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Complete Kitten Care
...a concise, easy-to-understand book. I wish it could accompany every kitten going to a new home."-- Kitty Angell, Cat Fanciers Association Allbreed judge...a must-read for anyone ... who already know the joys of living with cats."-- Lenny Southam, DVM"There are ... no questions left to ask about ... caring for a kitten after one has read this book."-- Karen Lawrence, CFA Allbreed judgeUPDATED! This is it, the one book you need when you're ready to add a kitten to your household. Nationally known pet authority Amy Shojai has updated her award-winning book with the latest behavior information and care research, including new vaccination guidelines and more. This veritable "Kitten101" is packed with all the must-knows on... * choosing, training, and communicating with your kitten * the personality of different breeds * pedigreed versus shelter kittens * introducing a kitten to otherfamily members and pets * understanding feline behavior * food and grooming considerations * common medical concerns * living a long and happy life with your kittens as they grow into adulthood * cat legends, myths, and fun facts (NEW photos added!) * plus a myriad of UPDATED kitten and cat resources: the best kitten Websites, cat associations and feline clubs, animal welfare organizations and feline foundations, recommended cat books and magazines, pet products sourcesPRAISE FOR COMPLETE KITTEN CARE"What baby expert Dr. Benjamin Spock did for people, kitten expert Amy Shojai has done for cats...Everything you need to know to begin a blissful life with your kitty." --Ed Sayres, President, San Francisco SPCA"A wealth of information for first-time kitten owners. Amy Shojai shows you how to enjoy kittenhood." --Pam Johnson-Bennett, feline behaviorist and author of "Think Like A Cat""When you purchase a kitten, there should be four requirements by law: food, water dish, litter box, and this book." --Steve Dale, syndicated newspaper columnist "My Pet World" and radio host, Steve Dale's Pet World.
358 pages, ebook
First published June 1, 2002
157 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Amy Shojai
129 books311 followersAmy Shojai has been reinventing herself for years. She writes THRILLERS WITH BITE! in her debut thriller LOST AND FOUND that features a service dog, hero cat, an animal behaviorist named September Day, and assorted mayhem. The sequel HIDE AND SEEK continues the story with terror from the past revisiting the heroine. The next book in the series, SHOW AND TELL brings the story full circle. The 4th title FIGHT OR FLIGHT introduces some new characters and challenges. And book #5 HIT AND RUN answers many questions about September's past.
Amy's a certified animal behavior consultant, and the award-winning author of 35+ best-selling pet books that cover furry babies to old-fogies, first aid to natural healing, and behavior/training to Chicken Soup-icity. She created the puppies.about.com site and was the cat behavior expert at cats.About.com. Amy has been featured as an expert in hundreds of print venues including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reader's Digest, and Family Circle, as well as national radio and television networks such as CNN, Animal Planet's DOGS 101 and CATS 101. She brings her unique pet-centric viewpoint to her Bling, Bitches & Blood Blog, public appearances.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 31, 2021
I got this book because I rescued a pregnant cat from the streets in my neighborhood and now she has five kittens which I am helping to care for. I needed some type of instruction on how to care for a litter of kittens. This book does talk some about caring for kittens, which is nice. However the E version of this book I had so many typos and just wasn’t as easy to read with the photos that it was very distracting. Overall, this is more of a book for someone who has adopted a 3 to 6 month old kitten and not as much for a newborn litter of kittens.
October 4, 2018
A very informative and yet easy and interesting to read guidebook to bringing home a new kitten! Great to reference and also read straight thru.
January 13, 2011
As a new kitten owner and past dog owner, Complete Kitten Care has provided a thorough overview of the feline ownership experience.
This is a not a brief "how to potty train"-type book, but a deeper explanation of kitten psychology, sociology, life stages, needs, motivations, and expectations: and only after all these things, training. Shojai is clearly an expert at the subject, and her notes come from a place of sincere love and compassion for the best interests of cats, even when confronting controversial issues such as declawing and destruction of unwanted animals.
A full point is taken for less-than-steller editing, particularly in typographical errata and duplication of content. Reiteration for the sake of learning is ok, but frequent déjà vu of near exact verbiage is not acceptable. The content duplication problem is particularly apparent towards the end, where the smell of a weary-eyed editor on their N-tenth read-through is strongest. Writing style in the last few sections also changes dramatically and without explanation from the adoring, motherly nature of Amy's lighthearted tone, to a more clinical matter-of-fact sprit. Neither is necessarily preferable in this type of book, but a rounding of stylistic edges for the sake of reading consistency would be better.
This is a book for the surrogate kitty mom/dad that wants an easy-to-read crash course in kitten love. In terms of useful information per dollar, it's money well spent, especially considering the level of commitment required to care for an animal over the course of a lifetime.
Overall: 4/5.
This is a not a brief "how to potty train"-type book, but a deeper explanation of kitten psychology, sociology, life stages, needs, motivations, and expectations: and only after all these things, training. Shojai is clearly an expert at the subject, and her notes come from a place of sincere love and compassion for the best interests of cats, even when confronting controversial issues such as declawing and destruction of unwanted animals.
A full point is taken for less-than-steller editing, particularly in typographical errata and duplication of content. Reiteration for the sake of learning is ok, but frequent déjà vu of near exact verbiage is not acceptable. The content duplication problem is particularly apparent towards the end, where the smell of a weary-eyed editor on their N-tenth read-through is strongest. Writing style in the last few sections also changes dramatically and without explanation from the adoring, motherly nature of Amy's lighthearted tone, to a more clinical matter-of-fact sprit. Neither is necessarily preferable in this type of book, but a rounding of stylistic edges for the sake of reading consistency would be better.
This is a book for the surrogate kitty mom/dad that wants an easy-to-read crash course in kitten love. In terms of useful information per dollar, it's money well spent, especially considering the level of commitment required to care for an animal over the course of a lifetime.
Overall: 4/5.
August 27, 2014
This book was informative for any to-be kitten owner. It goes into deterring problematic behaviors for kittens, as well as medical and first aid treatments. It was a little too preachy/doting for me at times, and as a results recommends behaviors that are quite impractical for those who work full-time, but it seems to set a good baseline to aspire to. I'm sure I'll keep referring back to this once I adopt kittens.
September 7, 2012
Excellent book and an absolute steal for the Kindle version. It's not a basic guide, but a comphrehensive one about understanding all things kitten, down to kitten psychology and first aid. It's incredibly informative and shows the authior's love for cats and kittens with each word. Highly recommended.
December 5, 2016
Very good advice here for a new catdaddy. I skipped over the irrelevant parts (nursing an orphan, what to do when kitty gets sick, etc) but the rest was a goldmine and I would recommend for anyone bringing home a new kitten!
April 28, 2015
Really helpful! Recommend to any first time kitten buyers or even those who need a reminder.
September 29, 2024
This book is a great guide on all things kitten care & serves best as something to pick up when needed. I’ve referred to it many times now and the advice has been spot on. It’s easy to go online now & see what advice there is on there but there’s so much contradictory information online & I found the advice & information in this book to be the most helpful & correct.
December 5, 2018
يتحدث بالتفصيل عن العناية بالقطط الصغيرة , لا اعتقد انه مناسب لقراءته كبداية توقفت في بداية و اخذت كتاب آخر اسمه
he Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Cat
ومن بعدها اكملت قراءة الكتاب و شعرت بأن رحلة تعليم القطة قد اكتملت
he Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Cat
ومن بعدها اكملت قراءة الكتاب و شعرت بأن رحلة تعليم القطة قد اكتملت
January 12, 2020
At times I thought the information was a little more detailed than I needed, but overall it had a lot of interesting and valuable information in it. I really liked the Cat Legends and Fun Feline Facts sections.
November 12, 2020
I felt ripped off by this book. It got 3 stars because i did learn a few things. I felt like the author was the complete definition of "consultant" because she has lots ideas of things you should do, but most times little practical advice about the common issues we need help with.
April 25, 2021
I've owned cats for 50 years, but as I wait for my kitty to be old enough to adopt, I thought I'd brush up a bit on the basics. I love how Amy mixes science with the practical and theory with actual examples. She shows great knowledge, respect and love for her subject, kittens!
December 17, 2019
This was not realistic but it was a good refresher. So far the kittens are still alive and thriving.
June 18, 2021
Easy read for first time or relatively new cat owners. Though some info might be a little outdated but still very helpful.
August 7, 2022
This was okay, it did have some helpful information, there just seemed to be a lot of less than useful information, to get through before getting to the good stuff.
December 3, 2024
A highly informative book about kitten care. I will be referring to this book often as I train and raise my baby girl.
March 17, 2017
Now also available as an AUDIO BOOK! I had great fun narrating the book. And if you have a color Ereading device you'll enjoy even more the SQUEEEE! award-winning cute kitten pictures.
September 28, 2013
Useful reference, nothing special.
November 29, 2013
I feel perfectly capable of adopting a kitten now, but still unsure if it will happen. This book is a good resource.
June 26, 2014
Great Read!
Enjoyed every part of this book. So many good points, suggestions and ideas. All Cantonese NEED to have this book.
Enjoyed every part of this book. So many good points, suggestions and ideas. All Cantonese NEED to have this book.
June 29, 2014
Useful resource. A little repetitive but good tips.
September 9, 2017
Thinking of getting a kitten soon, and saw that I could read this book free with my Kindle Unlimited subscription, and was surprised to find it is the best book of it's kind that I've ever seen!
Excellent info and tips, including one that I shared with my daughter who has a multi-cat household, and has a problem with the cats being aggressive to any of the cats returning from a visit to the vets, and how to eliminate this problem......it worked!
Should be required reading for everyone thinking of becoming a fur-baby parent!
Excellent info and tips, including one that I shared with my daughter who has a multi-cat household, and has a problem with the cats being aggressive to any of the cats returning from a visit to the vets, and how to eliminate this problem......it worked!
Should be required reading for everyone thinking of becoming a fur-baby parent!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews