Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care [Hardcover]

Amy Shojai (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 26, 1998

Nearly four million households in America keep at least one cat. Now, from the name you've trusted for at least nine lives comes the definitive reference for finding, keeping, and maintaining a healthy, happy pet. The Purina (TM) Encyclopedia of Cat Care is designed to answer all your questions. How do I choose the right cat? What preventive care should I give? Why do cats act the way they do, and what behaviors indicate illness? And perhaps most important, what should I do in an emergency situation? Inside you'll find:


An alphabetical, A to Z listing, with 200 entries covering everything from abscesses and hairballs to whiskers and zoonosis
Boxed charts that list symptoms for a particular condition, the corresponding home care, the comparative vet treatments, and preventative advice
A beautiful color "photo albumof forty-one feline breeds with detailed descriptions of each
A symptoms/conditions table that helps you identify what ailment might be bothering your cat
A comprehensive, easy-to-use index makes quick reference a snap
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of national cat organizations, including animal welfare and information services, veterinary resources, and feline research foundations
And much more!

Accessible, yet comprehensive, The Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care can be used with ease and trust. And doesn't your cat deserve the very best?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Usually they just sleep, eat, and chase crumpled wads of paper around like they're possessed, but when your kitty starts vomiting or biting her skin till she bleeds, it's helpful to get some answers. Amy Shojai, a veterinary technician for 20 years, has compiled an encyclopedia that provides A-to-Z guidance to cat care and cat behavior. From Abscess to Zoonosis, Shojai discusses diseases and abnormal conditions as well as perfectly healthy behaviors like play-fighting, kneading, and the Flehman reaction. Shojai explains cat-grooming needs, provides information on the neutering process, describes why cats navigate so well, and explores the situations likely to cause your cat stress, the symptoms associated with stress, and how best to address said stress, once you've identified it. There's also a useful appendix introducing cat breeds and associations, and another appendix of symptoms with their associated diseases and conditions, so you can read up on the physical and character traits of the Abyssinian, Bengal, and Maine Coon, or determine that coughing could be a sign of heartworms, lungworms, or pneumonia. With extra pages listing animal welfare foundations, pet services, and veterinary resources, plus 41 color photographs illustrating popular cat breeds, Shojai's encyclopedia is accurate, easy to use, and a great resource on all things feline. --Stephanie Gold

From Library Journal

Former veterinary technician Shojai, currently a contributing editor at Cats magazine and author of its monthly "Health Handbook" column, has written a thorough encyclopedia of cat care, behavior, and health. Arranged alphabetically and written for the lay reader, the clear, concise, browsable entries range in length from a paragraph to several pages. Entries on diseases also include a box highlighting symptoms, home care, vet care, and prevention. Capitalized words in an article indicate that there are also entries under those words, and numerous See references direct readers to selected terms or other articles of interest. While providing home-care techniques, Shojai stresses the importance of consulting a veterinarian and clearly marks medical emergency situations. She also gives information about what to do if you can't get to a vet immediately. Appendixes list cat associations, cat breeds with descriptions and photos (not seen), a section of symptoms and associated diseases, animal welfare and information sources, pet services, veterinary resources, and feline research foundations. Recommended for reference and/or circulating collections in public libraries along with the excellent, recently updated The Cornell Book of Cats (Villard, 1997. 2d ed.), a more comprehensive but slightly more technical treatment. (Index not seen.)?Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., Ill.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 463 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st edition (May 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345412877
• ISBN-13: 978-0345412874
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,404,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Animal Care & Pets > Cats > Care & Health

More About the Author

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best cat book I own! And I own a lot of 'em!, January 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care (Hardcover)

I want to go to University and become a vet, but until then I am using this excellent book as a guide! So far it's helped me to save my kitten from LUTD (Lower Urinary Tract Disease) which can be fatal if not caught. The pictures and sympton charts are absolutely phenominal, I don't know what I would do without this book. I've learned so much, I consider this book my cat Bible! If you have a cat or are interested in animal care, you must have this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help at your fingertips, May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care (Hardcover)

Responsible cat owners know that understanding and caring are essential to owning a healthy, happy animal. The Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care is a reference book featuring information about behavior, care, breed characterists and health concerns. The book fetures an A to Z format making information easily accessible with a detailed index.

----Kathryn Gallagher, Cat Fancy Magazine, June 1999 reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Award-Winning Book!, January 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care (Hardcover)

The Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care won the 1998 Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers Association for being "Best Care & Health Cat Book of the Year."