I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a fun little read about cats and their unique traits written by a cat doctor.  I knew a lot of it, but still an interesting read.

This book was not what I expected.  I will not publicly post a review.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

I was super excited to read this book. I love learning about how cats function with humans and other animals, as well as why they maintain certain behaviors in varying situations. This is a lovely book and I would highly recommend this to all current and prospective cat owners for the straightforward information presented and the useful charts readers can use to find quick answers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for my copy. This is an incredibly cute book that will be helpful for first-time cat owners and something nice to have on the shelf for more experienced pet parents. Definitely want a hard copy now!

The universal question is not what is the meaning of life. No, for many pet owners the question is about What Cats Want.

This book goes into detail about what common cat behaviors mean. In addition, there are sections on how cat biology is different than humans—both for better and for worse. About a third of the book contains physical rules for new cat owners like choices of beds, foods, and health care.

However, the best quote is in the Afterword. “A dog looks at her owners and thinks, ‘They give me shelter and food. They love and protect me. They must be gods!’ But a cat thinks, ‘They give me shelter and food. They love and protect me. I must be god!’” Any pet owner with both dogs and cats, like me, will hear the ring of truth in that humorous quote.

What Cats Want delivers on the promise of its title. It will make you more knowledgeable about your cat. It would make a fine gift for new cat owners or those thinking of adopting a cat. 4 stars!

Thanks to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

What Cats Want is a unique, non-fiction read to help you understand your cat (is that even possible? I swear they are little aliens hiding in there).

This illustrated guide is a great read for those seeking a little extra help. It's also presented in such a fun way. There's basic rules and guidelines to help new cat lovers out. I feel like some of this is already known by long term cat owners. 

Overall, I think this book is super helpful and is a great start to understanding our adorable, furry friends!

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

What Cats Wants by Dr Yuki Hattori is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in late September.

If you can get past the cutesy doodles and occasionally Engrish translations, you will learn plenty of new things from this book, like being capable of reading physical cues and symptoms, being aware of every part of their anatomy, how cats change as they age, verbalizations, scratching, posture, basic care, and maintaining a routine.

Very cute little book for those who enjoy something fun and light hearted about animals, or for new cat owners.  A great introduction into what cats like.  Most likely not for experienced cat owners unless they want something cute and fun to refresh their memory

If you are a feline fancier, and would like a "cat's eye view" of life, then this book is for you. This is basically a handbook for cat owners on how to give their cats the best existence and encourage them live the life of a pampered pet. The tone is practical and humorous, yet knowledgeable, providing basic cat care information in a format that is understandable by most people. You do not need a science background to gain a good understanding of your pet's needs. Each chapter focuses on specific aspects of cats, beginning with basic anatomy, and going on to feeding, setting up the environment, moving, cat body language and sounds, kittenhood to geriatric cats. The cute cartoony drawings enhance the readability of the book. There are also special tips and ideas that are highlighted for ease of reading. Readers who want to know "what cats want" will enjoy this short and easy to read book.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

For those who have spent time learning about cats, there won't be a ton of new information here but you may pick up a new tidbit here and there. But for those new to cats, this book would be a good introduction to all things cat. Information is presented in a concise manner making this easy to pick up when you have a few minutes. Illustrations throughout are simple and cute.

Thank you to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was incredibly cute and informative about cats as pets and how to keep them comfortable and healthy, as well as how to understand their body language and vocalizations.  

It was hit or miss with me for the information given.  I would say I knew about 60-70% of it already, but it was all delivered in an entertaining and concise way, so it wasn't boring.  The pictures were cute and the cat age chart was very informative, as well as the charts for the cat's facial and body language.  

This was more broad than deep, but it is a good start for any cat owner and definitely a good first book about taking care of your cat.  I have two cats that tend to fight and I was hoping this book would have something about why cats fight and how to help them not want to, but it didn't deal with that particular topic at all.  

3.5 stars, rounded up, as this is a worthy first book on how to keep your cat comfortable, healthy and safe.  Cats should be kept indoors and spay/neuter!  

My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA/Bloomsbury Publishing for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

This illustrated, comprehensive  and clearly written guide would be an excellent choice for anyone who is new to living with cats. I especially liked the cute illustrations and charts that help humans learn to read feline body language. Recommended for school and classroom libraries.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

I've been a devoted cat lover and mom to many cats. This book offers helpful information and cute drawings for those who are just beginning to share their lives with kitties and to those who are long-time kitty parents.

4☆

What Cats Want is a cheerfully illustrated simple "everyman's" guide to living your best life with a feline companion written by Dr. Yuki Hattori (The Cat Saviour). Due out 27th Oct 2020 from Bloomsbury, it's 160 pages (in print format) and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This is a very accessible book with simple information in short paragraphs which are easy to understand. The information is arranged logically in short chapters: feline biology and wellbeing, behaviour and interpreting signals, everyday care and healthcare, keeping your cat happy, making a safe and happy home for your cat, and lifelong care. Each of the subchapters contains several informational subjects which are illustrated and 1-2 pages in length. Most of the chapters also include extra notes in highlighted text boxes with expanded info and tips.

This English language translation is well done and doesn't read awkwardly, and the info presented was complete and understandable. Most of the info presented is common sense, and doesn't really seem to be revelatory. It would make a good beginner guide for younger or first time cat owners.

Four stars, well written basic information.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

An adorably-illustrated book about cat behavior. Originally published in Japanese. The translation to English is a bit uneven, and cats are only referred to as "her" throughout the book. As a lifelong cat owner who's had mostly male cats, to me it felt a bit like reinforcing stereotypes about all cats being female. But there is good and useful information here, and cat owners will be reassured by the helpful advice offered.

I love that What Cats Want was laid out with cute drawings and interesting facts. It made for a fun read. I would recommend it to anyone interested in cats - as a long time cat owner, there was plenty of facts that I learned reading this!

What Cats Want: An Illustrated Guide for Truly Understanding Your Cat is a fantastic resource for cat owners that is informative and features charming illustrations.

Authored by Dr. Yuki Hattori, Japan's leading cat doctor, this book covers a range of topics. What Cats Want is broken up into six sections; your cat's biology, understanding their behavior, general care for cats, making your cat happy, creating a cat-friendly home, and lastly how to keep your cat healthy to extend its' life. With adorable illustrations throughout, the book is easy to understand and offers information in an easily accessible way. There are also various charts and tables that break down the information further.

As someone who has owned cats for most of my life, there was still a lot of information in here that was new to me. I particularly enjoyed the section about understanding your cat's behavior. There are a number of things my cats do that I wonder what they mean and this book answered a lot of them. Two of the sections I found most informative were about interpreting your cat's meows and what the positioning of their tail means. One of my kitties is very vocal, so getting to understand what her meows mean was quite interesting. And understanding their body language is one key to keeping them happy as they can't tell us how they're feeling. The biology section was also interesting as there was a lot of information in there that was new to me.

Overall I think What Cats Want is a great resource for existing cat owners as well as those thinking of getting a cat for the first time. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in cats and I will definitely be picking up a finished copy after the book publishes.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. A really cute, funny look at cats. I loved the artwork too. A recommendation for all cat lovers.

This book is both incredibly revealing and beyond cute! 

The illustrations compliment the book perfectly. I loved, loved, loved this!

Not long ago, I saw that my Goodreads friend Sue Em (whose cat is so adorable) had read and reviewed this, so I requested an advanced copy right away. I had lost track of how old my cat, Paisley, is, and when I went back and checked the date I rescued her (although she is quite indignant over that idea, she insists she rescued me), I realized this October she will be 14 years old. Time does indeed fly. Paisley is half Maine Coon and is a big girl, and her long calico hair only adds to the impression that she is large for a cat.

I didn’t think I would get quite as much ‘new’ information on this as I did, since I’ve had a cat or cats for most of my life. I was wrong. This is, indeed, an excellent guide for new cat owners, but I learned things I never knew before, and as she is bordering the geriatric age for cats (how did that happen so fast?) I have new things I now know to be aware of, as well as reinforcements for things I knew, but are more important to pay attention to. Other things I can’t really change – like Story, my one-year-old puppy, who loves to rush up to Paisley and try to kiss her, or sniff her …. But Paisley isn’t quite as fond of Story, thus the love is not reciprocated.

Written by Dr. Yuki Hattori, one of Japan’s top cat veterinarians, and his expertise shows in the variety of topics he covers. From being a wonderful guide for new cat owners, or better yet, for those thinking about bringing home a cat or kitten for the first time, as well as those of us who have shared their home with a cat or cats (with perhaps some lukewarm approval from said cat/cats) for many years, this was well worth reading. I would have been fine without the illustrations, but I thought they really did add to the appeal of this. Paisley wasn’t quite as impressed, but she was hoping for at least a mention of her name.

I never thought much about, from a cat’s point of view, naming any of the cats who I’ve shared my life with over the years, but Dr. Hattori shares a theory that cats can only distinguish vowels, and not consonants, so avoid names that sound too similar if you’re thinking of adding a new cat, or getting two or more to start.

One of the other tidbits I picked up from reading this - ”Touching noses is a sign of affection between cat. If your cat touches you with her nose, you’ve won her trust.”

This last was most notable to me, and I suppose to Story as well, since Paisley does, occasionally now touch noses with Story, so maybe there’s hope for love, yet.


Pub Date: 27 Oct 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Bloomsbury USA / Bloomsbury Publishing

#WhatCatsWant #NetGalley