at our cats are still wild at heart. On our laps, they're purring lovebugs, but on the prowl, they're fearsome hunters--with territorial instincts to match.

The Handbook for a Happy Cat takes us inside the feline mind to decode what our cats really want in life and how they try to tell us. You'll learn:

• Why a bigger water bowl does away with "whisker stress"
• How to move like a mouse for maximum fun at playtime
• Skills to teach your kitten for a lifetime of easy vet visits, grooming, and more
• Subtle signs of stress such as excessive scent-marking and lip-licking
• How to tell frolic from fighting in the multi-cat household (and how to give frenemies a fresh start)
• What makes a scratching post so tempting that your sofa will be spared
• How to reassure a spooked cat with the "slow blink"
• Why it's pointless to "punish" a cat--but training is possible!

Certified behaviorist Liesbeth Puts traces every feline mystery to cats' natural behavior and needs. A happy cat is a cat who can be herself!