2 comments about Understanding Your Cat: Revised and Updated.

1. Understanding Your Cat sets an expectation for deeper insights into feline behavior. In fact, what little commentary there is on cat behavior is superficial and obvious to the long-time-cat-owner. Dr Fox spends too much time analyzing feline evolution and contrasting feline, canine, and primate behavior and not enough time on cats themselves. Finally, the black and white photographs which comprise the core of the behavior section did not reproduce well and are dificult to see. I could only recommend this book to non-cat-owners.



2. If you have a cat, especially a siamese or purebred one, you need this book. Some people own a cat for years and still don't know the first thing about them or how to properly take care of them. This book gives you a luminous insight into their super-selfish but predictable behavior, such as why they seem to turn around and try to get back in a door when you let them out. The many photos are great too, as is the history of where our domestic cats come from. All in all, "America's best known animal psychologist" is not an understatement. Dr. Michael Fox rocks!

2 comments about A Cat in the Manger (Alice Nestleton Mystery).

1. "Cat in the Manger" is a ridicious mystery authored by a hack. Our heroine, Alice Nestleton is a off-off Boradway actress, and tries to discover why her old friend was brutally murdered. Soon, she discovers it's connected to horse racing. The exact reason why the man was killed has got to be the worst idea in the history of writing. The conclusion to this over-the-top saga is mind-numbling dumb(and yes, it has a cat connection).



2. Do you love cats? Do you dream of cold winter days lying cozily on your chaise, a cup of hot cocoa beside you? Do you love cozy mysteries If you answered yes to all of the above, then the new Alice Nestleton series by Lydia Adamson are the right stuff for you. This is a light but highly inventive mystery and I can tell it will be a successful series. In this first installment, we are introduced to a courageous sleuth by the name of Alice Nestleton. She is an off-off-Broadway actress, who is trying to move away from the classical Shakespeare plays and into the new avant-garde theatre. In the meantime, she supplements her vocation with cat-sitting around New York. As befitting a cat-lover, Alice has two cats: a Maine Coon named Bushy, and a frightened, domestic gray shorthair she rescued from the ASPCA by the name of Pancho. It's Christmas time and Alice is preparing for her annual cat-sitting job in a run-down horse-farm near the Hamptons, taking care of eight Himalayans for Harry and Jo Starobin; he a famous ex-cat judge and champion animal lover, she his faithful wife. When Harry fails to pick her up at the local train station as previously arranged, Alice is intrigued. She finds her own way to the farm via a taxi. Upon arrival, Alice finds things eerily normal, but it is only when she starts to get settled into her cottage that she finds Harry's corpse hanging from the back of the door. When a second murder happens to one of Harry's friends who lived just down the road, Alice puts her powers of deduction to work. She will have to deal with a pestering detective, Starobin's grieving widow and his young lover who surreptitiously disappears along with a calico barn cat and all her kittens. A connection? Maybe. Alice decides the case is worth investigating when Jo Starobin shows her a very large sum of money her husband left without explanation of how he got it. In order to solve the case, Alice will put her own life at risk, entering into high-stakes involving horse-racing and special cat genetics, geared toward producing miraculous mascots in the shape of calico cats.

   "A cat in the manger" has the perfect mix of cat lore and sleuthing. I especially enjoyed the way the cats are very much at the center of the story, but they do not possess special powers. This leaves a good balance for the main character - the sleuth - to play her role naturally. Ms. Adamson obviously knows her craft very well, which involves not only the world of cats, but how to develop a good story thanks to what I sense is a background in the theatre industry.

4 comments about Cationary: Meaningful Portraits of Cats.

1. "Cationary" is beautiful, amusing, knowing - just like the photographer's "Dogtionary." Sharon Montrose really has done it again. You know the old saying, "Dogs have masters; cats have staff." Indeed. Cats are vain; they're haughty; they don't suffer fools at all, let alone gladly. Then turn around, and they're loving, and graceful, and endlessly inventive. They're all here in this delightful book, in all their warm, exasperating, funny, fussy, glamorous glory.



2. I have to repeat it, WHAT A HAPPY LITTLE BOOK! Being in the animal care field (I work at a non-profit, privately funded shelter) not only do I collect books on animals, of course, I see a lot of sad situations everyday in my field. When this book arrived from Amazon (prompt as usual), after a hard day at the shelter, I was immediately overjoyed by the beauty of it and it helped me realize "Yes, this is why I do what I do, because people care"! The photography is excellent, sort of a photojournalistic point of view and the style of printing is in a soft, sepia tone. The captions for each photograph are right on target. Now to order her book on dogs....



3. All I could think about while I was looking through this beautiful book was how much I wished I could contract Ms. Montrose to take portraits of my cats. How thrilled the guardians of these cats must feel to have these gorgeous portraits of their cat companions.

   I work for a publishing company so the typesetting did not escape my notice, either. Called "CatLover" it was designed by the author as per the cip page, and is so hip and quirky and appropriate. Impressive.

   The format of the book is a photograph or photographs of a cat, it's name which falls into alphabetical order like Webster's on a much smaller scale, and then captioned by three definitions of the accompanied cat. My favorite is Gracie because that is the name of one of my own cat companions.

   When you buy this book, get two. One for yourself and one for another cat lover in your life.




4. This book is a must have for all cat lovers! The pictures make you smile and the captions make you laugh. These photographs encompass the personalities and emotions of the cats that grace them.
   Wonderfully done!

No comments about Clinical Immunology of the Dog and Cat.

No comments about Is My Cat a Tiger?: How Your Cat Compares to Its Wild Cousins.

5 comments about The Cat Who Came in from the Cold.

1. I first picked up the audio version of "The Cat Who Came in From the Cold" from our library while preparing for a marathon car trip with my husband (not a man who thinks highly of cats) and sons (ages 23, 20 and 14). I was pretty skeptical that the male majority would really 'let' me listen to a book with a cute little kitten on the cover, but I added it to my stack anyway (it's good to be Queen!). After having had my fill of "Tom Clancy" and his friends, I plugged in "The Cat Who Came in From the Cold" and soon ALL of us were all laughing the miles away. On our return leg of our trip, all these big guys (and their mom AND DAD) wanted to hear the "Thermal" tapes again (listening to a story a second time through is unheard of around here!) Along with most of Deric Longden's other books, we now own our own set of tapes to share with family, and the book version (which my 14 year old son, who hates to read, read cover to cover in about a day). Cheeky Thermal is an oft quoted cat around here. It is also nice to find a book that appeals to everyone in the family without any objectionable material. This is just great, light-hearted fare.



2. I listened to this book on audio cassette while I cleaned my barn. It was so much fun to listen to, I cleaned more and more each day because I didn't want to turn off the tape. My barn is now immaculate, and I was sorry to come to the end of the story!



3. Having read Deric Longden's first five books (the others include Diana's Story, Lost For Words, I'm a Stranger Here Myself & Enough to Make a Cat Laugh), I can confidentally say that this is when the author is at his best. He delivers enough comedy (something to be expanded upon in subsequent books), but mixed with a subtle version of his own blend of tragedy (already established in previous books). Whilst many thought that his characterization of his mother's mental decline in Lost For Words was distasteful, I would think that even the harshest of critics would fail not to find the story of a lost kitten a least a little endearing.

   Although it may be easy enough to dismiss this as simply a children's novel, I would say that, given enough suspension of disbelief & a little imagination, this can be a thoroughly enjoying read, and (cliche) a book that you will want to keep coming back to, time & again, even if only for some of the amusing anecdottes presented by Thermal.




4. American readers who enjoy authors such as Cleveland Armory are really deprived of the British author Derick Longden's classics. "The Cat Who Came In From the Cold" was the first of his books I read, but was able to read more only because I have a friend who orders them from the UK. Longden imparts personality and (imagined) dialogues and thoughts from his cats, which will have you chuckling and nodding in agreement with his knowledge of our feline favorites. GET HIS BOOKS!



5. I am from England and have bought all of Deric Longden's books there. I am surpries to find that they are all out of print here - he has an amazing way with words that left me laughing out loud. The tale of a small white kitten called Thermal (for reasons which I will not go into here) is one that as well being incredibly funny also has moments of sadness init as well. The books "Diana's story" and "Lost for words" are also not to be missed, although I can guarentee tears as well as laughter with these books.

No comments about Your Pet Isn't Sick: He Just Wants You to Think So.

1 comments about Small Animal Anesthesia: Canine and Feline Practice (Mosby's Fundamentals of Veterinary Technology).

1. This book was a great help for me. It is so good I am ordering another copy for a friend of mine.

1 comments about Guide to Owning a Siamese Cat (Guide to Owning).

1. While I find this book enjoyable because it is about my favorite breed, I feel that a lot more photos of the different point colors could have been included. Also, a little more information on the different "types" of Siamese, such as applehead, classic, or wedge would have been interesting. The author implies that exhibitors are breeding problems within the breed by breeding for a "wedge" type, but neglects to say what type of problems and I came away with the impression that she does not approve of the show standard for Siamese. Several good photos of show type Siamese are included however. Overall it is a good book which perhaps just needs to be updated.

3 comments about Tatianna: Tales and Teachings of My Feline Friend.

1. I read this book shortly after the loss of my feline friend of 15-1/2 years. Linda's story of the intimate bond she shared with Tatianna mirrored the bond I had with my own feline friend. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves cats...it's also especially healing to read after the loss of a feline friend. A true blessing.



2. Not too often does a book centered around one specific animal have such a positive impact on the reader as does this book. Nor do many memoirs radiate the intense compassion for not just that one creature, but for all life. The author clearly carries her respect and love for her cat, Tatianna, into all she does, all she believes in. As a writer, speaker, and educator, this could not be more important. Tatianna carries us on a profound journey - one that contains all the best ingredients for learning, laughing, grieving, and growing through everything that makes us better people. In this delightful book we not only befriend Linda and her beloved Tatianna, but bring from the experience an enhanced understanding of love and respect for others. And that is just one aspect of this particular volume that makes it so special. The excellent writing takes the reader through all the emotions associated with animal care-giving, yes even the 'Saying Good-bye' part...but be assured there is much that will make you smile and laugh aloud as well. Those who know cats well will feel as if they have met a kindred spirit in Linda Mohnr. This is a grand book - well written, beautifully designed. It is comfortable to hold in the hands and the print and page size is kind to the eyes. It is a book that should be in every animal appreciator's library. Even the die-hard dog lover will find great joy in reading Tatianna.



3. Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (1/08)
   
   Pet lovers will love this poignantly told story of Tatianna as written by Linda A. Mohr. It is the story of a sixteen-year journey, of bonding, and of the healing experienced by Linda from Tatianna in a time of grief. Later Linda became Tatianna's caregiver and lifeline during her extended illness.
   
   After the loss of her fiancé, Ken, in a motorcycle accident, Linda explained Tatianna's help this way. "Although I had lost a physical life with Ken the devoted love, tenderness, and companionship of Tatinanna sustained me."
   
   Linda's doting descriptions of Tatianna included phrases like: "She provided companionship in solitude, was mischievous, rambunctious, and curious. She was friendly, but aggressive, social, adventurous, and she loved unconditionally. She was devoted, protective, and amusing."
   
   I found the quotations at the beginning of each chapter as well as Linda's original poems, affirmations, and positive reinforcements to be both inspirational and thought-provoking. Linda's personal and firm conviction of God s working through these experiences on a daily basis came through in her writing.
   
   In her Christmas letter in 2000 Linda wrote, "On the furry front, Tatinanna is now over fifteen-years-old, and she has been miraculously battling kidney disease for the past two and one-half years. We continue her daily therapy and affirmations. You would never know she was ill by looking at her."
   
   Linda's detailed accounts of the treatments, therapy, prescriptions, affirmations, and acupuncture are of tremendous value to any pet owner going through similar disease processes with their pets. Tatianna's Circle of Life Gallery highlights the pages of the book and adds a unique appeal to her story. I found myself enjoying the pictures many times, as well as frequently referring to the very unique presentation of an illustrated timeline provided as a part of the preface to the book.
   
   Linda s descriptions of her elaborate Christmas trees with their unique ornaments, and her astounding collection of antiques will add interior decorators, and antique dealers, to her list of eager readers, which include pet owners, pet store operators, and veterinarians.
   
   The chronicles of Tatianna, her feline friends, and her biographer Linda A. Mohr is a heartwarming story of an amazing, loving, spiritual bonding relationship of a pet and her owner. Linda A. Mohr is a gifted writer. "Tatianna: Tales and Teachings of My Feline Friend" is one of endurance, bravery, strength, faith, and love. Simply beautiful.