by John Bradshaw and Sarah Ellis
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published September 13th 2016 by Basic Books
ISBN 0465050905 (ISBN13: 9780465050901)
Edition Language English
I've never struggled so hard to finish a book! I purchased a paperback copy of "The Trainable Cat" over a year ago, and every time I picked it up, I got lost in the words. I never finished it. This time, I found the audiobook through my local library, and believed that listening to it would do the trick.
Nope. I KNOW that cats can be 'trained', or habituated, to certain behaviors. Coming when called by name, not fearing the veterinarian or taking medicine, and learning to live with other cats. So, my mind was ready, willing, and able to LEARN from this book. But, I feel that I've just spent several days beating my forehead against the desk. "For example" and "thus" were spoken over and over and over again...I think I just got hung up on the poor writing style. Shame on me. No doubt, I'll try again to slog through this book at a future date, maybe when we are considering adding another new kitty for the household. What I'd really love, would be a video, or a class I could attend where I can witness the training/habituation.
😾👎😾
Oh me I really don't like it when I have to struggle with a book. No matter the subject it must grab my attention 100% in the first chapter otherwise it is history.
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
I love a book that takes me away in the first few paragraphs. I would have never finished this book.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ♥
Nothing worse than having to slog through a book that you're not into.
ReplyDeleteHey, it's not your fault some writers can't write but they seem to wrong effectively!
ReplyDeleteThere ain't nothin like an honest opinion and critique! Good on you. I would be put off by the same things.
ReplyDeletebad writing is bad writing. doesn't matter the subject. Try some of the books by Pam Johnson-Bennett
ReplyDeleteNow this is an oxymoron if we've ever seen one.
ReplyDeleteI hate struggling with books like that, and I totally sympathize.
ReplyDeleteYou might go to the shelter website I used to volunteer at, in Illinois. They are using training techniques with their cats awaiting adoption. ON Facebook : Heartland Animal Shelter
ReplyDeleteand www.hearltandanimalshelter.org. They go into some details and give ways to get more information
#catspawsitive program at Heartland. Using clicker training
ReplyDeleteThat's not fun at all. Plus, the best way to train is to bribe us with treats!
ReplyDeleteLife's too short to read a book that doesn't grab you. I remember reading somewhere, years ago, that you should read your age in pages and if you aren't interested by the time you have read those 50 pages or whatever,then you should just put the book down and try something else. Thanks for the review. If I see this at a used book store, I might pick it up just to have. I'm an unrepentant book hoarder. ;)
ReplyDeleteI know I read this so I looked it up on Goodreads and I gave it only 3 stars.
ReplyDeleteMy human and I should do some stuff about cat training. We don't have the credentials of John Bradshaw, but we try to make things simpler.
ReplyDeleteOh, Ma says there is nothin' worse than a 'hard read'! Ma says she would like a book on Airedale training, butts there is none. that explains A LOT! hehehehe
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Ruby ♥
I'm with Island Cats above. This one would be found at the library filed under "Oxymoron". Mom and dad are avid readers, and they have differing styles: mom's like most above in that if the book doesn't grab her right out of the gate she drops it, whereas dad will give it way too many pages/chapters in my opinion. Ever the hopeful one he'll give up a gazillion pages in. He's been known to get 100 or more pages in and then give up if it loses him.
ReplyDeleteThat book was hard for Claire to finish. Bummer, because the topic is highly interesting ! Purrs
ReplyDeleteHaha, I would probably just give up reading or listening to the book if it's so hard :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat review. Dad says sometimes we get a book that is plain old ehh. Dad just deleted a sample of such and were in agreement. I actually learned to pull Dads offering towards me with my pawt and we both love it at evening treat time. Rumpy and Einstein both know their names and I think we do too as Dad lets them know to STOP. MOL.
ReplyDeleteGood to know! I used to also need to finish a book if I started. Now I know better not to waste my time!
ReplyDelete