How to Argue with a Cat: A Human's Guide to the Art of Persuasion

by Jay Heinrichs, Natalie Palmer-Sutton (Illustrator)

Learn how to persuade cats—the world’s most skeptical and cautious negotiators—with this primer on rhetoric and argument from the New York Times bestselling author of Thank You for Arguing!

Cats are skilled manipulators who can talk you into just about anything without a single word (or maybe a meow or two). They can get you to drop whatever you’re doing and play with them. They can make you serve their dinner way ahead of schedule. They can get you to sit down right this instant and provide a lap. On the other hand, try getting a cat to do what you want….

While it’s hard, persuading a cat is possible. And after that, persuading humans becomes a breeze, and that is what you will learn in this book. How to Argue with a Cat will teach you how to:

· Hold an intelligent conversation—one of the few things easier to do with a cat than a human.
· Argue logically, even if your opponent is furry and irrational.
· Hack up a fallacy (the hairball of logic).
· Make your body do the talking (cats are very good at this).
· Master decorum: the art of fitting in with cats, venture capitalists, or humans.
· Learn the wisdom of predator timing to pounce at the right moment.
· Get someone to do something or stop doing it.
· Earn any creature’s respect and loyalty.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help, Cats, Communication, Humor, Audiobook

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Jay Heinrichs is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Thank You for Arguing, published in four editions and 14 languages. The leading modern work on rhetoric, it has been taught in more than 3,000 college rhetoric classes and countless AP English Language & Composition classes.

Jay maintains the popular rhetoric and language websites ArgueLab.com and websites Figarospeech.com. In addition, he holds frequent Skype-ins with classes that use his book.

When he’s not spreading the gospel of rhetoric, Jay conducts content strategies and persuasion workshops for clients as varied as the Wharton School of Business and NASA. Middlebury College named him a Professor of the Practice of Rhetoric and Oratory. Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine did a not altogether flattering portrait of him titled Jay Heinrichs’s Powers of Persuasion.

Reviews

[Carin · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have two cats, Doozy and Turkey. They are both extremely persuasive in their own ways. Turkey has learned that even though he is almost six, if he makes a tiny kitten meow, he's more likely to get what he wants. Doozy will actually put a paw out towards a food we have that she wants, as if to help direct us. And if you have a cat or six, you'll know what I mean. Do you feed the cats on your schedule, or on their schedule? Do you pet them (and more importantly, stop petting them) when you want to, or when they want you to? Have you ever stopped doing work in order to throw a ball or a mouse or shake a feathery thing? Did you really think, I want to take a break from work right now, or did your cat bring you that mouse and drop it at your feet?

Not only are cats very persuasive, but they are very difficult to persuade. I have been unable to persuade Turkey to stop eating our clothes, so all closets must be kept tightly closed. When I need to lock him in my office for a while, such as when the exterminator was here spraying for ants, he will not be persuaded to relax and chill and hang out. Instead he will spend four hours staring at the door pensively.

If you can persuade a cat to do things, you can persuade anyone. And who better to learn lessons of persuasion from, then your cat? Does he ever argue you into submission? Considering his lack of human language, I'll bet that's a big no. And yet, when I'm cleaning up the grass he has vomited on the carpet after he convinced me for the umpteenth time to let him go out in the yard and eat grass, and somehow he told me, don't worry, this time I won't throw up. I know he's the master of this skill and I am not.

Mr. Heinrichs has written a serious, successful book about the art of persuasion. And here he has taken the same subject, and run with the metaphor, to make for a very accessible, highly entertaining book about silly cats and their ridiculous way (paired with hilarious drawings) which will in the end teach you how to be a more persuasive human, even if your cat will still always win arguments. But maybe now you can at least convince other humans to do what you want. Even if you can never convince cats.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am of two minds about this book. On the one hand it was very accessible to me, as I am owned by a cat and know his ways well. A lot of the examples were recognizable and gave me a good chuckle or resulted in an acknowledging nod. Humans then become much easier to understand. The subject of argument and persuasion also benefit from a good helping of humour to keep a possibly dry subject light.

But on the other hand the book was very short and fast paced and with the subject being so new to me I feel it will need another read in future when I am more familiar with the topics to fully appreciate it. For now I'll be exploring other books on the subject, by this or another author, to gain a deeper understanding. I'm open to recommendations in the comments.

[Jolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gluži tāpat kā dziesma nav par krekliem, arī šī grāmata jums neiemācīs pārliecināt savu kaķi par pretējo. Šķiet, tas gluži vienkārši ir maz iespējams, tāpat viss notiks pēc viņa prāta.

Toties tajā atradīsiet dažus kaķu cilvēkiem saprotamā valodā dotus padomus, kā (ne)strīdēties, argumentēt un panākt vēlamo efektu no līdzcilvēkiem.

Kā self-help tā nav nekas īpašs. Kā jautra lasāmviela - tīri neko.

[Lavinia Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

O carte pe întelesul tuturor😊
Despre persuasiunea oamenilor - observând comportametul pisicilor, o comparație îndrăzneață și destul de pe bune, la cum îmi știu eu pisica😂❤️

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
I feel like it's hard to rate an advice book because its all about how the book worked for you and how you could apply the advice given. Personally, I rather enjoyed this book because the advice was given in a fun way where it related everything to cats. I don't even like cats that much, but it was a good way for the author to use examples that I could visualize well and understand in a better way then just using humans. I think this is a great book on learning how to do persuasive writing, or any kind of argument, and the different methods involved.

[Takoneando entre libros · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divertido y muy descriptivo de cómo es la vida con un gato...hacedme caso, siempre perderéis.

[Annija · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most funny self-help book I ever read!

[「美佳」liesolitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Si en alguna ocasión no tienes claro en qué consiste un entimema, basta con que pienses por qué acude un gato. Este llega a la conclusión de acudir si le das una buena razón. En la persuasión, una conclusión suele implicar una decisión («Creo que iré») o una acción (ir).

¿Lo has entendido? Entonces llevas ventaja a la mayoría de la gente, incluidos los políticos.

Una lectura muy divertida, amena, e interesante. Por medio de metáforas y ejemplos tanto para el público felino como para el humano, Heinrichs nos habla de las técnicas de persuasión más empleadas a la hora de discutir, para que aprendamos a identificarlas y a saber cómo el mundo nos influye sin que nos demos cuenta. Sin duda, una de mis lecturas favoritas este año.

[Adelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

A really cute book on arguing, framed as “with a cat” but really applicable to human interactions as well – basically with anyone that you don’t start off on the same page with. I loved the illustrations that accompanied each of the chapters, I looked forward to each one as they made me laugh, and often illustrated the point so well.

I dropped some points, and consequently a star, because I’m not sure I get along with Heinrich’s style of writing. I found it difficult to follow in parts, in several places I got the sense that he is making very good points but in a way that was rather difficult to comprehend on first-time reading. I had previously struggled (and put back onto my shelf, where it remains) with his book Thank You for Arguing for similar reasons, which makes me think that it is just an incompatibility between my reading and his writing styles.

Still, this is one I will hang on to as I might consider reading it again – although there was nothing radically novel there were some good points being made and maybe it will be easier second time around.

[Ananannana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book disappoints as it delves more into cats and political correctness than its purported subject matter. The content lacks a clear and concise approach, leaving readers with basic questions about the practical application of the concepts discussed. While it attempts to define and explain persuasion and negotiations, it falls short by providing overly descriptive content. The inclusion of self-evident advice, such as "care about what your partner is saying" or "act confident," undermines the potential for offering truly insightful tips. Ultimately, it resembles other how-to books that fail to present a compelling argument by never getting to the actual point. On a positive note, I enjoyed the cat drawings.

[Valerie Vlasenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect for cat-lovers. Me being a cat lady appreciated the author speaking “my language” & explaining simple but effective persuasion techniques.

The book is a short one and can be easily digested on a short distance flight :)

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun to read and excellent lessons. If my husband and son weren’t so allergic, it also would have convinced me to adopt a cat.

[Ventseslav Yordanov · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave it 2 stars, because of the tips that must be kept in mind and are obnoxiously given in the book. I generally didn't like the book.

[Alya Putri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucu banget, baru ngeh selama ini, bisa berdebat dengan kucing. Mirip juga ya ke manusia gitu hahaha. Menarik!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[Jeremy Ray · Rating 1 out of 5]

Clearly there are those who love this book. I felt it was a mess -- though perhaps I would've been better off with Thank You For Arguing, Heinrichs' other book, intended to be more educational. How to Argue with a Cat is aiming to be the humorous introduction to the topic.

The cat talk comes thick and fast. Even as a cat person, it was too much. I felt it often got in the way of the point, as the metaphors would get muddled and every paragraph of info had to be accompanied with another paragraph of "And the way a CAT would do it is..."

Eventually I just started skipping the cat parts, and there's some good info in places, but it feels like an incomplete, distracted primer on persuasion.

The book also confuses reference for humour (much like Ready Player One). Writing a joke about cats isn't the same as simply mentioning a cat thing. Most of this book is the latter. If you're SO into cats that inexhaustible mentions of scratchies and yarn balls floats your boat, maybe you'll be right at home here. I haven't checked out Thank You For Arguing yet, but I'm betting that's the better option.

[Haraldohoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fun and brisk introduction to understanding rhetoric and the art of arguing your case well, how to argue from your interlocutor's point of view, that good argument is not a zero sum game (mostly). Using amusing experiences with cats to show how rhetoric works on even the most difficult of opponents. "Anyone who believes what a cat tells them deserves all he gets"-Neil Gaiman. For a deeper and broader treatment of argument that is also entertaining and educational, go to Jay Heinrich's New York Times Best Seller "Thank you for arguing" with examples from Aristotle, American presidents and Homer Simpson.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really about 3.5 but I decided to round up because he quotes one of my favorite authors, Bob Tarte. It's a slim book with tips on arguing-- but I prefer his definition of arguing, which is NOT fighting. It's persuading someone else to come to your point of view and doing so with logic and understanding, not bullying. Sadly, logic seems in short supply of late. The conceit of arguing with a cat is a clever one and makes it all go down in an entertaining way.

[Gabriel Ursan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se putea ramane doar la titlu si la un prim capitol legat de pisici si comparații si era suficient, atragator si ok. Insa comparatiile realizate in continuu cu pisicile sunt foarte obositoare si distrag atentia de la informatiile utile.

[Lily.loves.adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://theempireofme.wordpress.com/2...

[Kara of BookishBytes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly substantive. Pleasant to read and concise.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 would recommend this mindless quarantine read.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* Quite amusing and the cat chat was spot on, whether I learnt anything about persuasion remains to be seen but I want to try the ramp technique!!

[Serch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elegí este libro porque como ya mencioné anteriormente, me gustan los gatos. El autor emplea de manera divertida ciertas situaciones en las que fácilmente nos podremos identificar y que mejor que comparar nuestro comportamiento con el de un gato. Esta guía de persuasión es buenísima y estoy seguro que muchos le van a sacar bastante provecho no solo para su campo laboral sino en cualquier situación que se les presente. Este libro también incluye citas textuales en cada inicio de capítulo, además de sencillas pero bonitas ilustraciones. Lo que más me ha gustado es la parte dedicada a la sabiduría gatuna. Todas las analogías me parecieron geniales porque tengo 2 gatas en mi casa, así que me reí bastante con ellas. El libro es cortito y muy entretenido, aunque subjetivo, porque no todas las personas actúan como los gatos, otras son como perros, je,je.

[Kamaljit Suman · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very easy read that may have been more palatable if I was a cat lover. I don’t mind cats and some of the cat insights were mildly amusing I suppose, but as for the art of persuasion? -Completely lost in the cat ‘insights’ and quite frankly so little content that my advice to you is ‘don’t bother’.

Best bits- the illustrations!

[Inés · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me compré el libro, sí, por la portada y porque salía un gato y, a pesar de que las comparaciones entre los humanos y los gatos en cuanto a persuadir es curioso y muy bien pensado, la lectura no me ha sido interesante. Pero porque el tema en sí no es de mi interés, aunque si eres comercial puede serte muy útil jeje

[Chester Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a fan of self help books. However, if they were all written like “How to Argue with a Cat” I would read a lot more of them. I learned a lot about interacting with other people and gave me a couple of skills to try. Still being humorous. Also it’s a short book so that helps too

[Jermaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

usually not a fan of self-help books but it’s hard to argue when written this well. a book that starts a discussion on rhetoric so late on while being so short will, however, naturally be limited in places - some helpful advice in there nonetheless

[Simona Matache · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amuzanta și interesantă. Un alt mod de a descoperi oamenii și pisicile😊

[Txell · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is some interesting and useful stuff in here, but I'm not sure it's worth putting up with all the cat talk.