xiv Foreword
today, most pet cats are the product of unplanned matings between individuals that
have somehow escaped being neutered, preventing any change in the underlying
genetics that give rise to territorial and hunting behaviour. Thus the only way cats can
adapt to the various demands that owners now place on them is through learning,
and many of the issues described in this book stem from when they fail to adjust.
Many of these are preventable, if only owners, breeders and veterinary professionals
understood more about cats’ psychology and how best their needs can be met.
There is a plethora of advice about dog behaviour – some of it, sadly, contradictory –
but rather little for cat owners. This book is a most welcome addition to the field, one
that every cat would – if it only knew how – thank its owner for reading.
John Bradshaw
March 2018