Meghan E. Herron
This book is a dream come true, long in the making, and I have many to thank for its remarkable content and organization. I first want to thank my colleagues Drs. Debra Horwitz and John Ciribassi for paving the way with their stellar editing and presentation of Decoding Your Dog. Without its success, Decoding Your Cat may not have ever seen a bookshelf.
I am ever grateful for the mentorship and encouragement from Debra as she stayed on to help us bring this book to fruition. Thank you, Debra, for being a friend, mentor, and “mom” as we have made this journey. I’d also like to thank our fellow editor, Dr. Carlo Siracusa. Carlo and I spent many a long afternoon muddling over the content, organization, and appeal of each and every chapter. Carlo, your unique perspective and depth of experience have given this book an edge that wouldn’t have been there without you. The three of us live impossibly busy lives, yet we all made time to come together and complete this book.
Thanks also to Jeff Kleinman of Folio Literary Management for keeping our best interests at heart and continually helping us navigate the publishing and marketing world. I can always count on Jeff for a quick and accurate answer, without any hint of annoyance at my ignorance or pestering.
A book has no future without a publisher that believes in it. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has supported our mission from the time the first pages of Decoding Your Dog were written, and welcomed the proposal for Decoding Your Cat with open arms. The editorial staff, led by Sarah Kwak, brought charisma and captivation to each page, turning the book into a true work of art. Thank you, Steve Dale, for being the lead cheerleader for veterinary behaviorists and for pushing us all to make both these books a reality. I am humbled by your endless support for what we do and for your devotion to improving the lives of pets everywhere.
Personally, I want to thank the late Dr. Linda Lord for inspiring me to go to veterinary school in the first place and helping me see and interact with the world in a way that is meaningful and fulfilling. This little grasshopper has come a long way thanks to Linda. Thank also to Dr. Ilana Reisner, DACVB, for teaching me proper English and shaping me into the veterinary behaviorist I am today.
I am ever grateful for the unrelenting support and encouragement from my husband, Josh Black. You put the skip in my step and the smile on my face, and I look forward to watching our smart, strong, beautiful girls, Rowan and Amelia, grow into smart, strong, beautiful women. Finally, a special thanks to the feline friends in my life who have helped give this book its personal perspective. You were (are) all special in your own, very different ways: Bo-Bo, Sassy, Katie, Cammie, Lepanto, Moco, Primo, Junebug, and, the most unique of all, Mr. Girard Bigglesworth.
Debra F. Horwitz
Our first book, Decoding Your Dog, was a wonderful educational experience for me as an editor and for the entire American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Within a short period of time, the public began clamoring for another book, this one about cats. And, thanks to the ACVB, I am so excited to have been involved in the creation of this new book, Decoding Your Cat. My coeditors, friends, and fellow diplomates Meghan Herron and Carlo Siracusa led the team, and together we have created another masterpiece. All of us brought not only our scientific knowledge and practice experience but also our love of cats as wonderful family companions. Furthermore, my talented colleagues who contributed to this book were all devoted to creating the best educational treatise for cat owners. I also want to add my thanks to Jeff Kleinman and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for helping us bring another book to fruition.
My life with cats goes back a long way. My father was a cat lover, and the first pet I remember as a child was a cat named Mao (meaning “cat” in Chinese), a beloved family pet and my good buddy. Many other cats followed and captured my heart. Each one taught me how special cats are, and each one was an individual to be cherished. Sharing my love of cats and my memories with other cat owners has been a heartwarming experience.
My husband, Eugene, loved all our cats. I am sure he would have found this book engaging and would have wholeheartedly supported its publication. Thank you, Eugene, for your unwavering support in all my endeavors. You are missed. Thank you also to my children, Jeff, Laura, and Ben, who are also pet lovers. Veterinary medicine and educating pet owners and veterinarians have been my passions. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to practice what I love.
Enjoy the book!
Carlo Siracusa
As a child, I desperately wanted to have a cat. I used to buy cat magazines and leave them around the house to send a clear message to my parents. They thought that if they resisted for a few months, I would forget about the cat and shift my attention to something else. But this did not happen, and soon my obsession became a nightmare for my parents, who were not thrilled by the idea of having one more living being to take care of in addition to their three demanding children.
As often happens with me, I found a way to get what I wanted and brought home my first cat, a beautiful domestic longhair named Pelouche. It did not take long for Pelouche to prove me right and steal the heart of the whole family. Then I got two cats . . . then three . . . then four . . . and at twenty years old, I was a registered breeder of Persians, British Shorthairs, and Scottish Folds.
At that time, though, I could never have imagined that, many years later, my passion for cats would bring me to work on a cat book. And not just one of many books on cat behavior, but the official cat book of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists! I am one of the lucky ones who can live their childhood dream every day of their adult life. Now I have a chance to share this dream with the readers of this book. Thank you, dear reader, for your time and attention.
Most important, I want to thank the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists for giving me this opportunity. I am very proud to represent this organization. I also need to acknowledge my coeditors and friends, Dr. Debra Horwitz and Dr. Meghan Herron, for sharing this experience with me. Meghan was the first to believe that I could make a contribution to the project and proposed that I join. Since then, Debra has been the best mentor for a junior editor like me. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with both of them.
Jeff Kleinman, our agent from Folio Literary Management, assisted us throughout the project and believed in it from the very beginning. Without his knowledge and professionalism, this book would have not seen the light of day. Thank you, Jeff.
My biggest gratitude goes to our publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for investing in our vision and understanding why Decoding Your Cat is not just another book on cat behavior, but a gate to the knowledge and unique expertise of board-certified veterinary behaviorists.
On a more personal level, I am extremely grateful to my family for supporting me and my passion for so many years. All of them have loved and accepted the cats I’ve wanted to live with, including my beloved calico, Elsa, who is my feline companion now. Certainly, I would not have achieved many of my professional goals without the mentors who taught me: Maria Grazia Pennisi, Jaume Fatjo, Xavier Manteca, Josep Pastor, Patrick Pageat, Daniel Mills, James Serpell, Ilana Reisner, and everyone else who has shared knowledge, thoughts, and ideas with me.