4 comments about The Cat in Art.

1. This book covers cats in art from Egyptian to modern times. Lovely color photos with a history of the paintings or sculptures. A very well done art book for cat fanciers!



2. This books is a "must" for every art historian, collector, or any one who simply loves art and/or cats. Well researched and well written.



3. 
   Who can resist a soft, furry, inscrutable, playful, endearing cat? Not many. Especially not artists throughout the ages whose works have been gathered in this fascinating volume by art historian Stefano Zuffi. He describes the cat's important place in culture and art, literature and fable as follows:" True to its nature, it rarely emerges as a protagonist: more often than not, we must look closely to detect its presence. However, this presence, especially in painting, is never a banal one. It has been given a rich variety of symbolic meanings, so much so that we can almost read them across centuries of masterpieces - a sort of history of art with whiskers and a tail, full of surprises."
   
   Thus begins our journey with the cat from antiquity and the Egyptian Goddess Bastet to the modern feline as found in contemporary portrayals. In the Middle Ages we sometimes find the timeless game of cat and mouse as carved in French cathedral choir stalls or in the Lutrell Psalter, an illuminated manuscript now seen in London's British Library.
   
   Later we find the cat in paintings by such beloved artists as Annibale Carracci, Tintoretto, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Jan Van Eyck. The latter places him at the birth of John the Baptist, while a drawing by Da Vinci offers numerous studies of cats.
   
   Richly illustrated with over 250 color images "The Cat In Art" is a sumptuous volume chronicling the works of artists who have been entranced by this affecting creature.
   
   - Gail Cooke



4. I have to admit, I know this book from its French edition, that I acquired at the Louvre in Paris. But assuming the English version stays true to the version I have (it was originally written in Italian), then this is a thoroughly enjoyable volume. More than just another book of cute pictures of cats (which is not to say that's a bad thing) this book is actually an overview of the changing place of the cat in society, as demonstrated by the leading artists of the day. An engaging study in changing iconography, we can trace how the cat changed from devil's "familiar" in the Middle Ages to the protector of the home (by killing rats and mice) as shown in beautifuly reproduced works of art from the world's major museums. Zuffi is an engaging writer and scholar who has provided us with a lvoely and entertaining portrait of the cat.

1 comments about Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrates Cats and the people who love them (Canfield, Jack).

1. Great stories, the only complaint is that the book is too short.

1 comments about The Power of Purrs: Reflections on a Life with Cats.

1. I couldn't put Gary Shiebler's THE POWER OF PURRS down. The honesty in his writing resonates. I laughed, I cried (and I'm not just saying that for dramatic effect!), and I remembered the cats that have come in and out of my own life. Even if you hate cats, you'll love the insightful stories Shiebler shares. Maybe you'll even change your mind . . .

4 comments about Understanding Cat Behavior: The Complete Feline Problem Solver.

1. I found this book to be very interesting, and I learned a lot from it. I'm a cat lover (not an expert) and I would recommend this book for anybody who is curious about the nature of cats, their behaviors, habits, instincts, etc. as they are found in nature.
   
   I live in a very rural, wooded area, and my cats have complete freedom to be inside or out. Without cats around, the mice would have chewed my entire house to sawdust years ago.
   
   I realize (from past experiences) that their lives are very risky compared to fat, pampered, defenseless, confined cats, but they are in their natural environment, are not overweight, are very active, lean, mean, love to hunt and are very happy. And, of course, they are wonderful companions!



2. Understanding Cat Behavior is an excellent first resource to learn about the evolutionary heredity of the domestic cat and how that heritage influences the behaviors of our modern animals. Roger Tabor gives much detail on common behaviors of all cats, large and small, as well as outlining the differences of feral and pet domestic cats from their larger and wilder cousins. Several common "behavioral problems" in our house cats are discussed and why those behaviors occur from an evolutionary stand point. His overview of feline lifestages and physical signals are a great starting point to learning more about the tiny predator in our homes.
   
   If you're looking for more in depth information about cat behavior, cat nutrition, or cat welfare this is probably not the book for you (I would suggest "Your Cat - Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life" by Elizabeth M. Hodgkins, DVM Esq). However, if you're new to cat parenting, or never researched cat behavior, this book provides an easy start to understanding why your cat companions behave as they do.



3. This book was promoted as a cat behavior book. It has some interesting information about cat physiology, but the information on behavioral issues, such as scratching, not using the litter box, and so on, is really sketchy. I sent it back because the author is strongly in favor of outdoor access for cats but he never once mentions the potential dangers of life outdoors. He suggests that indoor-only cats are neurotic and unhealthy. But he says nothing at all about FIV or Feline Leukemia, nothing about dogs, mean people, cars, antifreeze, or any of the other dangers that you should consider before making the decision on whether to keep your cat indoors or not. My husband and I each lost great cats to FIV because we didn't know that we were putting them at risk by letting them out. I think it's irresponsible of Roger Tabor not to acknowledge the possible dangers of outdoor life.



4. U.K. biologist Roger Tabor's book is a cleverly illustrated and fairly comprehensive overview of feline behavior. Beautiful full-color photos are used very effectively throughout the text. However, his biologist's focus favors cats in their natural state. He sees the increasing trend towards confining cats in the U.S. and U.K. as a major contributor to behavior problems (p.120). While this may be true, many U.S. bird-lovers might dispute the British study he refers to that found outdoor cats were not threatening bird populations (p.135).

   This book is not a primary cat care manual, or a collection of detailed case studies, but it is an excellent supplemental text for any cat owner who wants (and needs!) to understand their pet better. Though much of it is not of any immediate use to owners of neutered/spayed indoor cats, the entire text is full of fascinating detail and illustration of all aspects of feline behavior throughout the life-cycle. Tabor starts from biological descriptions of the feline class and works towards the behavorial specifics. The problem-solving section is only the last 20 pp. of the book, but it seems thorough enough to cover most common situations.

   I gave this book the full 5 stars because it's very well done for what it offers. However, if you're primarily interested in spayed/neutered indoor cat behavioral issues, there are better books to advise you.

5 comments about Ghost Cats: Human Encounters with Feline Spirits.

1. Cat lovers, listen up and rejoice. Meow! This book tells stories from the heart. I got a warm and fuzzy feeling from most all the stories. Yes, some are sad, a few scary, but mostly they are joyous and fasinating to read. I am not sure how I feel about the subject, but I think I have had some visits from my dearly departed and very much adored cats. They seem to love my bed at night. And, I think my Sassy has chats with our Sir Merlin who died several years ago. I enjoyed learning about the history of cats as well. Buy this book and savor the stories as I did.



2. This book contains many stories of experiences humans have had with felines who have passed on but still have the need to return to their owners or homes they loved. The stories should convince the skeptic and warm the hearts of cat lovers everywhere.



3. I love cats more than anything in this world. The book is very good, but if you are sensitive like I am, it will have you in tears. Reading story after story of cats dying and their ghosts coming to say goodbye left me in a state of deep sadness.



4. Prepare for an out-of the ordinary journey into the world of the supernatural. In Ghost Cats, author Dusty Rainbolt presents over seventy true accountings of ghostly encounters submitted to her by fellow cat lovers. Not all ghosts have to be scary and within the pages of Ghost Cats, the mysterious veil of death is lifted briefly to reveal a true connection formed between feline and human in life and continued long after.
   
   Dusty explores the scientific and sometimes skeptical community prior to launching the reader into the supernatural realm. A skeptic once herself, Dusty became a believer when her foster kitten Maynard made contact with her. You can read about the experience in her brief introduction. After that, it is up to you to decide if you wish to venture further into the world of human/cat encounters of the strangest kind.
   
   Although there are some tales that might chill you, overall the visits of the departed felines are heartwarming and at times humorous. A far cry from the author's normal venue of cat care, these stories will still cause you to think, allow you the privilege of remembering your own kitty no longer sharing your world and fill you with hope that there is a reunion waiting for you in the future.
   
   Cats do indeed have nine lives, and even after they are gone, they live on in spirit within your heart, within your memories and for the selected seventy people that Dusty interviewed- forever within the pages of Ghost Cats.
   
   For each story found within, there are lessons to be learned by the four-legged teachers when they return a final time to re-establish the bond of love they cherished in life. Ghost Cats is not a cat care book, it isn't even a cat scare book. But it does attempt to do the impossible- explain the unexplanable so that even skeptics will take notice. Read Ghost Cats in a well-lit room with your favorite feline curled up nearby.



5. this is a fantastic book but im a little bit partial because i co-wrote it. im listed in the books aknowlegments as a resource and I also wrote one of the stories myself. it is called "A Cat Called Miracle" my name is steve rusher i feel dusty and me got to the heart of many cat stories that are usually left out because of a variety of reasons. This book is very unique. they will inspire a variety of emotions such as scared,funny, crying,and sometimes PURE SHOCK. anybody that owns a cat or has had one pass to the other side needs this book. I myself have a Doctorates degree in the parapsycology. and am well known throughout the world for my opinions and research and experiance. most ghost hunters value my opinion highly but occultist flock to me even though im not a occultist myself. I hope to write some more with dusty in the future. this is a great book at a great price.

5 comments about Cat's Meow : Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers.

1. I love this book and highly recommend it..... And believe me I don't do to that often...



2. This is a great book for cat lovers if you are looking for whimsical patterns not realistic patterns. I especially like the tesselation patterns.



3. I'm sure that you have a few cookbooks in your collection that you enjoy, but for some reason you never do get around to cooking from them. Maybe the ingredients are hard to get, or you have a simpler recipe in another cookbook. There's nothing wrong with those cookbooks; they're fun, pretty, inspirational. It's just a reading-cookbook rather than a regular instruction book.
   
   To my surprise, that's how I feel about Cat's Meow: Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers. As a devoted cat person, and an enthusiastic (if not anywhere near expert) quilter, I had hoped to find several quilts that would let me indulge in more than one of my passions. However, every time I flip through the pages of this book... well, I end up cooking something else for dinner, so to speak.
   
   I'm not completely sure why; perhaps it's because the designs expect you to use a lot of scraps (I'm not a scrap quilter), or they're just an eensy bit too cutesy. It might also be that, to my mild surprise, none of the designs are suited to use all the kitty fabrics that I've been collecting. Probably, the main reason that I haven't felt compelled to use any of these designs is that the instructions aren't completely clear; it doesn't give me a sense of confidence that this will come together sensibly.
   
   I don't dislike the book; it deserves its 4 stars, and I've no intention of giving it away. On the other hand, I'm not worrying that I'll wear out the book's binding.



4. Clear instructions and great ideas. I used the idea of matching cats and spools, but changed it to dogs and bones.



5. This book is SO CUTE! Even if you don't make a quilt from it, it makes you feel good just looking through it. The colors are happy and the patterns aren't hard. Good instructions and designs and inspiration from Janet Kime! It's one of my top five favorite quilt books--I love it!

2 comments about An Atlas of Surgical Approaches to the Bones and Joints of the Dog and Cat.

1. This atlas provides clear and concise descriptions of surgical approaches to every joint and bone you will encounter in veterinary medicine. The illustrations are quite detailed and identify pertinent muscle and fascial layers, as well as major nerves and vessels encountered during the various procedures. Invaluable for junior surgery, orthopedic clinicals and private practice. Piermatti & Flo rule!!



2. Contains very well-illustrated anatomic descriptions of orthopedic approaches. An essential manual for any veterinarian interested in small animal orthopedic surgery.

5 comments about The Christmas Cat.

1. Just for those who are looking for a copy of this--it's going to be rereleased as part of Love Came Just in Time very soon . . . and it's not an out-of-print book. I get emails often asking for this book and according to my publisher it's still in print. Don't overpay for something you can still get for a traditional price!



2. Julie Beard - My True Love Gave to Me Anne Clancy looks to be celebrating Christmas alone - not even her black cat Niner is around having been missing these last four days. Hearing what she thinks is his bell, she rushes out in a snowstorm calling for him and is hit by a car. When a most startling blue-eyed gorgeous hunk of man revives her, she assumes it is her neighbors friend who she was to meet that evening - darn but she could have warned her he was drop dead gorgeous! Only it wasn't the neighbor's friend - and it wasn't even Wisconsin, USA 1975 anymore either. She was catapulted back in time and mistaken for this gorgeous hunk of a medieval knight's intended bride. Now what's a modern girl to do? Divine short story with a lovely ending.

   Jo Beverley - A Gift of Light Kitty Mayhew was alone working on a tapestry trying to figure out what was wrong with her mother's cat who was making the strangest sounds and putting her body through some very strange contortions. It was her maid Polly that let her know that the problem was that the cat was in heat and hadn't she heard the `tom cats' making all kinds of racket at night. The very worst of the `tom cats' was a big black one that she found out belonged to a neighbor. Armed with all the dignity she could muster Kitty went to the neighbor insisting they control their `tom' cat from courting her female. What she discovered was a very impudent owner who didn't seem to see that this was as much of a problem as she did. In fact, this rascally `Lord Chatterton' thought that this little spitfire needed to be taught the finer points of courting - human style. Through a ruse using the servants courtship as an excuse, he talked Kitty into the two of them acting as chaperones to find out if the servants budding courtship would last if it didn't have to be kept clandestine and would be brought into the open.

   This was a cute, lovely story with some sweet and sassy dialog. Lord Chatterton was the initiator of trying to teach a lesson in courtship, but it was Kitty who finally taught Tom, Lord Chatterton, what it really meant to let in the `light of the Christmas season' and truly love.

   Barbara Bretton - Home for the Holidays This was a darling story told partly from Sebastian, a Maine Coon cat's perspective and partly from his human owners, Jill and David. It is Christmas Eve and David and Jill are divorcing. Jill and David had been together since college; loving each other thru the hard times then slowly falling apart as David's need to advance his career and make more and more money was more important than spending time with his family. It would take Sebastian, the cat they both loved, on a journey that they could follow - to make David remember that the most important thing he needed was Jill and that they were partners - and that they were once happiest when all they had was a little money but whole lot of love. Sweet story.

   Lynn Kurland - The Gift of Christmas Past I really liked this offering from Lynn Kurland. Sir Sweetums, Abigail Garrett's cat, has been missing, and her life feels as though it has gone down the drain, no job, no cat, no unemployment insurance, and no boyfriend just a couple of days before Christmas - she felt like George Bailey and was ready to jump off a bridge into the river. Well, she didn't exactly jump but she did fall in and when she came up for air she found herself in a cesspool of a moat. Not only a moat, but she was no longer in Wisconsin, but England and it wasn't 1998 anymore but 1238! She dragged herself out of the moat, and made her way to the gate at the top of the drawbridge - only to find a surly man dressed up like a medieval knight holding a sword and he didn't quite know what to make of her either! This was a really darling story with Sir Sweetums, who had passed by his ninth life, and was now a guardian angel cat who had one last human he had to find a suitable mate for. Very nice and romantic as these two people from different times had to come to grips with each other and the truth of who they were! Very humorous as well!




3. I bought this book for the Lynn Kurland story. It is wonderful. Miles and Abby are made for each other. I loved it for the time-travel aspect. Lynn knows how to capture the essence of the times she sends her hero's and heroin's back to.

   If you want to carry on reading about Miles and Abby's life together read THE MORE I SEE YOU, it is set about 20yrs. after this story. You won't be dissapointed.




4. I originally bought this book to read Lynn Kurland's story, but after I read her story I decided to keep going and read the others. I found ALL the stories to be good reads, especially Jo Beverly's "A Gift of Light". This has given me the opportunity to find other authors that are readable.



5. The Christmas Cat is a delightful and light hearted book. I enjoyed reading the book by one of my favorite authors and it enables me to determine if I would like to read other books by the other authors included in these books. It also provides you with several different story lines so that you can finish the book in one day instead of not knowing the end of the book until later.

5 comments about 101 Cataclysms: For the Love of Cats.

1. This book is filled with beautiful pictures that any one would enjoy. I bought it for myself, but my mother ended up with it. The photographs are amazing.



2. If you love cats as much as I, you will NOT be disappointed. This book is full of wonderful photos of cats and kittens. Rachael Hale has a real gift. This makes a great coffee table book that you'll page through again and again.
   Enjoy! Kathi Brunelle



3. Beautiful photography of gorgeous cats and kittens. In the back of the book it tells a little about each cat and how picture was taken.



4. I bought this book and 101 Salivations for my mom for Christmas. She loves both of them and looks through them regularly.



5. When you run out of books from Hans Silvester to feast your eyes on, turn to Rachel Hale (or vice versa). Both photographers displayed astonishing patience & skills in shooting the felines in their natural surrounding. This is a beautiful book that every cat lover should see.

5 comments about ASPCA Complete Cat Care Manual: The Ultimate Illustrated Guide to Caring for Your Cat.

1. This book manages to cover all basic aspects of cat selection, preparation for a cat and cat care for most pet owners. It is easy enough reading for older children with liberal, well done illustrations - enough text that it gives enough information but not so in depth that it is set aside and not read. I recommend this book to my kitten buyers.



2. I've had this book through 4 cats and kittens, and if you have a really healthy cat who never develops any illnesses, it's great. I find myself using the Cornell Feline Health Center online for my cats.
   
   The diagnostic tree is just too vague, the descriptions of diseases are also too vague and there's just not enough information. Using a vet's resource center with a dictionary handy does you--and your cat--more good, especially if your cat has something really serious.



3. This book has a very serious omission on the subject of outdoor cats. The book does not mention at all that outdoor cats are in grave danger of attack by coyotes in many parts of the country. Coyotes are in places where many people wouldn't even expect them, such as in cities. There are precautions you can take to eliminate this danger or greatly reduce the chance of an attack. Unfortunately, this book does not list the precautions that should be taken. And by the way, bobcats will also be happy to kill a house cat and similar precautions would apply.



4. This is a wonderful book. My wife and I have 7 cats and we received this as a gift from my in-laws. This is the only cat book we own and we look at it all the time. The book has great pictures of various cats acting out various behaviors, what a kitten should look like at a certain age, and even different parasites that a cat may get. Also included is a list of emergency situations and ways you can help your cat if he/she is injured. This is a great book no cat owner should be without.



5. I find this book highly informative and well organized. I have 5 cats and own many cat books, but this one is by far the most referenced. I especially like the health reference section since I have not found this in any other books.