A Kid's Guide to Cats

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Deanna F. Cook and Lisa H. Hiley

Art direction and book design by Alethea Morrison

Indexed by Nancy D. Wood

Cover photography by © Andrey Kuzmin/Alamy Stock Photo, back; © Ekaterina Kolomeets/stock .adobe.com, spine; © sonsedskaya/stock.adobe .com, front; © Stegarau/iStock.com, front (eyes)

Interior photography by Mars Vilaubi

Additional photography credits

Craft styling by Liseann Karandisecky

Illustrations by © Ryan Wheatcroft

Text © 2020 by Arden Moore

Ebook production by Slavica A. Walzl

Ebook version 1.0

March 17, 2020

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Moore, Arden, author.

Title: A kid's guide to cats : how to train, care for, and play and communicate with your amazing pet! / Arden Moore.

Description: North Adams : Storey Publishing, 2020. | Includes index. | Audience: Ages 8–12 | Audience: Grades 2–3 | Summary: "This fun and practical cat care book written just for kids will guide young cat owners in how to take care of their feline friends"— Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019041930 (print) | LCCN 2019041931 (ebook) | ISBN 9781635861013 (paperback) | ISBN 9781635861020 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781635861037 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Cats—Juvenile literature. | Cats—Training—Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC SF447 .M675 2020 (print) | LCC SF447 (ebook) | DDC 636.8—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019041930

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019041931

I honor all the cats in my life, past and present, who have taught me many valuable life lessons.

Special appreciation goes to my "writing partner" for this book, my confident orange tabby, best known as Pet Safety Cat Casey.

A big paws-up also goes to my pet-loving family, especially Julie, Kevin, Karen, Rick, Deb, and Jill.

Contents

Hi, kids!

1. My Cat, My Pal

2. Make a Happy Home for Your Cat

3. School Time for Your Cat

4. Be Your Cat's Best Health Ally

Answers to Trivia Quizzes

Resources

Metric Conversions

Recommended Reading

Acknowledgments

Index

Additional Photography

Be Your Pet's Best Pal with More Books by Arden Moore

Share Your Experience!

Hi, kids!

Cats are cool. You know it. I know it. And cats certainly know it!

Ever since I was eight years old, I've been fortunate to always have a cat or two in my life. My childhood cat, Corky, was a friendly, adventurous Siamese. He joined me each time I fished off the pier in our backyard lake in Crown Point, Indiana. He loved eating bluegill fish I caught. He also enjoyed swimming with our two dogs to the raft in the middle of our small lake. When we kids were done swimming, I would place Corky back in the water and he would happily paddle back to shore, using his long tail as a rudder. Once back on land, Corky shook each wet paw and found a sunny spot to finish grooming.

Since Corky, I've had cats named Samantha, Murphy, Callie, Little Guy (a.k.a. Dude), Zeki, Mikey, Mort, and now Casey. Each one had a different purr-sonality, and each one made my life a bit better. And I know the special cat in your life does the same.

All cats deserve to feel safe, learn, and spend time with their favorite person — you! Casey and I are here to give you what you need to become your cat's best friend, whether you just got a new kitty or you have had a cat in the family for a long time. Time to unleash the learning and fun activities!

Paws up!

Whether you are about to adopt your first cat or are curious to learn more about the fine feline who already shares your home, one thing is clear: having a cat in your life offers you many benefits and can teach you important life lessons.

How do cats make your life better? For starters, a cat can be your BFF (that's best feline friend) who purrs on your lap and patiently listens to whatever you want to discuss. She can be there to comfort you when you are having a rough day or to cuddle with you when you are in bed getting over a cold.

Have you heard the saying "Laughter is the best medicine"? A cat can make you laugh out loud, especially when she is zooming around the house or playing inside an empty box or waiting in the bathtub for you to turn on the faucet so it goes drip-drip-drip. It's hard to feel sad or lonely when you have a cat to amuse and entertain you.

A cat can also teach you an important skill: patience. Because cats tend to be solitary in nature and many are somewhat shy, you'll learn to wait and chill out until your kitty is ready to play. You'll learn to approach her slowly and speak in a calm voice, so she'll want to hang out rather than dash from the room because you've startled her. Learning to zero in on her feelings and needs is good practice for being thoughtful of others, too.

Count on your cat to teach you responsibility as well. After all, your feline pal is counting on you to feed her, groom her, play with her, and, yes, keep her litter box clean.

Cats Are Good for Your Health!

Here are three major health benefits of having a cat in your life:

• Cats reduce stress and anxiety. Nervous about a big math test? Turn to your purring four-legger. A petting session with your cat can release calming brain chemicals, lower blood pressure, and slow your heart rate. Pretty cool!
• You may suffer fewer allergies (achoo!). Kids exposed to cats at a young age are less likely to develop various allergies, including to dust mites, ragweed, and grass.
• Purring is one of the most comforting, soothing sounds in the world. The sound has even been known to help people with joint injuries.

Let Your Cat Be a Cat

One of the best gifts you can give your cat is to not treat him like a little person or a funny-looking dog. Cats think, act, and behave differently than humans and dogs. It's important to treat your cat like the fine, furry feline he is!

Unlike dogs, cats are not born pleasers. Here are five other important differences between cats and dogs.

1. 1.Cats are solitary hunters and, while they are social, they don't need other pets or people to feel content. Dogs hunt in packs and usually feel happier with company.
2. 2.Cats tend to be more active at dawn and dusk (this is called being crepuscular). Dogs are more active during the day (diurnal).
3. 3.Even affectionate cats typically prefer to stay behind when you leave the house. Most dogs like to be wherever their favorite people are and don't mind exploring new places.
4. 4.The vast majority of cats instinctively know how to use a litter box once you show them where it is (and as long as you keep it clean). Dogs need lots of help to develop their house-training skills.
5. 5.Cats make a wide variety of sounds (up to 100, according to some research!), while dogs have a more limited "vocabulary" of about 20 sounds. But dogs have a much larger range of facial expressions.

A Very Brief Hiss-tory Lesson

Cats have had a love/loathe relationship with people for centuries. Cats are very patient and are masters at observing what goes on around them. That may explain in part why they waited about ten thousand years after dogs were domesticated to enter into a partnership with people. First domesticated about nine thousand years ago in Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. But in Europe in the Middle Ages, cats were falsely linked to witchcraft and superstition, and thousands of them were killed.

Fortunately, cats eventually made their way back into humans' good graces. A big reason is that wherever people stored grain and foodstuffs, they needed cats to keep rodents at bay. For example, cats were important crew members aboard ships that explored the world — without cats, rats and mice would have eaten much of the sailors' food. Today, cats are among the most beloved and popular of pets. In fact, cats outnumber dogs in American households by 86 million to 78 million. Many are Instagram stars with millions of faithful followers. Sorry, Fido!

Cat Speak!

Kids and cats are friends all over the world. Impress your friends by learning how to say "cat" in these languages:

Nice to Meet You, Ms. Kitty

Even though cats have been domesticated for the past nine thousand years or so, many are cautious and a bit wary when first meeting someone. They are not going to gallop up like a goofy dog to say hello and accept you as a friend the first time you meet.

To successfully greet a cat at a shelter or at a friend's house, you need to honor the cardinal rule of feline introductions: let the cat make the first move. Even if you pride yourself as being a friendly, outgoing person, restrain yourself. Felines, whether they are outgoing or shy, prefer meeting people on their terms. That means no forced introductions. No wild gestures. No loud voices. No stare-downs. Any or all of these actions are apt to make the cat dash out of the room and into hiding.

Take It Slowly