ComPETability! REVISED! Solve dog-cat aggression, potty problems & more

[Amyshojai]

Don't tell the cat, but she descented from the same furry critter as dogs (hisssss!). And don't tell dogs, but a cat wagging her tail does NOT mean what Fido thinks. Originally published by Three Rivers Press/Crown Publications, the updated 3rd edition Amazon Kindle book priced at only $5.99 is filled with the latest information on evolution, behavior, & training. ComPETability is MORE than a side-by-side comparison of the world's favorite pets that provides all the must-knows with humor, flair, and authority.

More than 30 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannot--and must not--be treated in the same way. Humans must be able to translate cat language for the dog (and vice versa) to help build a peaceable kingdom.

Fun, practical, and eminently informative, ComPETability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for dealing with the problems that arise most frequently between the two species. Most important, ComPETability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relationships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.

Author Amy Shojai, CABC http://www.shojai.com is a certified animal behavior consultant and author of 23 pet care books. She's a founder of the Cat Writers Association, member of the Dog Writers Association of America and award-winning columnist and media spokesperson to the pet products industry.

KUDOS:

"A new light and enlightened beam is shining from Texas lately and her name is Amy Shojai. She has added a touch of elegance as well as touching depth to the genre of dog and cat writing. I am a fan."
--Mordecai Siegal, the "father" of pet writing and authoro of more than 30 pet care books including the Cornell Book of Cats and The Davis Book of Dogs

"Amy Shojai is one of America's foremost writers of pet care information. She is truly compassionate and caring about her subject and that shines through loud and clear in all she does. Her information is well researched, topical, and practical. I trust Amy and love her work."
--Dr. Jim Humphries, veterinarian and media spokesperson

[Ann in Arlington]

Welcome to KindleBoards, Amy, and congratulations on your book.

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[Amyshojai]

Thanks again--a reminder is ALWAYS welcome! *s*

amy

ps: If anyone's interested in MY furry crew--and a blog that answers the question, would you trade places with YOUR pet?    check this out, it's been getting a lot of "buzz" (or is that woofs & purs?)

http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/a-day-in-the-lifeof-a-pet-writer

[Amyshojai]

Hello, Pet Lovers!

What sort of games do your fur-kids play? Are they similar or different comparing the cat to the dog antics? (At my house, the cat's favorite game is getting the dog in trouble!).

In the tone of the ComPETability book, I thought it would be fun to compare a cat's vs a dog's idea of play. And yes, these are my fur-kids. First, the cat checking out a variety of kitty toys and then video of her impression of an "attack cat" going after lures:

http://pages.videojug.com/pages/1021-Cat-Toys-Cat-Play

And next, video of the dog's  fanaticism over first Frisbee fetch, and then chase-the-water from the hose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMwCnVgXceY

Woofs & Purrs,
amy

[Amyshojai]

Happy November! Yikes, can't believe it's this late in the year. The cat's sleeping more because of the gray days and cooler weather, while the dog wants to ramble more and take in all the luscious fall smells.  

I've compiled some funny pictures illustrating comparisons between our fur-kids of choice. For instance...Cats roll in catnip, but dogs roll in "stuff."    Dogs dig for pleasure...while cats dig for "business."

Here's the link to the pictures and comparisons, just for fun:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/40666862/Com-Pet-Ability

What other comparisons can you come up with?

woofs & purrs,
amy

[Amyshojai]

If you have cats and dogs, you know it's possible for them to get along very well. But it can be incredibly helpful to introduce them properly. The book ComPETability offers some good additional tips but here's an article for intro-ing the pair to get you started.

http://cats.about.com/od/amyshojai/a/introduce-cat-and-dog.htm

purrs & woofs,
amy

[Amyshojai]

Don't tell the cat, but she descended from the same furry critter as dogs (hisssss!). And don't tell dogs, but a cat wagging her tail does NOT mean what Fido thinks. Originally published by Three Rivers Press/Crown Publications, the updated 2nd edition Amazon Kindle book is filled with the latest information on evolution, behavior, training and care. ComPETability is a side-by-side comparison of the world's favorite pets that provides all the must-knows with humor, flair, and authority. Readers also will appreciate the 20+ illustrations of pet behaviors, anatomy, and treatment techniques.

More than 30 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannot--and must not--be treated in the same way. Humans must be able to translate cat language for the dog (and vice versa) to help build a peaceable kingdom.

Fun, practical, and eminently informative, ComPETability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequently between the two species. Most important, ComPETability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relationships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.

Author Amy Shojai, CABC http://www.shojai.com is a certified animal behavior consultant and author of 23 pet care books. She's a founder of the Cat Writers Association, member of the Dog Writers Association of America and award-winning columnist and media spokesperson to the pet products industry.

[Linda S. Prather Author]

Amy, sending a recommendation to a friend for your book.  She has 28 cats - YES I SAID 28.  I've met them all and they each have names and different personalities and she can tell them all apart.  Lord help me, I can't.  Good luck with your book.


Linda

[Amyshojai]

Hi Linda,

Lordy lordy, 28 cats? Meeee-wow! Thanks for the recommendation.

Here are some pictures, just for fun, comparing some of the canine and feline foibles. *s*

http://www.scribd.com/doc/40666862/Com-Pet-Ability

woofs & purrs,
amy

[Amyshojai]

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was wonderful--and I have a lot to be thankful for, including my "pet love." To that end...and the theme fits ComPETability    I'd like to share my latest blog, on Giving Thanks--the Pet Writer Way.

http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/thanksgiving-the-pet-writer-way

What are you thankful for? Or more to the point...what do you think you cats and dogs are thankful for? 

[Amyshojai]

Hey there,

I figure if you're reading this, you have a cat, a dog, or both--and perhaps are interested in learning more.    I've just posted a slew of free articles (short ones) with pictures, of about a hundred dog breeds here:

http://pages.videojug.com/sites/144-Pet-Peeves/page_collections/670-Dog-Breeds

And to be fair, a bunch of cat breeds (with pictures) are posted here:
http://pages.videojug.com/sites/144-Pet-Peeves/page_collections/671-Cat-Breeds

So if you're interested in expanding your pet quotient, the info may offer some insight into the various breeds and types of dogs and cats. For more detailed info on behavior comparisons, health issues and whatnot, I hope you'll take a look at ComPETability.

best,
amy

[Amyshojai]

I just sent my weekly Emotional Health column on Catchow.com http://www.catchow.com/Cat-Expert/Shojai/Default.aspx and one of the questions wondered about recommended dog breeds to add to a new kitten household. This book answers that question in great detail! (next week, though, you can see my answer on the above link).

Meanwhile, if you're having problems with pet "sibling rivalry" you may find some answers in this article. I was interviewed by the writer several weeks ago and it's just been posted, right in time for the howl-idays. Cute pictures, too--enjoy!

http://galtime.com/article/living/38446/4794/sibling-rivalries-among-your-pets

[Dana Taylor]

Hi Amy-

I only have one kitty at a time!  But I must always have one or life doesn't seem complete.  I was just studying your thread to see how you're marketing to a target market and doing a consistent job of it.  Interesting.  I hope it is going well for you.

Dana Taylor

[Amyshojai]

Hi Dana,

I agree--there's something about having a kitty around that's special.

Thanks for your interest re: the marketing. I've been doing this a long time  but there's always a new twist. The five books currently on Kindle are all doing well, a couple extremely well.

Hope yours also are a success.

amy

[Amyshojai]

Happy Tuesday! Do you have both cats and dogs? or perhaps multiple cats or more than one dog? ComPETability offers a side-by-side comparison of the two species. But if you're interested in how-to prescriptive advice on solving behavior problems, PETiQuette (sorry, not in Kindle) is a good choice. Whatever your animal situation, this article about the joys of multiples may tickle your fancy and get the purr-motor or tail-wag going.    Enjoy!

http://pages.videojug.com/pages/1670-Multiple-Pets-Joys-and-Challenges

[Amyshojai]

Happy holidays! I hope all your cat and dog interactions are happy, fun-filled times. To ensure the pets don't get their tails in a twist, introduce them properly. Here are some basic tips for cat-to-dog intros, enjoy! (Of course, you can learn more about how cats and dogs are alike/different in the book  )

http://cats.about.com/od/amyshojai/a/introduce-cat-and-dog.htm

[Amyshojai]

Happy New Year! And in that vein, I'd like to share with you my own pets' New Year Resolutions (hey, don't YOUR cats and dogs have opinions?  )


Canine New Year's Resolutions (from my Magic-al Dawg):
http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/woof-wednesday-doggy-new-years-resolutions

Feline New Year's Resolutions (from my Siamese wannabe, Seren):
http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/feline-friday-cat-new-years-resolutions

purrs & woofs,
amy

[caseyf6]

How fun!  Not sure how I missed that you had a fifth book-- but I am headed over to grab a sample and check it out.

We have four cats, no dogs. I love dogs but dh does not.  Looking forward to this!

[Amyshojai]

Thanks Casey--hope you enjoy it! I've another book (print, not Kindle) that's more prescriptive, called Petiquette--it covers solving behavior problems between cats (or between dogs, or between 'em both).

best,
amy

[Amyshojai]

Brrrrrr...it's cold outside here in N Texas! I hope all your furry critters are staying warm. I've got some tips for helping with that, as well as recognizing frost bite and giving first aid if it happens, in my latest Woof Wednesday blog:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/woof-wednesday-magics-car-frostbite-and-first-aid

Hopefully your cats and dogs are truly ComPETable and can snuggle up for warmth. 

[Amyshojai]

Who doesn't love puppies? But to get the best out of life, they need to be properly socialized. In fact, the prime puppy socialization period is about 8-16 weeks compared to kittens where it's 2-8 weeks!  To help them put their best paw forward, it's up to people to socialize them.

What is that? Well--the book explains in detail but an article (with fun video) is free in my latest WOOF WEDNESDAY blog. Enjoy!

http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/woof-wednesday-old-dogs-puppies

[Amyshojai]

I'm running a special on the book ComPETability--and for the time being have dropped the price to $2.99. Hope some pet lovers will take advantage and then let me know what you think!

Do you sleep with your pet? Did you know that you could get sick by doing that? GIVE ME A BREAK! here's my take in thelatest Woof Wednesday blog:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/woof-wednesday-bedfellows-bites-and-be-a-tree

[Amyshojai]

If you're interested in adding a dog to your cat household, a look at different breeds may be helpful. My blog from this past Monday includes some of the most popular breeds, from the AKC listing. There also are some tips for "old dog" care, if you happen to have a senior canine. Enjoy!

http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/medical-monday-aging-dog-care-top-dog-breeds

amy

[LuvMyKindle]

Hi Amy,

I've only posted a few times in your Aging Cat thread quite some time ago, but I read all of your pet book threads and click on most of your article links. I just wanted to let you know I have enjoyed reading your posts and articles, and thank you for all the info. I FINALLY purchased the ComPETability book last weekend, though I haven't read too much of it yet, so now I have two of your books. I really enjoy learning about the history, myths, and explanations regarding the reasons and meanings behind why cats behave as they do as well as all the other practical and useful information you provide about cat care. Your books and articles are easy to read and I also enjoy the humorous stories about your own fur-kids. 

P.S. I just can't believe that anyone would think that it is harmful for the average, relatively healthy person to sleep in the same bed with a healthy cat or dog.....geez 

[Amyshojai]

Thanks so much! And I agree with you re: the "sleeping in bed with a pet." I've since read further comments from the author of that study who says the media made a big deal over a relatively small risk...

What? the media made a BIG DEAL out of something?! LOLOL! Not the first or last time.

I'll pass on your kind words to my fur-kids. I think they're competing for publicity. Right now the cat and dog fan club followers probably are neck-and-neck. 

best,
amy