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Introduction
Welcome to the third edition of Cats For Dummies, the most easy-to-use, up-to-date reference available on one of the world’s most remarkable animal companions, the cat. We wrote this book out of love for our cats as well as respect and admiration for all cats. And we also wrote it to make a difference for cats and cat lovers everywhere.
“Curiosity killed the cat” is a saying that has been around for years, but it’s not curiosity that hurts so many cats: Misinformation and unrealistic expectations are far bigger threats.
Cats aren’t that complicated, but there is a lot of new information about them that is pretty new. We’ve put all that new information conveniently here in Cats For Dummies while updating the information from previous editions. You just won’t find that anywhere else. We know, because as expert feline veterinarians and pet-care writers, we’ve seen all the wrong and even dangerous information that's out there.
Cats are a joy to live with, and we want you to find out how much. Even if you’ve owned cats for years, you and your cat will benefit from the new information in this book to improve your cat’s health, happiness, and relationship with you.
We also want you to be able to avoid the things you don’t need. The popularity of cats is wonderful, to be sure, but it also means that a lot of products out there are a waste of your money at best and dangerous at worst. We want to help you navigate the pet-food aisle to find the very best food for your cat. And we really want you to have a good relationship with your veterinarian so that you can prevent health problems before they are too serious to be resolved.
We want you to know that it’s worthwhile to take the time to learn about your cat, and about caring for your cat properly. You’ll understand why if you consider that a well-cared-for cat can be your loving companion for more than 15 years and that many cats live happily and healthily even beyond that milestone. These years are a gift; make
