The Total Cat: Understanding Your Cat’s Physical and Emotional Behavior from Kitten to Old Age, by Carole C. Wilbourn. Quill, 2000

Despite the title, this book is more about the psychological side of the cat, rather than the physical, although the physical is certainly in there. The author of this book had been a cat therapist for more than 20 years at the time she wrote the book, so this is a natural for her. She discusses feline emotions and personalities, dealing with problem behaviors, introducing new members to the family- be they cats, dogs, babies or adults, and even socializing feral cats. It’s sound in most spots, but I had a couple of disagreements with her; one is the use of homeopathic remedies for fear and anxiety, which while harmless I don’t feel work; and her method of bringing a new kitten into the house with an existing cat which involves leaving the kitten alone in the house with the new kitten for several hours the first day, trusting the existing cat to take care of himself and the kitten. I feel that can be very traumatic for the kitten, who has not only a new cat to deal with but a new environment and a loss of it’s former family.