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The Cat Behavior Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers by Arden Moore cover

The Cat Behavior Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers

by Arden Moore

$9.99 on AmazonRead our full review

At a glance

First published2007
AudienceAdult

About the Author

Arden Moore

1 book reviewed

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LuvemBooks Verdict

Best for

Cat owners at any experience level — from first-time feline companions to longer-term owners puzzled by specific behaviours — who want a well-researched, navigable dip-in reference rather than a cover-to-cover read.

Worth it if

Worth it if you want a broad, research-grounded Q&A guide you can flip to whenever a baffling cat behaviour — kneading, midnight sprints, selective affection — needs a clear, accessible explanation.

Skip if

Skip it if you need an exhaustive, academic deep-dive into a single behavioural condition or feline ethology at a scholarly level, as the breadth-first Q&A format keeps individual entries concise rather than comprehensive.

What readers & critics say

The Asbury Park Press, as quoted on both Hachette Book Group's and Barnes & Noble's product pages, recommends the book as a great gift for new cat owners while also endorsing it as a personal purchase, and the Monadnock Ledger Transcript is cited on those same pages for praising Moore's "wise, warm, witty, and friendly voice" and the book's grounding in Moore's own animal expertise alongside the latest research into animal behaviour.

4.3from 230 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score

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The Cat Behavior Answer Book by Arden Moore is a Q&A-format pet-care reference that helps cat owners decode everything from kneading and catnip fascination to aloof moods and communication quirks, drawing on Moore's documented animal expertise and current behavioral research. Press outlets from the Monadnock Ledger Transcript to the Asbury Park Press have praised its wise, warm, witty, and friendly voice, making it equally useful for first-time cat owners and seasoned feline companions. The key caveat: the format's breadth means individual entries are concise rather than exhaustive, and buyers should confirm whether they're purchasing the original 2007 edition or the completely updated second edition.
Is it worth reading?
For most cat-owning households, The Cat Behavior Answer Book earns its place on the shelf. It combines grounded behavioral research with an approachable, conversational register — qualities the Desert Sun of Palm Springs highlighted in recommending Moore as a reliable guide for navigating feline confusion. The Asbury Park Press recommended it both as a gift for new cat companions and as a personal purchase for experienced owners, signaling wide audience utility. Readers seeking a deep academic treatment of feline ethology may find the tone too accessible, but for the majority seeking practical, navigable answers, the book's breadth and research grounding make it a genuinely useful reference.
Similar books
Readers who find value in The Cat Behavior Answer Book will likely also appreciate Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett, another well-regarded feline behavior guide aimed at helping owners understand cats on their own terms. Catification by Jackson Galaxy and Kate Benjamin takes a more environmental angle, exploring how home design can support feline wellbeing. For a broader owner's manual approach, Your Cat: The Owner's Manual by Dr. Marty Becker and The Cat Owner's Manual by Sam Stall and Dr. David Brunner both offer structured, practical guidance. Readers curious about the updated version of Moore's own book can also turn to The Cat Behavior Answer Book, 2nd Edition, which reflects a revised and expanded state of the research.
Who should read this?
The Cat Behavior Answer Book is well-suited to any cat owner who wants a reliable, navigable reference for decoding feline behavior without committing to a cover-to-cover read. The Asbury Park Press recommended it both for new cat owners seeking a foundation and for experienced companions looking to understand a specific behavior — a dual endorsement that reflects the book's broad practical scope. It is especially useful for owners whose cats display behaviors that feel baffling or frustrating: the midnight sprints, the kneading, the selective affection. Readers pursuing a deep academic treatment of feline ethology may find the conversational register less suited to their needs.
How deep does it go on any single topic?
The book's Q&A structure prioritizes breadth and navigability over extended deep-dives into specific conditions or edge cases. Because it covers a wide behavioral terrain — from catnip and kneading to communication patterns and midnight sprints — individual entries on any single topic are likely concise rather than exhaustive. The Orlando Sentinel described it as 'packed with insights and facts,' which captures the density of content, but readers seeking an in-depth exploration of one particular behavioral issue may find Moore's treatment a useful starting point rather than a comprehensive endpoint.
Is the advice backed by research?
Yes — both Moore's documented animal expertise and current behavioral research underpin the book's content. The Monadnock Ledger Transcript and Wilmington Star jointly noted that the book reflects 'Moore's own animal expertise…as well as the latest research into animal behavior,' distinguishing it from guides that rely on anecdote alone. The Desert Sun of Palm Springs also cited Moore as a reliable guide for navigating feline confusion. The accessible, conversational register is a deliberate design choice to make that research available to a general audience rather than an academic one.
Does Arden Moore have other books like this?
Yes — the Orlando Sentinel grouped The Cat Behavior Answer Book alongside Moore's companion volume The Dog Behavior Answer Book as 'handy guides packed with insights and facts,' suggesting she applies the same Q&A approach across species. Moore has also released a completely updated second edition of The Cat Behavior Answer Book itself, which is catalogued separately and reflects the most current state of her research and expertise.
Summarize this book

Summarize this book

The Cat Behavior Answer Book by Arden Moore is a non-fiction pet-care reference structured as a Q&A guide covering the questions cat owners most commonly face. Published originally in 2007 by Storey Publishing, it spans a wide behavioral terrain — from catnip fascination and kneading to chasing instincts, communication patterns, and selective affection — while also addressing practical matters of training, feeding, and general care. The book is designed not for cover-to-cover reading but as a navigable reference: readers can flip directly to whichever behavioral puzzle is most pressing. Moore grounds the content in current behavioral research alongside her documented animal expertise, delivered in what the Monadnock Ledger Transcript and Wilmington Star described as a 'wise, warm, witty, and friendly voice.'

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Age & Reading Level

Recommended age

Adult

Reading level

Adult

Browse all Adult books

Skip if you're looking for an in-depth academic or clinical treatment of feline ethology rather than an accessible, broad-scope owner's reference.

Editorial Review

Arden Moore's The Cat Behavior Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask is a comprehensive Q&A-format reference that draws on Moore's animal expertise and current behavioral research to help cat owners decode feline quirks — from catnip fascination to kneading, aloof moods, and communication — earning praise from regional and national press outlets alike.

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Books like The Cat Behavior Answer Book

Curated picks for readers who enjoyed The Cat Behavior Answer Book, with our reasoning for each match.

If you liked The Cat Behavior Answer Book

In our catalogue

Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat

Jackson Galaxy

Cat Planet TV host Galaxy decodes feline confidence and quirks with the same accessible, enthusiastic energy as Moore — great for owners who want behavioral insight wrapped in personality.

Readers who enjoyed the warm, witty voice of The Cat Behavior Answer Book will feel right at home with Total Cat Mojo by Jackson Galaxy, best known as the host of Animal Planet's My Cat From Hell. Galaxy introduces his concept of 'cat mojo' — a cat's innate sense of security and ownership of its space — to explain behaviors that puzzle even seasoned owners, from random midnight sprinting to territorial spraying. Like Moore's book, it is written for everyday cat owners rather than veterinary professionals, and it blends behavioral science with real-world troubleshooting advice. If you're searching for 'books like The Cat Behavior Answer Book' that match its encouraging, nonjudgmental tone while adding a fresh framework for understanding your cat's inner life, Total Cat Mojo delivers exactly that. It's especially useful for multi-cat households or owners of shy, anxious cats.

In our catalogue

The Cat Whisperer: Why Cats Do What They Do--and How

Mieshelle Nagelschneider

Cat behaviorist Nagelschneider tackles the same problem behaviors — aggression, litter avoidance, anxiety — with a case-study approach that brings real-world context Moore's Q&A entries leave implicit.

For readers who loved The Cat Behavior Answer Book and want to see feline behavioral solutions applied to real-life situations, The Cat Whisperer by certified cat behaviorist Mieshelle Nagelschneider is an ideal pick. Nagelschneider draws on years of one-on-one consultations to address the same core issues Moore covers — litter-box problems, inter-cat aggression, destructive scratching, and fearful or antisocial behavior — but frames them through detailed case studies that show the problem-solving process in action. This makes it especially useful for owners dealing with a specific, persistent issue who need more than a concise answer. If you're looking for 'books like The Cat Behavior Answer Book' that share its practical, empathetic approach but offer fuller treatment of complex cases, The Cat Whisperer fills that gap confidently. The tone remains accessible and owner-focused throughout, never veering into clinical jargon.

Not your thing?

In our catalogue

The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

Patricia B. McConnell

If Moore's concise entries felt too brief and you want a behaviorist who goes deep on the human-animal relationship with rich science and storytelling, McConnell's dog book rewards that appetite fully.

The most common reason readers don't fully connect with The Cat Behavior Answer Book is that its Q&A format, while broad and accessible, keeps individual entries short — you get the answer but not always the full story behind it. If that left you wanting richer, more narrative behavioral science, The Other End of the Leash by animal behaviorist Patricia B. McConnell is a compelling remedy — even though it focuses on dogs rather than cats. McConnell examines the human side of the human-pet relationship in fascinating depth, exploring how our own primate instincts and body language accidentally confuse and stress our animal companions. Her writing is warm, witty, and grounded in fieldwork, much like Moore's tone, but each chapter breathes and builds rather than moving quickly to the next question. Readers searching for 'if you liked The Cat Behavior Answer Book try something with more depth' will find McConnell's work a genuinely satisfying next step.