For a typical cat owner, “The Complete Cat” gets top marks for covering all the bases. As the book promises, it provides comprehensive and practical information from purchasing a kitten, to daily care, nutrition, cat behaviour, and aging. It is written in an easy to read, light hearted manner. The author is not a veterinarian, but appears to have worked as a veterinary assistant in the UK. She is quick to point out, however, that many “Veterinary Experts” were enlisted for researching the book. In her work as a “cat behaviour counsellor,” she frequently redirects clients back to their veterinarians, and does the same in her writing; never stepping out of her knowledge or comfort zone.
Having dealt with the authors limitations in credentials, another drawback to the book is that it is of British origin. In addition to prices being in pounds, veterinary clinics being called surgeries, and veterinary technicians being called veterinary nurses, we must deal with British parasites and disease prevalence leading to different worming and vaccine protocols than those in Canada. The Web site resource is decent but only lists British sites and is a bit soft when it comes to clinical usefulness.
On a more positive side, Vicky Halls provides a useful appendix consisting of typical questions and answers to address problems. Another chapter entitled “My Cat’s Got What?” offers an excellent list of veterinary terminology with explanations and diagnoses common to felines throughout their lifespan.
Essentially “The Complete Cat” has been written for the lay person. With that goal in mind, the book is a success, and does meet all the needs of a cat lover. I have to admit though that my problem with this book is boredom. I felt as though it has all been written before and really “The Complete Cat” offers nothing much new. Perhaps if I were a teenager just embarking on my journey loving cats, and had not read many cat care books before, then this book would be great.
And so, that is my suggestion for this book. Approach it as a light-hearted, yet complete, book on cat care, aimed at those clients fresh to the world of cats.