Cats For Dummies

Gina Spadafori is the bestselling author of Dogs For Dummies, which received the President's Award from the Dog Writers Association of America. Dr. Lauren Demos is a board certified feline specialist who in 2017 was elected the youngest president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Dr. Paul D. Pion is a board certified veterinary cardiologist as well as cofounder, president, and CEO of the Veterinary Information Network, Inc.

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 2

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: Starting to Think Cat 5

Chapter 1: Together, Forever: A History of Cats and People 7

From Humble Beginnings: How Cats Became So Popular 8

Some Common Misconceptions about Cats — and the Facts 11

“All cats are cold fish” 11

“Cats love places, not people” 12

“Cats can take care of themselves” 13

Can You Have a Cat If You Have Allergies? 14

The Indoor versus Outdoor Controversy 15

Chapter 2: Kitten or Adult? Boy or Girl? One Cat or More? 19

Kitten or Cat: Which Is a Better Choice for You? 20

Everyone loves kittens! 20

Adult cat considerations 21

She-Kitty, He-Kitty: Which One’s Better? 23

Let the Fur Fly 24

Should You Consider a Pedigreed Cat? 26

Characteristics by Breed 28

The go-go group 30

A touch of the wild 31

Longhaired beauties 33

The big cats 34

Something different 35

The unCATegorizables 36

The Not-So-Ordinary Everyday Cat 37

Chapter 3: Mixes, Markings, and Pedigrees 39

What You Need to Know about Shelters 41

Animal-control shelters 43

Private nonprofit shelters 43

Volunteer Rescue-and-Placement Groups 45

Breeders: The Reputable, the Ill-Informed, and the Avoid-at-All-Costs 46

Finding the elusive “good breeder” 46

Shopping at the cat show 47

Online shopping 48

Spotting the less-than-ideal breeders 49

Pet Stores: What about Those Kittens in the Window? 51

Your Neighbor’s (Or Coworker’s) Kittens 52

Chapter 4: The Wild Ones: Special Cats, Special Considerations 53

Help for the Wild Ones 54

Finding the solution that isn’t 55

Offering a new way of thinking: Trap, Neuter, Release 55

But aren’t these cats pests? 56

Getting Your Feet Wet: How to Help 58

First, do no harm 58

Helping the helpers 59

Feeding community cats: Help or harm? 60

Learning to Care for Community Cats 60

Setting up a routine 60

Lining up help 61

Trapping cats 63

Spaying and neutering cats 64

Releasing cats 64

Housing considerations 65

Part 2: Getting Off to a Good Start 69

Chapter 5: Choosing a Healthy, Happy Kitten or Cat 71

Evaluating the Environment 72

Getting a read on a kitty’s history 73

Making special considerations 74

Choosing a Kitten 75

Adopting at the ideal age 75

Looking at a litter 76

Personality testing your kitten 77

Considering the Second-Chance Kitty 80

Recognizing Good Health in Kittens and Cats 82

The outer cat 82

The inner cat 84

Taking a Leap of Faith with Your Eyes Open! 85

Chapter 6: One Is Never Enough: The Multicat Household 87

You’re in Good Company 88

Another cat — for your cat 88

Another cat — for you 90

Adding to the Family 91

Understanding territoriality 92

Choosing compatible cats 92

Caring for More than One Cat 94

Litter box strategies 94

Cat trees, cubbies, and hiding places 95

Feeding time at the cat ranch 96

Multicat Medical Concerns 98

Parasite problems 98

Infectious viral diseases 99

Chapter 7: Setting Your Cat up for Success 101

Pre-Cat Preparations 102

Eliminating household hazards 102

Organizing a “safe room” 107

Bringing Your New Pet Home 110

Hello, Kitty! 112

Children 112

Other cats 114

Dogs 117

Other pets 119

Chapter 8: Think Like a Cat to Understand a Cat 121

Making Sense of Cat Senses 122

Smell 122

Hearing 124

Vision 124

Taste 125

Touch 125

Speaking “Cat” 126

Eyes 126

Ears 126

Tail 127

Voice 127

Hair and whiskers 128

Posture 129

Chapter 9: Feline Friendly: From Cat Toys to Catios 133

A New Era for Indoor Kitties 134

A Cat Can’t Have Enough Toys 135

Why toys are even more important to an indoor cat 135

With so many choices, go as crazy as you like 135

Feline Furnishings Cats Adore 137

Why every cat needs a place to scratch 137

Perches, catwalks, and shelves 138

Turn on the fun 139

A Constant Supply of Nibblies 140

Finding food is fun 140

Going green 140

A Whiff of Fresh Air 141

Leashes, strollers, and backpacks 142

The very best in cat remodels: The catio! 142

Some Final Thoughts on Environmental Enrichment 145

Someone to play with 145

The you factor 146

Part 3: Enjoying Life Together 147

Chapter 10: Solving Behavior Problems 149

Understanding “Bad” Behavior 151

Looking at the Root of Unwanted Behavior 152

Strategies for Changing Behavior 153

Yes, kitty! 154

No, kitty! 154

Calm kitty 155

Fairness 155

Attacking Behavior Problems 156

Aggression 156

Counter-cruising 159

Clawing 159

Should you consider declawing? 163

Noisiness 164

Chapter 11: Getting Good Litter Box Behavior 167

Defining the Problem 168

What’s being done, and where? 169

Which cat is the culprit? 171

Is Your Cat Sick? 171

Use the Box, Kitty! 174

Cleanliness is next to catliness 175

Offering alternatives 176

Discouraging misbehavior 178

Stopping Sprayers in Their Tracks 179

Retraining through isolation 180

Chapter 12: Out and About with Your Cat 183

Is Your Cat Up to Travel? 184

Health considerations 186

Temperament considerations 186

Leaving Your Pet Behind 186

Prepare for emergencies 187

Pet-sitters 188

Boarding facilities 189

Taking Your Pet with You 190

Air travel 192

Car travel 195

Moving Your Cat to a New Home 195

Using a safe room for moving 196

Anticipating problems 197

Allowing time for readjustment 198

Chapter 13: Littering: Should Your Cat Become a Parent? 201

The Case Against Breeding 202

Spaying and Neutering: What’s Involved? 203

The Birds and the Bees, Kitty-Style 205

Choosing a mate 206

The “oops” pairing 207

Caring for a Pregnant Cat 207

Happy Birthday, Babies 209

Special delivery! 210

After the birth 211

Kitten Development 212

Birth to two weeks 212

Two weeks to eight weeks 213

Eight weeks to fourteen weeks 214

The adolescent kitten 215

Saying Good-Bye to the Babies 215

Chapter 14: Home Care: Good Grooming and More 219

Fur, the Purrfect Complement 220

Why Cats Groom 220

What’s in It for You? 222

Tools of the Trade 223

Coat-care tools 224

Nail-trim aids 225

The Importance of Patience 226

Keeping Kitty Coats in Shape 227

Combing and brushing 228

Cat + water + soap = Oh, my! 229

Keeping parasites under control 230

Clipping Your Cat’s Claws 236

Dental Care 238

Chapter 15: Feeding Your Cat 241

Convenience at a Price? 242

Maintaining the “Perfect” Cat Diet 243

Fulfilling Basic Nutritional Needs 244

Protein 244

Carbohydrates 245

Fats 245

Vitamins 246

Minerals 246

Water 247

Choosing Foods 248

What type? 250

When to feed? 251

What about veterinarian-prescribed foods? 251

Treat your cat! 253

Curbing Eating Problems 254

The too-much cat 255

The finicky kitty 256

Part 4: The Basics of Good Health 259

Chapter 16: Preventive Healthcare for Your Cat 261

Recognizing Signs of Good Health and Bad 262

The physical cat 263

Vital signs 265

The emotional cat 267

Choosing a Veterinarian 269

Understanding Your Veterinarian’s Role in Preventing Illness 271

The not-so-routine exam 271

Vaccinations 272

Parasite control 274

Recognizing Emergencies 276

Chapter 17: Common Cat Health Problems 279

A Cooperative Approach to Cat Health 280

When Does My Cat Need a Specialist? 281

Some Common Health Problems 283

Abscesses 284

Upper respiratory infection 285

Difficulty breathing 286

Three nasty viruses 287

Urinary tract disease 290

Kidney diseases 291

Diabetes mellitus 293

Heart disease 294

Tumors 296

Giving Your Cat Medication 298

Pilling your pet 298

Liquid medication 299

Ear medication 299

Eye medication 300

Chapter 18: Caring for an Older Cat 303

How Old Is “Old”? 304

Normal Signs of Aging 306

Decline of the senses 306

Changes in appearance 307

Behavior changes 307

Special Care for Kitty Teeth 309

Common Problems 310

Hyperthyroidism 310

Constipation/Obstipation 313

Osteoarthritis 313

Home hospice care 314

Knowing When It’s “Time” 314

Euthanasia options 315

Dealing with loss 316

Part 5: The Part of Tens 319

Chapter 19: Ten Cat Myths Debunked 321

Cats Have Nine Lives 321

Cats Need to Drink Milk 322

Cats Purr Whenever They’re Happy 323

Cats Eat Plants If They’re Sick 324

Cats Are Dangerous around Babies 325

Cats Can Be Kept from Using Their Claws 327

A Well-Fed Cat Doesn’t Hunt 327

Cat Fur Causes Allergies 328

Black Cats Are Bad Luck 329

All Calicoes Are Female 330

Chapter 20: Ten Cool Cat-Related Places To Visit 331

Hemingway House 333

The American Museum of the House Cat 333

Citywide Cat Celebration 334

Purrfectly Pedigreed 334

When in Rome, Help the Cats 335

The Ultimate Destination for Cat Cafes 335

Hello Kitty! 336

Snuggle with a Library Cat (While You Still Can) 336

No, They Don’t Throw Real Cats Anymore 337

Safe Home for Big Cats 337

Chapter 21: Ten Common Household Dangers to Your Cat 339

Strings and Similar Things 340

A Shocking Experience 341

The Warm and Deadly Dryer 341

Pain Medicines That Kill 342

Toxic Plants 343

Garage Dangers 344

Four-Wheeled Menace 345

Towering Danger 345

Parasite Products for Dogs 346

Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Help Your Cat in a Disaster 347

Have a Plan 348

Have a Grab-and-Go Disaster Kit 348

Get Your Cat ID — and Keep It Current 348

Keep Preventive Care Measures and Health Records Current 349

Have Restraints Ready 350

Keep First-Aid Supplies on Hand — with Directions 350

Know the Locations of Nearby Veterinary Hospitals and Other Animal Services 351

Keep a “Lost Kitty” Kit Ready 351

Corral Your Cat 352

Be Prepared to Help Others 352

Chapter 23: Ten Nonprofits Worthy of Your Donations 353

Winn Feline Foundation 354

Alley Cat Allies 354

The Jackson Galaxy Project 355

Morris Animal Foundation 355

Shelter Medicine Programs 356

Help with Spay-Neuter 356

Cat Sanctuaries 357

Big-Box Advocacy 357

Veterinary Schools and Colleges 357

Local Shelters and Rescue Groups 358

Index 359