More than 15 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannot--and must not--be treated in the same way.
Fun, practical, and eminently informative, Competability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequently between the two species.
Most important, Competability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relationships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.
It's a classic cartoon situation (dog chases cat, cat hisses at dog), based on the notion that these two species cannot get along. Yet there are some 15 million "interspecies" households in the U.S., more or less successfully dealing with the genuine differences between Rover and Kittykat. Former veterinary technician Shojai, who has written books and articles on each species, works to improve those households' success by explaining a range of similarities and differences. After an introductory section on "the people-pet partnership," she outlines the species' differences in senses, hunting, and sex ("Cats Are from Venus, Dogs Are from Mars"), their behavioral differences in eating and grooming habits and reactions to illness ("Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed"), and social and cultural issues that affect behavior, training, and cat-dog conflict ("Canine Culture and Feline Language"). Brief but helpful appendixes list the danger signals (and cancer symptoms) for both species, describe each species' life signs and suggested vaccination timings, and compare common illnesses. Mary Carroll
From the Inside Flap
More than 15 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannot--and must not--be treated in the same way.
Fun, practical, and eminently informative, Competability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequently between the two species.
Most important, Competability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relationships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.
Amy D. Shojai, CABC a nationally known authority on pet care and behavior, is a certified animal behavior consultant, a spokesperson for the pet products industry, and the author of 23 nonfiction pet books and over 1,000 articles. Her award-winning columns have appeared in the Herald Democrat newspaper, at Purina's CatChow.com, About.com, Sergeants.com e-newsletter, the NBC-Universal site PetSide.com, HomeAgain.com and ivillage.com. She appears twice-monthly on the "Pet Talk" segment at KXII-CBS, and hosts the weekly "Pet Peeves" at PetLifeRadio.com and is an expert on Animal Planet DOGS 101 and CATS 101.
Ms. Shojai addresses a wide range of fun-to-serious issues in her work, covering dog and cat training, behavior, natural and allopathic health care, nutrition, first aid, aging pets, "the bond" and cutting-edge medical topics. Her work has been honored with over three dozen writing awards and she is a two-time recipient of the "Friskies Writer of the Year" award.
Ms. Shojai's work empowers pet lovers by providing the information they need to make informed decisions for their cats and dogs. The former veterinary technician specializes in translating "medicalese" into easily understood jargon-free language, making it accessible to all pet lovers.
Ms. Shojai has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and in USA Weekend, The New York Times, Washington Post, Reader's Digest, Woman's Day, Family Circle, Woman's World, and many other leading newspapers and magazines. She has also been a featured pet care expert on Animal Planet Dogs 101, Cats 101, Petsburgh USA/Disney Channel program, Good Day New York, Fox News: Pet News, NBC Today Show, WGN-Chicago "Pet Central" and "Animal Planet Radio" and many others.
Ms. Shojai is a certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, founder and Past President of the Cat Writers' Association, a member of the Dog Writers Association of America, and Past President of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. She frequently speaks to groups on a variety of pet-related issues, lectures at veterinary and writer conferences, and conducts training and behavior demonstrations around the country.
She and her husband live with Seren(dipity) the Siamese wannabe, Magic the German Shepherd, and other assorted critters at Rosemont, their thirteen-acre "spread" in north Texas. Find more information about her work at www.shojai.com.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 starsA Clear Winner!, May 3, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Competability: A Practical Guide to Building a Peaceable Kingdom Between Cats and Dogs (Paperback)
Are you thinking of adding a dog to your feline-only household? Is the fur flying in your current multispecies family? If the idea of cats and dogs living peaceably under one rof seems like a fantasy to you, you'll be happy to hear that your dream has been answered. In Competability, Amy D. Shojai guides readers through the complexities of living in harmony with both cats and dogs. Shojai provides insights into each species' behavior, health and special needs, making this more than just a "how-to" pet care book. As in her numerous other animal books, Shojai brings clear thinking and compassion to her topic. A real winner! ---Media Cats, June 1999, CATS Magazine
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