Marty Becker D.V.M. - The Ultimate Cat Lover: The Best Experts Advice for a Happy, Healthy Cat with Stories and Photos of Fabulous Felines

Theres no misinterpretation: This is one happy cat.

Maggie Swanson. All rights reserved.

Kittens know theyre cute. Always.

Troy Snow. All rights reserved.

Napping is better with a friend.

Maggie Swanson. All rights reserved.

Life with a cat is always full of surprises.

Jennifer Crites. All rights reserved.

The Best Experts Advice for a
Happy, Healthy Cat with Stories and
Photos of Fabulous Felines

Marty Becker, D.V.M.
Gina Spadafori
Carol Kline
Mikkel Becker

Health Communications, Inc.
HCI Books, the Life Issues Publisher
Deerfield Beach, Florida

www.hcibooks.com
www.ultimatehcibooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
is available through the Library of Congress.

2008 Marty Becker, Gina Spadafori, Carol Kline, Mikkel Becker
eISBN-13: 978-0-7573-9785-1 (ebook) eISBN-10: 0-7573-9785-9 (ebook)

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

HCI, its logos, and its marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.

Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190

Cover Design: Larissa Hise Henoch
Cover Photo: Photographer: Rafal Glebowski / Agency: Dreamstime.com
Photo Editor: Justin Rotkowitz
Interior Design: Lawna Patterson Oldfield
Inside Formatting: Dawn Von Strolley Grove

We dedicate this book to every cat who
lavishes gifts on a human family.

To the families who make sure their cats health
and happiness is a priority.

To all members of the veterinary healthcare team
and everyone involved with animal treatment,
rescue, and rehabilitation.

To all healthcare providers who harness
the healing power of pets to improve
human health and well-being.

To the special love of cats as celebrated
in stories, photographs, memories,
and heartfelt emotions.

And finally to God for the gift of animals and the
life-affirming bond we share with them.

Is something Ultimately important to you?
Then we want to know about it....

We hope you enjoyed The Ultimate Cat Lover. We are planning many more books in the Ultimate series, each filled with entertaining stories, must-know facts, and captivating photos. Were always looking for talented writers to share slice-of-life true stories, creative photographers to capture images that a story cant tell, as well as top experts to offer their unique insights on a given topic.

For more information on submission guidelines, or to suggest a topic for an upcoming book, please visit the Ultimate website at www.ultimatehcibooks.com, or write to: Submission Guidelines, Ultimate Series, HCI Books, 3201 SW 15th St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.

For more information about other books by Health Communications, Inc., please visit www.hcibooks.com.

Contents

Mitzi Flyte

Suzanne Thomas Lawlor

Susan Farr-Fahncke

Jeanna Godfrey, D.V.M.

Jack Frye

Mary Lynne Hill

B. J. Taylor

Marty Becker, D.V.M.

Marcia E. Brown

Lisa Finch

Felice Prager

Nancy Edwards Johnson

Vanni Cappelli

Isabel Bearman Bucher

Roberta Beach Jacobson

Teresa Hoy

Gina Spadafori

Samantha Ducloux Waltz

Vogan

Cindy Buck

Sabrina Abercromby

Carol Kline

Dolores Kozielski

Beth Cato

Gregg Mayer

Susan Boskat Murray

Sandra L. Toney

Lucyann Murray

Rick Capone

Judy Merritt

Amy Mullis

Judi Moreo

Janet Vormittag

Diane M. Ciarloni

Bettina Kozlowski

Susan Tripp and Rolan Tripp, D.V.M.

Gary Landsberg, D.V.M.

Susan Little, D.V.M.

Robin Downing, D.V.M.

Rachael Carpenter, D.V.M.

Tony Buffington, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Liz Blackman

Troy Snow

Arnold Plotnick, D.V.M.

Jennifer Larsen, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Drew Weigner, D.V.M.

Jane Brunt, D.V.M

Dusty Rainbolt

Margie Scherk, D.V.M.

Amy Shojai

The Ultimate Coauthors

The Ultimate Coauthors

O f all the animals who have shared our lives for generations, we know the least about the cat.

That doesnt mean we love them any less; in fact, the air of mystery each cat carries is one of the reasons we love them so much. Cats have never changed to suit our desires. They play by their own rules, and we love and admire them for their independence of spirit.

Cats started hanging around with us because we were useful to them. Our switch from hunter-gatherers to farmers meant that we attracted lots of fat, little rodents to our grain stores. The cat has been welcome in our barns ever since, and by our hearths as well.

Few cats have to earn their living today, and many now have lives that keep them completely indoors, hunting for little beyond a warm place to sleep. More than twenty years have passed since the cat claimed the title of number-one pet over the dog, and the gap just keeps widening.

The closer we get to our cats, the more we find to love about them. Their company offers warm companionship, endless entertainment, and soothing comfort. Even science has documented the benefits: Pets in general, and cats in particular, are good for us in countless ways. They keep us busy, keep us from being lonely, and even help keep us healthier.