The New Natural Cat - A complete guide for finicky owners

- Anitra Frazier with Norma Eckroate

The New Natural Cat is my "cat bible" for everything from holistic practices to diagnosing illnesses. The emphasis here is just what the title suggests - taking care of your cat naturally. From food choices to supplements, Anitra Frazier calls upon her many years as a professional cat groomer to suggest alternatives to keeping your cat in good health.

The first third of the book has chapters devoted to your cats emotional health as well as physical health and an introduction to holistic treatments. The balance of the book is a guide to common feline health problems. These sections include a list of symptoms for diagnosis and recommendations for holistic treatments. Building a working relationship with your veterinarian is emphasized.

There are many things you can learn do for your cat and the instructions are as if a friend were walking you through the process. From giving medicines to taking the temperature, and everything in-between, there are detailed instructions and pictures (although I do get a laugh at the cats in the illustrations standing so still - I'm sure for Anitra they are the model of perfect behavior, but my cats are a little more restless!).

Though older than many books on the shelf, it's still the book I come back to for it's friendly, comforting tone and its accessibility of information. You'll find a lot of books reference this book.

Dr. Pitcarins' Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

Dr. Pitcarin is a homeopath veterinarian who Anitra Frazier worked with on many occasions. As a holistically oriented vet, his philosophy is to assist the body to protect itself and heal itself by strengthening the immune system and eliminating anything that depresses the immune system such as stress, chemicals, food colors, preservatives, concentrated hormones (found in meat meal, dry food, meat by-products), cortisone and other steroids.

Dr. Pitcarin is a firm believer in the raw food diet, among other things, to increase your pets longevity and immune system. This book also gives recipes for raw foods and supplements, as well as a listing of common animal health problems. If your cat shares his space with a dog, this is the book for you.

The Silent Miaow - A Manual for Kittens, Strays, and Homeless Cats

- Translated from the Feline by Paul Gallico,
- Picture Story by Suzanne Szaszs

Ever wonder about the inner working of your cats mind? Suspect that he/she didn't just appear on your doorstep by accident? Think they might just have a plan? This is the cats instructional book on how to make it in the humans world.

Written by a cat and translated by a human, this book is an entertaining view of you through your cats' eyes. You'll begin to understand just how it all "happened." This cat teaches everything a young kitten should know to get what they want from their human(s). From lessons on how to move into a humans' home and take over, to the rules of romance. With pictures illustrating the finer points of manipulation, this book is a must have for cats and humans alike.

  Emotional Healing For Cats

- Stefan Ball and Judy Howard

One of the things that I enjoy most about cats is how emotionally intuitive they are. When you tune into your cats world, you can see just how many emotions are expressed as behavioral problems and illness.

If you're familiar with Bach Flower Remedies, you'll appreciate this book which explains how the remedies can be used to treat a variety of emotional issues that cats may have at any given time in their life. The writers of this book are world experts on Dr. Bach and their Flower Remedies, and teach practitioner level courses at the Bach Center in England.

Working with flower essences in combination with other treatments gives your cat the best possible care. Flower essences are gentle, never toxic, and simple to use. I've used them with my cats - especially the rescue remedy before a vets visit and have seen the results. The best part is that your cat can share these remedies with you!