Competability: A Practical Guide to Building a Peaceable Kingdom Between Cats and Dogs - Softcover

Shojai, Amy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0609800884 ISBN 13: 9780609800881

Publisher: Three Rivers Press, 1998

Synopsis

More than 15 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannot--and must not--be treated in the same way.
        
Fun, practical, and eminently informative, Competability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequently between the two species.
        
Most important, Competability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relationships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.

About this title

About the Author

AMY D. SHOJAI is a former veterinary technician and the author of ten pet books, including The Cat Companion and The Dog Companion. She has been a contributing editor for Cat Fancy and CATS Magazine and is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Mark Francis Awards from the Texas Veterinary Medical Association.

She is the founder and president of the International Cat Writers' Association. She lives
in Sherman, Texas.

From the Back Cover

"A new light and enlightened beam is shining from Texas lately and her name is Amy Shojai. She has added a touch of elegance as well as touching depth to the genre of dog and cat writing. I am a fan."
--Mordecai Siegal, editor of The Cornell Book of Cats and The Davis Book of Dogs

"Amy Shojai is one of America's foremost writers of pet care information. She is truly compassionate and caring about her subject and that shines through loud and clear in all she does. Her information is well researched, topical, and practical. I trust Amy and love her work."         
--Dr. Jim Humphries, veterinarian and author of Dr. Jim's Animal Clinic for Dogs and Dr. Jim's Animal Clinic for Cats
        

From the Inside Flap

million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannot--and must not--be treated in the same way.

Fun, practical, and eminently informative, Competability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequen

Reviews

It's a classic cartoon situation (dog chases cat, cat hisses at dog), based on the notion that these two species cannot get along. Yet there are some 15 million "interspecies" households in the U.S., more or less successfully dealing with the genuine differences between Rover and Kittykat. Former veterinary technician Shojai, who has written books and articles on each species, works to improve those households' success by explaining a range of similarities and differences. After an introductory section on "the people-pet partnership," she outlines the species' differences in senses, hunting, and sex ("Cats Are from Venus, Dogs Are from Mars"), their behavioral differences in eating and grooming habits and reactions to illness ("Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed"), and social and cultural issues that affect behavior, training, and cat-dog conflict ("Canine Culture and Feline Language"). Brief but helpful appendixes list the danger signals (and cancer symptoms) for both species, describe each species' life signs and suggested vaccination timings, and compare common illnesses. Mary Carroll

Edition details

• Publisher: Three Rivers Press
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0609800884
• ISBN 13: 9780609800881
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240