Is Your Cat Crazy?
Dr. John Wright, a psychologist, is one of the earliest pet therapists. As a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, he’s enjoyed a successful veterinary referral house-calls practice in Atlanta since 1980. His book Is Your Cat Crazy?: Solutions from the casebook of a Cat Therapist (co-written by Judi Wright Lashnits) is filled with case studies told in an easy to read conversational style. There’s a wealth of information but I’d love to see an updated version. Not especially holistic, he advocates psychotropic drugs for behavioral issues. While some meds work in extreme cases, I believe other avenues need to be explored first.
He writes about common behavioral issues with an emphasis on litter box issues. He says cats need three things for litter box success: cleanliness, privacy and escape potential. There are some crazy cats from hell but most cats respond to simple behavioral approaches.
CONTENTS
1. In Search of the Perfect Cat.
2. Secrets of Litter-Box Success.
3. The Crime of Punishment.
4. Eating Habits Weird and Wonderful.
5. Can You Teach a Cat Good Behavior?
6. Beware of the Attack Cat!
7. Top Cat, Bottom Cat: Challenges of the Multiple-Cat Household.
8. Inside Cats, Outside Agitators.
9. Life-styles of Stressed-Out Felines.
10.”Don’t Blame Me–I Have a Note from the Doctor”.
11. When Bad Things Happen to Good Cats: Getting
Past Traumatic Events.
12. Hatred, Revenge, and Inflexible Felines.
Published by Macmillan in 1994. 227 pages.
Rating: 3 Paws.
7 Comments
Deb Steckly
I will look for this book. I think every cat behaviour problem can be turned around with love and patience.
Cheysuli
We were wondering the same thing. The version we have at our library is back from 1994. Even in behavior we have come a long way in understanding–however we placed a hold on it anyway as it looks interesting.
boomermuse
It’s worth it for the variety of case studies. You can’t beat his kind of experience.
Caren Gittleman
There is no way I can state what I am feeling/thinking better than Ingrid did above:
“I agree that drugs should always be a last resort, and, as we’ve seen in Jackson Galaxy’s “Cat from Hell,” even hard core behavior cases can respond to environmental changes and play therapy without the intervention of drugs.”
In my opinion there are NO “crazy” cats, just the people who live with them that have a hand in making them “appear” to be “crazy” All living beings are unique and different. We all have our idiosyncrasies. They should be celebrated, not labeled.
boomermuse
Caren, I agree. I’d like to see the word “crazy” reframed regarding both cats and their guardians and that includes crazy cat ladies.
Brian
Too bad it’s not on Kindle, I’d read it fur sure!
Ingrid King
It would be nice to have an updated version. I always hesitate to even read books that are as “old” as this one – seven years is a long time when it comes to veterinary medicine, and there have been a lot of changes, especially when it comes to psychotropic drugs.
I agree that drugs should always be a last resort, and, as we’ve seen in Jackson Galaxy’s “Cat from Hell,” even hard core behavior cases can respond to environmental changes and play therapy without the intervention of drugs.