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Nat Geo Kids Pet Guide
How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language
We know cats are beautiful, secretive, and independent ... but even the most loyal cat owners are often baffled by their own pet's behavior. With veterinarian expert Dr. Gary Weitzman as guide, this fun book helps kids understand what cats are trying to communicate by their body language and behavior. So if you've ever wondered what Fluffy means when she's purring or moving her tail emphatically from left to right—this book is for you! It's full of insights, expert advice, and real-life cat scenarios, and showcases more than 30 poses, so you'll soon learn what each meow and flick of the tail means!
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
20 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
About the author
Aline Alexander Newman
19 books26 followersAline Alexander Newman is a National Geographic author of seven books. Two of her non-fiction chapter books, APE ESCAPES and ANIMAL SUPERSTARS, have won the ASJA Award for best children's book of the year. And ANIMAL SUPERSTARS was also named to Amazon's list of the "Best Books of 2013" for children ages 6 to 8. Both are also available as @RecordedBooks. HOW TO SPEAK DOG, which Aline co-authored with Gary Weitzman, DVD, won the Animal Behavior Society's Most Outstanding Children's Book award for 2013. It appeals to all ages and led to her adopting a big, black Lab that she and her husband found abandoned on a country road. The dog's name is Moose. A companion volume is called HOW TO SPEAK CAT. When not chasing Moose around, Aline loves making school visits and inspiring kids to read and write. Her newest book for Nat Geo is called CAT TALES. Released in April 2017, Kirkus says "it is like an Internet kitty video in book form."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
April 29, 2015
This would be a perfect gift for that kid who just fell in love with cats. It would also work well for a new cat-owner or for one of those cat owners who don't think cats are smart/have souls/can feel love (also good for that latter group: a sound beating)
Now, Evie would laugh at this, calling it rudimentary, at best.
And that's one of the things not really made clear: cats have personality and smarts and many come up with ways to communicate with their people, ways that may not be found in this book because they are unique to those cats who have figured out how to achieve what they want from their servants in ways specific to said servants. Not all cats do this but the spoiled ones whose people wait on them hand and foot and overindulge them, those cats have learned some manipulations other cats may not know.
Not that I'm speaking from experience, or anything.
But back to the book - it's easy to understand, it's engaging, it's fun and mildly humorous, and there are lots of pictures of cats.
Like I said, perfect for any cat-lover but especially for the younger ones who have just climbed aboard the cat castle.
Now, Evie would laugh at this, calling it rudimentary, at best.
And that's one of the things not really made clear: cats have personality and smarts and many come up with ways to communicate with their people, ways that may not be found in this book because they are unique to those cats who have figured out how to achieve what they want from their servants in ways specific to said servants. Not all cats do this but the spoiled ones whose people wait on them hand and foot and overindulge them, those cats have learned some manipulations other cats may not know.
Not that I'm speaking from experience, or anything.
But back to the book - it's easy to understand, it's engaging, it's fun and mildly humorous, and there are lots of pictures of cats.
Like I said, perfect for any cat-lover but especially for the younger ones who have just climbed aboard the cat castle.
August 21, 2018
I picked this up from Netgalley because cats. Always cats. I really didn't expect to find anything in here that I didn't already know after being a cat owner for over 2/3 of my life. I really just wanted to see pictures of adorable kitties. Well, turns out that there was a lot of interesting information in this little book! Information about cats as a species in general, but also about certain types of cats and where they come from. It was really cool to get to understand some of my own cat's actions better and realize some things about past experiences with previous cat pets. The only reason I docked a star from this is that Kindle edition is seriously awful. Either that or it is just the review edition I received from Netgalley. The pictures weren't complete and sometimes were cut off apart and spread across multiple pages. There were also many times where sentences were cut off and didn't pick back up again until the middle of another section. So you essentially always needed to remember all the unfinished sentences you read so that when a random sentence that's started in the middle shows up later on, you can finish up the old ones.
So, really, if you want to read this, I would definitely suggest picking up a physical copy. Not only will you get more out of the information, because it will all be complete and in the right order, but you will also get to actually enjoy the gorgeous pictures of the different types of cats.
Received via Netgalley and reviewed of my own accord.
So, really, if you want to read this, I would definitely suggest picking up a physical copy. Not only will you get more out of the information, because it will all be complete and in the right order, but you will also get to actually enjoy the gorgeous pictures of the different types of cats.
Received via Netgalley and reviewed of my own accord.
October 2, 2015
This book was reviewed by my 12 year old daughter for Mother Daughter Book Reviews.
DAUGHTER SAYS:
How to Speak Cat tells you a lot of ways that you can identify the language of cats. From now on, you will be able to tell what is going on inside your cat’s head! Ever wonder why your cat is rubbing its face on your leg? Ever wonder why your cat meows at the window? Well, you’re about to figure it all out!
If I had to describe the images in this book in one word, that one word would be “Adorable”. This book is filled with adorable pictures of cats. These images will make you go “awwww” or “so cute!!”, because what isn’t cute about cats?
I learned a lot from this book. Here are a few of the many things I learned:
* I learned that by rubbing noses, cats can figure out information about the other thing is is rubbing noses with.
* I learned that Kittens between the ages of 2-8 weeks must be held and petted every day or else they will remain wild.
* I learned that when born, no matter what breed, cats have blue eyes.
I thought this book was really cute and cool and I learned a lot from it. I’m so happy that I read this because now, I can try and figure out what my cat wants from me. Wait… if I am right, my cat is acting like he wants some food right now! Well, I better go feed my cats!
I think that girls and boys ages 7 to 130 would like this book so if you turn 131 then that is too bad :( so read it while you can. (It is very helpful if you have a cat).
* This book was provided to us by the publisher free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *
DAUGHTER SAYS:
How to Speak Cat tells you a lot of ways that you can identify the language of cats. From now on, you will be able to tell what is going on inside your cat’s head! Ever wonder why your cat is rubbing its face on your leg? Ever wonder why your cat meows at the window? Well, you’re about to figure it all out!
If I had to describe the images in this book in one word, that one word would be “Adorable”. This book is filled with adorable pictures of cats. These images will make you go “awwww” or “so cute!!”, because what isn’t cute about cats?
I learned a lot from this book. Here are a few of the many things I learned:
* I learned that by rubbing noses, cats can figure out information about the other thing is is rubbing noses with.
* I learned that Kittens between the ages of 2-8 weeks must be held and petted every day or else they will remain wild.
* I learned that when born, no matter what breed, cats have blue eyes.
I thought this book was really cute and cool and I learned a lot from it. I’m so happy that I read this because now, I can try and figure out what my cat wants from me. Wait… if I am right, my cat is acting like he wants some food right now! Well, I better go feed my cats!
I think that girls and boys ages 7 to 130 would like this book so if you turn 131 then that is too bad :( so read it while you can. (It is very helpful if you have a cat).
* This book was provided to us by the publisher free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *
March 25, 2020
AUTHOR
Aline Alexander Newman and Gary Weitzman, D.V.M. are the authors of How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language. Click on their names to find out more about them and their publications.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE
How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language is appropriate for those of any age. The target audience is children and young adults.
SYNOPSIS
The structure of the book guides the reader through the essentials about felines from a veterinarian perspective and includes a quiz as a memory aid. As cats utilize both vocal and physical communication, the authors have provided a comprehensive yet brief breakdown of cat body language. Having owned a cat myself, I am only too aware of the importance of understanding the occult clues of feline behavior. What is abundantly clear, is that cats have a myriad of means to communicate their feelings, emotions and intentions. How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language will aid those who fail to pick up on many of the felines nuances and assist them in better addressing their pets concerns. Most importantly, following some of the advice herein contained will avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and ultimately be less stressful for the cat and owner.
Included within the book is a chapter on anti-social or dissonant behaviors is a brief breakdown of issues that can cause problems for both owner and cat. In this chapter biting, spraying and bullying are discussed along with a spectrum of other troublesome activities of some wild cats. Other chapters cover the playful side of your cat or kitten and some advice on how to recognize fear, aggression and frustrations .
The publication is resplendent with a gallery of full color high-quality photographs. The summation is elegant and includes some myth busting, fun ideas for you, your cat, and a fun quiz. There is a list of resources, an index and credits.
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, I had fun reading How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language and it is my opinion that you will also. I read so many intense scientific manuals on a weekly basis, that this publication was a complete breath of fresh air. It is bright, brilliant and informative as well as being amazingly illustrated throughout with colorful photographs. It is a great buy for your home library or as a gift for anyone who loves cats. I strongly recommend this publication to you.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Aline Alexander Newman and Gary Weitzman, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for affording me the opportunity to review How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language.
Aline Alexander Newman and Gary Weitzman, D.V.M. are the authors of How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language. Click on their names to find out more about them and their publications.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE
How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language is appropriate for those of any age. The target audience is children and young adults.
SYNOPSIS
The structure of the book guides the reader through the essentials about felines from a veterinarian perspective and includes a quiz as a memory aid. As cats utilize both vocal and physical communication, the authors have provided a comprehensive yet brief breakdown of cat body language. Having owned a cat myself, I am only too aware of the importance of understanding the occult clues of feline behavior. What is abundantly clear, is that cats have a myriad of means to communicate their feelings, emotions and intentions. How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language will aid those who fail to pick up on many of the felines nuances and assist them in better addressing their pets concerns. Most importantly, following some of the advice herein contained will avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and ultimately be less stressful for the cat and owner.
Included within the book is a chapter on anti-social or dissonant behaviors is a brief breakdown of issues that can cause problems for both owner and cat. In this chapter biting, spraying and bullying are discussed along with a spectrum of other troublesome activities of some wild cats. Other chapters cover the playful side of your cat or kitten and some advice on how to recognize fear, aggression and frustrations .
The publication is resplendent with a gallery of full color high-quality photographs. The summation is elegant and includes some myth busting, fun ideas for you, your cat, and a fun quiz. There is a list of resources, an index and credits.
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, I had fun reading How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language and it is my opinion that you will also. I read so many intense scientific manuals on a weekly basis, that this publication was a complete breath of fresh air. It is bright, brilliant and informative as well as being amazingly illustrated throughout with colorful photographs. It is a great buy for your home library or as a gift for anyone who loves cats. I strongly recommend this publication to you.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Aline Alexander Newman and Gary Weitzman, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for affording me the opportunity to review How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language.
March 23, 2022
I really can understand my cats better after reading this. And I continue to come back to it when I need to.
February 5, 2020
This book confirms my love for my new kitten Susan, and her love for me. You can check out Susan (aka Honey Bear, aka Lil' Hunter) on my Instagram for sweet kitty goodness.
July 16, 2019
Meow-velous!
As soon as I saw the cover I knew I had to read this charming book ... and it’s by National Geographic Kids. Double winner! Given that my kitty of three years still bites when she wants attention, I hoped it would help decode her language. Happy to report that it’s done that and much much more.
In this fun and informative guide I learned why my kitty loves to climb high, what her various tail positions mean, and what she wants when she exposes her creamsicle-colored belly. I also learned that cats have more than 55 different poses and what each means, got to test my expertise in a super fun interactive “Kitty Case” section, and learned more about vet care, tips, wacky factoids, and training ideas. Plus there are 100+ gorgeous feline photos to drool over. All in all, I’d say HOW TO SPEAK CAT is simply meow-velous! 5/5
My kitty and I thank HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully meows.
#HowToSpeakCat #NetGalley
As soon as I saw the cover I knew I had to read this charming book ... and it’s by National Geographic Kids. Double winner! Given that my kitty of three years still bites when she wants attention, I hoped it would help decode her language. Happy to report that it’s done that and much much more.
In this fun and informative guide I learned why my kitty loves to climb high, what her various tail positions mean, and what she wants when she exposes her creamsicle-colored belly. I also learned that cats have more than 55 different poses and what each means, got to test my expertise in a super fun interactive “Kitty Case” section, and learned more about vet care, tips, wacky factoids, and training ideas. Plus there are 100+ gorgeous feline photos to drool over. All in all, I’d say HOW TO SPEAK CAT is simply meow-velous! 5/5
My kitty and I thank HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully meows.
#HowToSpeakCat #NetGalley
October 31, 2019
This book is basically an encyclopedia of everything cat. It talks about how your cat behaves, how to make life more enjoyable for them, and has other information too.
I thought this book was very informative. I enjoyed that the book was very kid-friendly and is easy for one to understand. Everyone can read this book and learn more about cats.
It seemed like some parts of the book where all over the place so that made it hard to read.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this book was very informative. I enjoyed that the book was very kid-friendly and is easy for one to understand. Everyone can read this book and learn more about cats.
It seemed like some parts of the book where all over the place so that made it hard to read.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2019
Excellent book on cats. It starts with the cat basics, then goes into detail about cat body language. The text is concise and interesting. The many cat photos add visual appeal. The authors advocate home-made toys that fall apart easily, so that the cat can “kill” its prey. They also suggest a cat treat after playing with a laser pointer, so that the cat doesn’t feel as frustrated by never catching the fascinating red dot.
October 3, 2019
I had so much fun reading this informative guide on cat behavior. It is well structured into different topics with every subtopic covering one page. It is short, entertaining, easy to understand, and – most importantly – helpful! I certainly profited from reading this guide. And the many cat pictures are super cute!
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2017
I love cats and this book just teaches me more about cats it even includes a lot of cat breeds and there home state and country.But my favorite part was the adorable pictures and facts,the facts are very interesting.
August 8, 2017
This book is very interesting, I learned a lot!
February 17, 2025
I saw my niece get this for Christmas from her parents and I thought "I want to read that" so I got it from the library. Lots of good facts but they missed one-- that my cat is the best cat ever to exist
January 5, 2020
This book is awesome! I finished it and immediately started using its advice. It worked! Now my cat and I are chatting all day long. If you like cats this is the perfect book for you.
April 28, 2019
Wow, what an hilarious way to be informative about cat behaviours! I have a cat, worked with cats and volunteer with cats and I still found some of the information in this useful. The only thing I'd say against this is that the formatting on the Kindle was really weird, and it made it difficult to read, but this isn't anything against the content of the book so I won't take a star away for that - it was really enjoyable and I think if you want a cat, have a cat or work/volunteer with cats you could probably learn a lot from this!
March 20, 2019
This book surprised me! It was WAY more informational that I ever expected! It gave a ton of info and examples while still reminding the reader that cats are individually different. I would totally get this book for my cat living friends or my son or his class since he and his classmates love non-fiction educational books about animals! I’m sure my son would feel like an expert after reading this!
February 9, 2018
I have owned and lived with cats for many years, so I knew most of what was included in this book, but it was still interesting to read about some of the nuances of things I was familiar with. Enjoyable.
June 19, 2016
Cute book with lots of fun facts about cats. Very colorful, many photos.
January 26, 2019
Some links don't work.
May 27, 2020
This was a book I chose to read since I love cats and there is always a change going on in the world of cats. As such I was intrigued to see what had changed since I had read an actual nonfiction cat book that wasn't focused around someone's amazing pet. And what a soothing gem it was.
There are pages that are given to colored photos of cats for each section that has little thoughts being suggested by cats and instead of going for the stupid baby talk stupid animal speak that a lot of authors fall back on these cats were gifted finally with eloquence. I am so happy for this since I thought that particular trend would never go away and it makes me cringe anytime I read a book with cats or any other animals for that matter speaking that way.
As for the book it is a bit heavy on the information but the presentation was given in a swift and easy to understand style. Each behavior being mentioned was dedicated a two page spread with the aforementioned photo on one side and a page given to the text itself with the writing taking as much space as needed. And usually there was also a vet tip and a trivia fact also included for those who may be interested in learning more. Finally each section was finished off with a cat case where it gave a cat with a problem and the answer as well as steps on how to train or help your cat further if you should want to do so.
The book's sections were also given as being broken down into types of cat talk whether it was focused on body talk, physical, emotional, tail tells, cat communication, etc. And what I definitely enjoyed with this giving of information is that it also had a section for troubled behaviors and suggestions on how to possibly fix it instead of just giving the cat away while hoping that will resolve the issue.
Finally the last section of the book was given more or less on how to introduce cats to each other, information on coat colors, specific breeds, how to make toys and play with your cat and a timeline of human reactions to these fuzzy small tigers.
And finally my main reason for giving this particular book 5 stars is just the wow factor I felt in people finally acknowledging besides pet owners that animals have a voice and a specific identity. The book seemed to re-emphasize over and over again just how much cats are like us, how much they aren't and yet also how as living species we all still feel, have our own voices, our own identities and so forth.
This is definitely going to be a nice book to have for any age whether you are a cat lover, a cat companion or even working with cats on a daily basis.
***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
There are pages that are given to colored photos of cats for each section that has little thoughts being suggested by cats and instead of going for the stupid baby talk stupid animal speak that a lot of authors fall back on these cats were gifted finally with eloquence. I am so happy for this since I thought that particular trend would never go away and it makes me cringe anytime I read a book with cats or any other animals for that matter speaking that way.
As for the book it is a bit heavy on the information but the presentation was given in a swift and easy to understand style. Each behavior being mentioned was dedicated a two page spread with the aforementioned photo on one side and a page given to the text itself with the writing taking as much space as needed. And usually there was also a vet tip and a trivia fact also included for those who may be interested in learning more. Finally each section was finished off with a cat case where it gave a cat with a problem and the answer as well as steps on how to train or help your cat further if you should want to do so.
The book's sections were also given as being broken down into types of cat talk whether it was focused on body talk, physical, emotional, tail tells, cat communication, etc. And what I definitely enjoyed with this giving of information is that it also had a section for troubled behaviors and suggestions on how to possibly fix it instead of just giving the cat away while hoping that will resolve the issue.
Finally the last section of the book was given more or less on how to introduce cats to each other, information on coat colors, specific breeds, how to make toys and play with your cat and a timeline of human reactions to these fuzzy small tigers.
And finally my main reason for giving this particular book 5 stars is just the wow factor I felt in people finally acknowledging besides pet owners that animals have a voice and a specific identity. The book seemed to re-emphasize over and over again just how much cats are like us, how much they aren't and yet also how as living species we all still feel, have our own voices, our own identities and so forth.
This is definitely going to be a nice book to have for any age whether you are a cat lover, a cat companion or even working with cats on a daily basis.
***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
May 31, 2024
When I originally found this book in my sister's room, I assumed little of it, thinking it to be a simple kid's book. But after reading it thoroughly, I can attest that it is an extremely useful guide for anyone looking to forge a deeper relationship with their cat. While a lot of effort was put into the book to make it understandable for children, a lot was also put in to make it information-packed. It genuinely helped me in understanding my cat, which surprised me.
December 30, 2021
Sooooooo cute.❤️🧡💛💚💙💜I love cats so much they are so cute and I love them too much they are the cutest animals in the world.
February 7, 2020
Very good book. Review to be posted March 15th, when it's closer to publication
January 3, 2021
Amazing. My cat approves.
November 19, 2019
How To Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language by Aline Alexander Newman and Gary Weitzman is a children's non fiction book that is easily enjoyed by adults as well. Ever wish you could talk to your cat? Well, now you can! Master cat language in this National Geographic Kids guide to pet behaviour. It is an informative guide to the body language of cats with additional facts, games and tips, designed to entertain children as well as encourage responsible pet care. Learn why your kitty likes to climb way up high, what it means when she flops belly-up in front of you, what each tail position says about your cat, and a lot more. This guide features more than 55 different feline poses with detailed explanations of their meaning as well as tests and vet care and advice, wacky fun facts, training tips and more than 100 cat photos.
How To Speak Cat is a good resource for readers that want to have a better understanding of cats. I have had at least one cat in my house for the majority of my life, and think this will continue being the case. I have read a good deal about cats, their behavior, and how to interact with them so not much of the information was new to me. However, I liked the emphasis on safety, and how like people each cat is different and personality has a role to play in the way we interpret their body language. I thought that the text was accessible and sometimes fun, holding the attention of readers. I enjoyed the images of cats, and thought they were well chosen and just nice to look at.
How To Speak Cat is an informative and interesting read, but I have to admit that I was hoping for more new information. Readers that are looking for this sort of information for the first time will get the most out of the read.
How To Speak Cat is a good resource for readers that want to have a better understanding of cats. I have had at least one cat in my house for the majority of my life, and think this will continue being the case. I have read a good deal about cats, their behavior, and how to interact with them so not much of the information was new to me. However, I liked the emphasis on safety, and how like people each cat is different and personality has a role to play in the way we interpret their body language. I thought that the text was accessible and sometimes fun, holding the attention of readers. I enjoyed the images of cats, and thought they were well chosen and just nice to look at.
How To Speak Cat is an informative and interesting read, but I have to admit that I was hoping for more new information. Readers that are looking for this sort of information for the first time will get the most out of the read.
August 30, 2019
First of all, thanks to NetGalley for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.
What can I say? I've always been a cat-person.
I live in the country so I've seen my fair share of strays in my front yard looking for something to eat and some of them were actually friendly. Most of them though were scared of humans.
But I had two cats living inside my house - and now I have the third one since my previous beloved ones passed away. So I basically know how to speak cat - I know when Alaska is angry or she wants to play, when she is in a mood for cuddles or she gets annoyed and she wants me to remove my hand.
This book is suitable for young readers or for someone who's thinking about adopting a cat - especially a kitten, if you wanna try to train him/her. But you have to remember that every cat has its own personality and you don't have to feel bad if your cat isn't the portrait of the perfect cuddling pet - she/he still love you.
You'll learn to to read their body language from whiskers to ears, from eyes to tail. You'll learn all the different sounds they make so it'll be easier for you to understand them.
Still, I learned something new that I didn't know before - I learned what it means when Alaska rubs her nose on my wrist while I'm feeding her.
Also, there are tons of beautiful picture inside so I recommend it.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.
What can I say? I've always been a cat-person.
I live in the country so I've seen my fair share of strays in my front yard looking for something to eat and some of them were actually friendly. Most of them though were scared of humans.
But I had two cats living inside my house - and now I have the third one since my previous beloved ones passed away. So I basically know how to speak cat - I know when Alaska is angry or she wants to play, when she is in a mood for cuddles or she gets annoyed and she wants me to remove my hand.
This book is suitable for young readers or for someone who's thinking about adopting a cat - especially a kitten, if you wanna try to train him/her. But you have to remember that every cat has its own personality and you don't have to feel bad if your cat isn't the portrait of the perfect cuddling pet - she/he still love you.
You'll learn to to read their body language from whiskers to ears, from eyes to tail. You'll learn all the different sounds they make so it'll be easier for you to understand them.
Still, I learned something new that I didn't know before - I learned what it means when Alaska rubs her nose on my wrist while I'm feeding her.
Also, there are tons of beautiful picture inside so I recommend it.
July 19, 2015
This book was a fun read. It covered most of the peculiarities of cats and I learned a few things that I didn't know. There were just a couple of things that I was curious about that the book did not cover. Why do cats knead soft blankets and hair? Why do cats like to sleep on heads? I can guess at the answer to both and I would probably be correct, but it would have been fun to read the answers in this book. The other thing not quite covered, though it is alluded to in other cat situations, is cat adoptions. I think it is important for people and especially kids to know that the cat picks you...you don't pick the cat and they typically bond with one person in particular.
The author did a great job of covering the fact that no matter how domesticated we think cats are, they are born meat-eating hunters! No amount of wishing them vegetarians or providing them with canned food or dry food is going to change that! Cats still feel the need to hunt...even if they are hunting toy mice and not real ones. I especially enjoyed reading about the cats' hunting cycle. I have witnessed all of these steps, but hadn't really thought about it. Now I know why they do what they do.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is considering being owned by a cat (yes, they own you...you do not own them). It is a great place to start and it is in a format that kids will enjoy thumbing through.
The author did a great job of covering the fact that no matter how domesticated we think cats are, they are born meat-eating hunters! No amount of wishing them vegetarians or providing them with canned food or dry food is going to change that! Cats still feel the need to hunt...even if they are hunting toy mice and not real ones. I especially enjoyed reading about the cats' hunting cycle. I have witnessed all of these steps, but hadn't really thought about it. Now I know why they do what they do.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is considering being owned by a cat (yes, they own you...you do not own them). It is a great place to start and it is in a format that kids will enjoy thumbing through.
July 25, 2015
It was a short read and fairly informative for those never having a pet cat before. Having had many cats in my lifetime, I differ a little in some of the information. An example of one point in which I disagree is cats do not like to have their bellies rubbed. Every cat I have ever owned knew that I loved them dearly and each loved to have their bellies rubbed. I think, if they trust you, they will allow you to pet them on their tummies! Of course, just my opinion! The reason I purchased the book is for help being a first time owner of multiple cats in my household. I've always had one cat at a time and they've always been indoor/outdoor cats. I now have 2 cats (sisters) and they are strictly indoors. My last cat was with us 9 years and I let her out one night never to see her again. Broke our hearts! There is a large pasture behind our house and a lot of surrounding land in pasture and woods with Hawks and coyotes in the area and we're certain something got her. So these new babies are strictly indoors for their safety. But, they do not always get along - which led me to seek out information on how best to deal with this. They're both female and have both been spayed but one is obviously the dominant female and the other hides. Unfortunately, I cannot say this book helped me with this issue.
April 4, 2019
"How To Speak Cat"
Not at all what I expected! Even better!
I downloaded the file right away and opened it to see what it was really about and thinking I would read it later as I had things to do but once I started reading it I couldn't put it down!
Full of info, facts, advice, games/tests... I loved the cats vs dogs... cats think : 'what's in it for me?' / dogs think : 'tell me what you want' SO TRUE! And cats are 'sleepy couch potatoes' ! Yes !
And the photos are simply amazing, beautiful!
I'm a cat person, owned by 3 cats, so I love everything about cats.
I loved everything about this book! The way it's written, it's funny, it's for everybody! Easy to understand. It covers everything you need to know, everything you've always wanted to understand. I have several books about cats but this one is something else!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter...
Not at all what I expected! Even better!
I downloaded the file right away and opened it to see what it was really about and thinking I would read it later as I had things to do but once I started reading it I couldn't put it down!
Full of info, facts, advice, games/tests... I loved the cats vs dogs... cats think : 'what's in it for me?' / dogs think : 'tell me what you want' SO TRUE! And cats are 'sleepy couch potatoes' ! Yes !
And the photos are simply amazing, beautiful!
I'm a cat person, owned by 3 cats, so I love everything about cats.
I loved everything about this book! The way it's written, it's funny, it's for everybody! Easy to understand. It covers everything you need to know, everything you've always wanted to understand. I have several books about cats but this one is something else!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter...
July 3, 2019
My 21 year old read this to my 7 year old the other day and they both really had fun with it. The book is filled with great color pictures of cats and all kinds of information about why cats do the things they do, from what that slow blink means (I like you and feel safe and relaxed around you) to whether rubbing against you really means they're marking you with scent glands to say you're theirs (maybe not, it could just be that they're showing affection).
Note that there is a bit that might bother sensitive children who love other animals besides just cats, such as a picture of a cat with a dead mouse in its mouth (and the advice to praise cats for bringing dead things to the doorstep because they're being good hunters).
All in all, this is a fun and informative book that cat-loving kids of all ages are likely to really enjoy.
My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost
I read a digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.
Note that there is a bit that might bother sensitive children who love other animals besides just cats, such as a picture of a cat with a dead mouse in its mouth (and the advice to praise cats for bringing dead things to the doorstep because they're being good hunters).
All in all, this is a fun and informative book that cat-loving kids of all ages are likely to really enjoy.
My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost
I read a digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.
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