Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy

by Zazie Todd

"Definitely a book your cat would want you to read!"—Dr. Sarah Ellis, co-author of The Trainable Cat

"Zazie Todd has created a must-have guide to improving your cat's life."—Modern Cat Magazine

We all love our cats and we all want them to be happy. But making our cats happy isn't about buying them lots of things—it's about finding out what matters to them. In Purr, animal behavior expert Zazie Todd addresses every stage of your cat's life and offers surprising and effective advice for even the most experienced cat owner, all with the science to back it up.

In this indispensable book, "cat lovers learn the science behind cats' petting preferences; the multiple meanings of purrs, chirrups, and meows; how to best satisfy the scratching and stalking desires for indoor cats; and even how to keep both cats and wildlife safe if your felines spend time outside.'—Cat Warren, New York Times-bestselling author

Cat lovers will also discover how



Enrich your cat's life through play and exerciseReduce anxiety and fear around your absence, visitors, and trips to the vetTrain your kitten or cat without causing harm (i.e. don't use a spray bottle!)Provide for special needs like asthmaMake senior cats comfortableAnd so much more!In Purr, Zazie Todd demystifies the feline-human relationship so you can form your special bond based on your cat's unique needs—all while learning lots and having fun together.

Genres: Cats, Nonfiction, Animals, Science, Canada, Audiobook

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2022

Reviews

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely and Interesting book to read. Loved reading about the things that make kitties happy. I knew some of this just from having so many cats over the years, but I loved also reading about the things I did not know, or know WHY these things make them so happy. I would recommend this one to cat lovers for sure!

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the clear language about feline behavior and the varied suggestions for how to make your home a haven for your cat. There are plenty of additional/helpful commentaries by various vets and feline behaviorists about what experts wished that more cat owners knew. I thought this was an informative but also approachable read.

[Lyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative on the science and highly readable (with the exception of one or two experts), this book has a lot of big picture information on sharing a home with a cat and also practical tips on how to keep an indoor cat mentally and physically engaged. Not necessarily the first book to grab when you are bringing home your first cat, but one to grab when you have a multi-cat household or wonder “why is my cat doing that?”

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has something for everyone whether you are beginning your feline journey or are an experienced cat owner.
This extremely readable book has a mix of anecdotes about the author’s own cats, which I found interesting and this made the book feel more relatable. There are cat expert opinions and lots of references to scientific studies written in a way that is easy for anyone to understand.
Books on feline welfare and behaviour have long been lacking compared to dogs and I welcome this book to my shelves.
Cat owners will find this a readable and helpful guide to making their cats lives happier and stress free, which benefits the whole family.
I especially liked the training section ( yes cats can be trained) which includes cat carrier training, however I would have liked more training suggestions.
The chapters on problem behaviour and environmental enrichment were useful but I would have liked more detail, photographs or drawings for environmental improvements would have been in my opinion helpful.
The chapters on senior and special needs cats was informative and interesting. The chapter on end of life was hard to read but I’m glad I did as I live with an 18 year old cat and it gave me lots to think about, this subject is often ignored in cat books.
I would recommend this book to people who are starting out their cat owning adventures and also experienced cat owners who want to learn more and make their cats lives a little better.
I hope this book does well as spreading education about the cat is invaluable for both their physical and mental well being.

I was sent this book as an advanced copy from Greystone Books in return for an honest review.

This book is due out in May 2022

[Shel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A useful and informative book for cats and cat friends. The tips on how to apply the science at the end of each chapter are fantastic and the checklist for a happy cat at the back of the book is invaluable. I loved Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and was looking forward to this book focused on cats. It delivered. Easy to read, fun, cat-centric knowledge. Recommend!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ this if you love cats!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Lisa for alerting me to this book. Dex has begun house soiling and while I try to find a vet (very thin on the ground in the Upper Peninsula), I read this and learned so much, including that I have been a bit laisez faire with my cats. I’ve begun 1)playing with them instead of thinking that their play together was adequate, 2)mixing up their toys and addressing their boredom, 3)putting an ice cube in their water and providing a water fountain for them, and 4) helping them get used to their cat carriers. Very good. I copied out a checklist for what I can do for their happiness and taped it inside a kitchen cabinet door.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it comforting, how much of this I already knew. My parents did a really great job raising my brother and me to "get" cats. It's nice to know that a lot of what I've assumed about cats because of their tutelage is backed by science.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for people who are first time cat owners. I was able to skim and pick out what I wanted to learn about cats, in one sitting. I guess she’s happy;)

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book about how to best care for your feline friends!

[Anne Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few weeks ago, our kitty Makita (pictured above) gave us a little scare. She stopped eating and drinking for almost 6 straight days, and was in and out of the animal hospital. It was finally determined she was suffering from a bad sinus infection, so luckily a week of antibiotics has returned her to normal. When she was at her worst, I had started to prepare myself for the possibility of having to put her down, but I also made a promise to myself that if she rallied, I would make a concerted effort to keep her happier – play with her more, take her outside for supervised time in our backyard, and brush her more regularly. I was confidant I could do this, because I had the book Purr, The Science of Making Your Cat Happy by Zazie Todd on my bookshelf, and I was now motivated to finally read it and put its advice into action.

Book Summary

Split into helpful sections that follow the lifespan of cat ownership, Purr is a guide for both existing cat parents, and future cat parents. Topics covered include; how to set up your home for a cat or kitten, how to train a cat, how and why your cat should see a vet regularly, feeding guidelines, enrichment or ‘play’ ideas, introducing your cat to other cats or dogs, and end of life care. The author is a specialist in feline behaviour, but has also owned a few dogs, so she offers a fairly balanced viewpoint of cats and how they compare to other animals. She often cites research findings to back up her advice, but it’s interesting to note that there are significantly more tests done for the benefit of increasing our knowledge of dog behaviour, so sometimes the studies she cites are featuring animals other than cats. Throughout the book are small sections written by other veterinarians and specialists, and their advice is often written as ‘if we could do x differently, a cat’s life will be greatly improved’ which is both easy to understand and implement. The writing is very clearly in layman’s terms, and the end of each chapter include a point form summary of how to ‘apply’ the advice given.

My Thoughts

This book is so thoughtfully laid out for the average reader (or non-reader, but cat lover)I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who was interested in learning more about their own cat, or just cats in general. However I will also warn potential readers that some of the advice in this book is a little far-fetched for the average cat owner. Some of its suggestions include feeding a cat 5-10 small meals a day because that’s what they prefer, or allotting separate one-on-one playtime for each cat in your household on a daily basis. While these are all great suggestions, I must admit my eyes bugged out a little when I read them. Perhaps when I’m retired and have more time on my hands I’ll become the ideal cat owner that is described in this book, but for now, while I keep my two children fed and happy and work my full-time job, my goal of trying to brush my cat more than once a month and scoop her little more often is about the best I can do. And Todd acknowledges her suggestions may not always be doable (ya think?) but I have no doubt there are many cat owners who are eager to follow this advice.

Aside from overzealous suggestions that may give one pause, much of the advice is easy to understand and follow, and even though some of it may seem obvious, we all know how fickle cats can be, so these helpful, science-back tips are welcome by most cat owners, no matter how many years we’ve been able to call ourselves that (in my case, most of my life!). There is a whole section on how to properly pet a cat, and while dog owners may scoff at the fact we even need a couple pages dedicated to this, cat owners will realize how valuable this is. So often I recall petting a cat, having them purr in response, everything seemingly fine until out of nowhere, they suddenly bite you, fed up with what was only moments ago, a welcome thing. Todd gently educates, advising that this is merely them communicating their wants (which can very quickly change), and to not take it personally. A good rule of thumb with cats is letting them lead the interactions; they will let you know what is and isn’t wanted.

One section I paid close attention to was the behavioural problems related to toileting outside the litter box. This is a problem we have had with a few different cats, and there are a variety of reasons for it, but her suggestions of scooping it every day is a helpful one. Makita isn’t quite that picky yet, but as she ages Todd has prepared me for what I may expect, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that Makita will be sticking around for another few years yet!

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[Emmilby · Rating 5 out of 5]

kitttttttyyyyy :3

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting read, especially for a first time cat owner.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a cat lover and cat owner for all of my life. We currently have a fifteen-year-old female called Costa, she was one of a pair and her brother Nero died in early 2019. Costa rules the house, there's no disputing that, and she knows it. She has her own little ways, sometimes she's incredibly annoying, but most of the time, she's a loving, sweet cat who doesn't venture far from home.

Whilst I do know lots about how cats behave, I haven't really ever thought about why they do a certain thing. Reading Purr has been an eye-opener for me. I've read about things that cats that I've known have often done, and realised just why they have been doing it.

Whilst the book is science-based, it is never dull or dry. It's fun and the author adds her own personality to her writing.

Amongst other things covered in Purr, cat loves will also discover how to:


Enrich your cat's life through play and exercise
Reduce anxiety and fear around your absence, visitors and trips to the vet
Train your kitten or cat without causing harm (ie. don't use a spray bottle!)
Provide for special needs like asthma
Make senior cats comfortable

According to the PDSA, 24% of the UK population own a cat, and I bet that every one of those people have different ways of doing things.

Purr will help owners to understand how things can be done without causing any distress to your cat, and there may be a few things that they will have to re-think. It's about learning from the science, trying things out and realising that even though we may be very experienced cat owners, there can be better ways to do things.

This is a book that will stay on my shelf, I expect to go back to it many times, especially as Costa ages and her behaviour changes.

A book for cats and their owners!

[Angela Sue Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I recently adopted a 6 month old kitten a few months after my senior cat passed. I found that my kitten did NOT like many of the same things my senior cat loved and did not act at all the same. His behavior started changing and not in good ways. It seemed to me as a response to me but I didn’t know what I was doing to bring these about. I listened to this book and “The Book Your Cat Wishes You Would Read.” Both of these books taught me so much. I learned that my previous cat was very different than “typical” cats (he LOVED to be held, hugged, carried etc and was always happy to receive attention) , and my current cat was much more like those described in this book. Especially helpful were sections on the body language of cats and their basic behaviors and needs. I have always been an animal person and have been around a lot of cats in my life, and yet I found there was so much I didn’t know about them and their needs. I was able to identify what I was doing that made my cat unhappy. Making changes based on what I learned in this book made huge positive changes for both my cat’s behavior and our bond. We are both so much happier. I highly recommend reading these books if you are having any questions about why your cat is doing something or if you are looking to make positive changes to their behavior!

[AndiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

😻😻😻😻😻 Are your cats a mystery to you? What do they really want? Are they happy?

Do you wish you could communicate more effectively with your beloved pet? If you are reading this review, then I know you do! Let me introduce you to PURR by Zazie Todd.

Zazie Todd is an animal psychologist and has an advanced degree in Feline behavior. In Purr, she mixes science, expert opinions and her own anecdotes when instructing you on how to be the best pet owner that you can be. EVERYTHING you need to know from choosing a cat to engaging and enriching a cat's life and even end of life support. I personally was able to apply the book to a persistent problem my own cat Cheese has. (Turns out, Cheese needs her own personal litter box like the perfect princess she is ). I recommend this book for all of your cat questions. There is plenty of information that is not easily found on the internet. You can use the book as a guide or read cover to cover. If you are striving to be a better pet owner then PURR is the book for you!
#Greystonebooks #Greystone #Purr #ZazieTodd

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in a rural area with outdoor-only cats. Now I have an indoor-only cat for the first time in my life and I wanted to feel more prepared to be a good pet guardian.

This book is a fast, easy read and is full of lots of good information. I learned a lot, and I enjoyed the author's perspective and her anecdotes about her own two (very different cats) to illustrate her points.

While I have no desire to feed my cat "treats" all the time to get her to do something like "sit pretty," and I definitely will not keep a cat carrier in my living room, I'm glad to have all the other science-backed information. I don't think it's a coincidence that much of what was said here is also applicable to human toddlers: they want agency and a choice, not to be bored, not to be forced to interact or touched in way they don't like; when they "misbehave," it means something. I find that rather wonderful.

I do feel like some topics were rushed through and that there could have been more time spent on some more common issues.

[Andrea White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a cat owner for many many years and been through it all. I’ve also read many cat behavior/care books before. I was pleasantly surprised to learn some new things! I currently have 3 cats and especially enjoyed the multi-cat parts of the book. The part about cats soiling outside of the litterbox was helpful too. I adopted an adult cat 4 years ago that didn’t want to pee in her litterbox and we (vet and I) tried all.the.things after ruling out medical reasons. What ultimately worked was feeding her “calm” food. Anytime when we anticipate stress in her life (we just moved, for example) we give her this prescription food for a while and it works! There were certain parts that weren’t explained too well and moved along too fast; I would’ve liked more depth. That amount of detail might be tough to include depending on the target audience, which seems to be the less experienced cat owner. Overall, it’s worth the read no matter how much experience you have.

[Dennis Wormald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that would certainly be useful for any cat owner who is interested in how they think and see the world, from a scientific view point. I think this might be the best such book I have read for this, but I do think it wouldn't be for every reader (what book is?!?). I think the people who will get the most out of this, would be people who like science and like cats too.

Surprisingly, I thought I would read this book like a novel, but I ended up preferring to use it to look up interesting things about my cat using the index. I know a lot about animal behaviour already, so when I see an interesting behaviour in a cat and think about it, I like to look it up in this book to see what Dr Zazie has to say on the matter! I wasn't expecting to use it this way, but it's a really nice addition to my bookshelf :)

[Jennifer Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually listened to this book on audiobook, but that wasn't an option in the editions. However I have to say that this was an extremely enlightening and educational book about cats. I've had cats all my life, around me at home and now at work (we have a library cat), I frequently tell people that cats are much more social, intelligent and affectionate that most people (especially those who have limited experience with cats) will credit them as being. It's nice to learn about the science that backs up my own experiences - and learn a few other things about them, like training tips, in addition!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, which gives a wealth of good information on how to better understand your cat's needs and ensure a happier life for your cat. Having recently adopted a cat, I found myself applying what I learned as I read the book. Learning that cats prefer short petting sessions helped me interact with our cat better. This book introduced me to food puzzles and we're trying them out. The author incorporates data from studies in a way that is interesting and doesn't overwhelm. I highly recommend this book and think it's worth a read because you're sure to understand your cat better and take away ideas to help them be happier.

[Sharon Reamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was just ok. Very technical treatise of things cat owners should know to improve their cat's welfare. I liked that it wasn't judgmental about outdoor cats who also hunt and even presented statistics suggesting domestic cats are not important in reducing bird populations. My cat guardian experiences bear this out.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic, could be useful for new cat people.
But the book promised more than it delivered. The owner has never had a “special needs” cat, as can be heard from the advice thar is a bit basic. And she talks about not feeding raw meat to cats… hello but my predators love their meat and have more energy eating it than when they don’t

[Rachel Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super informative book with up to date data on cat behavior.i have had cats my whole life and thought I knew it all. Well, I knew a lot but not all. Highly recommend for anyone who has a cat or thinking about getting one.

[M.A. Arana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource to have. It goes through everything you need to know about kittens and cats. She provides charts to help make sure you provide what your cat needs to live happy and healthy. Highly recommend.

[Kauz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Five freedoms, five domains, five pillars.

This felt like a homily on cat ownership. And how you are likely not a good one, despite loving your cat very much.

But this book will teach you how to be the owner your cat deserves. So read now and learn to make your cat happy.

DNF

[Ami Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

🐈🐈🐈

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty basic if you’re already a cat owner. I was looking for my behavior type items and the science behind it.

[Barbara Gard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, informative

[Paolo Amenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cats