| Mine is _Cat_Owner's_Home_Verterinary_Handbook_ by Delbert G. Carlson,DVM
and James M. Giffin,MD. Published by howell book House hardcover about $17.
This is a very thorough book. In addition to your basic cat care, it also
has a section on emergency care and an index of symptoms in the cover for quick
reference in emergency situations. Also there is an exhaustive section on
cat diseases. The diseases are gruoped according to body area. Each disease
has typical as well as rare symptoms, causes, preventions,home treatment if
possible, reccomends vet treatment if necessary (and often gives you an idea of
what test if any will be necessary to diagnose). Sometimes it can scare you
(like it did Beth with her kitty's ailment was only dry skin). But it saved my
cat's life when it made me decide to take my kitty to the emergency clinic at
midnight instead of waiting till the next morning. (It turns out he had
insecticide poisoning.) It also calmed me down once when I was woriied that
they were having a reaction to some medicine I had given them. They were
drooling and even frothing at the mouth. Turns out cat's do that when they are
very nervous (like a visit to the vets) or when they taste bitter medicine.
(I had had a least a dozen cats in my life and none of them had ever done that
now all of the sudden I have 3 cats that that do.)
I've seen this book at many stores in the pet section. Go take a look at
it. You'll probably want to get eventually.
tlh
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