No comments about Danger in D.C.: Cat Crimes in the Nation's Capitol.

1 comments about Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats.

1. T.S. Eliot wrote the verses contained in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats for his godchildren. Although it was written as a children's book, it is entertaining and enjoyable for adults as well - mainly because Eliot (who had a somewhat perverse sense of humor) wrote them all in fun. Eliot's doggerel captures and parodies the feline qualities that are so often anthropomorphized by cat lovers and cat haters alike. The line drawings of the late Edward Gorey (another fellow with a perverse sense of humor) are a perfect accompaniment to Eliot's verses. The 1982 Harcourt Brace edition is THE edition of this book to buy.

4 comments about 99 Lives: Cats in History, Legend, and Literature.

1. I simply cannot keep this pretty volume on my shelf, so lovely are its pages! Adorned throughout with wonderful stories, illustrations, poetry, and photographs- all paying great homage to one of this life's great treasures: Cats - it's indeed a book that's too much an absolute delight for one to help but turn to again and again and again.
   
   Only this morning, long before the sun rose- raving with insomnia, I got up & made a hot cup of tea, fluffed the cushions on the wingback chair by my window, cuddled up with my fat, fluffy cat, Armand, and found myself browsing oncemore through this book --- delving into such chapters as "Cats by Night", "Cats at Sea", "Cats in High Places", and "Church Cats". Armand purred, and nudged my hand with his flat face each time I paused whilst stroking his soft fur. He simply cannot abide having less than my wholehearted attention. Ah, but just how such moments can soothe an old soul is far beyond my own power to describe!
   
   Eloquently, Algernon Swinburne's poem on page 27 grasps that feeling:
   
   "Stately, kindly, lordly friend,
   Condescend
   Here to sit by me, and turn
   Glorious eyes that smile and burn,
   Golden eyes, love's lustrous mead,
   On the golden page I read."
   
   Truly, not unlike any of my beloved feline family members, this is a warm, aesthetic pleasure to keep somewhere nearby me while in my sanctuary~



2. What a great cat book! Features 99 cat lives, terrific color photos, paintings, and drawings, and fine commentary. Features practically every conceivable (domestic) cat throught the ages, and will provide fun, entertainment, and education for years to come!



3. This is a great book for cats lovers. It's beautifully illustrated and got lots of interesting information.



4. I have many, many books in my "cat collection" and this is one of the most beautiful. Not only is the color of the art georgeous, but the essays are thoughtful and informative. This is the one I drag out most often to show off.

3 comments about The Feline Patient: Essentials of Diagnosis and Treatment.

1. If you're serious enough about feline health issues to have clicked on the title of this book, BUY IT. NOW. (Then find out if your vet already has a copy, and if s/he doesn't, invest in another copy for your vet. Seriously.)
   
   If it's absolutely impossible for you to afford the second (2002) edition, pick up a copy of the first (1998, I think) edition. Although it's always important with medical stuff to get current info, even the first edition will leave you FAR more knowledgeable and up-to-date about feline health issues than the vast majority of vets (who are often too busy to keep up with current info and typically more focused on dogs, as well). (No book -- including this one -- can begin to take the place of a good vet; but this book will equip you to tell the difference between a good cat vet who knows his/her stuff, and a mediocre vet with a good bedside manner.)
   
   The Pill Book Guide to Medications for Your Dog and Cat is another very good book for the serious cat lover. (Though it's *desperately* overdue for a new edition. Desperately. But still very useful.)
   
   But, back to the point at hand: BUY THE FELINE PATIENT. Your cat(s) need you to.
   
   -- Michelle (Siamese Rescue Northwest)



2. This book provides excellent insight into feline symptoms. While it uses medical terminology, it's the same terminology you'll see on the your pet's veterinarian visit records, tests, and even in other feline health books. It describes cat symptoms and indicates possible causes. It recommends courses of investigation and explains what to do based upon the results. It also weighs different diagnostic approaches, e.g., x-rays vs. ultrasound.
   
   This information is useful for laypersons who wish to be an even better healthcare advocate for their pet. For example, it explains when and why it's important to pay attention to sneezing: when it occurs in cats aged six or less it is likely due to a viral or bacterial infection, while in cats over 10 years it is likely due to neoplasia (cancer).
   
   I'd like to be a better pet guardian in future, which is why I bought this book. Unfortunately, my vet thought my chronically sneezing 13-year-old cat had simply developed allergies - even after I took her in twice as I was concerned. He was wrong. If I'd had this book to consult, I'd have known to press for additional testing.
   
   All in all, this book is excellent to have on the bookshelves - so that it's there when needed. Cats do not present with the same symptoms as dogs. They often conceal that they are in pain. Once you've been through a cat with illness, I think it will help you to recognize it in other cats.
   
   One other tip that I didn't find in this book - if your cat's vocalization habits change - pay attention. According to material I've seen published by the SPCA, and personal experience, this is a likely indication that the cat is in pain. The SPCA document also indicated that medical attention is likely required most urgently by the time a cat vocalizes about it. In fact, by the time they vocalize, it's likely the disease is significantly advanced. Better to be alert for other symptoms and signs.
   
   Another resource that I'd recommend that is directed to the layperson is "The Cornell Books of Cats: The Comprehensive and Authoritative Medical Reference for Every Cat and Kitten" by Mordecai Siegal. It offers excellent information on how to recognize when an animal is in pain. The signs are subtle, e.g., cats will often simply restrict movement in answer to pain. My criticism of this book is that it glosses over scary subjects such as cancer, and as I see it, encourages readers to think all is well and further investigation isn't necessary.



3. I can't recommend "The Feline Patient" highly enough. The information in this book has saved the lives of two of my cats. Soon after I bought this book, my 15-year-old Maine Coon cat became very ill, was diagnosed with diabetes, yet the ever-increasing doses of insulin that were prescribed didn't seem to improve his condition. The more insulin he was given, the higher his glucose level became. Concerned, I began to research the problem on my own, using this book, and hypothesized that my cat had not only diabetes, but also chronic pancreatitis, and that he was not only unable to produce sufficient insulin, but was also unable to effectively use the insulin he was given. Based upon the information in this book, I requested that several other diagnostic tests be performed. These tests confirmed my hypotheses, my cat's treatment has been revised, and I now look forward to more happy months and years with him.

   While grooming my ten-year-old Cymric, I felt some very small, hard bumps in her back. These were approximately the size of an ordinary matchhead. Although they were very, very small, they were painful, and she cried when I touched them, even lightly. From having read this book, I knew that any unexplained bump or lump beneath the surface of a cat's skin should be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. My cat has required two surgeries, but thanks to early detection and treatment, her prognosis is far better than it would otherwise have been.

   "The Feline Patient" was written for veterinary practitioners, so the lay person will find the vocabulary challenging, and will probably require a good veterinary dictionary as a companion to this book. Nevertheless, the person who loves and cares for feline family members will find that the benefits greatly outweigh that challenge.

   Thank you, Amazon.com, for making this book available to the general public!

1 comments about The Cat in Photography.

1. Buy it. Really.

   The hard thing about buying books online is that you don't get to see what is inside first. If I had just looked at the cover picture on this book, I don't know if I would have purchased it. But, as it so happens, they had it at a local bookstore.

   The cover picture is the goofiest in the book, there are much more serious pictures throughout. It is worth the price alone to get picture #38, entitled "Cat Crossing the Street in Traffic" - 1925 by Harry Warnecke. The picture has a policeman stopping traffic and several on-lookers are watching as a mother cat carries one of her young across the street. It's one of the most touching pictures I have ever seen. It gives you a glimps into not only the love a mother cat has for her kittens, but also the kindness of human nature (something increasingly lacking in today's world). That a police officer would stop traffic for a cat is amazing.

   Another whimsical picture depicts an animal shelter worker carrying a box with a cat in it. He is unlocking the door to the shelter, one would assume to put the cat in "jail", but the cat is jumping out of the back of the box to freedom. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

   There are a variety of pictures present in this book, some pictures of old, a few pictures that are staged with models (not many of these). Most of the pictures, though, are just candid shots of cats in their environments, such as the children sleeping on a fire escape and one is holding her kitten in her hand. Some are from far off locations such as Israel and Spain. And some are just with people who have an obvious affection and tolerance for the little buggers. :)

   It is well worth the price of admission into this whiskered little world.

1 comments about 100 Ways to Better Understand Your Cat.

1. This book is very informative. It has everything from cats whiskers, ears, and eyes to cat pregnancy. It has lots of great pictures that make this book reader friendly and easy to read. If you have a specific interest in cats, or you are just interested in felines in general, I would highly recommend this book.

No comments about Name That Cat: Over 1,000 Inventive: and Colorful Names.

2 comments about Natural Cat Care: A Complete Guide to Holistic Health Care for Cats.

1. I can't get past the first couple chapters. The book is scattered, hard to read and basically unenjoyable. A complete waste of time and money. Plus the foundation of this pseudo-doctor's feeding regime is the Pottinger Cat Study. This is an antequated study from the 1930's that had no controls. Reading it, any nutritionist worth their salt would know the diet Pottenger fed lacked taurine which caused his problems. Why doesn't Dr. Yarnall? Now, we have that and much more in today's food. How else can generations of cats reproducing year after year and living long heathly lives on commercial diets. This book is just one big long scare tactic to sell her product.

   But, it has one pratical use. It's a great sleep aid.




2. Celeste Yarnall, a former beauty queen and present cat breeder and nutritionist, has California credentials, which means that she doesn't hesitate to talk about what others would consider flaky and New Age: astrology, dowsing, Eastern philosophies, homeopathy, alchemy, flower remedies, herbs, etc., etc--and their place in your cat's health picture. She also advocates a raw foods diet with plenty of supplements to go along with it for cats, something which I've recently been exploring, with mixed results (It's very difficult to convert the average feline to another way of eating after she's gotten used to the old way. Patience and persistence are key, and the end result, a longer-lived, healthier cat, is worth it). There are more and more books out there about alternative nutrition and health for pets, but this one, in my opinion, is well-written and well-researched and well worth buying.

3 comments about Small Animal Clinical Oncology.

1. I am currently finishing up an advanced clinical rotation in surgical and medical oncology at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. I bought this book as a main resource, along with Fossum's surgery text, Slatter's, and Nelson/Couto's medical text. Withrow's book has been extremely helpful with the background information required to diagnose, treat, and predict the behavior of most tumors. I would recommend this book to anyone specializing in oncology, surgery, internal medicine, or even the general practicioner.



2. If you want the low-down on small animal oncology - this is where to look! This text is the next-best thing to a consultation with a specialist.



3. Small Animal Clinical Oncology is NOT aimed at "civilian" pet owners like me. I bought this book after getting a cancer diagnosis on my dog, desperate for more detailed information than what I've found so far in books for the general public. I hesitated at the price, but I'm now very glad I bought it. I strongly suggest having Taber's Medical Dictionary handy if you're not in the field, and many of the photos were very tough to look at. Each chapter is written by different authors, it's footnoted to the nth degree which makes it easier if you should want to find further info. The chapters are well laid out and offered lots of basic and not so basic info on different tumors and cancers, progression, treatments, theory, classifications, pathology, etc. The last chapter on Bond Centered Practice is very touching from where I stand, addressing the handling of us owners in a very comforting way.

   This book has most anything pet owners could want to know from a conventional medicine standpoint if they're willing to wade through it. There's info about the not-so-conventional side too, I found that a bonus since I'm interested in both sides. I did get totally lost in a couple of the theory chapters, that's to be expected for the likes of me, but I managed most of it. While a tough read for for a those not in the field, I've really learned a lot from this book, it's the best I've found on the subject so far. I can't rate this 5 full stars since I am not in the target group it's written for. If there are any problems, inaccuracies, or unnoted controversies, I'd probably never know, but none are obvious to me anyway.

3 comments about Veterinary Dentistry for the Small Animal Technician.

1. This is the Bible of dental books on small animal dentistry. Even though it is in black and white, there are pictures and just about every topic is covered from scaling teeth to dental surgery. Pictures of scalers, and polishers, types of drugs used and step-by-step procedures will be useful for beginners to experts. May I eat my words if this book does not prove to be worth its weight in gold!



2. This volume is very informative for the techs who perform not only routine prophylaxis procedures on cats and dogs but also simple restorative procedures...a boon to our practice!



3. For the average technician in a small animal practice, I think this book is informative and useful. It's a very complete book regarding small animal dentistry and everything involved, from ananatomy to anesthesia to abnormalities. It's a great book to be used as a textbook in a technician program. I recommend this book for both the new technician just starting out or for the experienced technician looking for a refresher or a review book.