eyes, brain, emotions, and cognition . . . of a cat.” This, he intimates, is a tall order. For one thing, we’d have to have whiskers and be able to process the information they provide. Still, the author really does get one thinking about how different we are.

Béata identifies five fundamental requirements of cats, each of which should be met in a different “zone” of its environment: isolation (where the cat sleeps, grooms, and feels safe); feeding (where it finds its food); disposal (a carefully chosen place where it can eliminate in safety); solitary activities (where it is able to observe, hunt, and play without partners); and interactions (where it can meet and play with others). The zones are importantly interconnected by pheromone-marked routes (the cat usually tags furniture, walls, etc. with scent from “pheromone factories” on its face). Our overzealous housecleaning (removal of these marks) can induce anxiety in the cat and lead to problematic urinary marking (spraying). The author spends considerable time discussing the feline supplementary olfactory system, utilized purely to detect pheromones.

Some of the psychopathology cases in the book appear to be due to organic processes: hypersensitivity hyperactive syndrome (which is akin to human ADHD), dissociative syndrome (loss of contact with reality), and bipolar dysthymia (a close parallel to human bipolar disorder, in which a cat behaves in alarming, unconstrained ways due to sudden changes in mood: charming one minute; wild the next, with no control over its claws or bite). These conditions require a lot more research. For treatment, psychotropic medications are used along with therapeutic behavioural and environmental interventions.

Some cases that Béata presents are related to developmental problems (some animals have, for example, grown up without a mother, or they find themselves in a very different environment from the one they were born into). However, most of the problems covered in the book are related to something lacking (or a change) in the cat’s environment. Symptoms, which often include aggression or uncleanliness (urine marking or failing to eliminate in the litter box) and sometimes compulsive grooming, are triggered when a cat is unable to meet the demands of its double nature: being both predator and prey. The foundation of a balanced life, says Béata, is a living space that permits the animal to feel secure and allows it to observe, explore, and hunt.

One of the first cases presented is that of “Lucifer”, a young cat who kept attacking his elderly owner’s hands and ankles. He’d been rescued along with his siblings from a den below a school playground. Having spent his earliest days out of doors, Lucifer was now was in an apartment, a confined space, lacking the minimum necessary for equilibrium as a predator. A cat deprived of stimuli has to invent them. With no options for his hunting instincts, he redirected them at anything that moved, including his owner.

The prescription for Lucifer involved stopping all punishment, including threats and a raised voice. So fundamental is this guideline that it is stressed multiple times throughout the book. Unlike dogs who sometimes respond to such correction, coercion only aggravates, hurts, and scares cats. It can entirely destroy the human-feline relationship. (Having said this, I should add that the author is empathetic towards owners who are understandably distressed by attacks or frustrated by ongoing incomprehensible behaviour. His non-judgemental listening encourages them to open up about their reactions.) To interrupt an unwelcome action, owners are advised to use a squirt gun or a plant mister. It acts as an “stimulus disruptor” and makes a sound similar to a cat hissing.

Lucifer also needed wand toys/lures, a cat tree, and several small feedings a day. Outdoor cats—e.g., ferals—consume up to 12 mice in a 24-hour period, and many very small meals can make a positive difference in some cats’ lives. (I know some vets who’d likely disagree with this and be concerned about insulin resistance/diabetes.) Plug-in (synthetic analog diffusers of) “familiarity” pheromones are also sometimes recommended. In Lucifer’s case, a psychotropic drug was prescribed for a brief period to settle his impulsivity.

The Interpretation of Cats is, in part, a plea for veterinary medicine to address the mental and emotional suffering of animals by accepting animal psychiatry as a worthy specialty and investing in research that will improve animals’ psychological health. The author does write about some of the drugs he has used to successfully treat troubled cats, but I don’t recall him pointing to any studies that support these pharmaceuticals as safe and effective. He mentions fluoxetine (Prozac) to settle impulsivity and selegiline (Anipryl) for stabilizing mood in a seemingly bipolar cat, but what and where is the evidence? Medication, we are told, saves some animals from euthanasia, which is good, but not good enough. Over the years, I’ve read enough about human psychiatry, the pharmaceutical industry’s suspect practices, and the negative impacts of psychiatric medications on humans to be skeptical about approaching the psychological suffering of companion animals in the same way.

I learned a huge amount from this richly informative and compassionate work. It’s helped me understand cats both past and present. Having said that, I’m disappointed that the book was not better edited—or perhaps better translated. Whatever the case, there are a number of careless errors. The neurological condition Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is incorrectly described as degeneration of the neuromuscular plaque instead of the “neuromuscular junction”, and “dysrhythmia” is used in place of the correct term “dysthymia”. (This isn’t a book about the cat’s heart but about its emotions.) The author’s discussion of a specialized type of technology known as tractography (which has been used to image nerve fibres in the cat’s brain) lacks sufficient detail to be comprehensible. There are also many instances of poor word choice as well as vague, muddy, and incoherent prose.

This is a solid 3.5 book. Having learned so much, I hesitate to round that rating down. However, the four-star designation comes with my real reservations about the quality of the writing.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative. Lots of tips about how to improve our understanding and the cat’s experience of life. Never punish a cat because it does not work and cats can hold a lifelong grudge.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an awesome tool to peer inside our feline companions state of mind! This book delves into some behavioral issues, mental issues, needs/wants and uses real world examples to flesh out what he's talking about. I can see this being helpful to those who are seeking to understand why their cat is struggling

[Dorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Interpretation of Cats: Understanding the Psychology of Our Feline Companions
by: Dr. Claude Beata
due 10-15-24
Scribner

As a cat lover and owner, this was a fascinating and mind-opening book. Dr. Claude Beata is an advocate for the development of veterinary psychiatry, as well as an author of several other books on the Psychology of animals. By combining medicine, and adapting our behavior or environment, many behaviors in cats can be controlled, or eliminated. Much like humans, when we learn to adapt, every thing is easy to understand.
There is so much detailed information about the behavior of cats, in this book, and how they react and respond to stimuli and smells.

My favorite chapters were the ones explaining Hypertypes of cats, and the parts on Phermones. The whole book is interestsing, informative and written in a way that is easy to understand. I think anyone interested in cats, or cat behavior would love this book. Anyone looking for a fun read, would like this also.

Comprehensive and easy to read, this is a must have for all cat owner/lovers.
Thanks netgalley fro sending this e-book ARC for review.
#TheInterpretationofCats #NetGalley

[Pumpkin+Bear · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally really love books written by veterinarians about the pets they treat. I enjoy their case studies and anecdotes, and I appreciate the insights that I can use to make my own pets' lives better.

For the most part, that's what this book is. I did enjoy the case studies and anecdotes, and I did gain some insights that will hopefully let me better understand what's going on inside my precious cats' brains. But Beata also makes a couple of VERY controversial moves in this book, including one in particular that is so ethically wrong that I cannot in good conscience rate this book any higher than two stars.

The lesser controversial move is that Beata appears to claim that Tilikum--you know, the killer whale abused by various amusement parks, who killed his trainer during a performance--was schizophrenic. Like, he literally states that plenty of other cetaceans have been long-term abused their entire lives by various amusement parks and haven't murdered people, so clearly the fact that Tilikum did so means that he was mentally ill separate from that. Just... can we not let amusement parks off the hook for their serial abuse of cetaceans? Because stating that Tilikum was mentally ill with a disorder not caused by lifelong abuse ABSOLUTELY lets his abusers off the hook. It can't be proven, and it's just a really odd thing to say.

Here, though, is the most wrongheaded, ethically negligent thing Beata says:

I believe we are taking a wrong turn by introducing mass sterilization for all family cats. We risk being left only with pedigree or rescue cats.

Beata genuinely believes that people shouldn't be neutering their cats, but instead should be letting them have litters of kittens that can then be socialized by their nice, well-socialized mamas. And what about the fact that even with our US system of attempting to neuter every cat, all our animal shelters are still over-full of cats? Oh, well, I guess! Seriously, though--yes, fine, I've had a couple of rescue cats that never did act quite right (although I loved them and cared for them anyway, OBVIOUSLY), but that's two cats in my whole adult history so far of only adopting rescue cats from the local shelter. I've also fostered numerous litters of kittens from the local shelter, and thanks mostly to also having two little daughters, those kittens always go onto the adoption floor as the best-behaved, most social version of themselves.

Ugh, I can't even believe that I'm really sitting here having to defend SHELTER CATS to a VETERINARIAN. That's not cool, Beata, and I really hope that not a single reader was actually convinced by your ill-supported, poorly thought-out claim to such an extent that they left an innocent cat to languish in a shelter while they instead bought a kitten from a backyard breeder. Because backyard breeders would be the only ones benefitting from crap behavior like that.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing I love more than cats. I like reading about them, and this book was interesting in that it discussed mental issues in our feline overlords. That said, you can tell that the author is French. My brother in law is from France and I know how they see non-human animals in general (they're there, but they're beasts). I assume a lot of French people adore their kitties but the author is not amongst them. Yes, he likes them, strives to understand them and has devoted his life and career to helping them but... there is always this disconnect. An American won't understand this. For instance: "neutering doesn't really work because you'd need to get them all, if only one male is left intact, he'll impregnate the whole colony." Well, you guys, let's not bother then. He also uses the word "owner," which I know is technically correct but... I'm not sure if this is really for cat lovers. At least not the all-out cat people like me.

[Franchesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for gaining insight into the behavior of cats, with helpful information about how to care for them and keep them comfortable and content, whether kept indoors or allowed to roam outside. Using real life cases from his veterinary practice, the author covers the top complaints he receives (most commonly aggression and uncleanliness issues) and what can be done to try and correct these. Having raised cats for many years I was happy to discover that, while there are some things I am sure I could have done better, I feel like many of these things I learned, adapting my lifestyle and home, reading my cats behaviors and cues, but there are other things I know I could have done better if I had read this book. An interesting and educational read that I would encourage any cat owner or cat lover to pick up.

This review is of an ARE I won in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new-ish cat owner and medical student training in psychiatry this book was fascinating! Beata's clear passion for his work and deep care for the well-being, in all senses of the word, of his patients made it a delight to read. I learned a lot about evolutionary drivers of feline behavior, the environmental needs of indoor cats, and the array of behavioral pathology cats can exhibit. There were some places in the book where conflations between human and feline psychiatry seemed tenuous, but that could be due to translation or differing conceptions of illness in the US and Europe. I especially enjoyed the last chapter on what we owe our feline companions as their guardians and decision-makers. Would recommend to anyone who loves cats and psychology- maybe not the best as a casual guide to cat behavior but great for those hoping to gain deeper understanding.

[Kevin Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Interpretation of Cats offers a fascinating insight into the internal life of our feline friends. Once we understand the dichotomy of cats (how they are at once both predator and prey) we can better understand their behaviors.

This book is full of case studies and anecdotes and even includes an interesting section on FIV and how this affects the mental health and behavior of cats.

In fact, the book covers a lot of hot button issues such as whether to spay/neuter your cats, allow them access to the outdoors, and if we should be selectively breeding these animals in the first place. I might not agree with all of author Claude Béata’s conclusions, but I’m always impressed by his analysis and insight.

Béata doesn’t bog you down with too many medical or scientific terms so the book is an accessible and enjoyable read from beginning to end.

[Ula Tardigrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very happy that people are becoming more and more aware of the true needs of their animal companions. Feline psychology and psychiatry is becoming a real thing. This book delves deeply into the subject, with many real-life examples and stories. but I, like other reviewers, find some of its advice bizarre, such as letting cats roam and mate freely. So you can learn useful knowledge, but you should take it all with a grain of salt.

Thanks to the publisher, Scribner, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[RustyShack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing to read a book that considers cats as complex creatures and attempts to bring an open-minded and evidenced-based approach to understanding them and improving their lives. Unusually, it's written for people who would actually like to understand their cat--and then do the right things for the cat--rather than for people who want their cat to stop doing annoying things and just do nice things.

[Sarah Grados · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and insightful read about feline behavior, but I was disappointed by the fear-mongering tone around shelter cats. Béata claims that cats in shelters are “depressed” and adopting one means bringing that depression into your home — a take that felt not only off-base, but actively harmful to rescue efforts. In reality, cats are incredibly resilient. Given love, safety, and patience, they absolutely do open up — and they deserve the chance to.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think it's an essential read for people who have cats, I think it's interesting for people who are interested in the mental health of cats. but when I say interested, I mean INTERESTED. it was kind of confusing for me because I haven't thought much about the subject in the past, or maybe that was just the French to English translation, I don't know. but I think that if you are interested in getting a cat and want to learn about their little brains, it's great.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am absolutely a cat person, and although I have not cohabitated with one for decades, I do hope to do so at some point again. If I do, I'll return to this fascinating book to ensure our lives together will be as fulfilling for my furry prey and predator companion as I am optimistic it will be for me!

[Betty Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I, a lifelong “canineophob” adopted a middle aged, blind cat. The author, a psychiatric veterinarian who specializes in cats, dispels many of the myths about cats and their behavior. He gives practical advice for assuring one’s pet cat is well provided for. He also speaks to common issues faced by cat owners and some common risks for the cat.

[Ricardo Motti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously not a page-turner, but I learned a lot — it simplifies complicated things and uses real world cases. Useful if you live with cats, especially the complicated ones (they're all complicated aren't they).

[Mary Keen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually expected to love this book --since i feel that way about cats I've had. However, i felt that he was way too patient and forgiving of some cats that IMO were not worth all the trouble they caused to other pets and the humans in the household. Altho in some cases, his patient approaches did work to change cats into more civilized pets.

He does think that French love cats more than other nationalities do, so maybe that explains it.

I had the audio version --if I'd had an actual book, probably i would have had more reactions to remember and write about.
Audio Overdrive @ 1.10 speed