5 comments about Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat.

1. This is a wonderful, warm book for both cat lovers and people dealing with the infirmities of old age. It has beautiful quotes to introduce each chapter - it's about both a caring doctor and a caring cat. A great combo - at a nursing home and it's not depressing. Oscar is a memorable cat with a unique sense of being with people in their final hours.



2. This book has appeal on many levels. The themes of aging, love, mental illness, and of course the tie-in with animals and how THEY take care of US is crafted with skill throughout the pages. I knew going in to expect an interesting animal story, but I came out feeling like I had spent a long afternoon with an old friend learning about some of life's most important lessons. I super-highly recommend reading this book for anyone, because it could truly help put some focus back on what the truly important things are in life. And yeah, I'll admit it, I have a cat ... but also a dog, and I will say this book appeals to all readers. So don't hesitate to pick up a copy - enjoy!



3. This is a wonderfully written book that is a pure delight to read. Bought more copies to send to my family and friends. Full of wonderful insights, clever quotations and phrases. Clearly, a book you will never forget. If you are any kind of animal lover, you will love this book!



4. The title of this review comes from a quote in the book by Charles Dickens and ends, "...than the love of a cat." Anyone who's ever spent quality time with a pet, can tell you that animals are empathic. Whether cats are or aren't can be debated endlessly, but "Making the Rounds With Oscar," offers support for those who believe that cats aren't as selfish as they're often portrayed as.
   
   At first, Oscar, one of several feline residents at a Providence, RI nursing home, looked like an ordinary bi-colored cat. However, the staff began to notice something odd about him. He seemed to know instinctively when a resident's death was near and would spend time with them and their loved ones. (If there were two residents who were near death at the same time, he would sit with the one in the most distress.) At first, Dr. David Dosa, author of "Making Rounds With Oscar," was skeptical. Maybe Oscar just was looking for a place to snuggle, and it was pure coincidence with whom he chose to be.
   
   However, it soon became apparent that Oscar really did have a gift, which led the author to interview residents and their family about this remarkable cat. While Oscar gets top billing, it's also a book about the people whom Dr. Doza interacts with everyday. The book touches on the issues of family having unrealistic expectations about their loved ones' care, as well as the effects of budget cuts on the profession but it is not a diatribe. Highly recommended.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



5. 'Making Rounds With Oscar' helped relieve a lot of guilt I felt for "not doing enough for my mother". 'MRWO' showed me that you have to let go. I love Oscar and I love his book.

5 comments about Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.

1. I bought 3 of these after Dr Pitcairn's name kept appearing as I researched holistic pet care information (I gave one to my son and one to a close friend who have dogs). I have been feeding a raw diet to my 2 dogs and 3 cats for over 2 years now, and have been an advocate against frequent vaccinations for my pets for quite some time. I have read about and donated to the "Rabies Challenge Fund" after having a cherished family dog die of acute Kidney failure from getting the Lyme Vaccine. This book has confirmed everything I have researched myself, as well as what my own personel feelings have been (I work as an Advanced Practice Nurse in the healthcare industry). Some of it may be a little technical and seem hard to grasp, but the information and recipies are wonderful! I do not cook any of the meat I give my pets and they are in wonderful health. I have found it to be invaluable in helping my 12 1/2 year old Dalmation who has some arthritis and plan on using the advice and remedies on my new puppy whose breed could have a disposition to Hip Dysplasia. For those of you who may be non-believers, I ask you if you would do to your children what you are doing to your pets- chemicals, additives, booster vaccines every year? This book explains many things which make perfect sense. I will use it as a resource everyday. I have ordered 2 more to give to friends!



2. Good book with some great ideas. I will say that even though some holistic and natural ways of taking care of your pet is a great idea it is not always the right way to go. My Boxer puppy Sturgeon came home with kennel cough, we first tried antibiotics and then gave the ways of this book a try. But the results were not what we had hoped for. We ended up going back to modern medicine after a 3 weeks of natural remedy only to see him gradually go back to his bad kennel cough days. Great ideas and philosophy but not a final cure.



3. This is a good book. Easy to read. The only issue I have at ALL is that the recipes in it are very grain-heavy. I don't have dogs that do well with grains in their diet due to allergies. The 'Healthy Powder' recipe has yeast in it, which also contributes to allergies. (Though he does say he has heard of this issue before, he has 'not seen it' in his practice).
   He does not strongly advocate feeding raw bones, & instead relies on calcium supplements to balance out the meat in the recipes. He makes a good point as to why he leans that way, but I do not agree & feel feeding the bones is more natural... skipping the bones & relying on cooked bone powder or eggshells then deprives your animals from the many minerals & health benefits of raw bones. Not to mention it is just way too much work for a busy dog owner to put together many items in a recipe & then portion it all out. He does provide nutritional info on all the recipes which is a plus. A good book for someone first starting out on raw feeding & more natural health care for their animals.



4. I love the approach taken in this book- the examples are clear and follow common sense. I have always had an interest in holistic/ natural medicine, but hate the way it is described sometimes. in several books I've read the authors make holistic medicine sound like hocus pocus.
   
   Even though I've always been relatively careful about what I eat, this book has opened my eyes and made me more careful of what I buy and eat myself.
   
   Our dog had terrible skin problems when she was a puppy- constantly scratching to the point of bleeding. We stopped feeding her kibble and started feeding her a similar diet to what is described in this book and within a few weeks everything changed- She never scratches anymore and her coat is shiny and healthy. Her muscle tone is great as well. I read this book after starting our pup on a home made diet and used it as a guide. It has been very helpful and i would absolutely recommend it!



5. I have followed many of the suggestions in this book and found them very helpful for all my animals. The ideas not only make sense, but they are relatively easy to implement and the animals have responded very favorably to the change in diet.

5 comments about Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.

1. I am shocked on how many people really thought this book was a five. I consider a 5 starred book to have it all. I read "Marley and Me" and loved it. It was a touching story about a man and his dog. I was hoping for the feline version of this. Boy was I wrong. "Dewey", despite being the title's namesake, is NOT about a lovable cat! Its about the author. Its really all about her. Part of the author's life is when she found an orange tabby. Also, she makes this cat into more than what he could have possibly been. I understand the bond between animal and people, but she personifies Dewey as her little god. In a way, the book really made me sad. The author sounds like she was a very lonely lady, and instead of a husband, she had Dewey. The small parts about Dewey are cute. Its the one highlight in this book.
   Also, as an avid reader, this book is poorly written. It reads like the back of milk jug. The author has a poor way with words and some of her word play is over ambitious for her.
   
   Check this book out from the library. I would not pay for it and after reading it, you wouldn't want to either.



2. Just looking at the cover picture of Dewey, you can see he has soul. He was a friend to everyone. He did not let anyone down. You could count on Dewey Readmore Books. What a name. I enjoyed reading about all his antics and was especially fond of his treatment of people especially the handicapped little girl. He was special and I liked the weaving of the author's life into the story. Dewey was a healer as well. Really helped people---an outstanding animal. We could all learn a lesson from his love and treatment of people.



3. I loved this book. The story was bittersweet in places, heartbreaking in others, but mostly hopeful and and sweet. The writing is excellent. It is concise, easy to read, and hugely entertaining. Plus who can resist that sweet cat on the front?? (It is the real Dewey, which you learn later in the story!) I passed this book along to pretty much everyone I know. It's a fantastic story-- uplifting, and inspiring. Highly recommended.



4. Sent as a birthday gift to an avid reader who loves cats. I read a few pages from "look inside" and it appeared to be a good story. Word back was: Enjoyed and appreciated. Good, fast shipping. Seller recommended.



5. In Dewey, the small-town library cat who touched the world, we find a true friend and companion. He has a heart of gold. His story is one of survival, for he surely wouldn't have made it had he not been put through the library's drop box on that very cold night in Iowa. What's amazing about this cat is how he inspired his human companions to push through their own personal hardships and carry on. No longer will we ever underestimate the love of a pet!

5 comments about Homer's Odyssey.

1. I love this book. The author has a marvelous way of putting things, and the story is heartwarming, touching, and inspiring.



2. Do yourself a favor. If you get this book, turn to chapter 15, tear the book in half, and throw out the second half. This book was delightful in the beginning. The author tells us about Homer's plight and how he comes into her life. With great insights, she tells us of Homer's introduction to the world as a blind cat. How he meets life joyfully and with great curiosity. He is not timid and cautious despite his blindness. He does far more than just get along in life. He takes great joy in life. No need for pity for the poor blind cat here. Gwen Cooper's writing starts out with insightful thoughts and nice turns of phrase. It's quite a pleasant read for the first half of the book. Far better than the average "me and my pet dog/cat" book. It's more deeply thoughtful than most books in that category. It doesn't have the "this animal was so need and I'm so glad to have been able to help him" tone that so many books have. Rather, it sings, "This animal is so wonderful, he has taught me a lot and inspired me." I didn't feed sorry for Homer, I felt amazed.
   
   Chapter 12 is a very interesting chapter on the significance of sounds to a blind pet. Anyone with a blind animal would be advised to read this, and it's great reading for any animal lover
   
   Dissapointingly, the book takes a dramatic downward spiral starting with chapter 15. Homer now takes a backseat to the story of Gwen. While I like "getting to know" the authors of various books, I didn't enjoy hearing about Gwen's difficulties repeatedly finding a new job. I found her relationship with Laurence bizarre. She know him for years, eventually they become an item. They decide to move in together, but that takes a year to actually happen because she is writing a book. Huh? After living together for a year, they decided to get married. That takes 2 years; one year because of a book deal, and the second year because they are planning the wedding. Double huh? The book just got too personal and weird. It was more than I wanted to know about Gwen, while not telling much about Homer.
   
   Overall, I'ld say skip this book, unless you have a special interest in handicapped pets.



3. To be honest, I was never able to finish this book. I picked it up and put it back down several times, but although I'm an animal lover and a former rescue volunteer and once adopted a deaf kitten, "Homer's Odyssey" just didn't hold my interest and eventually fell by the wayside. I don't think I ever got more than 50 or 60 pages into it.
   
   However, I am giving this three stars, because my mother saw this book, borrowed it, and ADORED it. Actually, she loved it so much she asked if she could keep it ... which was fine with me.
   
   The cat-memoir genre is a rapidly growing field, and unless you are a hardcore fan or have a special interest in blind kitties, then this one may not be for you.



4. As a cat lover, I found this book to be a wonderful representation of compassion and learning from animals. It's a story about the give and take of every good relationship, and being able to take that leap beyond the extraordinary to prove your love. It's about struggle and overcoming the seemingly impossible. About not taking things for granted and believing that anything is possible.
   
   Homer is a fearless, blind kitty with a big heart. And Gwen, Homer's human mommy, has a lot of love to give. Gwen takes every precaution to keep Homer safe, but she soon learns that he is just as capable of living a full and active life as any cat with eyes - maybe even more. His keen hearing and smell are essentially his eyes, giving him an advantage of the senses that seeing cats can't compete with.
   
   Even in the face of tragedy, Gwen does everything in her heart to be near Homer and her other two cats, Scarlett and Vashti. I often found myself with tears in my eyes because of the amount of love in this story. Love is possible, and Homer's story is a prime example.



5. I am a 43 year old male with 2 burmese cats that are VERY spoiled:) Like Homer, my cats are very devoted and more like dogs than cats (which is a trait Burmese cats are known for).
   
   The forward from Homers vet at the begining was very good. I really enjoyed seeing how devoted she is to her cats and how devoted they are to her.

5 comments about All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome.

1. What a gem of a book! With few and simple sentences the author manages to explain what it's like to have AS in an easy to grasp way. The result is an informative book which in few pages basically say the same as many experts need hundreds of pages to express. This book is full of charm and humour. The concept may seem childish, the result is not. "All cats have Asperger syndrome" both managed to make me smile as well as giving me a lump in my throat.
   
   I very much recognised myself in this one.
   
   This is an excellent read for anyone who deals with Aspies, in the family or at work/school, and a must read for all Aspies.



2. This is a very good none threatening way of presenting what Asperger's Syndrome to someone who knows nothing about it. I'm in college and have my teachers read it to the class on the first day. It helps people understand despite the age. A very well written children's book.



3. I received "All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome" as a gift from my husband shortly after being diagnosed with AS. Having been an avid ailurophile all my life, I immediately read it and found myself delighted by the sweet kitty pictures along with the amusing comparisons to this condition I've had all my life.
   
   Some excerpts made me deliriously happy and a few passages conjured up feelings of extreme sadness (mainly the ones dealing with the feelings of alienation.) Most of the traits fit me very well, although there were a few exceptions. This is to be expected, as not everyone with AS is going to have identical traits.) I cannot speak for other people with Asperger's Syndrome, but I feel it is an accurate, yet simple, description that fits my experiences very well.
   
   What I liked most about this book was its playful simplicity. I was able to share it with my relatives while explaining the condition. I'd shared other books pertaining to Asperger's Syndrome, but they either became bored or confused. It wasn't that way with this one. Not only did it keep their interest piqued, it also delivered its message with a clarity rarely seen. "All Cats Have Asperger's Syndrome" will not have a place on my bookshelves--it belongs on my coffee table, where it is the first book I see every day.



4. This is another great book to go along with All Dogs Have ADHD. Very clear and simple to understand for children and adults alike. My husband is a school psychologist and plans to use it at work.



5. We happened on this book looking for another animal text and sat beguiled reading. The author did an excellent job using cat photography to illustrate the salient points of her thesis.
   
   I think this book will make an excellent teaching aid for children. Animals will make both the kids and their parents more comfortable with the idea of Aspergers and laughing while you learn is always a good thing.
   
   Even non-Aspergers people picking up this book are going to enjoy the photography and laugh their way through the images of cats.
   
   In every aspect, this book is just an exceptional effort.
   
   Rebecca Kyle, June 2009

5 comments about The Nature of Animal Healing : The Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat.

1. I have found this book an exceptional help in the healing of my very sick dog and has reinforced my belief in homeopathic and natural healing. I believe that this book should be in every pet owner's home as it is essential to our pet's health. I had to perservere with my process of natural healing to bring my beautiful girl back from near death, even with constant nagging to take her to a vet to get cortisoned etc(I cannot find an homeopathic vet in this state). I believe it is a 'leap of faith' and this book and its wonderful author have my undying gratitude. I am going to purchase another 4 at the moment to give to friends as I believe it will help them as well as their very important family(pets)member.
   I must add that people that have quickly looked through it want to read it....but it is my 'health bible' and as I stated before I will have to buy them a copy or they can buy one themselves.
   Thank you Martin Goldstein.
   Liz Crespin



2. If you are a dog or cat lover, you MUST purchase this book. There are so many things in here that the vet does not tell you. Highly recommend, 5 stars!



3. Everyone we share this with loves it. It is truly a clear simple resource for
   a safe alternative pet care.



4. Every pet owner should be reading this - your pets will be grateful! It is not too technical, so don't be afraid. Marty is a fantastic writer and lightyears ahead of his time.



5. I found this book to be the best pet care book I have ever read. It has opened my eyes to a lot that goes in on in the pet business, and has made me realize what I thought was right along was really wrong. I had been on the fence about vaccinating both my dog and my kids and this book was what made me make up my mind. Dr. Goldstein presents a lot of evidence to prove his case, and he makes a good argument. The section on pet food was also very eye opening. I always thought "no table food, only kibble" like most people. But since I have taken my dog off Purina and put her on a diet I make on my own, her coat and smell hav already improved and it's only been a week.
   The best part about this book is almost everything in it can apply to humans too. I HIGHLY recommend.

5 comments about Cat Vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat.

1. Fun book. Read it all in a day. Of course Im a Cat NUT!



2. We have a blended cat family. They got along ok, not fabulously, until my husband's cat chased and badly scratched my youngest cat. After that it has been neverending stalking, chasing and fighting between those two cats. Worse, my cat started to have litter box issues.
   
   I turned to this book in hopes that I might be able to do something besides repeat the time and labor intensive introduction process, but this book offered me nothing except a few new tidbits of information that weren't applicable to my situtation.
   
   Oh, and I guess my cat didn't like the book. He peed on it.



3. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about our feline friends because I have put a good amount of time in studying their behavior and studying ABOUT them. With that in mind, I was anxious to read "Cat Vs. Cat" and learn more about cat sociology and how they interact with each other.
   
   We are a five cat household. All five are rescues and two are feral brother and sister cats. We have managed to socialize all of them into one colony where they get along and respect the Queen (although she is not the highest in the pecking order). The book explains in good detail how important the feline hierarchy is and how this hierarchy is often expressed in vertical space. I had personally studied about this aspect and have seen it in my own cats but was delighted to read a good explanation about it.
   
   This is a fantastic book for those in multiple cat households who may or may not be encountering tension between cats. The book explains territories and hierarchies very well. Understanding the importance of these two aspects in a feline's life will help everything else come together and make sense.
   
   I recommend the book as a great resource for all of those who have multiple feline households or are contemplating bringing another feline into the fold. Think about it and read about it -- you will be happy you did.
   
   5 stars!



4. This is the best book I've read on cats. I had always been a dog person, so I didn't understand when I adopted my two "juvenile" cats why they wouldn't get along. This book not only explained why but gave me specific things I could do to change their aggressive/defensive behavior toward one another. I now have peace in my home with my two cats Archie and Tessa. They may not love one another but they're co-existing quite nicely. I would recommend this author to anyone who has any type of cat behavioral problem. She really knows her stuff.



5. I wanted to read this book because, although we initially planned to have our current cat be our only cat, recently some needy outdoor cats have caught our attention and I wondered if we could possibly take another one in without being unfair to the kitty we already have. Our cat growls, puffs up, and sometimes attacks at the sight of any other cat, although she's quite accepting of new humans.
   To make a long story short, the book did not answer the question of the right thing to do in this situation. I also didn't feel that the book made a strong case that cats "are often misunderstood as natural loners," as the blurb suggested. Johnson-Bennett does make it clear that, if humans are incredibly patient, they can typically make cats accept each other over time. She never made me feel that the cats would be delighted to be together, however--just, perhaps, tolerant.
   Cat vs. Cat brought a lot of less-obvious causes of cat behavior to light. It started me thinking about things in different ways so that I developed new hypotheses on my own. And it introduced me to feline-related products I hadn't previously been aware of despite getting more than one catalog of pet supplies.
   So even for a single-kitty home, Cat vs. Cat is definitely useful--just not in the way I originally intended.

5 comments about How to Take Over Teh Wurld: A LOLcat Guide 2 Winning.

1. If you are a fan of the "Cheezburger" site, this book is a must as is their first book. The pictures and the creativity is awesome! My son loves to look through the book, and sometimes the pictures are funnier because he is laughing so hard at them.



2. These obviously came from long-time cat owners who understand the complex psychology of the feline dictators in our lives.



3. So funny, makes for good toilet humour - it's always amusing to hear your guests laughing on the loo. There are some very witty people out there.



4. I gave this book as a gift to a co-worker. She is a huge animal lover. She LOVED IT! The pictures were great and we have laughed a lot!



5. As a dedicated LOLcat fanatic, and in that I am owned by several cats, How to Take Over Teh Wurld is fantastic!!!! After being unable to find this recently published text at my local bookstore, I finally purchased via Amazon and anxiously awaited its arrival.
   
   The day it arrived I had been having a bad day - within moments I was not only laughing out loud but my spirits were lifted. The book really pulls some of the best LOLs from Cheeseburger and really pegs cat philosophy.
   
   Definitely a book to read when your day has been in the dumpster!!!!

5 comments about Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!.

1. This is a good read for children (and adults who love Dewey). The artwork is wonderful.



2. I bought this book for my daughter mainly because the illustrations looked very catchy and the cat looked adorable.
   We have a cat at home and we used to find it very tough to teach our 3 year old daughter how to pet our cat without irritatating her. She loves our cat but really does not know how to express it, everytime, she ends up irritating the cat and would end up disappointed when the cat walks away from her.
   The book made her understand why she was irritating the cat. It basically taught her what we could not teach her all the way! the right way to pet a cat....'From head to tail' as the book says. Now, if she sees us massaging the cat she says, 'you are doing it the wrong way Mama, do it from head to tail, don't irritate Pilli!'



3. This is a lovely book which small children will enjoy. Hopefully it will promote kindness to animals.



4. I loved the non-fiction adult book and so when I saw this children's book I got it for my children. Dewey is a delightful kitty and the illustrations are beautiful in this book.



5. I bought this book for a friend of mine to read to her class of young children. They LOVED it!! I would definitely recommend it.

5 comments about Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.

1. This is a classic work, exactly as I expected. I also wanted to read it to small children, but some of the poems are beyond their understanding.



2. T.S. Eliot proves with Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats that the rhyming poem is just as valid as free verse. Why some people continue to regard the rhyming poem as the lower form of poetic expression, or as something strictly for the little ones, is beyond me (perhaps it's due in part to the fact that TV advertisers abuse this art form on a regular basis, cheapening it with their cringe-inducing jingles). But whatever the case, these detractors have either never read, or (hard as it is to believe) forgot the magnificent rhyming poetry contained in T.S. Eliot's slim yet thoroughly satisfying masterpiece. The illustrations included in this edition are by Ed Gorey, and they complement Eliot's poetry beautifully. This is a great book. Highly recommended!
   
   I also recommend Alice in Verse: The Lost Rhymes of Wonderland, which like Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, is a collection of brilliant rhyming poetry. As the title suggests, this book contains 'the lost rhymes' of Wonderland, 19 full-length poems that replicate the style of Lewis Carroll so cannily you'd almost swear the legend of the lost rhymes is true. This one may be the most serious contribution to rhyming poetry since Eliot penned his classic ode to cats.



3. If you have not read this before you attend the theater to see "Cats" you will not get it!



4. I purchased this book for my 8-year old as a 'job well done' gift at the end of his 2nd grade school year. He loves it, knows much of it by heart now. His initial interest stemmed from watching the musical, Cats, and is now just as much a fan of T.S. Eliot. The classics go a long way in a childs life...



5. Great audio tape for both poetry and CATS fan. Here you can hear all the poems that go into the songs for CATS Musical. You can hear them clearly cause there spoken not sung. The poets use great voice to show the expressions that the cats in the poems may feel.Its also great to use this to learn the songs. Also soem parts of a few poems were cut from the Musical. On this cassette you can hear the fuel poem as written.