Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet

by John Bradshaw

Overview

Based on cutting edge science, this bestselling book on the inner lives of cats is "for any who may wonder what their feline companions are really thinking" (The New York Times).

In Cat Sense, renowned anthrozoologist John Bradshaw takes us further into the mind of the domestic cat than ever before, using cutting-edge scientific research to dispel lingering myths and explain the true nature of our feline friends.

Tracing the cat's evolution from lone predator to domesticated companion, Bradshaw shows that although cats and humans have lived together for eight thousand years, cats remain independent, predatory, and wary of contact with their own kind, qualities that often clash with our modern lifestyles. To live in harmony with our cats, Bradshaw explains, we first need to understand their inherited quirks including understanding their body language, and managing both their natural hunting instincts and their relationships with other cats.

A must-read for any cat lover, Cat Sense offers humane, penetrating insights about the domestic cat that challenge our most basic assumptions and promise to dramatically improve our pets' lives — and ours.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465064960
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	09/09/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	662,565
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

John Bradshaw is the foundation director of the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol, and author of the New York Times bestsellers Cat Sense and Dog Sense and coauthor of The Trainable Cat. He lives in Southampton, England.

Editorial Reviews

"For any who may wonder what their feline companions are really thinking, Cat Sense, by John Bradshaw, provides the best answers that science can give."—New York Times

"A definitively guide to the origins, evolution and modern-day needs of our furry friends."—Cat Fancy

"An indispensable addition to the cat-lore canon."—NPR, Book of the Year

"[Bradshaw] cracks an enigma: the feline mind. A must for owners wondering how Fluffy really feels about them."—People

"Insightful.... Using cutting-edge research, Bradshaw takes us into the mysterious mind of the domestic cat, explaining the cat's nature and needs, and, in doing, so deepens our understanding of our wild housemates and improves our relationships with them."—Modern Cat

"In his wide-ranging new book, Cat Sense, English anthrozoologist John Bradshaw calls on all his scientific resources to interpret our enigmatic felines for the 21st century —a restrictive era far removed from the predatory instincts of these not-quite-domesticated animals."—Globe and Mail

"[A] thoughtful, useful and utterly absorbing book."—Guardian

"[Bradshaw] deftly sums up the latest science that attempts to discover what's going on inside the kitty brain.... A careful read can help a cat owner understand why cats don't get along, guide efforts in training and even reveal what's behind kitty's favorite toy."—Science News

"[Bradshaw] offers plenty of insights into what makes your tabby purr and how those insights can make a difference in your domestic life.... The understanding you gain should make for a happier cat-human household."—Natural History

"This fascinating book will be a bible for cat owners."—Booklist, starred review

"You could buy a dozen books by the many cat whisperers, cat gurus and cat therapists that exist in our feline-obsessed modern world, but their accumulated wisdom would probably not help you understand your cats—where they've come from, what they want from you, and where they might be going, if we're not careful—as well as Cat Sense."—Observer

"[A] go-to cat guide in one easy read.... For cat lovers, this book gives a vital look into the perspective of the cat.... The insight this book provides will not only help cat companions better understand their pet, it will allow them to create an ideal living situation for their cat. Keeping your cat happy and stress-free will ensure a comfortable home for everyone."—Global Animal

"[Bradshaw] engagingly synthesizes recent academic research about cats.... Readable, practical, and original, this is likely to become the go-to book for understanding cat behavior."—Publishers Weekly

"Cat Sense, a well-researched reference book (chock-full of lovely illustrations) delves into fascinating insights into the feline mind and their physical evolution to the present day."—Cat Wisdom 101

"This fascinating book is one of the finest ever written about cats. There was hardly a page where I did not learn something new, and John Bradshaw's many practical suggestions are truly excellent. Any cat lover is bound to discover in it much that is useful, interesting, and entertaining."—Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of When Elephants Weep and The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats

From the Publisher

…for any who may wonder what their feline companions are really thinking, Cat Sense…provides the best answers that science can give for the time being…the writing in general is clear…Cat Sense will teach you much about the biology of cats that you never suspected.

The New York Times - Nicholas Wade

Bradshaw (Dog Sense), foundation director of the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol, engagingly synthesizes recent academic research about cats. Chapters covering the origins of cat domestication, feline emotions, and behavior, and the challenges cats face in the future, balance kernels of facts with thoughtful and surprisingly analyses. For example, Bradshaw recounts the evolution from wild cat to domesticated animal: the invention of storage facilities for grain attracted rodent pests, which in turn attracted wild cats, who eventually became reliant on the perpetual food source of rats and mice, and became domesticated over time. Contrary to popular belief, a cat’s purr is not a sign of contentment; rather, it is a request for “someone else, whether cat or human, to do something for it,” such as prolonging “the circumstances that are making” the cat contented. Bradshaw convincingly argues that cats are not—or should not be—low-maintenance, and that their reputation for being so is a barrier to their owners spending the time needed to train them. Readable, practical, and original, this is likely to become the go-to book for understanding cat behavior. Agent: Patrick Walsh, Conville & Walsh. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

11/01/2013
It's only natural that British anthrozoologist Bradshaw (foundation director, Anthrozoology Inst., Univ. of Bristol, England; Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet) would pen a complementary book for cat lovers. With more than 30 years of experience studying animal behavior, he is able to convey valuable information to cat owners, regardless of their experience with the species, that will assist them in providing the stable physical environment that cats crave, as well as promoting the healthiest of relationships between cat and owner. An unusual goal of the author is also to project what the typical cat might be like 50 years from now. Within 11 enlightening chapters, Bradshaw offers the reader thorough material on a wide range of topics, including what it means for a cat to be domestic, how cats think and feel, how they act when together and when alone, and how cats relate to their owners. Comprehensive notes and further reading will give general audiences, to whom this title is geared, further resources to consult; they will also benefit from the detailed index. VERDICT This volume is not about the overall health, care, and feeding of cats; rather, it is about behavior for the average pet owner and, as such, balances out more academic works such as Bradshaw's The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat or Dennis Turner and Patrick Bateson's The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behavior.—Edell Marie Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI

Library Journal

A cat-loving anthrozoologist probes "the cat's true nature." Bradshaw (Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet, 2011) worries about the future of domestic cats, "the most popular pet in the world today." Until recently, their tendency to hunt small prey, such as mice and snakes, has added to their value for homeowners, overshadowing their predatory behavior toward small animals and birds. Not so today, as the decline of wild species has become an increasing concern. Historically, dogs and cats have been valued for different qualities, and their paths to domestication were also different. Dogs evolved from relatively tame wolves that lived in packs. They readily worked in tandem with humans as hunters, herders and guard dogs. Cats evolved from solitary, wild cats that defended their own territories. The author traces their domestication to the Middle East and the agrarian revolution. As grains were stored, house mice evolved to take advantage of the food supply, and cats were attracted by the opportunity to hunt the mice. They were valued as exterminators, but their kittens were adopted as pets. Bradshaw contends that although urban house cats are affectionate and can appear more independent and easier to manage, owners frequently do not pay sufficient attention to their socialization. While dogs befriend unrelated dogs, cats do not; therefore, the author suggests that, if possible, two cats from the same litter be placed together. Since their access to the outdoors is being increasingly restricted and, in urban environments, cats are no longer needed to control mice, it is important to provide them with companionship and an enriched play environment. A useful guide to help cat lovers better understand their elusive pets.

Kirkus Reviews