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The Older Cat: Recognizing Decline & Extending Life
The purpose of this book is to educate and console the cat owner. It covers the aging process and signs of decline, medical disorders, nutrition, medical care, and choices before and after death or euthanasia. Interspersed are brief stories and anecdotes.
- GenresNonfictionCats
139 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Dan Poynter
111 books19 followersSince 1969, Dan Poynter has written and published more than 100 books including Writing Nonfiction, The Self-Publishing Manual, and The Skydiver's Handbook.
Dan Poynter's seminars have been featured on CNN, his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal, and his story has been told in U.S. News & World Report. The media comes to Dan because he is the leading authority on book publishing.
Dan shows people how to make a difference and a living by coaching them on their book."
Dan Poynter's seminars have been featured on CNN, his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal, and his story has been told in U.S. News & World Report. The media comes to Dan because he is the leading authority on book publishing.
Dan shows people how to make a difference and a living by coaching them on their book."
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 15, 2012
I'd say this book was helpful. It definitely helped me determine that my cat doesn't have any symptoms indicating drastic diseases, cancer, or serious decline. And while I was a little taken aback by the cloning section: "cloning is not perfected. Some 30 percent of cloned animals are abnormal," I was overall pleased with thinking about what my cat truly means to me [p.118]. :)
May 2, 2010
I did a search on Amazon.com shortly after I put my beloved kitty of nearly 18 years, Cocoa, to sleep this winter. I was sad that the companion I'd had since I was 11 was no longer with me, and I was worried I hadn't made the right decision to put her to sleep. I found this book through that search, and checked it out at my local library.
While the book was on an important topic helpful for cat owners, it wasn't as helpful as I had hoped. It did, thankfully, reaffirm that I did make the right decision to put her down, and that keeping her alive would have only been selfishly motivated by my fear of being without her. However, the cartoonish clip art was distracting, the random quotes in the middle of written passages were awkward, and there were careless typographical errors. Despite the author's disclaimer that it was a self-published book and that there'd likely be errors, books always tend to lose credibility for me if not properly proofread.
The reviews seemed to agree that this was a must-have book for all cat owners, especially those with aging cats. Despite having some helpful advice, the advice I received from a good friend who has worked with animals and their owners for many years was far more helpful than this book. When I was making the decision to put Cocoa down, she told me this:
Make a list of five of the things that your pet likes to do the most. When your pet can no longer do two of these five things either from physical disability or lack of interest, or he/she can only do them with difficulty or great prodding, then it's time to think about letting him/her go.
I hope this advice is helpful for those who are also considering reading this book.
While the book was on an important topic helpful for cat owners, it wasn't as helpful as I had hoped. It did, thankfully, reaffirm that I did make the right decision to put her down, and that keeping her alive would have only been selfishly motivated by my fear of being without her. However, the cartoonish clip art was distracting, the random quotes in the middle of written passages were awkward, and there were careless typographical errors. Despite the author's disclaimer that it was a self-published book and that there'd likely be errors, books always tend to lose credibility for me if not properly proofread.
The reviews seemed to agree that this was a must-have book for all cat owners, especially those with aging cats. Despite having some helpful advice, the advice I received from a good friend who has worked with animals and their owners for many years was far more helpful than this book. When I was making the decision to put Cocoa down, she told me this:
Make a list of five of the things that your pet likes to do the most. When your pet can no longer do two of these five things either from physical disability or lack of interest, or he/she can only do them with difficulty or great prodding, then it's time to think about letting him/her go.
I hope this advice is helpful for those who are also considering reading this book.
December 6, 2012
I picked this book from the library hoping for information about how to best take care of my 12 year old cat. This book was no help whatsoever. Most of the advice is general cat care advice for any age. The little that is relevant to older cats is superficial. Medical advice is offered while providing no citation or reason to trust the information.
What I found jarring was the formatting - 139 pages of double spaced paragraphs, large margins, and various font sizes. The book could have easily been compacted into 50 pages of information. Worst of all, the book desperately needed a proofreader.
"Stomach disorders may result in Lake of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, or diarrhea" (43).
This is only one example of several glaring mistakes that should have been caught before publication.
The only positive aspect of this book is the illustrations. A very cute drawing of a cat accompanies many of the chapters, sort of a narrator to the book. He is not reflected in any of the writing, just shows up in the margins.
What I found jarring was the formatting - 139 pages of double spaced paragraphs, large margins, and various font sizes. The book could have easily been compacted into 50 pages of information. Worst of all, the book desperately needed a proofreader.
"Stomach disorders may result in Lake of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, or diarrhea" (43).
This is only one example of several glaring mistakes that should have been caught before publication.
The only positive aspect of this book is the illustrations. A very cute drawing of a cat accompanies many of the chapters, sort of a narrator to the book. He is not reflected in any of the writing, just shows up in the margins.
March 4, 2008
This book has given me a world of resources ever since my beloved calico of 12 years was diagnosed with the early stages of kidney failure. I was shocked to find how quickly old age can sneak up on our cherished pets. This book allowed me to start planning for her care while giving her the best quality of life, during her last days
March 28, 2015
This is 'book' is in serious need of a rewrite and an editor. I can't count how many fonts he uses for each thought. The incomplete sentences drove me crazy enough to put the book down after a few pages. It reads as though it was thrown together.
June 30, 2008
A very comforting book for anyone with difficult decisions to make about their cat's life.
July 30, 2014
This was an interesting book. Perhaps a little dated and any URL that was posted inside was microscopically small. Really good for anyone who is facing the loss of a pet for the first time.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews