This Is the Abyssinian Cat

Kate Faler
TFH Publications
ISBN: 087666866X

Abyssinian cats probably arrived in the UK from India during the nineteenth century, and their exact origin is unknown. They look like cats in Ancient Egyptian paintings, very elegant, with big ears, like a Siamese, though they have long been known in India and Southeast Asia. They have similarities with Siamese and Burmese cats, being people-oriented and companionable, yet also a little bossy, and not always wanting to be petted. They can develop strong bonds with their humans, and are very good at expressing their needs. These cats like exploring, and enjoy venturing onto high places, like shelves. They benefit from an enclosed area in the garden or apartment balcony, if you don't want them to be outdoor cats, and the enclosed space can include tree trunks for them to climb on, because they do like heights. They also love water, and are adept at catching goldfish!

This book is a classic, which is popular for its in-depth exploration of the breed, though it is a little expensive for a breed guide. There's an account of the history of Abyssinians, as well as help with general care and breeding.

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Abyssinian Cats

J. Anne Helgren
Baron's Educational Series
ISBN O812028643

Abyssinian cats are special, elegant, intelligent, and capable of getting into mischief through being inquisitive. This guide to the breed deals with all aspects of cat care, from buying your cat to grooming and even showing. Much of the book is useful for owners of all cats, but there are insights into the special characteristics of Abysinnians, and this book is worth reading before you decide on a breed, in case you want a more tranquil breed of cat. The book is clearly written, and attractively presented, and will appeal to children as well as adults. It is longer than many of the Barron's series books, and is inexpensive.

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Bengal Cats: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Health Care, and Behavior: a Complete Pet Owner's Manual

Dan Rice
Barron's Educational Series
ISBN: 0812092430

Bengal cats are hybrids which have descended from crosses between wild leopard cats from Southeast Asia, and domestic cats. Early attempts to domesticate leopard cat kittens proved to be a failure, while bringing in domestic cat blood meant that the new breed was easier to house train, and friendlier with people. Bengal cats are a large breed which have spectacular coats with leopard - like patterns, and they have been carefully bred to have nice temperaments - less wary and more outgoing than their wild ancestors..They are very active and intelligent cats, and need an enriched environment. Many Bengal cats are kept indoors, because they are such special cats. Indoor Bengal cats need games with their owners, and places to climb, so that they don't get bored - an enclosed area in the garden, or a fenced in apartment balcony help alleviate their boredom, especially if they have high places to sit on, and access to water, which they love. The markings of a Bengal cat change as the kitten becomes an adult, and the pattern can become muted, only to reappear. Bengal cats can be expensive, so it's worth checking at the breeder's that both parents are from the Bengal breed, and learning as much about their ancestory and links with wild leopard cats as you can.

Dan Rice is a US vet who has written this concise guide to the breed. It's a very good introduction to Bengal cats, and packs in a lot of information, though it is rather short. There's help with health problems that the breed is prone to, and the book gives a very good idea of what it's like to share a house with one of these marvellous cats. The illustrations are also a treat for all cat lovers, and show what a striking breed this is.

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Guide to Owning a Bengal Cat

Jean S. Mill
TFH Publications
0 7938 2168 1

This is a short guide to this strikingly attractive breed, with luscious photos that do credit to the subject. Lovers of Bengal cats will want to frame the pictures, and cat lovers who have never met the breed will want to go out and buy one. All aspects of care of Bengal cats are dealt with, including breeding and showing, and the author has special expertise, since she was involved in the founding of the breed. Bengal cat lovers will want the book to be longer, but it is inexpensive, and represents good value.

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Birman Cats (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

Phil Maggitti
Barron's Educational Series
ISBN: 0812095847

Birman cats are medium-sized, and have many of the advantages of Persians such as a tranquil nature and long fur, without their distressing tendency to mat. Birman cats' fur isn't as dense as that of Persian cats, and they have Siamese-type markings, with white feet, and blue eyes. They can be very playful cats, but are content to watch the world much of the time. This tranquility means that they are suited for people who work at home, since they are less likely to help you on the computer, or get up to other mischief, in the way that a Bengal or Siamese might.

Phil Maggitti's book is a short, but informative guide to the breed. It has nice pictures, and covers the basics that Birman owners need to know, though experienced owners may want a more in-depth account.

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British Shorthair Cat (Pet Love)

F.M. Rowley
Interpet Publishing
ISBN: 1842860097

British Shorthair cats are very attractive, with their velvety coats, and pale eyes, which can be blue, green or gold. They have easy-care coats, and are quite heavy as a breed, so they are less agile than some cats. This means that they are a little less likely to climb up in forbidden places and get up to mischief than some of the Asian breeds. British Shorthairs will make their needs known, but aren't especially noisy as a breed. They come in a variety of colours, though the best known is a striking blue-grey. British Shorthairs generally healthy, and are a good choice for families, because they are quite calm, robust and do not need a lot of grooming.

This book is an up-to-date guide to the breed, with a lot of help with general care, as well as an account of the breed's history.

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Burmese Cat (Pet Love)

Dennis Kelsey-Wood
Interpet Publishing
ISBN: 1842860100

Burmese cats have many similarities with Siamese cats, and those found in Europe and the US have some Siamese blood. Their ears are smaller than those of Siamese cats, though, like Siamese, Burmese are very elegant cats. They are not aloof, tending to form strong bonds with their owners. They are sometimes kept as indoor cats, and do need entertainment if they are kept indoors, and benefit from an enclosed area in the garden or apartment balcony. They are intelligent, and like company, so make good companions for people who are at home in the day, though they may come and sit on your work table, to 'help' you!

This is an up-to-date account account of the breed, which has useful help with general care, as well some good illustrations. There's also an interesting account of the history of the breed.

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Burmese Cats

McGonagle and Vella
Barron's
ISBN 0 8120 9158 2

This is a very good, inexpensive, introduction to Burmese cats which deals with the breed's history, as well as a chapter devoted to the special needs and character of Burmese cats. Burmese cats are among the aristocrats of the cat world, and this short guide gives a flavour of what it is like to share a house with one. There is also general information on caring for your Burmese cat, such as feeding and health care. This books is accessible to younger readers as well as adults.

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Longhaired Cats

Ulrike Muller
Barron's Educational Series
0 8120 2803 1

Longhaired cats present particular challenges for owners in terms of keeping them looking nice, and banishing matted clumps. The grooming needs of longhaired cats are clearly explained, as are other aspects of their care, such as feeding and breeding. This short book will appeal to novice owners of longhaired cats. It is attractively presented, with beautiful photographs, and is well set out, so should also appeal to children. It is a very good, inexpensive, introductory guide to longhaired cats.

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That Yankee Cat: The Maine Coon (New, Revised)

Marilis Hornidge
Tilbury House Publisher
ISBN: 088448243X

Maine Coon cats are magnificent beasts, and were developed in Maine, America. They have long, thick, fur and can tolerate the cold well. Some individuals have tufts on their ears so they look like lynxes. They come in a range of colours, and are large cats, but not giants - they just look even bigger than they are because of their shaggy coats. Maine Coon cats were allowed to develop naturally as a breed, and matings planned by humans are fairly recent compared to many breeds, so recent natural selection means that they are relatively tough and healthy cats. This breed doesn't really like to be confined indoors, and prefers to be patrolling the garden, investigating mouseholes and warning the local mutts to stay away. They can get on very well with dogs in the same household, and are also robust enough to make good family cats.

This book is a delight for cat enthusiasts - you don't have to be a Maine Coon owner to enjoy the stories of the breed. There is also advice on general care and breeding of Maine Coons. There's enough in this book to interest discerning Maine Coon fans as well as newcomers to the breed.

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Persian Cats: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual

Muller
Barron's Educational Series
ISBN: 0812044053

Persian cats are very popular. They are gentle cats which like company, but they aren't usually pushy when they want affection. They are usually much more calm and relaxed with both dogs and children than most other breeds. They aren't very noisy, and are less likely to knock objects off high shelves than many breeds. Persians also come in some wonderful colours, including tabbies and Himalayans, as well as the more familiar solid silver or white cats, which appear in chocolate box images. What are the downsides of this lovely breed? They do need a lot of grooming, and will readily mat if they aren't groomed regularly. They can pick up all sorts of debris if they are outdoor cats, though this is one breed which seems perfectly content to live indoors, with a cat run to be able to take the sun. Persians are also less able to defend themselves in cat fights compared to the average moggy, or a more robust breed like a Maine Coon or even a British Short Hair, so it's kinder to give them some protection if you live in an area with a high cat population density. Some people go so far as to fence their whole gardens with a mesh roof, to keep other cats out.

This book is an excellent introduction to Persian cats. It's a very good guide for novices, and there is a lot of good advice on general care, including grooming and health care. It's is a little short for people who already have experience of Persians, but it's an inexpensive book.

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Persian Cats

Marianne Mays
Kingdom Books
ISBN 185279017 2

This book begins with a short history and development of the Persian cat, and gives advice on how to choose a kitten. It then goes on to give advice on general care, equipment and feeding, which could apply to any cat, not just Persians, but would be of use to a completely novice cat owner. The section on ailments, again does not pertain to Persians in particular, and rather annoyingly, it is not in alphabetical order. The section on grooming is detailed and provides useful advice on preparing a cat for a show. There are also sections on showing, breeding and the different colour varieties. On the whole this is quite a useful book, but I think it missed an opportunity to include more about particular aspects of the character, behaviour and specific health problems of the Persian cat.

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Ragdoll Cats (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

K.L. Davis
Barron's Educational Series
ISBN: 0764107321

Ragdoll cats are a large breed which was developed from white cats with long hair and Siamese markings. They come in a range of colours, and have blue eyes. They are gentle, affectionate cats, which are robust enough to be good family cats, and they tend not to climb as much as many breeds, so are less likely to get into mischief. They don't need as much grooming as Persian cats, despite their long fur, and they aren't very noisy. The breed is very relaxed when handled, and tends not to defend itself. Many people keep Ragdoll cats as indoor cats on the grounds that they can't easily defend themselves against local moggies, though they benefit from an enclosed area in the garden or apartment balcony, if they are kept as indoor cats.

This book is a short introduction to the breed, which has some nice pictures. It's clearly written and up-to-date, and is an excellent introduction for novices, especially people new to cat ownership, though most Ragdoll enthusiasts are likely to want more!

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The Complete Siamese

Sally Franklin
Ringpress Books
ISBN: 0948955740

Siamese cats have presence. They are very elegant, and look as though they were designed to be painted or photographed. They are long, rather than large cats, with long heads and bodies, and short, sleek coats that show up their fine lines. Their eyes and a piercing blue, and can mesmerise humans. These cats have often been compared to dogs, in that they like to be with their owners and communicate with them, and have even been taken out on leads. Siamese cats know that they are not dogs, however, and tend to treat the family mutt with disdain! These cats like to be up high, so can knock things off shelves. They benefit from an enclosed area in the garden or apartment balcony if they are kept indoors, and like to have objects like tree trunks to climb.

This book is an up-to-date guide to Siamese cats, which gives an interesting account of the history of the breed, as well as giving help with breeding and general care, including health care and nutrition. It's an in-depth guide to the breed, with good illustrations.

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Siamese Cats

Collier
Barron's Educational Series
ISBN 0 8120 4764 8

An introduction to Siamese cats which includes information on the history of the breed, and information on cat care, including health care, as well as help for people wanting to show their cats. There is also a chapter on understanding the special characteristics of the Siamese cat, and what it is like to live with one. This is a good starter book for new Siamese cat owners, which is well set out and well illustrated. It is a little short for enthusiasts who are already knowledgeable, but is inexpensive.

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