Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy

Description

Written by a well-respected, go-to pet expert: Zazie Todd has been interviewed or mentioned in The New York Times, Slate, Washington Post, People Magazine, among other outlets, and writes a column for Psychology Today. Zazie's blog, Companion Animal Psychology, has exploded in popularity since the publication of her book Wag: it receives over 50,000 visitors a month, and she has 25k Facebook followers and 12k Twitter followers. From a critically acclaimed and award-winning author: Todd's Wag won the coveted Maxwell Medallion from the Dog Writer's Association of America in 2020, and was widely praised by pet experts across North America, including The Academy for Dog Trainers. Guided by expertise: Zazie specializes in companion animal behavior, and has An Advanced Certificate in Feline Behaviour from International Cat Care. More than a quarter of all households have a cat, and cat adoption increased by 250% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cat owners have a statistically higher interest in reading books: 55% report reading books as their preferred leisure activity. Accessible and grounded in science: Zazie breaks down the scientific research on cats' health and happiness to make it applicable for ordinary cat owners, and tackles contentious issues in cat ownership with thoughtfulness and expertise. Cats are Instagram and TikTok celebrities: Stars such as Nala the Cat and Lil BUB possess millions of followers, and many high-profile accounts dedicate significant attention to the health and wellness of cats, which Purr focuses on. Uses cat psychology and cats' unique relationship with humans to explain how we can give our purring companions the happiest life possible, through enriching their play, diet, exercise, reducing their anxiety, and more.

Zazie Todd loves nothing more than helping people with their pets. She is the creator of Companion Animal Psychology, an award-winning blog that shares the latest science about our animal companions and evidence-based ways to care for them. Todd has a PhD in Psychology and an Advanced Certificate in Feline Behaviour from International Cat Care. Her award-winning book about dog behavior, Wag, was featured in the New York Times, Slate, and People Magazine. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog, and two cats.

"Zazie Todd has created a must-have guide to improving your cat's life." -Modern Cat Magazine "Purr covers all the essentials to ensure we are raising our cats right!" -Ingrid Johnson, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and founder of Fundamentally Feline "Purr is cat-centered, so much that it feels like a very smart cat wrote it! Starting with the most recent scientific findings, Zazie Todd explains with clarity what cats enjoy, what is good for their well-being, and how we can build a strong reciprocal bond with them. Indispensable reading." -Carlo Siracusa, co-editor of Decoding Your Cat and board-certified veterinary behaviorist, UPenn Vet School "A digestible mixture of science summaries, expert opinions, anecdotes about Zazie's cats, and practical tips. Purr is definitely a book your cat would want you to read!" -Dr. Sarah Ellis, co-author of The Trainable Cat and Head of Cat Advocacy, International Cat Care "Cat lovers learn the science behind cats' petting preferences; the multiple meanings of purrs, chirrups, and meows; how to best satisfy the scratching and stalking desires for indoor cats; and even how to keep both cats and wildlife safe if your felines spend time outside." -Cat Warren, New York Times-bestselling author of What a Dog Knows "Practical, entertaining, and thorough. Cat owners are in good hands with Zazie Todd." -Lucy Jane Santos, author of Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium "Purr is an absolute must-read for all animal lovers! This fantastic, evidence-based guide is bound to influence cat-guardian relationships for the better." -Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere, Director of the Thinking Dog Center and Assistant Professor at Hunter College (CUNY) "What a gift to applied animal behavior is Zazie Todd. Purr is both packed with the latest findings and eminently readable. I could not recommend it more highly." -Jean Donaldson, The Academy for Dog Trainers "Purr is a must read for anyone who shares their life with a cat and wants to provide the most fulfilling, enriched, and happiest existence possible for them." -Kate LaSala, Rescued By Training, certified trainer and behavior consultant "A wonderful, evidence-based guide with concrete suggestions for cat owners to improve the lives of the cats they live with. Purr is a welcome and exciting addition for every cat lover's bookshelf." -Mikel Delgado, Ph.D., Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and co-founder of Feline Minds "Full of great science delivered with genuine warmth and heart; I just couldn't put this book down. Through Wag and now Purr, Zazie Todd has united dog-people and cat-people in a single goal: to make the lives of animals in our care richer and healthier-mentally, physically, emotionally-than we ever thought possible."-Jules Howard, zoological commentator and author of Wonderdog