202 Pets' Peeves: Cats and Dogs Speak Out on Pesky Human Behavior [Paperback]

Cal Orey (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: Citadel (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806524421
• ISBN-13: 978-0806524429
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,778,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cal Orey is a Northern California-based accomplished author and journalist specializing in topics such as health, nutrition, science, and pets. She holds two degrees in English (Creative Writing) from SFSU. Her books include the popular Healing Powers book series (based on the recent U.S. News Top 3 ranked Mediterranean Diet)--translated in more than 15 languages around the globe. The Healing Powers of Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, and Honey attracts a mainstream audience (for all ages) due to the lively, witty style and edgy information.
The author experiences the superfoods and their benefits, home cures (both internally and externally), beauty, pets, and household treatments, scrumptious and healthy pro-chef recipes, and she shares up close and very personal anecdotes in each and every Healing Powers book. Plus, she interviewed top experts around the world to back up her own findings. Her website is www.calorey.com and blog http://calorey.blogspot.com/ The Writing Gourmet.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two savvy spokespets explain it all for you, September 10, 2003

By 

Landess Witmer, PetFolio Magazine (Reno, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 202 Pets' Peeves: Cats and Dogs Speak Out on Pesky Human Behavior (Paperback)

Ask not what your pets can do for you; ask what you can do for your pets! If our cats and dogs could talk, you can bet they'd have more than a few complaints about us to get off their chests.

Veteran magazine writer and "self-proclaimed pet expert" Cal Orey has channeled her dog Dylan's and cat Kerouac's biggest issues into a briskly readable, amusingly useful catalog of all the things they wish we knew. Researched with animal behaviorists, trainers, and veterinarians, 202 Pets' Peeves is a refresher course for knowledgeable pet lovers and a checklist for humans just starting out with their very first "fur child."

When it comes to pet nutrition, Orey thinks outside the can. Chuck that yucky generic budget kibble and share a little of that raw hamburger you're cooking for dinner with your cat. Give your dog an occasional slice of your whole-wheat crust veggie pizza. Dylan begs, "As a pack animal, I would share my prey with you." You take vitamin supplements. Don't your pets deserve their own?

Orey's sage warnings might help prevent a world of woe. With vet bills skyrocketing, pet medical insurance is becoming vital to avoid a possible heart-wrenching conflict between an unbearable financial burden and your pet's survival. Cats should be kept indoors during the Fourth of July and Halloween when they're most subject to malicious cruelty. You should have a disaster plan in place in case your pet needs to be evacuated when you aren't home.

Empathy and communication are two areas where humans need work. Dylan requires "quality hugging time" and gets depressed when he's scolded, suffering "bad dog day afternoons." Kerouac urges humans to respond when he has invited interaction, but to respect his privacy when he's busy doing his own thing.

Some of Orey's recommendations are debatable. Kerouac craves a hooded litter box for privacy, but some vets warn that enclosed boxes concentrate the dust that cats kick up around their mouths and noses. And it's hard not to raise an eyebrow at: "To experience an after-life dog reunion, contact a pet psychic who specializes in contacting deceased pets."

But 202 Pets' Peeves' strength lies in its rich diversity of pet-related topics, its provocative get-you-thinking style, and its creative solutions. How bout fitting your dog with a pair of kids' swimming goggles to protect its eyes during head-out-the-window car rides? Or, rather than declawing, fitting your cat with Soft Paws nail caps? Or installing a fish-tank screensaver for kittie's diversion? (Oddly, Kerouac fails to demand the greatest cat toy around: the laser pointer, which allows humans to run their felines all over the house while reclining in a strategically located easy chair.) Copious resource references help you find everything from animal behaviorists to doggie daycare to the Alley Cat Rescue website.

So listen to Dylan and Kerouac, two of the savviest "spokespets" around, and they'll help you make everybody's life smoother, safer, and more satisfying.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Description, April 21, 2003

By 

Cal Orey "The Author" (south lake tahoe, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 202 Pets' Peeves: Cats and Dogs Speak Out on Pesky Human Behavior (Paperback)

Discover what your pet really thinks of you!

Sure, your pet loves you, but even the cuddliest cat or most delightful dog has issues. Written from the perspective of the one who matters most--your pet--this fun, fascinating, and revealing book gives the dog's eye and cat's eye views on life. Now you can find out why they look at you adoringly, and what sends them scurrying under the bed in fear or disgust. Cal Orey consulted top animal shrinks, trainers, and vets, getting the most up-to-date advice on everything from grooming gaffes to the right and wrong kinds of exercise, the long and short of leashes, and dealing with personality problems--yours and theirs. Also included are amusing anecdotes, along with a generous list of animal-friendly activities and other pet-related resources. Written in a warm and witty style, and packed with timeless tips to keep tails wagging happily, 202 Pets' Peeves is a must-read for every animal lover!

You'll more than scratch the surface on 101 Feline Peeves, including:
* Food--the boring, the bad, and the dangerous
* The real scoop on litter boxes
* Giving your kitty the wrong cat toy
* Romancing an anti-cat mate-hiss!
* Treating your cat like a dog, or, "What the heck do you mean, 'Come!'"
* And more information that every cat lover should know!

And put a leash on 101 Canine Peeves, including:
* The skinny on overfeeding
* The fast track to training
* Taking a bite out of fleas
* Visiting the vet and other necessary evils
* And more information that every dog lover should know!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 202 Pet Peeves - a big hit at my house, July 16, 2003

By 

Marie Marini - former Veterinary Hospital Manager (Tahoe City, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 202 Pets' Peeves: Cats and Dogs Speak Out on Pesky Human Behavior (Paperback)

The book is great...I am having a hard time getting it away from my 12 year old who insists on reading it first. Last night she stayed up late finishing the cat peeves...and called me into her room to read several to me.

My 9 year old has claimed second read! They love reading it to me though so I might just get the book read by listening to them read it to me!

For anyone who owns a pet-our beloved friends-this book is a must have!