A compelling memoir of a gay Catholic woman struggling to find balance between being a daughter and a mother raising her son with a loving partner in the face of discrimination. From the time she was born, Michelle Theall knew she was different. Coming of age in the Texas Bible Belt, a place where it was unacceptable to be gay, Theall found herself at odds with her strict Roman Catholic parents, bullied by her classmates, abandoned by her evangelical best friend whose mother spoke in tongues, and kicked out of Christian organizations that claimed to embrace her—all before she’d ever held a girl’s hand. Shame and her longing for her mother’s acceptance led her to deny her feelings and eventually run away to a remote stretch of mountains in Colorado. There, she made her home on an elk migration path facing the Continental Divide, speaking to God every day, but rarely seeing another human being. At forty-three years of age and seemingly settled in her decision to live life openly as a gay woman, Theall and her partner attempt to have their son baptized into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in the liberal town of Boulder, Colorado. Her quest to have her son accepted into the Church leads to a battle with Sacred Heart and with her mother that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about the bonds of family and faith. And she realizes that in order to be a good mother, she may have to be a bad daughter. Teaching the Cat to Sit examines the modern roles of motherhood and religion and demonstrates that our infinite capacity to love has the power to shape us all.

A New York Times Bestseller "I have to hand it to Bradshaw and Ellis: Once you suss out their basic cat-training philosophy, their methods totally work." --Slate We often assume that cats can't be trained, and don't need to be. But in The Trainable Cat, bestselling anthrozoologist John Bradshaw and cat expert Sarah Ellis show that cats absolutely must be trained in order to enrich the bond between pet and owner. Full of training tips and exercises--from introducing your cat to a new baby to helping them deal with visits to the vet--The Trainable Cat is the essential cat bible for cat owners and lovers. "I doubt you'll find a more well-informed or scientific book on cats that better shows you how feline thinking works."--Times (UK)

From the founder of “clicker” training, the widely praised humane approach to shaping animal behavior, comes a fascinating book—part memoir, part insight into how animals and people think and behave. A celebrated pioneer in the field of no-punishment animal training, Karen Pryor is responsible for developing clicker training—an all-positive, safe, effective way to modify and shape animal behavior—and she has changed the lives of millions of animals. Practical, engrossing, and full of fascinating stories about Pryor’s interactions with animals of all sorts, Reaching the Animal Mind presents the sum total of her life’s work. She explains the science behind clicker training, how and why it works, and offers step-by-step instructions on how you can clicker-train any animal in your life. For bonus video clips, slide shows, articles, downloadable exercises, and links expanding on the contents of the book, go to ReachingtheAnimalMind.com.

Cat behaviorist and star of Animal Planet's hit television show "My Cat from Hell," Galaxy, a.k.a. "Cat Daddy," isn't what readers might expect for a cat expert. Yet his ability to connect with even the most troubled felines--not to mention their owners--is awe-inspiring.

Clicker train your cat in just 15 minutes a day with this easy-to-use guide Clicker training uses positive reinforcement to teach your cat new skills, encourage good behavior, and correct undesirable behavior. How to Clicker Train Your Cat makes cat training easy with short, targeted lessons that teach everything from basic commands to fun tricks. Just communicate the desired behavior, click, and give your cat a treat--it's that simple! This guide to cat training includes: A progressive approach--Start small with essential commands and practical skills that serve as a foundation for additional training, solving behavioral problems, and bonding through play. Step-by-step instructions--Find clear directions that break down each cat training lesson into small steps so both you and your cat feel confident and comfortable. Cat communication basics--Learn what your cat is telling you through their body language, facial expressions, and vocalizations, and how their unique traits require training them differently than other animals. Build a stronger connection and improve your cat's behavior with this positive approach to cat training.

Cats love to be in the spotlight. While not every cat will take to learning tricks, most will thrive on the extra attention and love you'll shower on them during training sessions. And whether you want to teach your cat to sit up, fetch, walk on a leash, or simply come when called, Arden Moore's simple and encouraging instructions will show you how. You'll have your cat performing like a stage star in no time!