The Cat Handbook

by Davis, Karen Leigh

• ISBN13: 9780764112287
• ISBN10: 0764112287
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-05-01
• Publisher: Barrons Educational Series Inc

Summary

This title provides advice on feeding, health care, and protection against diseases and parasites which can be applied to common house cats as well as dozens of pedigreed breeds.

Table of Contents

Preface	vi
A Brief History of Cats and Cat Breeds	1	(15)
Where Cats Came From	1	(2)
Coming to America	3	(1)
How the Cat Fancy Began	4	(3)
How Cat Breeds Get Recognized	7	(1)
The Breeds	8	(1)
Long-and Shorthaired Cats	8	(4)
Mutations	12	(1)
Colors and Patterns	12	(4)
Acquiring a Cat	16	(20)
What to Consider First	16	(6)
Lifestyle Considerations	22	(3)
Where to Find the Right Cat	25	(4)
Buying from a Pet Store	29	(1)
Buying a Purebred Cat	30	(4)
Choosing a Healthy Cat or Kitten	34	(2)
Bringing Your Cat Home	36	(23)
Cat Supplies	36	(10)
Cat-proofing Your Home	46	(2)
Hazards in the Yard	48	(2)
Holiday Hazards	50	(2)
Introducing a Cat to Other Pets	52	(2)
Cats and Kids	54	(2)
Cat Care While You're Away	56	(1)
Pet Identification	57	(1)
When Things Don't Work Out	58	(1)
Feeding Your Cat: Feline Nutrition Basics	59	(35)
The Carnivorous Cat	59	(1)
Commercial Cat Foods	60	(3)
The Nutrients Cats Need	63	(9)
Minerals and Urinary Tract Health	72	(2)
Preservatives and Other Additives	74	(2)
Life-Cycle Nutrition	76	(5)
Making Dietary Changes	81	(1)
Deciphering a Cat Food Label	82	(2)
Feeding Guidelines	84	(1)
Are Homemade Diets Okay?	85	(1)
Avoiding Finicky Behavior	86	(1)
The Importance of Water	86	(2)
What Not to Feed Your Cat	88	(6)
Keeping Your Cat Fit	94	(12)
Fat Cats	94	(1)
Signs of Obesity	95	(4)
Weight-Loss Formula Cat Foods	99	(2)
Putting a Fat Cat on a Safe Diet	101	(2)
Exercising Your Cat	103	(3)
Keeping Your Cat Healthy	106	(32)
Choosing a Veterinarian	106	(1)
Signs of Illness in the Cat	106	(2)
Preventive Health Care	108	(3)
Feline Diseases	111	(7)
Internal Parasites	118	(3)
External Parasites	121	(5)
Feline Vital Signs	126	(1)
Allergies in Cats	127	(1)
Feline Dental Care	128	(2)
Medicating Your Cat	130	(1)
Preventing Hair Balls	131	(2)
Feline First Aid	133	(3)
Euthanasia and Pet Loss	136	(2)
Grooming Your Cat	138	(9)
The Purpose of Fur	138	(1)
Benefits of Grooming	138	(1)
Seasonal Shedding	139	(1)
Grooming Tools	140	(1)
Introduction to Grooming	140	(3)
Trimming Claws	143	(1)
Bathing Your Cat	144	(3)
Understanding Your Cat	147	(19)
Cat Language	147	(3)
The Cat's Primary Senses	150	(4)
Balance and the Righting Reflex	154	(1)
Sleeping Habits	154	(1)
Hunting Habits	155	(1)
Territorial Marking Behaviors	156	(5)
Handling House-soiling	161	(3)
Social Behaviors in Multicat Households	164	(2)
How Cats Reproduce	166	(12)
Breeding Purebreds	166	(1)
The Feline Facts of Life	167	(3)
Preparing for Birth	170	(1)
Delivering Kittens	170	(2)
Trouble Signs During Birth	172	(1)
Kitten Development	173	(2)
Basic Feline Genetics	175	(1)
Professional Breeding Strategies	176	(1)
Registering a Purebred Litter	177	(1)
Showing Your Cat	178	(10)
Breed Standards	178	(1)
How a Cat Show Is Organized	179	(1)
Types of Shows and Classes	180	(2)
Getting Started in Cat Shows	182	(2)
The Day of the Show	184	(1)
Traveling to Shows with Your Cat	184	(3)
Responsible Pet Ownership	187	(1)
Useful Addresses and Literature	188	(4)
Index	192