Customer Reviews

The Body Language and Emotion of Cats

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you're looking for a fun book about cat communication be sure to pass this one by. It's long on physiology - for example, a detailed explanation about how purring is produced - but very short on psychology: There's little discussion of what causes a cat to purr.

The author takes a completely clinical approach to her subject matter. For her cat ownership is obviously a very serious business, fraught with difficulties. She addresses only "problem" behavior - as if cats' actions and antics couldn't also be curiously delightful and funny. She perceives bonding with cats as an obstacle for humans, worthy of an entire instructional chapter.

Somehow I thought that a book with this title would have rich insights into all kinds of cat behavior. I expected some humor; maybe a little anthropomorphizing; and the kind of warmth I feel from the three sweet little furballs now dozing on my lap. No such luck. It has all the charm of an autopsy.

Being a cat owner myself, when I found this book I was curious enough for an impulse buy. Once I started reading it however, I found it hard to put down. The detail and explanations of daily behaviors that I saw in my own cats cleared up many questions. Forgive the pun, but my curiosity far from killed my cats, if anything it has brought us closer together. I highly recomend this book to any cat owner who wants to better understand their cat!

This was a real eye-opener for me. It was amazing to read of the complex range of behaviours and emotions you can spot simply from looking at a cat. Barry, my spaniel, and I often watch Maureen, next door's Persian as she walks across the wall at the end of my garden. We have detected disdain as she walks away from us with her tail in the air and back-eye winking, and smug pity as she eyes Barry's vain yapping from behind the French windows, but I am intrigued to learn that cats can feel pessimistic and have a rudimentary concept of the bourgeoisie and slapstick humour.

I am still trying to get through this book. It has a lot of interesting scientifically based info about cats, their physiology and behavior. However the way it is written is very dry so even though the content is interesting the style is so boring I keep putting the book down. This has info in it I haven't seen elsewhere so is good for that but is not light reading.

This is a wonderful book, and a well-written one. Dr. Milani has closely observed cats, and helps to make their communications a less mysterious with insight good humor! I would recommend this book to anyone who lives with - or is contemplating living with - a cat.

I'm a long time fan of the work of Dr Myrna Milani having read all of her books on dogs more than a decade ago. The Body Language and Emotions of Cats, like its counterpart for dogs, is an in depth look at America's most popular household pet. A must read for all serious cat behavior enthusiasts!