Nine Lives, Well Lived — read your cat, feed them right, reach the twenties together
Cats hide illness — it's how they're built. By the time most cats look sick, the problem has been growing quietly for weeks or months: in the water bowl, in the litter box, in the way they stopped jumping onto the bed. This book teaches you to read those quiet signs early, feed your cat the way their body actually needs, and make every year — including the late teens and, with care and some luck, the twenties — a healthier one.
Nine Lives, Well Lived
The quiet warning signs, the feeding math, the homemade treats, and the senior-years plan — 302 pages, organized so you can find the right page when something looks off.
- The complete 302-page book — 30 chapters in 6 parts, as a print-ready 6×9 PDF
- A large-print EPUB for phone, tablet, and Kindle, with a tappable table of contents
- Part 2, The Quiet Signs — the Feline Grimace Scale and the 10-minute monthly couch check
- 19 cat-safe treat, topper, and broth recipes, each with an honest calorie estimate
- 37 reference tables and 8 charts — calories, water, body condition, life stages
- The Quick Reference — go-now emergencies, the never-feed list, and a 12-month tracker
I'm not a vet, and this book says so plainly — every time home care should stop and your vet should start, you'll see it. What I do on Cats With Cathy is teach owners the practical things that keep a cat happy and healthy. This book is the advanced material that doesn't fit into a video: the numbers, the charts, the checklists, and the recipes, all in one place.
Do the monthly couch check this week. It's the habit that catches things early.
30 chapters. Six parts. Organized for the day something looks off.
Ordered the way you'll use it: learn to read your cat first, catch the quiet signs second, get the bowl right third — then the kitchen, the home, and the long road to twenty. A Quick Reference in the back holds the charts you'll want in a hurry.
Reading Your Cat
- Tail, Ears, Eyes, and Whiskers
- Meows, Chirps, Trills, and Yowls
- Slow Blinks and Head Bumps
- Stress Signals Most Owners Miss
- When Behavior Is Really Health
Everything else is easier once you can read your cat.
The Quiet Signs
- The Feline Grimace Scale at Home
- The 10-Minute Monthly Couch Check
- Reading the Litter Box
- Water, Weight, and Appetite
- Better Questions for Your Vet
Cats hide pain. This part is how you notice anyway.
The Bowl
- What an Obligate Carnivore Needs
- Wet, Dry, Raw, and Fresh — Honestly
- Reading a Label Without Getting Fooled
- Portions and the Slow Weight Fix
- Hydration Tricks for Non-Drinkers
Real calorie math for your own cat, not the bag's guess.
Cathy's Kitchen
- Toxic Foods and the 10% Treat Rule
- Single-Ingredient Treats
- Baked Bites and Frozen Treats
- Toppers and Broths for Picky Seniors
- Treats for Weight, Kidneys, and Pills
Every recipe cat-safe, with an honest calorie count.
A Home That Keeps Cats Well
- Play That Works: Hunt, Catch, Eat
- Territory and the Multi-Cat Home
- Litter Box Setup That Prevents Problems
- Enrichment for Indoor Cats
- Grooming, Teeth, and Claws
Fewer problems start when the home fits the cat.
The Road to Twenty
- What Long-Lived Cats Have in Common
- What Changes at 7, 11, and 15
- Kidneys, Thyroid, and Joints
- Adapting the Home for an Old Cat
- Quality of Life, Every Year
No promises — just the habits that tilt the odds.
Real pages. Real numbers.
The honest version
This book will help you notice problems earlier and ask your vet better questions. It will not diagnose your cat, and it does not replace a veterinarian. Nobody can promise that a particular cat will live to 20, because genetics and luck play a real part. The recipes are treats and toppers, not complete diets. What good daily care does is tilt the odds and make the years your cat has more comfortable ones.
Who it's for
- Owners who know the basics and want the advanced layer
- Anyone with a cat over 7 who wants to get ahead of the senior years
- People who like making simple, safe treats at home
- Multi-cat homes dealing with litter, food, or territory friction
Who it's not for
- Anyone looking for a home treatment for a sick cat — that's a vet visit
- Owners who want a complete homemade diet plan (that needs a board-certified veterinary nutritionist)
- Brand-new owners looking for a first-week starter guide
Questions I get asked
What exactly arrives after I buy?
Two files, available to download right away: the PDF (302 pages) and the EPUB. They are yours to keep, and you can re-download them any time from your Gumroad library.
Which file should I use?
The EPUB on a phone, tablet, or Kindle (use Amazon's Send to Kindle). The PDF on a computer or for printing.
Is checkout secure?
Yes. Payment is handled by Gumroad's checkout, and your card details are never shared with us.
Is this a printed book?
No. It is a digital download. You are welcome to print the PDF for your own use.
Is Cathy a veterinarian?
No, and the book says so plainly. It is written to help you work with your vet, not replace one.
What is the refund policy?
All sales final — but if a technical problem stops you from opening the file, reply to your receipt and we'll make it right.
Do the couch check this Sunday. It's the habit that catches things early.
Weigh your cat. Run your hands nose to tail. Count sleeping breaths. Ten minutes, once a month — Chapter 7 walks you through every step.