The ultimate reference for anyone who has—or is hoping to get—a cat. Complete with the most up-to-date scientific research, the book artfully deconstructs longstanding myths about cats, such as their characteristic independence or resistance to training.
There are over 600 million cats in the world today. But whether they are even-tempered or roughand—tumble, pacifists or hunters, what do we know about these endearing animals? Not much at all! Research on feline behaviour and cognition is scarce and only at the beginning of the year 2000, following interesting archaeological discoveries have we began to understand the strange life that the cat has led for thousands of years in our company.
Can cats distinguish a familiar from a stranger face? How can they live alone, with humans, in small groups, or in large packs—a pattern of social behaviour that is rare among other mammals?

FRANÇOIS Y. DORÉ is the author of nearly a hundred scientific publications related to animal behaviour. He is a professor at Université Laval’s Psychology School and his research has focused on learning and memory as well as cognitive development and intelligence in animals.

Foreword:
1. An unlikely companion
From taming to domestication
An unjustified bad reputation

2. The same environment, but another world
Nyctalope, colorblind, myopic and presbyopic
Listening to mice and their name
Smell and taste the smells
Close to the skin
Falling back on his feet

3. In reality.
No map, compass or GPS
Guardian of time?
Imperceptible, but always in mind

4. A rainy leg
Classic packaging
Instrumental conditioning
Correlation and causality
The pleasure of learning

5. The memories of Nana
A brief that works in the short term
A memory that records long term
Maybe not as talented as Nana but

6. Between cats
A sociable solitaire
Voice mail service
Seeing it is believing it.
Feel the composite past and the present of the indicative
Like the others

7. The cat and us
At the tip of the finger and the eye
Attention, emotions and solicitation
Attachment and separation anxiety

8. From species to individual
The problem of intelligence
A variety of personalities
Conclusion Conclusion
An enigma that remains to be solved
The bibliography
1 - an unlikely companion
2 - the same environment, but another world
3 - in reality
4 - a rainy leg
5 - Nana's memories
6 - between cats
7 - the cat and us
8 - from species to individual