Catsmart: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Caring For, and Living With Your Cat

by Myrna M. Milani

An in-depth guide to owning, living with, and properly caring for a cat presents tips on maintaining a health-care plan and advice on how to solve basic behavioral problems, such as scratching, spraying, and a refusal to use a litter box.

417 pages, Hardcover

First published March 25, 1998

Reviews

[Shannonmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

CatSmart had some good info and handy tips about cats. The information is presented through these silly imaginary case studies. That might be a good learning style for some people, but I prefer a more scientific research approach.

One point that I strongly disagree with is about where to acquire a cat. The author is in favour of breeders, and dissuades readers from adopting from shelters. Her reasoning is that shelter animals probably already have behaviour problems, but breeder cats don't. I disagree, but moreover I think it's disingenuous to write a book about dealing with cat behaviour while recommending people don't adopt cats who need loving homes because they might possibly have behavioural issues.

Overall I did learn from this book, but I'm hoping there are better cat books out there that I can read next.

[Shy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend at work lent this to me when she heard I planned on getting a cat. I found it wonderful that the author discussed the cat owners' emotional responses to cats in addition to the cats themselves and how that can affect a situation. In the first few chapters I was a bit put off by the author's focus on purebreds (whereas I'm pretty certain I'm getting an unknown moggie from a shelter) but after the first chapter or two he became more general and I felt much more engaged in the book. I'm glad to have read this in advance and plan to re-read parts of the book after I get my cat, hopefully within the next week or so! And even then, I might even acquire my own copy.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was informative but not as entertaining as I had hoped. It discussed how people can view their cats as animals or human extensions. People who treat their cats as humans may be upset when the cat behaves like the wild animal it is (hunting behaviors). It covered litterbox problems as well as how to feed and exercise your cat. I got some good information.