5 comments about Cat People.

1. Not "hilariously entertaining" as the front cover would have you believe -- that is, nothing in here is laugh-out-loud funny. But it's a whimsical and amusing look at how obsessive cat owners can be through the eyes of two who sort of slid into that borderline obsession and how they got there. Interspersed are some interesting factual asides about cats and famous cat owners, but this is more of a short book-length personal essay about the pleasures and perils of multiple cat ownership. Good airplane reading.



2. Cats are fascinating, delightful creatures and when I read this book, I knew the authors felt the same way. Margaret's relationship to Chutney reminded me of my relationship to Rascals, my ginger cat who could better be called Lover Boy. The story of the New York City cat who fell out the window onto the awning of a nearby building was thrilling. Each and every one of the cats and the people who loved them just opened my heart even more to cats. I loved the book and bought copies to give away to friends and relatives who are "cat people." If you are a cat person, you will love this book.



3. I have written a cat book similar to this one, and I've been trying to find an agent to represent it, so I was curious to see how this one read. Well, considering the author is an editor at a major publishing house, that explains how such a small book, 163 pages and of almost paperback book dimensions, got published. And how it got published despite a rambling storyline that doesn't seem cohesive at times, with chapters that seem to come from other books and stuck in at random.
   
   In short, the plot is: two people who like cats well enough meet, marry, and because they live in the country, acquire more cats. They are very civilized people, so the book is told in a very civilized, high society way, which waters down the humor of it a bit.
   
   And it seems their neighbors, who had more than 20 cats at one time, would make a better book than the Kordas, who seldom have more than five in the house at a time. I have eight rescued strays and I live in the suburbs, so I think even I have a more interesting story.
   
   Mr. Korda's little cat drawings are cute, though, and occasionally some of the stories are endearing or made me laugh, but the careless editing and plotting just got me mad, especially when I think of all the agents that keep turning me down and yet THIS got published.
   
   And my other major upset, and a warning to cat lovers who might be thinking about buying this book, is what the Kordas did to Mrs. Bumble, the biter. They had her put to sleep. No, they didn't try a behavioral therapist first. They didn't try anything. They had a barn and a tack room, for goodness sakes, and they didn't even transfer her to barn cat status. Because she would occasionally bite hard without provocation, they put her down! She was a beautiful, healthy cat and even the vet had reservations, but did what the Kordas wanted. Death to cat. That kind of turned me off on these people, and the Mrs. Bumble incident comes halfway through the book, so you're ruined for the rest of it. I don't think you get to call yourself "Cat People" when you do something like that.



4. I had actually picked this book up on a whim while shopping at barnes and nobles, and i have to say, its one of the best feel good books I've read. Its true thats its about the Korda's and their cats with a few inputs of friends and famlilies cats as well. But either way, it was very enjoyable. Even after I had finished the book, I wanted to know more and more about their cats. The book is filled with humorous stories about cat antics and the very different personality of each cat they've come across. I found myself laughing aloud, nodding my head in agreement, and indeed - calling over my boyfriend to read aloud to him a sentence or a paragraph even of things I found too amusing. This is a must have for all cat lovers. Its a quick read too, so if you're going on a trip, it'll be the perfect reading companion.



5. I am a huge cat lover. Can't live without them, couldn't imagine even trying. So I was excited to get this book, as it seemed right up my alley. When I got it, I was disappointed in the size but good things come in small packages (or so they say) and I gave it a shot.
   
   I'm still disappointed. For an editor-in-chief, Michael Korda is in serious need of one himself. Run on sentences and completely non-sensical paragraphs abound, and if he switched persons once he did it 50 times. One minute he's talking about his wife and her cat, and the next we're reading from his wife's point of view, and then all of a sudden it's 3rd person. I had to read sentences over and over just to get what was being said!
   
   I didn't feel an emotional connection with the cats, either. How is it possible to desensitize a cat lover of my status? Bad writing, that's how. I was sad when the cat was hit by a car, but it was such a fleeting moment - given less than a paragraph of mention - that I couldn't feel THEIR loss.
   
   Given what I know now, I wouldn't have bought this book. Take that as you will. I expected this to be funny and touching, much like Marley and Me (which I highly recommend) - but it fell much too short.

No comments about Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.

5 comments about Living in Shadows: How to Help the Stray Cat in Your Life (Without Adding To the Problem).

1. We do and teach a lot of rescue/TNR, and found this book to have many errors/omissions. Some examples:
   
   p. 19 there is *not* controversy over whether domestic cats are really domesticated. They are. Again, p. 39 -- "would you bring the same animal in the house if it was a raccoon or squirrel?" Feral cats are not wild animals as raccoons and squirrels are; this is a very significant difference, and this is a very misleading comparison.
   
   p. 23 In discussion of "is cat a feral or stray", no mention is made of the ethical necessity to **list as found** any cat you can even remotely touch. Many lost pet cats can present as quite scared. If your cat were missing, you would want finders to err on the side of listing every found cat as found!
   
   p. 45 Very misleading info on FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). The typical first test for FIV tests for *antibodies*, not antigen -- thus, kittens can test FIV+ from maternal antibodies. With time, they clear the maternal antibodies. We have encountered many litters of kittens who initially tested FIV+, *all* of whom subsequently retested FIV-. There's no mention here of the need to have a test/retest protocol. (For great flowcharts, see http://www.felineleukemia.org/fiv1.html).
   
   p. 22 "Feral cats are happier in the wild and are never really happy being confined". This is a mythical overgeneralization. We have done a lot of TNR in dense inner-city settings, and have brought a number of feral cats inside in various places, because their colony habitat was being destroyed (construction, redevelopment, etc.). Most former ferals, if they are kept inside with decent care, some windows, scratching and climbing posts, cat company, do quite well. A very small percent really want to be back in their colony. We've had quite fierce tomcats sit looking out a window at a thunderstorm, and purr up a storm. One "nth generation feral" loves to be picked up and cuddled (and he was definitely a feral cat). TNR (trap-neuter-return) is the default, but bringing a cat in to your home to sanctuary as a "permanent rescue cat" is a viable choice.
   
   There is a lot of good information in this book, but unfortunately also a lot of errors; someone new to rescue would not be able to tell which is which.
   
   You can find good info on TNR at
   Alley Cat Allies, [...]
   Best Friends http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/resourcelibrary/feralindex.cfm
   
   Gesine Lohr



2. This volume of data, anecdotes, and knowledge is unsurpassed in helping the growing volume of stray and/or feral cats! Beautifully written and lovely photos, it is a treasure of information and a pleasure to read! It should be in the library of every "cat person" as well as schools, vet waiting room, pet supply shops, book stores!



3. Arising from her lifelong commitment and efforts to helping all types of animals, Ann K. Fisher has written Living In Shadows: How To Help The Stray Cat In Your Life (Without Adding To The Problem) is a straightforward, informed and informative introductory guide to feeding and caring for stray cats without attracting other animals, how to humanely trap feral cats for spaying or neutering, orphan kitten care, and gradually taming feral cats for domestic relationships. A practical, useful guide for cat lovers of all ages and circumstances, Living in Shadows is very highly recommended reading and an invaluable addition to community libraries and animal shelter reference collections.



4. That skinny cat keeps coming to your back door. When you show any interest, he dashes away. What is the kindest thing to do? Keep leaving out food? Call the local Humane Society? Trap him?
   Ann Fisher offers no-nonsense guidance in what has to be one of the most unusual how-to books ever written. She doesn't mince words. Some feral cats will never be tamed. Think about your investment of time and money. Set limits.

   Still, your feral cats may become part of your household, even if they live in the back yard. By spaying even one cat, you are doing a lot of good. And if you are not in a position to help a cat first-hand, Fisher provides a list of cat-saving organizations that will be very grateful for your donations.

   Here's the perfect gift for your cat-fanatic friends who, like me, hope to evolve into little old ladies who live for their cats.




5. I recently adopted a stray cat from my neighborhood, and this guide was extremely useful when it came to trapping my new cat.

   Not only were the instructions for trapping the cat easy to follow, I was even able to locate a trap by using the resource guide in the back of the book!

   This book is much needed and beautifully written. I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever had or is thinking about adopting any stray cat!

5 comments about Cats Of Thistle Hill: A Mostly Peaceable Kingdom.

1. I came across this book by accident and I found it so page-turning that I could not put it down and I didn't want it to end! The stories of the cats and other animals of the Thistle Hills farm are so heart-warming and touching - they made my eyes welled up with tears and they also made me smile. This is indeed my favorite cat book of all - and I have read many cat books! The Thistle Hill farm is my idea of heaven, not just for the animals who lived there.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a very warm and tender true story about all the cats and other animals that live on Mr. Caras's farm. I can hardly wait to read another of his many books.



3. Roger Caras, a very talented writer and animal lover, takes us on a tour of Thistle Hill, his farm in Northern Maryland. Anyone who loves cats, dogs and other animals will love this book. Its gentle humor and compassion are quite absorbing. I must confess to a certain amount of jealousy, though--I would love to have a home like Thistle Hill Farm!



4. This is an outstanding, well written, entertaining book. Cat and animal lovers should all enjoy it. The book has a beautifully illustrated cover and nice pictures inside of various animals. The book covers not only various adventures of different animals but also shows their intelligence and emotional natures. Roger Caras, the author, writes in a clever, down-home, folksy way. The author also shows his deep caring, respect, and understanding for his many 4-legged friends.

   My vet loaned me her copy. I like it so well I plan to buy my own copy and also one for a friend. I look forward to reading other books by Roger Caras. He has written over 60. Nancy Allen, Ada, Oklahoma




5. In the Cats of Thistle Hill, Roger Caras writes a story that is like reading about the peaceful environment of Ann of Green Gables on Prince Edward Island, animal version. Besides feeling the peaceable nature of Thistle Hill and its environment, you read about the lives of different cats living at Thistle Hill, their personalities, and finally if you have ever thought about the philosophy of cats, you will have that conversation with Roger Caras in this book. Especially, note Teddy, a scarred cat rescued from the streets of San Francisco, who won't have anything to do with other animals until he discovers Emmy. Teddy goes on to become a single parent father of three kittens whom he mothers, protects and loves Teddy's story not only is an interesting true story, but it makes the point that animals have feelings. There are other equally beautiful stories of cats, a llama, dogs, a burro etc. in this book.

3 comments about Just Cats (Just).

1. The pictures are the main attraction of the book, but Karen Anderson's commentary throughout is entertaining and embodies the cat lover's feelings about felines. And the arrangement of the pictures into the categories of kittens, country cats, suburban cats, and city cats is noteworthy.

   This is a book for cat lovers to look through leisurely, enjoy the pictures...the commentary is well spaced and rather like words from a friend who's also a cat lover. And of course, this sure would be a welcome gift to a cat lover.




2. I was surprised when I received this book due to its small size. I guess I just kind of skimmed over all the flags of the "Half pint" book series etc. I had just seen the full size book at...and found this one under the same name and at a good price. I find that the price is due to its small reprinted size, the book is less than 1/2 the size of the original....

   This still has some nice pictures of cats and kittens doing what cats and kittens do but get your magnifying glass out for the detail.




3. As "cat people" we are intrigued by the many-faceted feline, both "in the fur" and in pictures, so this photographic essay with contributions from thirty-six photographers celebrating the special world and style of the cat is a real find. The full color photographs are magnificent and the text by Karen Anderson, author of 'Cats Have No Masters...Just Friends', with her warm and often witty observations on the situations and attitudes of cats make this book a treasure among photographic treatises.

   The "short journey from kittenhood . . . to cat" is beautifully portrayed in both the chapter on the antics of kittens and one entitled "Portraits" which concentrates on the face of the cat with emphasis on their many expressions and their hypnotic eyes. Three other sections allow us to see and enjoy the cat in various situations: "Country Cats/Land of Opportunity," "Suburban Cats/Best of Both Worlds," and "City Cats/The Prince and the Pauper."

   reviewed by Sharon Senn, Proprietor of The Collectable Cat (Kent, WA)

1 comments about Vanity Fur.

1. I loved the articles and everything! It's a must have for all cat lovers. I can't believe it's out of print. Get it back in print!

No comments about El Cuidado De Los Gatos / Kitten Care (Facil & Radido).

No comments about Without A Home - Inspiring and Heartfelt Tales of Cat Adoptions.

No comments about PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CANINE AND FELINE NEUROLOGY.

No comments about Cats in the Belfry.