Learning the Secret Language of Cats Book Review

You're sitting at the computer and your cat comes up behind you and meows.  What does she want?  Or perhaps you walk into the living room to find your cat staring into space.  What's he thinking?  If you've ever wondered what your cat is trying to tell you, Learning the Secret Language of Cats: A Vet's Translation by Dr. Carol Teed can help.

Dr. Teed teaches readers how to decipher a cat's body language and verbal cues.  She also discusses important medical issues, such a Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, dental disease, and urinary tract issues.  Additionally, she talks about the risks and benefits of indoor and outdoor living for cats.

I really love that Dr. Teed uses her first-hand experiences as a veterinarian to illustrate the points she makes in her book.  She shares the lessons she's learned not only from her own cats but from her feline patients as well.  

Dr. Teed offers some very practical advice.  For instance, she discusses how important regular dental care is for cats and how dental health can affect the cat's overall medical condition.  She provides an interesting discussion about cat nutrition as well.  Unlike some cat books that read like technical manuals, this book has a conversational style, which I really appreciate.

I love that Dr. Teed is opinionated and passionate, and this is clear on every page of her book.  However, I did not agree with all of Dr. Teed's advice.  For example, though Dr. Teed warns readers of the risks of letting cats go outside, she also advocates for allowing cats go outside unsupervised.  She also mentions using shock collars and shock mats as ways to train cats not to engage in unwanted behaviors, such as hanging out on the counter.  To say that I disagree with these two practices is a serious understatement.  

About the Author: Dr. Carol Teed graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 1990.  She spent most of her career in feline specialty practice where she became fluent in the mysterious language of cats.  While observing cats through their accelerated life cycle, she became fascinated by their ability to bring positive change to the lives of those they interact with.  She currently lives in rural Niagara, Ontario, Canada with her husband, four children, two dogs, and three cats.  She is working on her second book and always has a cat on her lap and two looking over her shoulder. 

You can connect with Dr. Teed through her website, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Learning the Secret Language of Cats free of charge to review.  Receiving a copy of the book did not change my opinions in any way.  All opinions expressed are my own.