Let’s start:
In the book’s introduction, Mieshelle discusses what the definition of a cat is. She claims that cats are trusting and relaxed, sociable and secure. A cat is its own being. They are not valued as much as dogs, due to a misunderstanding as to why cats do what they do. This includes when cats misbehave with inappropriate behaviors. The sad truth as a result of this lack of understanding, cats end up in shelters, abandoned or euthanized. However, according to Mieshelle, there is behavioral help for cats where medications are for the most part NOT necessary (although there are exceptions, which are discussed in later chapters of the book). When you change the environment, you change the cat’s behavior. The bottom line is “you can’t make a cat do what you want, but you can change your own behavior slightly to get a result that makes you both happy” (p.8).
Throughout the introduction, Mieshelle talked about how she would observe and interact with wild cats starting at a young age. She gained a lot of experience getting to know these wild cats. During one of those experiences, she learned the art and meaning of slow blinking. As a result of her love for cats, Mieshelle became a veterinary assistant, which led her to taking care of cats. While caring for cats, she discovered that cat owners needed solutions to cat behavior problems, which led to her current love of being a cat behaviorist.
The lesson she learned through her experiences with thousands of cats and clients around the world, in helping them resolve their cat’s behaviors, was “that unwanted behavior is often the result of something the owner has done.” or keep doing” (p. 22). Owners must take full responsibility for their cat, the environment, and resolving behaviors.
When I first read the introductory chapter, it was a huge pill to swallow. I had to re-read the part on p. 22 about the owner is responsible for the cats to behave as they are. I absolutely LOVE my cats. They are my children and I believed that I was doing what was best for them. The reason I turned to this book is because of the following: as I said before, I have four cats. Zippy is currently on a Nuturecalm collar for over-grooming issues and anxieties. Wolverine can only receive home visits from the vet due to aggressive behaviors. Snoopy also has problems when he stays in the bedroom. Biskers is a cat who enjoys hanging out in the man cave (my normal). To help solve the behavioral problems that Zippy and Wolverine display, I’ve decided to dig into this book and put my pride aside and try these solutions.
