Cats for Dummies (For Dummies Series)

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You’ll find all everything you need in the main body of the book, but we’ve also worked to find interesting tidbits, recommended products and services, and material that will help you understand complicated issues if you want to go deeper. You’ll find much of this material in sidebars or marked with icons such as Technical Stuff and Cool Cat Facts. Foolish Assumptions Some cats, including those with joint problems, may benefit from a food with added supplements, like glucosamine. Or you can buy these separately and add them to their food as required. You've taken everything into account: Your home. Your time. Your finances. A cat is in your future, beyond a doubt, but what kind?

The possible disadvantage of adopting an adult cat is that you may be choosing a pet with behavioral problems — not using a litter box, for example. A good shelter, rescue group, or breeder practices full disclosure of any known health or behavior problems with the animals up for rehoming. Remember, however, that many animals are given up for behavior problems that can be resolved or aren’t their fault — such as the cat who’s looking at a filthy litter box every day and decides to do his business elsewhere. Soft cat collar (with elastic insert for safety) and an ID tag and a microchip (make sure to register the chip!) We know you love cats or you wouldn’t be reading this book. Let us help you live a better life with your feline companion, with the best information you’ll find anywhere. Gina Spadafori has been writing about animals for more than 30 years as a reporter, syndicated columnist and book author. More recently, she signed on to work as a veterinary medical writer for Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI).Remember, too, that what’s a fault in the eyes of some is a virtue in the eyes of others. The overexuberant affection of a bouncy big dog isn’t for everyone, believe us. We hasten to add that while most cats aren’t as overtly interactive as dogs, some really are happiest when in your face, and it’s not unheard of to have a cat who likes to play fetch. Outdoor cats are also far more prone to skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. It’s a horrible disease that often results in the loss of their ears, or nose, and is often incurable, even with radical surgeries. Dr. Lauren, who went to veterinary school in Australia, notes that she saw more of this horrible disease there, since cats in other countries are far more likely to roam freely than pets in the United States. Indeed, that is why we proclaimed previously in this article that one could not physically conduct this experiment, even if they so desired. Even as more people than ever before have come to appreciate cats, one group of cat lovers keeps its distance — and wishes they didn’t have to. That’s because one of the biggest barriers to keeping a cat is allergies. More people are allergic to cats than to dogs, and cat allergies are oftentimes more severe as well. For people — and especially children — with asthma, cat allergies can be life-threatening.

This book seemed to take the position that the reasons for owning a cat were self-evident. There was nothing I read in this book that convinced me that cat ownership was a worthwhile endeavor.

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After one hour in the experimental box, Schrödinger’s cat stands at a 50% chance of being dead and a 50% chance of being alive. Things You do Your Cat Hates - it's important not to be a source of stress for your cat, so learn how to be more cat-friendly by listening to this podcast: https://www.catbehaviorsolutions.org/podcast/episode/46a182f1/34-things-you-do-your-cat-hates If you don't want your sofa shredded, or your new Louis Vuitton bag ruined, invest in a scratching post. The following warning signs, which tell you the kitten has a health problem or might not be socialized, indicate issues you would have to deal with if you take the kitten home.

Cats make amazing pets! You’ll always need to make sure you meet their daily needs in terms of food, water, and making sure their environment is clean and enriching, but you don’t need to worry about long walks or training sessions — unless you want to of course! Cats need their contemplative moments (see Figure 1-3), of course, as do we all. A cat needs time to think — about how much she loves you … or how tasty that little mousy would be. But anyone who has lived with a cat will vouch for the sincerity and constancy of a cat’s affection. Enough accidental and deliberate threats are out there to make keeping your cat inside seem like a very good idea. But consider things, too, from the angle of your responsibility. Are you really being fair to your neighbors if you let your cat relieve himself in their yards because you don’t want to deal with a litter box? If your cat carries a disease such as feline leukemia, is letting him out to infect other pets the right thing for you to do? And if you haven’t spayed or neutered your pet, doesn’t allowing her (or him) out to breed make you partially responsible for the surplus kittens and cats killed by the millions each year?In fact, Schrödinger created his famous cat thought experiment to show how absurd the Copenhagen Interpretation was for larger objects. But there's more to owning a cat than having a cute, soft, purring companion. Before you get one, there are a few things you should think about, and a few things that are just plain good to know.