In praise of author's previous book: "I couldn't think of a single question that wasn't answered helpfully by this excellent book." -Elizabeth Marshall Thomas "Here's a book your cat would have written for you. Anyone who has a cat, wants a cat or wants to know a cat should read this loving, lucid, comprehensive handbook. It's a gem." -Sy Montgomery In 1985, silently as fog on little cat feet, cats padded past dogs as America's most popular domestic companion animal. While cat owners love their purring, fuzzy friends, cats can have another, rather unpleasant, side. Some cats spray; defecate and urinate on carpets, in corners, in shoes, on visitors' leather jackets; shred upholstery; chomp houseplants; ambush guests; caterwaul at all hours; and scratch and bite children, sometimes causing serious injuries and infections. Skeptics will claim that it's impossible to train a cat. Happily, Wendy Christensen knows they're wrong. True, cats are intelligent, adaptable, patient, independent, stubborn, observant, and extremely quick learners. But they're also remarkably self-interested and quick to exploit a good deal. Outwitting a cat means persuading the cat that what you want is also what he wants. Whatever your immediate, urgent specific cat problem-aggression, bullying, clinginess, refusal to eat-you'll find answers here. Wendy Christensen can tell you what works-and what doesn't. What to do right away-and what never to do. She'll share tips and cat-and-owner-tested secrets to reversing, redirecting, and solving-for good-even the thorniest behavior problems. And she'll tell you how to head off future problems, simply by understanding how your cat thinks.