In Please Take Me Home, Clare Campbell takes us on a journey with the nation's rescue cats, from being treated as pests throughout history to being the pet of choice today. For a long time, stray cats in Britain were seen as a nuisance and hunted down as vermin. Having invited this wild, independent creature into our homes, humans did not extend their welcome for long. Over time, thousands of cats were subsequently abandoned and left to live on the margins of survival. There were, however, the kind few who sought to help. But these good spirited people were often scorned, even derided as 'mad'. A Princess of Wales was even told to stop helping lost cats in order to avoid a royal scandal; the story was kept a secret of state for years. It would take over a century for strays to become the beloved rescue cats of today, with some now gaining celebrity status, such as Downing Street's Larry or Street Cat Bob. Please Take Me Home is a fascinating and insightful history through the ages of the struggle for cats to exist in domesticity alongside mankind.

The perfect gift book for cat lovers everywhere, showing how to measure your cat's intelligence in a series of easy and fun tests. How clever is your cat? Can your cat: * Make sounds upon request? * Predict a change in the weather? Or is your cat the type who * Falls of ledges while sleeping? * Continually runs into walls or doors? You can find out how smart your cat really is by giving him or her the Cat IQ Test -- a simple, four-part intelligence test. By observation and by using everyday household items, you will be able to measure your cat's co-ordination, communication, social and reasoning powers. Also includes: * Suggestions on how to improve your cat's IQ. * Comparative scores of other cats by age, sex and type. * A Certificate of Merit to be filled in and proudly displayed on completion of the Cat IQ Test.

Why do cats cry to come in and then cry to go out again? Why do they chatter silently at the window? Why can't they be trained to fetch your slippers? Where are the most unusual places they've been employed as mousers? Why are there so many cat superstitions? This cat compendium educates and entertains with facts about everything from wild cat ancestry and cat physiology to cat worship and cat movie stars. We'll investigate how cats experience the world and what they think of their human companions and explore why cats have inspired both reverence and fear throughout history. Drawing on the vast body of knowledge belonging to the world's most famous dogs and cats home, the book contains numerous snippets that readers can dip into as well as longer essays and stories that can be enjoyed at leisure. Attractively designed, with charming photographs, and beautifully packaged as a hardback gift book, this is the ideal present for every cat lover.

Life is better with a kitten Those big round eyes. Those tiny mews. Those wobbly steps on little paws. Who can resist the adorable charms of a kitten? What they lack in size, they make up for in personality, and these heart-melting bundles of fur have got us head over heels in love. Dedicated to our tiniest feline friends, this paw-some little book proves that a kitten is a purr-fect companion.

Stop punishing your cat and start praising him instead!
Your cat is by nature a clean, fastidious creature--so why has he stopped using the litter box? And what can you do to get him back on track? This book gives you the inside scoop on litter box protocol and how to better understand your cat's needs so you can nip problems in the bud--or prevent them before they start.
Good Cat! outlines a step-by-step retraining program for your cat that clearly explains:
* How to pinpoint the cause of the problem
* Why punishing your cat isn't the answer
* The pros and cons of various types of litter and litter boxes
* How to teach your cat litter box basics
* The best methods for removing odors and stains
* How to introduce change without upsetting your cat

Your cat is trying to tell you something when he rejects the litter box. With this book, you'll discover how to respond properly--so you can say Good Cat!

In 1894, a lighthouse keeper named David Lyall arrived on Stephens Island off New Zealand with a cat named Tibbles. In just over a year, the Stephens Island Wren, a rare bird endemic to the island, was rendered extinct. Mounting scientific evidence confirms what many conservationists have suspected for some time--that in the United States alone, free-ranging cats are killing birds and other animals by the billions. Equally alarming are the little-known but potentially devastating public health consequences of rabies and parasitic Toxoplasma passing from cats to humans at rising rates. Cat Wars tells the story of the threats free-ranging cats pose to biodiversity and public health throughout the world, and sheds new light on the controversies surrounding the management of the explosion of these cat populations. This compelling book traces the historical and cultural ties between humans and cats from early domestication to the current boom in pet ownership, along the way accessibly explaining the science of extinction, population modeling, and feline diseases. It charts the developments that have led to our present impasse--from Stan Temple's breakthrough studies on cat predation in Wisconsin to cat-eradication programs underway in Australia today. It describes how a small but vocal minority of cat advocates has campaigned successfully for no action in much the same way that special interest groups have stymied attempts to curtail smoking and climate change. Cat Wars paints a revealing picture of a complex global problem--and proposes solutions that foresee a time when wildlife and humans are no longer vulnerable to the impacts of free-ranging cats.

The behaviour of domesticated animals is a subject of great importance to students of animal behaviour and veterinary medicine, as well as interested pet owners. This book presents an engaging overview of the behaviour of the domestic cat, adopting both a mechanistic and functional approach. Physiological, developmental and psychological aspects are addressed, including domestication, the development of the senses, learning, communication and feeding behaviour. The authors build on these themes to discuss social behaviour, hunting and predation, cat-human interactions and welfare. Fully updated throughout, this new edition also includes two new chapters on behavioural disorders due to pathologies and from misdirected natural behaviour. It is an essential source of cat behaviour information for students, ethologists, veterinarians and pet owners.

Billy the cat was rescued from an abandoned house. Fraser was a two-year-old autistic child with a multitude of problems when he first met Billy at the cat protection shelter. Billy purred, laid his paws across Fraser and they have been inseparable ever since. Slowly but surely Billy has transformed Fraser's life. Fraser's mother Louise has watched her son move from being a child prone to anxiety, tantrums and sudden emotional meltdowns to now a much calmer, less moody four-year-old whose future looks a lot brighter. In their home on the Balmoral Estate, Billy acts as Fraser's guardian - never leaving his side at mealtimes and bedtimes or whenever he's feeling low. Their profound bond has immeasurably improved their lives and the family's. And brought them lots of hilarious and touching moments along the way. Like A Street Cat Named Bob, this story will touch the hearts of all those who read it.

For the growing number of animal lovers seeking an alternative to Western medicine, this comprehensive approach to home animal care includes descriptions of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatments, with special emphasis placed on clear, uncomplicated approaches to acupressure and diet that readers can do themselves at home. Inlcudes two 16-page color inserts.

Most people love cats. They're fluffy, playful, and can be a joy to have as a companion. However, they can also be huge assholes. So what can you do? How do you deal with a roommate who always seems to be plotting to kill you? While we all love sharing adorable photos of kittens, these frisky felines are known more for marching to the beat of their own drum than abiding by the rules. From running around your home at two in the morning, knocking everything off your shelves, or taking up most of your bed, these furry critters can be immensely selfish and disrespectful to those who give them endless love and affection. Why Cats Are Assholes is up for such a challenge. From studying their history all the way back to ancient Egypt, comedian Liz Miele-the daughter of veterinarians-digests the cat psyche to try and understand why they do the things they do, and how we, as their loyal servants, can handle domestic bliss with them around. With the help of her cat Pasta, Miele breaks down the common behaviors of cats in an attempt to try and better understand their plan of attack (if there is one), as well as what we can do to better prepare ourselves. Whether you have one, two, or twelve fur babies, Why Cats Are Assholes is the ultimate guide to better understanding your pet's behavior while taking back your home from these domesticated terrorists.

Caroline Paul was recovering from a bad accident and thought things couldn't get worse. But then her beloved cat Tibia disappeared. She and her partner, illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, mourned his loss. Yet weeks later, Tibia waltzed back into their lives. His owners were overjoyed. But they were also...jealous? Betrayed? Where had their sweet anxious cat disappeared to? Had he become a swashbuckling cat adventurer? Did he love someone else more? His owners were determined to find out.Using GPS technology, cat cameras, psychics, the web, and animal communicators, the authors of "Lost Cat" embarked on a quest to discover what their cat did when they weren't around. Told through writer Caroline Paul's rich and warmly poignant narrative and illustrator Wendy MacNaughton's stunning and hilarious 4-color illustrations, "Lost Cat" is a book for animal lovers, pet owners, and anyone who has ever done anything desperate for love.

On the coldest morning of the year, Vicki Myron found a tiny, bedraggled kitten almost frozen to death in the night drop box of the library where she worked, and her life -- and the town of Spencer, Iowa -- would never be the same. Vicki was a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm and an alcoholic, abusive husband. But her biggest challenge as the new head librarian in Spencer was to raise the spirits of a small, out-of-the-way town mired deep in the farm crisis of the 1980s. Dewey, as the townspeople named the kitten, quickly grew into a strutting, adorable library cat whose antics kept patrons in stitches, and whose sixth sense about those in need created hundreds of deep and loving friendships. As his fame grew, people drove hundreds of miles to meet Dewey, and people all over the world fell in love with him. Through it all, Dewey remained a loyal companion, a beacon of hope not just for Vicki, but for the entire town of Spencer as it slowly, steadily pulled itself up from the worst financial crisis in its long history. Dewey won hearts and proved to everyone he encountered that unconditional love comes in many forms.

Not many ships’ cats have even one memorial statue, let alone six. But Trim does, including one outside Euston Station in London, proudly unveiled by Prince William on the bicentenary of Matthew Flinders’s death – 19 July 2014. Trim was the ship’s cat who accompanied Matthew Flinders on his voyages to circumnavigate and map the coastline of Australia from 1801 to 1803. He lived quite the adventurous life. As a small kitten he fell overboard while at sea but managed to swim back to the vessel and climb back on board by scaling a rope. This cemented his position as Flinders’s beloved companion, and together they survived a voyage around the world, the circumnavigation of Australia and a shipwreck. When Flinders was imprisoned by the French in Mauritius in 1803 Trim shared his captivity until one day he mysteriously disappeared – which heartbreakingly Flinders attributed to his being stolen and eaten by a hungry slave. Trim, The Cartographer’s Cat is an ode to this much-loved ship’s cat, which will warm the heart of any cat lover. The first part of the book reproduces Flinders’ own whimsical tribute to Trim, written while in captivity in the early 1800s, with added ‘friendly footnotes’ to provide some background to Flinders’s numerous literary allusions and nautical terms. Next the book discusses where Flinders was when he wrote his tribute and why, and what his letters and journals from that time tell us about his ‘sporting, affectionate and useful companion’. Finally, we learn what Trim’s views on all of this might have been, in a fun and fanciful observation on his premature epitaph. Accompanying all of this are beautiful maps, historical artworks, quirky original illustrations by Ad Long and excerpts from Flinders’ original script, showing his beautiful handwriting. This book will make a unique and treasured gift for Flinders fans, Trim fans and cat lovers around the world.

From the author of The Last Chance Hotel comes a brand new magical mystery ... 'Blending magical adventure with Golden Age crime mystery, this delightfully atmospheric spin-off from the author of The Last Chance Hotel confirms Thornton's place as one of the most original children's writers around.' WATERSTONES on book 1 Is Oakmoss Hornbeam the unluckiest boy in the world? Or has someone cursed him? When a black cat crosses his path, mysteriously blown in by a storm, Oakmoss believes it's his worst omen yet. But Nightshade, a cat of considerable talents, knows when it's game on or game over. With the help of newshound Veena Vale and magical crime investigator Dexter Stormforce, she sets out to become a lucky charm for one very unlucky boy ... A magical murder mystery story perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Harry Potter By the author of The Last Chance Hotel, chosen as Waterstones Book of the Month and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Award Follows on from The Howling Hag Mystery, a series starring fan-favourite Nightshade the cat as the star of her very own mystery! Praise for THE LAST CHANCE HOTEL: 'A jolly, atmospheric mystery.' THE TIMES 'All kinds of fun' THE OBSERVER '[A] mash-up of murder mystery and fantasy ... full of great characters, plot twists and intriguing detail.' METRO 'Featuring magical antics, a talking cat and a locked-room murder mystery, Seth's story reads like an old-school whodunnit with added wizards and spells' BOOKTRUST

Cats can be mysterious and can owners are eager to understand their behavior and learn how to strengthen the bond between cats and humans. In the revised 2nd edition of The Cat Behavior Answer Book (77,000 copies in print), pet expert Arden Moore answers the many questions cat owners have, from the practical aspects of training, feeding, and caring to the puzzling aspects of behavior and communication. Do cats dream? What's the purpose of a cat's whiskers? How do I catproof my house? Why does my elderly cat howl at night? How can I train my cats not to jump upon the kitchen counter? Can I keep my cat from climbing the curtains? What's the best way to train a kitten to use the litter box? How can I eliminate the smell of cat urine? What's the best way to trim a cat's nails? Is it okay for my cat to eat grass? Arden Moore provides insightful answers to all these questions and many more, along with reassuring guidance on addressing the problems that can get in the way of living happily with a cat. The 2nd edition has been completely updated to reflect the most recent research and recommendations and redesigned in a larger, highly browsable format.

The past, present and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover. Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you’ll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat’s domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat's-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats. Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and artificial, over the millennia has shaped the contemporary cat. Yet the cat, ever a predator, still seems to have only one paw out of the wild, and readily reverts to its feral ways as it occupies new habitats around the world. Looking ahead, this charming and intelligent book suggests what the future may hold for the special bond between Felis catus and Homo sapiens.

Part of the bestselling Pocket Bible series, with each title selling on average 75-100 copies per week There are over 5.5 million cat owners in the UK making them Britain's favourite pet Attractively packaged and designed, these are great point-of-sale gift items

'One of the greatest European prose writers' Philip Roth In the autumn of 1965, Bohumil Hrabal bought a weekend cottage in the countryside east of Prague. There, until his death, he tended to an ever-growing, unruly community of cats. This is his confessional, tender and shocking meditation on the joys and torments of his life with them; how he became increasingly overwhelmed by the demands of the things he loved, even to the brink of madness. 'Dark and strange ... It begins with warmth and fluffiness, but soon descends into Dostoevskian horror' Daily Telegraph 'The Czech master exposed the animal within us' New Yorker

'A colourful series that celebrates the many ways animals enrich our relationships and our lives' Karin Slaughter It's become obvious that the time has come to have Pushkin, the Russian Blue tom, and Titus, the ginger moggy queen, neutered. This was indeed the plan for Fannie, the tortoiseshell, but with her longed-for pregnancy well under way it must now be postponed. Fannie's due date for her kittens arrives and, in the time-honoured tradition of cats and the best laid plans, unexpected problems arise. Following this drama, the household finds itself in turmoil again with the arrival of a black Bengal kitten, called Gilly, who disrupts the peace of both cats and people resident in The Coach House. . . With a fine eye and ear for the world of natural history, Marilyn Edwards writes about rural living with charm and passion - but it is her observation of cats and their ways that make her books so utterly magical. **Fully illustrated throughout** Praise for the Moon Cottage books: 'My all-time favourite cat book' Jacqueline Wilson 'Cat lovers will adore this book . . . A tender story of love between the author and her cats' Celia Haddon 'All the many delights and a few of the heartaches of a life with cats are told with charm and wit. A vivid, honest, observant and involving book' Desmond Morris

As a holistic veterinarian and scientist, Gary Richter helps dog and cat owners to navigate the thicket of treatment options and separate the fact from the fiction. He wants us to use what actually works, not just what Western science or alternative medicine say 'should' work. This multifaceted approach to health is known as integrative medicine. Gary Richter examines traditional medicine from many cultures alongside modern medical techniques, describing the best of complementary care and the best of conventional veterinary medicine. Every treatment he recommends has the backing of scientific research or years of successful outcomes in his clinical practice. After explaining the treatment, he offers specific recommendations for an integrative approach to common diseases, including allergies, skin conditions, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. A holistic approach to health includes nutrition, as it sets up the foundation for your pet's health. Richter cuts through the hype in the pet-food world and explains how to choose the best commercial foods and supplements, and even includes both raw and cooked dog- and cat-food recipes for general diet as well as to treat specific needs. He also explains how we can use the right foods and supplements to 'hack' the body's processes, including the immune system.

Cats were Steinlen's perpetual study and signature. He put them in his famous belle epoque posters, lithographs and magazine illustrations, and sketched them endlessly. These 66 drawings and 8 picture-stories represent the best of his scattered, rare cat depictions, available nowhere else. Artists will learn cat dynamics from the spare, expressive lines; ailurophiles will love the cats.