The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care [Hardcover]

Wendy Christensen (Author), The Staff of the Humane Society of America (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 18, 2002

Building a lifelong, loving relationship with a cat can be a challenging task. Whether you're thinking of adopting a cat or already live with one, The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care offers authoritative and practical advice that will help you make the best decisions along the way.

This comprehensive guide includes sections on choosing a healthy cat, feeding and nutrition, training, grooming, disease, vet visits, caring for an aging cat, feline first-aid kits and emergency care.

Unlike other books that endorse breeding and promote novelty or purebred cats, The Humane Society's Guide to Cat Care stresses making life better for the millions of cats already here. It provides information on rescuing and rehabilitating homeless cats, finding a stray's owner, and helping an outdoor cat make the transition to a safe indoor environment. The guide also encourages animal advocacy and offers a list of ways to get involved.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Colette once wrote, "There are no ordinary cats," and cat lovers the world over surely agree. While none of them are ordinary, they generally have similar requirements for diet, exercise, health care, and loving attention from their human companions. The Humane Society's Complete Guide to Cat Care warmly incorporates both similarities and differences to create a comprehensive guide focused on providing the best possible care, not just for your beloved pets but for the species as a whole.

Specific and detailed information is included on physical issues like nutrition, dental care, and vaccinations. Short paragraphs discussing why vegetarianism is extremely unhealthy for cats, which are carnivorous, and how to introduce them to a toothbrush are straightforward and wise--you'll find simple language and plenty of encouragement. Social and behavioral issues are also addressed, and you'll learn methods of feline communication, needs for companionship, and how best to deal with finicky eaters.

The Humane Society provides plenty of information about adoption of abandoned cats, proper sterilization for your pet, and the wisdom of letting your furry friend lead an indoors-only life. Even if you're of a different opinion on some of these matters, you'll still find a range of valuable material devoted to the well-being of your extraordinary feline companion. --Jill Lightner

About the Author

The Humane Society of the United States is the largest animal-protection organization in the country, with a constituency of more than seven million people, and is one of America's most trusted names in animal advocacy.

Wendy Christensen is an award-winning writer who has written extensively on feline topics for magazines such as Cat Fancy, Cats USA, Kittens USA, Natural Cat and Natural Pet among others. She lives in rural New Hampshire.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (June 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312269293
• ISBN-13: 978-0312269296
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,443,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Animal Care & Pets > Cats > Care & Health

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good., April 9, 2005

By 

L. Hansen (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care (Paperback)

Not only does this book tell you how to take care of your cat, it is also very interesting to read. Unlike some books, it doesn't have pages of very short descriptions of cat breeds. I find these very boring, as they tend to say the same things from book to book. These have no relevance to actually taking care of your cat. This book has enlightened me on several things about taking care of my cat. Much to my cat's distaste, I no longer feed her mass market pet food, but follow the simple directions found in the book. I also moved my ageing cat indoors, where she seems much less stressed. This book is good as a informative read about cats, and a reference book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference for Cat Care, January 11, 2007

By 

Kitten Foster (Webster Groves, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care (Paperback)

This guide acquaints the reader with the care of cats from kittenhood to adult cat. It is easy to read and easy to find pertinent information when needed. It is highly recommended.

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Cat Care Book Ever!, July 26, 2003

By 

Chelsea Watkins (Payne, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care (Hardcover)

This book tells how to keep your cat healthy, happy, and safe. It also takes animal welfare seriously, telling how you can get involved in helping cats! I highly reccomend it to every cat owner in America!