One reason we’re wild for cats is that our cats are still wild at heart. On our laps, they’re purring lovebugs, but on the prowl, they’re fearsome hunters—with territorial instincts to match.

The Handbook for a Happy Cat takes us inside the feline mind to decode what our cats really want in life and how they try to tell us. You’ll learn:

• Why a bigger water bowl does away with “whisker stress”
• How to move like a mouse for maximum fun at playtime
• Skills to teach your kitten for a lifetime of easy vet visits, grooming, and more
• Subtle signs of stress such as excessive scent-marking and lip-licking
• How to tell frolic from fighting in the multi-cat household (and how to give frenemies a fresh start)
• What makes a scratching post so tempting that your sofa will be spared
• How to reassure a spooked cat with the “slow blink”
• Why it’s pointless to “punish” a cat—but training is possible!

Certified behaviorist Liesbeth Puts traces every feline mystery to cats’ natural behavior and needs. A happy cat is a cat who can be herself!