Reddit Reddit reviews Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss

We found 14 Reddit comments about Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss
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14 Reddit comments about Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss:

u/AtLeastImGenreSavvy · 16 pointsr/cats

What a little cutie! I have 2 cats, and this book has helped me immensely.

You may want to consider building an outdoor cat shelter. It's easy and fairly inexpensive. If you're looking to adopt this kitty, place an article of clothing belonging to you or your fiance in the shelter; this will help the kitty get used to you.

Best of luck, and keep the rest of us in the loop!

u/kt-bug17 · 15 pointsr/AmItheAsshole

Good luck to you!

If your parents allow you to keep the cat I would highly encourage you to check out some resources on cat behavior and cat care, as many people new to cats don’t really know as much as they think they know.

Basic important information you need to know off the bat:

  • Remember that your cat is not a dog. Oftentimes people not familiar with cats try to treat the cat like it’s a small dog that meows, which leads to lots of stress and frustration on the cat and the owner’s parts. Cats are cats- their behaviors, body language, thought process, and needs are different than canines and it’s not fair to the cat to expect it to act like what it’s not. Appreciate your cat for the awesome animal that it is.
  • DON’T DECLAW!! It is a barbaric procedure that involves amputating the tips of the cat’s toes, and leads to painful joints and behavioral issues later on. Scratching furniture and people can be prevented through training, and being aware of how to properly interact with the cat. Items like Sticky Paws furniture tape and Soft Paws claw caps are useful tools to prevent furniture scratching.
  • Provide the cat with a good sturdy scratching post and some way to get up high, either using cat furniture or shelves. That way they have territory they can “claim” and feel confident in your home.
  • Don’t free feed (where you keep their bowl filled with food 24/7). This is how you end up with a fat cat, as cats will continue to eat all day even when they’re not really hungry. Figure out what is the proper daily portion of food for your cat and divide that up into 2-3 meals throughout the day.
  • Play with your cat EVERY DAY! This is one of the most important things you can do for your kitty! Sooooo many cat behavioral problems can be totally avoided or gotten rid of by simply playing with your cat and allowing them to get rid of all their built up energy.
  • Clean the litter box yourself EVERY DAY!! Do not get lazy with this chore and make sure you do it without having to be asked first!!!! This will help prevent “going outside the litter box” issues (as cats don’t want to use a filthy, stinky bathroom anymore than you do) and will make your parents more likely to allow you to keep the cat. Something like a Litter Genie makes cleaning the litter box easier, as then you only have to take the waste to the trash once a week-ish instead of every day.

    My recommendations for more info on cats:

  • Jackson Galaxy. Amazing cat behaviorist who’s videos are super helpful in explaining cat behaviors and addressing issues! Definitely watch his videos on playtime, petting your cat, and feeding.
  • Cat Behavior Associates. Great website with detailed information on cat behavior and training.
  • Think Like A Cat. This book is a handy guide on everything related to cat ownership- health, behavior, communication, food, cat furniture, etc.
u/meowcatninja · 6 pointsr/CatAdvice

Personally I would stay away from Scottish Folds, the "fold" in their ear is a deformity that has been breed into them and can be painful for the cat and lead to other health problems. Some countries are even considering banning the breeding of them because its cruel to the animal.

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It sounds like you are going to be getting the kitten from a breeder (its the only way to know for sure what breed of cat you are getting since they have papers, cats from a shelter are going to be considered domestic short or long hair since they don't have papers). Please make sure that you do your research on the breeder, you don't want to use a back yard breeder. Questions to ask; are the kittens/cattery registered with TICA, are the kittens raised under foot, what diseases and genetic conditions do you test for, what is the health warranty? A respectable breeder would never let a kitten go home before 14 weeks old, anyone that says the kitten can go home before that should not be trusted.

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If the kitten is going to be left alone for that amount of time expect it to get into everything and cause trouble while you are gone. The kitten can be left alone and end up fine but you have to leave it with a range of toys to play with and make sure that you are spending a lot of time with it when you are home.

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For litter, use Dr Elseys Ultra, it cost more but you will never have a problem with smell as long as you are cleaning it ever day. I use a simple litter box I got at the Dollar Store, you don't need anything fancy.

https://www.chewy.com/dr-elseys-precious-cat-ultra/dp/32362?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Dr.%20Elsey%27s&utm_campaign=hg

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Nails should be trimmed every two weeks or so, you can tell when they start to get really sharp again and need it. I hold my cat on my lap with her belly up and do one paw at a time. If she is fighting me I will wrap her in a blanket and remove one paw at a time. Make sure that you are getting your kitten used to her paws and nails being touched and it will make the process a lot easier as she gets older. When you are holding her just gently rub her paws every so often.

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Make sure you are brushing regularly, especially if you get a long hair breed like a Ragdoll, matts suck and are hard to remove.

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Items you will defiantly need, cat tree, scratching post, a horizontal cardboard scratch pad and a mix of toys.

This is a great scratching post, its large, hard to knock over and you can get the optional seat to attach to the top of it.

https://www.amazon.com/SmartCat-3832-Ultimate-Scratching-Post/dp/B000634MH8/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=cat+post&qid=1549895273&s=gateway&sr=8-16

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Dry food is horrible for cats, its like eating fast food for every meal. It causes dehydration, kidney and bladder problems, obesity and diabetes. Please feed the highest quality wet food that you can afford.

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Please make sure that you get the kitten nurtured and keep it inside at all times (unless you are going to train it to walk on a leash). Cats that are let outside have a dramatically lower life expectancy.

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Do not declaw, not only is it cruel but it causes a lot of behavior problems, you can teach the kitten to not scratch the furniture by using treats. When it is scratching something its not supposed to pick them up and place them by the post/scratch pad and use your fingers to show them what to do. When they use the post/pad give then a treat right away.

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For a first time cat owner I highly recommend reading this book, it goes over everything that you need to know.

https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=how+to+raise+a+well+adjusted+cat&qid=1549894696&s=gateway&sr=8-1

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u/atrophying · 5 pointsr/booksuggestions

Pam Johnson-Bennett has written several books about feline behavior. Most of them are for dealing with problematic behavior, but Think Like a Cat is her general care guide. I highly recommend her books; I've had cats all my life and her books are the best I've read.

u/unraveledyarn · 3 pointsr/cats

I always recommend getting this book, you don’t have to read it cover to cover it has a great index for different topics and stages in life.

Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143119796/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SBqxCb0QCT0KV

u/midwintermoons · 3 pointsr/Wicca

Shadow is probably very stressed out right now. Moving houses is a nightmare for cats because they depend on everything being the same from day to day. There are four things I would recommend looking into.

First is, if I'm understanding correctly, she has free access to the entire house, but only hisses in your bedroom? If that's the case, have there ever been any other cats or dogs kept in that bedroom? Could there be another cat's scent in there, maybe from a cat spraying or having litter box problems? A black light flashlight can help you find these spots on the carpet and walls if they're there, and then you can use an enzymatic cleaning product called Nature's Miracle to remove the scent. Remember, cats can smell things that we can't.

One of the pheremonal calming products people have been mentioning is Feliway. I think you could really benefit from a diffuser for your room. I know it says it's for scratching and urine marking, but it works for stress in general. It does also come in sprays which you can spray on certain things like cat carriers, furniture, etc. but supposedly it does need pretty frequent application, just so you know. Don't be discouraged if the diffuser doesn't seem to work right away. It can take a week or more but I've seen a definite improvement for my cats.

You might also want to pick up a book called Think Like a Cat, or something similar. There are so many things we as humans do that cats find threatening, startling, upsetting, etc. and we don't even know it. The truth is that she is hissing at you for a reason, whether it's the way you're approaching her, something she now associates with you, who knows. I bet you could figure it out with some insight from a good source.

One final thing that's pretty important. Cats who hiss, growl, or jump when touched sometimes are doing so because they're in pain. Pay attention to how exactly she's reacting to you. Especially since you say she has a heart problem, it's possible that she is physically uncomfortable. You may want to explain what's happening to your vet and see if they can find a physical cause.

And of course... a little sprinkling of fairy dust for luck ;)

u/ihaveafajita · 3 pointsr/Pets

My kitten is 8 months old, and I move her constantly (partially out of necessity, partially to train her into it). I got her at 4 months, she spent a week at my apartment, and then I went to see my family for the holidays. My parents are divorced so I was shuffling between two houses the entire time. She was so young that this was not stressful at the time, and now she is used to it. I think she also sees her carrier as "home". This weekend I took her to my SO's new apartment, she spent maybe half an hour investigating everything and then settled in and started treating it like her home (still very curious though).

A couple of side notes:

  • I picked her for her outgoing and curious nature specifically, I love all cats but find the super timid ones exhausting. My kitten was also found alone at 1 month old, so she was raised by people and is very comfortable with them. She's a weird cat, but perfect for me.

  • I train using positive reinforcement. When I drive with her, I give her treats at regular intervals. Whenever she meets a new person, they give her a treat. When we go to a new place, I put out food for her immediately. I don't punish her for bad behavior, I just ignore it until she stops (it's worked so far) so she hasn't had a reason to be scared of me.

    I agree with others' advice about getting a kitten. Normally I'd say get an older cat as a student, they are less time-consuming and expensive, but if you have the resources get a kitten for sure. You will be able to train your cat so they are comfortable with your lifestyle. I also highly recommend Think Like a Cat, I read through it before picking up my kitten and it helped me with strategies for training her. I have owned cats before, but she is my first baby.
u/jbixler · 2 pointsr/CatAdvice

We just recently took in a new kitten (Turbo) who is a couple of weeks older than yours. We were initially having very similar problems with constant biting.

The good news? It seems to be totally normal. From what I’ve read, there’s a ton of developmental stuff that happens between 7 to 12 weeks of age—specifically regarding kittens learning a restrained bite from play-fighting with their litter mates. Unfortunately our little balls of teeth and fury didn’t get those experiences, and thus are working through that phase on our hands, arms, and legs.

The bad news? It’s going to take a lot of patience and consistency from you and your family over the next few weeks, but this behavior can (and absolutely must) be trained out of them. Here’s what we’ve been doing that seems to be working thus far:

  • Get some toys on wands or sticks that you can use with Yonah to ensure that when you are playing with her (and you should be playing with her, multiple times a day) that your hands are far removed from the “area of attack.” Check out toys like Da Bird or the Bamboozler.

  • Never, never, never use your hands to wrestle with Yonah. It’s important that she learn that hands are only for loving/caretaking activites (and not biting), so don’t undermine your efforts by either you or yourself rough-housing with her with your hands. Trust me—kitten bites are bad, but adult cat bites are much, much more painful!

  • When Yonah bites you, you need to redirect her attention to something else. Some cats respond well to stuffed animals that they can grab and wrestle with, so go to PetSmart and get a large stuffed toy that you can give to Yonah whenever she starts biting. Hopefully she’ll prefer to bite that versus arms/hands/legs.

  • When Yonah bites you, she needs to learn that it hurts you. In her litter, either her mom or the other kittens would make sure she knew by correcting the behavior if it had gone too far. You will probably read a ton of different suggestions on how to do this, so try a few and see what elicits a response. One thing you should try is to completely freeze when Yonah bites you. It’s no fun to wrestle and bite something that isn’t wriggling and moving, so hold your hand or arm very still and stiff when she starts biting. Some folks suggest accompanying this with a loud yelp of pain to make the cat aware that their actions are hurting, but this has seemed to have no effect on Turbo. What does work, though, is a very loud, very scary hiss that we have been making right in his face whenever the biting starts. I felt horrible doing this the first couple of times because it scared the living daylights out of him, but sure enough it has helped reduce the biting to almost nothing in the 2 weeks we’ve been doing it.

    If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett. When we got our first cat, it helped me understand so much about their behavior and how to communicate effectively. I highly recommend it!

    Good luck!
u/BeartholomewTheThird · 2 pointsr/SeattleWA

this is a book

u/valkyriav · 1 pointr/Pets

Taking care of any pet is hard.

Similarly to dogs, cats need training and stimulation. If not, you may end up scratched and bitten, just because the poor kitty doesn't know any better, just like a dog may bite if not trained not to. It's a bit easier to handle an older cat that is chill and already trained, but they will still need playing with for 1 hour a day, plus cuddling, feeding, and scooping up the litter box daily. You have to monitor how much they eat and drink, and make sure they poo and pee enough, otherwise take them to the vet.

If you will be away for so long, it may be a good idea to get 2 cats, so they don't feel lonely. This is critical if you have kittens and want to keep your sanity, but recommended even with adults.

Please read up on it before getting a cat. There are a ton of things you should know, so you don't end up with a bitey scratchy kitty that ruins your apartment and pees everywhere. I usually recommend this book, as it really helped me understand cats better. Cats don't do anything without a good reason, and if you understand that, then you can understand how to correct unwanted behavior, or redirect it towards something more appropriate.

Also, keep in mind that a cat is a long-term commitment. Cats nowadays can live 20+ years. Don't be the person that adopts a cat while actually wanting a dog and then decides to abandon it in a few months.

If you really want a dog, there are people who hold 9-5 jobs and still have dogs. Some of them hire someone to walk their dog once a day at lunch, but not all. Rescue a dog from the shelter. You will give them a better life, even if you are away for most of the day.

u/Soylent_Greenberg · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Let me recommend a good book.

It's called THINK LIKE A CAT.

I don't agree with everything the author says, but mostly she gives a lot of good practical advice.

u/sgwizdak · 1 pointr/cats

These two are general guides on cats. Both are very good:
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014200281X

This is a book on clicker training, I haven't tried the techniques, but the book seems good:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890948144