Customer Reviews

Outwitting Cats: Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Persuading the Felines in Your Life That What YOU Want Is Also What THEY Want

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is interesting and easy to read, and I definitely learned from it, despite the fact that I'm no beginner with cats.
It provides a good basics, from a history of the domestic cat, to an overview of a cats body structure, to tips on making your house more "cat friendly." I was just a bit dissapointed in the "outwitting" suggestions though.
Although there are a few ideas that I may try, many were either obvious (to outwit a cat who eats magazines, put the magazines in a drawer), gross (to outwit a cat who eats off your plate, just let them have a few bites and they'll lose interest) or impractical (to outwit a cat jumping on furniture that you don't want them to, set up motion-activated audio recordings of you yelling.)
I would still recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning about cat behavior and/or looking for ideas on improving their cat household. It's one of the best overall cat books I've read, but the title is just a little bit misleading.

This is a wonderful and practical book about feline behavior and why your cat is the way it is. It lays it out straight to those of us who couldn't figure out why our cat would never listen when told "No!" and never come when she is called. They're cats, not dogs, not babies... they are independent-minded and headstrong and no amount of punishing, bribing or begging will get the cat to do exactly what you say.

The book is full of practical information about how to deal with "naughtiness", how to read your cat's body and vocal language, and how to be a better cat parent. It's also decidedly funny and even tongue-in-cheek at times ("Mewphy's Law #11: If you pester a cat long enough, you will get scratched. Mewphy's Law #12: You will deserve it.") It's packed with information about the history of cats and the physiology of cats, but the really pertinent information is the psychology and behavioral aspects of cats, something that most cat-care books don't give a lot of information on.

This book is really excellent, particularly if you're new to owning cats (as I am) and need a little bit of guidance in figuring out their personality.

I have been looking for the cat complement to Dr. Fogel's wonderful "The Dog's Mind" ("The Cat's Mind" isn't it!). This book fits the bill. For someone who knows virtually nothing about cats and did not intend to have one, the introduction to the physical and mental nature of felines is indespensible. The behaviors covered are exactly what is needed as well. The author is obviously a "cat person" and gets a little biased, but the info is still solid. And it is so well-written that I had a hard time putting it down!

Whether or not you agree with the title ("Outwitting" is a series, BTW, and authors had to kinda retrofit their writing to fit the theme - Outwitting Dogs is another excellent entry in the series), this book holds nothing but useful information.

This book would be extemely valuable for a first-time cat owner. As somone who has had cats around off an on for years, I did not learn anything new. However, even though the particular problems I was looking for weren't there, still it is pleasantly written and fun to read.

I was having a serious spraying and urinating out of the litter box with my cats (I have three). Well I followed the advice of the book and in seven weeks have had only one accident. One of the cats was aggressive and hoarding the litterbox resources causing the other one to go to the bathroom wherever he could. I recommend this book for anyone who has problems with their cats. It shows that you don't have to get rid of the cat and that all problems are solvable with the right diagnosis of the root cause of the undesirable behavior. I have since gotten four more copies and am giving it to anyone who is experiencing problems.

I have lived with kitties my entire adult life and love them dearly. I also have many "how to" kitty books. This is by far the best. Interesting, fun, and comprehensive. What more can we ask? Buy it! You need this book!

I have found it to be super informative. I'm learning things here about cats that I never knew before. It's more than just about how to outwit them... it explains how cat's function and think, and therefore why they do the things they do!

This is the best book on cat behavior (and how to deal with it) we have ever seen. The author knows cats and how to deal with them productively so that bad habits do not get started. Laced with humor and insights the book is a manual for helping your cat be the best it can be.

This book was very informative and entertaing at the same time. I highly recommend!

ONE FOR A GIFT AND ONE FOR ME - BOOKS WERE IN CONDITION STATED - NO PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOOK, HAVE NOT READ YET!