Best Animal Behavior & Communication Books of 2025

How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety: And Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism, and Other Dangers That Threaten Their Nine Lives is a humorous book that tackles the serious issue of pet safety. The book is written in a Q&A format and covers a range of topics, including gun safety, abstinence, and online predators. The author, Zachary Auburn, provides a witty and entertaining guide for cat owners who want to keep their pets safe from harm. This book is a must-read for any cat owner who wants to ensure their feline friend lives a long and healthy life.

The book "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right" is a dog training guide that aims to help new puppy owners establish good habits and behaviors in their furry friends. Despite some minor damage to the cover and pages, the book provides valuable insights and practical tips for training puppies effectively. It covers a range of topics like potty training, socialization, and obedience training. One unique feature of the book is that it offers a step-by-step, day-by-day training plan that new owners can follow. Overall, "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days" is a useful resource for anyone looking to train their puppy effectively and efficiently.

The Amazing Afterlife of Animals: Messages and Signs From Our Pets On The Other Side is a #1 Bestseller and winner of 16 national and international literary awards. This book is written by Karen Anderson, an animal communicator and afterlife expert, who shares actual messages from departed animals about what they experienced as their life ended and from beyond the veil of the afterlife. Anderson provides evidence that our pets communicate with us throughout their lives as well as after their physical death. This book is a powerful and uplifting read for those grieving the loss of a beloved pet.

Modern Horse Training is a comprehensive guide to building a strong bond with your horse while achieving performance excellence. The book covers everything from working with foals to rehabilitating rescues and retiring horses. The author emphasizes the importance of positive reinforcement teaching strategies and good balance, both physical and emotional, to create a happy, sound horse who wants to be with you. The instructions for each lesson are easy to follow and teach. If you're looking for a book that prioritizes kindness and fun while training your horse, Modern Horse Training is the perfect guide for you.

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law is an entertaining and informative investigation into the world where wildlife and humans meet. Mary Roach takes readers on a journey through the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, exploring the discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology. With a motley cast of laser scarecrows, langur impersonators, and trespassing squirrels, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature’s lawbreakers. Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the biology of wildlife.

Ways of Being: Animals, Plants, Machines: The Search for a Planetary Intelligence by James Bridle explores different forms of intelligence and how they transform human understanding of our place in the universe. Bridle delves into the complexities of artificial intelligence, and how it threatens to decenter and supplant humanity. At the same time, he highlights the other intelligences that have been with us all along. Bridle draws on biology, physics, computation, literature, art, and philosophy to answer unsettling questions about our world. Ways of Being is a bold and thought-provoking read that challenges readers to think beyond traditional notions of intelligence.

Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness by Peter Godfrey-Smith is a fascinating exploration of the evolution of consciousness in cephalopods, such as the octopus, and how it compares to human consciousness. Godfrey-Smith, a philosopher of science and experienced scuba diver, provides an insightful and engaging narrative of the development of subjective experience in the ocean, where the first nervous systems evolved. This book offers a unique perspective on the origins of consciousness and the diversity of life on Earth.

Running with Sherman is a heartwarming and humorous story about Christopher McDougall's experience training a rescue donkey to run a challenging race. Along the way, he enlists the help of his neighbors and the service animal community, leading to unexpected and delightful adventures. The book highlights the healing power of movement and the strength of the human-animal connection. McDougall's writing style is engaging, making the book a joy to read. Overall, Running with Sherman is a unique and inspiring read that animal lovers and sports enthusiasts alike will enjoy.

The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars by Lixing Sun is an eye-opening take on the evolution of cheating in the natural world. From possums playing dead to lying politicians, Sun explores how cheating and deception have given rise to diversity in the living world. The book blends cutting-edge science with a wealth of illuminating examples, making it an intriguing introduction to evolutionary biology. In addition, Sun also looks at the prevalence of cheating in human society, identifying the kinds of cheating that spur innovation and cultural vitality, and laying down a blueprint for combatting malicious cheating such as fake news and disinformation. Overall, The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the natural world and the evolution of behavior.

What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds is a fascinating exploration of the complex nature of owls. Jennifer Ackerman delves deep into the rich biology and natural history of these birds, revealing new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior. She also shares her own personal field observations about owls, making this book a spellbinding account of their astonishing lives. This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in animal behavior and communication, and it is a unique and insightful addition to the genre.