No comments about Country House Cats.

3 comments about More Stuff on My Cat: 2x the Stuff + 2x the Cats = 4x the Awesome.

1. ...you'll love this book! I am a big fan of the SOMC site, and I actually bought this book because a photo of mine appears in it. If you're not familiar with the site, the idea is that people put stuff on their cats (costumes, food, toys, balloons, etc.) and take photos. The people who run the site post the photos with funny captions.
   
   The book is very much just a photo book, and if you like the site, you'll like the book. It's very random and funny, and a good conversation piece. The only thing I wasn't completely keen on was the inclusion of some speech bubbles. I might have preferred nothing or captions on all of the photos. I would have also liked to see the names of the cats included.



2. Like the First Stuff on my Cat book, book #2 is wacky fun for cat lovers. It is ridiculously silly,
   and for those who like to laugh, it's utterly fun. Great gift for cat lovers, naturally!



3. i never read the first one, but I was bored.
   This isnt that clever, or cute, or funny.
   yeah thats pretty much it
   it's a bunch of cat pictures
   dont expect it to be genius clever pics either

5 comments about An Unlikely Cat Lady: Feral Adventures in the Backyard Jungle.

1. Basically, this book is about Nina Malkin's feeding a feral group of cats in her backyard and she gets involved in the TNR Program (Trap Neuter Release). She names her Ferals mostly after rock stars and tv personalities and their comical antics. While I deeply admire anyone who feeds and cares in any way for feral cats, there were a few things that I didn't care for in this book. Ms. Malkin has one stray who died, so she just throws the corpse into the dumpster and she attempts to make this comical.?! Also, there was an unattractive feral tom cat who's not very healthy and he was sleeping in an old kitty condo in their backyard and Ms. Malkin and her husband chase him away "because he's ugly". Later when setting a TNR trap, they trap the same "ugly" tom cat. Rather than take him to get neutered, she releases him in order to trap a more "attractive" cat. Did the author ever think that maybe with a little care, medical treatment and love that the "ugly" cat's looks might improve? Also, if you're conservative about curse words, the author uses quite a few. She also makes a commit about white people & Koreans which is a bit racist, tho I don't think she meant it to seem that way.
   
   Don't get me wrong, there were things I enjoyed in this book too. Being my mother cares for over 70 homeless and stray cats, I really appreciated the author drawing attention to other people (the unsung heroes) who have helped cats. Also, this book gives readers ideas for helping feral cats. As, I should, I do applaude Nina Malkin for all her efforts in the TNR program.
   
   Overall, I'd recommend checking this out of the library first or swapping for it. While there were parts I enjoyed, I doubt I'd read this book again.



2. In her sassy, humorous memoir, Nina Malkin describes life as an accidental cat lady. She and her husband noticed feral cats in their Brooklyn neighborhood, had their hearts stolen away, and then educated themselves about proper handling of feral colonies. Nina and Jason quickly became Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) advocates. TNR is a grassroots effort to trap feral cats (a humane trap will run you $50), have them neutered and vaccinated, and return them to the wild. A true cat lover can not just feed feral colonies, encouraging continued breeding, so TNR is a true way to show humane support for animals.
   
   Nina lovingly names her cat-neighbors after rock stars Axl Rose and Sid Vicious, and throughout the course of the book, she teaches the reader to appreciate these lost and wild cats on their own terms.



3. The book was informative in general, but I became a little weary of the author's sarcasm. I was also greatly disturbed when they disposed of one of the dead ferals in the trash can. That was surprising to me given their level of emotional and financial investment in the cats. I would have expected that a proper cremation would be in order.



4. I read up to page 32 where the author complains about some bad tenants
   who are white and says "They are textbook examples of what black people
   mean when they say white children get no home training."
   I've lived in Chicago all my life (57 years) and have
   never heard that black people say white children get no home training.
   It was a racist slur against white people and since it accused blacks of
   a racist belief which I don't believe they even have, it was also anti-
   black. Her bigotry disgusted me. I threw the book in the garbage where
   all racist trash belongs. I do not recommend this book.



5. This is the first published book i've seen that describes someone's experience with TNR, (trap, neuter, return) which is what everyone should do if you have a feral cat in your backyard. You look up your local cat rescue or SPCA groups to find who is supporting TNR in your neighborhood, you get a vet appt or find out when the next TNR vet day is for feral cats (many vets won't work on ferals hence a good idea to hook up with an existing TNR group, or just start your own), you buy or borrow a cat sized humane animal trap (20-40$), trap the cat, take it in to be vaccinated and neutered, and then if feral, release it back in the same location. And then, ideally, feed and monitor your TNR'd cats (their ears will be tipped so you can tell who you've done and who is unneutered). No more kittens or cat explosions, and you have the security of knowing the ferals in the area are protected against rabies.
   
   More and more people are getting on the TNR bandwagon. It's pretty easy to do, and you know you've done some good for the animals in your neighborhood. Feeding of course is not enough, because the animals continue to breed. Feral cats aren't easily adoptable, and many shelters will just euthanize them. They're in that middle ground between wild and pet animals, but with a little effort they can be given a niche to survive in the environment, and TNR is what they need, plus a bowl of kibble and some water.
   
   This is a light and amusing book that describes one woman's first venture into TNR. The only cautionary note was that I didn't like it when she let one cat out of the trap and didn't TNR him because she didn't find him attractive. It's a sorry thing when such care is only available to cute kittens. And if she didn't like him, why leave him unneutered to sire more just like him? And I wondered if she had gotten him vet care, if he would have made it, since he seemed ill. At least he could have been humanely euthanized rather than being let out, ill and still unneutered. But other than that one diappointing occurance, it was a reasonably good tale.

1 comments about The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour.

1. The title of this book is misleading. This book isn't about the pet cat you keep at home. It's about wild domestic cats and how they relate to each other in the field. There are no recent photographs, only drawing from the early 1900's that all look the same. The citations used in the book to back up the author's claims are also outdated- there surely must have been some recent veterinary studies on domestic cats so why are we relying on quotes from the 1930's??? Don't waste your money.

5 comments about 365 Cats Page-A-Day Desk Calendar 2008.

1. Do you know someone that can't live without cats? This is the perfect gift for them. The pictures are adoreable.



2. This calendar, I highly recommend for cat lovers. The photos are absolutely beautiful. I enjoy looking at it everyday. It makes me smile.
   It is very well done.



3. This is the second year that I've purchased this calendar, and it again proved to be a great buy. The pictures are large, bright, and very high quality. The cats in them are diverse and usually don't look like they have been posed. The cats are shown outdoors, lounging, playing, sleeping, or a variety of other natural activities. A great desk calendar to brighten up your every day!



4. super quality, nice pictures..i look forward to coming to work to turn the pages every day.. yes my life is that mundane.



5. I have been buying the 365 Cats Page a Day Desk Calendar for a lot of years. This year (2008) they changed their format. It is a honey! The pics are HUGE and adorable as ever. I am SO HAPPY! I purchased a different type of cat calendar (which shall remain nameless) and was so disappointed, I threw it in the garbage and ordered this online since I was too late to find it in a store. If you love cats, this is a MUST HAVE!

2 comments about Laboratory Manual for Anatomy and Physiology with Cat Dissections (5th Edition).

1. I actually needed a newer edition, but hoped that this one would work for a cat dissection. The pictures are b&w in this edition but otherwise it's the same, only much cheaper. We only use this manual for a few weeks at the college I attend, then throw them out since they get covered in cat juice, so this book served it's purpose well. Much easier to give away/toss than the $125 one that the school sells.



2. This lab manual is a great reference. I highly recommend this manual to anyone in an anatomy or physiology course.I consider this manual my salvation because thanks to it I ranked #1 in my physiology/anatomy course at UCLA.I strongly suggest the purchase of this book in order to be an exceptional student as myself.

3 comments about Cathedral Cats.

1. For starters, if you are accustomed to the type of beautiful photography that one sees in Hans Sylvester's work, this book is going to be a disappointment, because the shots aren't all particularly stunning. the balance between the background and the cat is often but not consistently achieved. The captioning is sort of confusing and off, requiring yyuo to read the text to figure out what the author was referring to in the caption. His sense of humour, too, as far as the captioning goes isn't completely explained by the text so you're left wondering which blanks you were supposed to fill in to get to that conclusion so the caption makes sense. It might just be that you'll appreciate it more if you've got a British sense of humour, since other people clearly enjoyed the book much more than I did. On a couple of pages the cats are even labeled incorrectly as the same cat cannot logically-speaking be completely ginger-colored and then completely black on the same side. Possibly it was ginger-colored on one side and black on the other and the photograph was reversed in the printing and editing. A proofreader or editor clearly missed something.
   
   The background on the cathedrals is okay, but not extensive, sort of like having a 30 second tour of Britain's cathedrals. If you like that stuff, this is for you. If you want more detail, don't go for this book. Not all of the stories are given enough detail to be satisfying. In a few cases about two sentences are devoted to a cat, which makes it just a teaser, but doesn't flesh out the cat's quirks or cuteness. I could just be the wrong kind of person for this sort of book, but I didn't like how little story there was to the cats and how little there was to the cathedrals, neither are addressed all that well. The book is a bit of a wash on both topics.
   
   Me, I'd be happier to sell you my copy, recoup my money for the book, and get some other cat book.
   To boot, my cat didn't approve of it either.



2. I bought this book for a friend who wasn't able to go cathedral hopping with me last summer in Great Britain and Ireland. When I returned home, I tried to explain to her that cathedral cats are more purposeful than our 'ordinary' lap cats--they have serious matters to contemplate such as fifteenth century pulpitums and the cathedral gardener's pet snake. I gave her this book to prove my point.
   
   The writing style is heavily British tongue-in-cheek, which keeps the book from mawkishness. Here is an example concerning Olsen, a Siamese chocolate point newcomer at Chester Cathedral: "After introducing himself around the cathedral close, getting locked in the free-standing 1970s bell tower, and having had his application for the position of food taster in the retreat house kitchen turned down, Olsen was tempted to dismiss the religious life."
   
   You may be wondering why a Siamese chocolate point would be named 'Olsen.' It is because of the cathedral's history: "Olsen and Hansen [an oriental red] are not the first Danes to make their presence felt in Chester. Vikings from Denmark and Norway swept through large areas of England in the ninth and tenth centuries..."
   
   So this book feeds you a bit of English history through the eyes of its cathedral cats. The photographs are also a mix of cat and cathedral, mostly in color.
   
   "Cathedral Cats" is definitely for ailurophiles only, especially if they also happen to be anglophiles.



3. The British journalist Richard Surman has worked 27 years long as a professional photographer world-wide for advertising clients and airlines - now he retreated to Spain with his South American wife to rest - however he is still nostalgic remembering back to his ancient Old England lifestyle-roots, its old-venerable church walls, canons, organists - and their cats. So he not only lists some of the most beautiful cathedrals in the U.K., but also adds the life-history of the cats living there beneath people working behind old church-walls. "Cats don't belong to people, they belong to places ..." once Wright Morris said - Richard Surman now delivers the photographies desrcibing this axiom. For example the story of the cat TOMKINS, who is designated after a composer: when cats-"owner" Peter Nardone, organist and Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral begins to mistreat the organ practising J.S. Bach, "Tomkins makes his way hastily upstairs to the guest bedroom, clambers onto the bed and sticks his head under a pillow." But Tomkins on the other hand takes pains to be helpful: "He always calls when the newspapers come through the letter box - though this may have more to do with his habit of sleeping on the doormat than a deliberate policy of helpfulness." A second example for the authors humoristic writing-style: Olsen, the cat of the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Rev. Dr Peter Foster, and his Danish wife Elizabeth, - Olsen "was tempted to dismiss the religious life. He turned instead to the lure of nights in the city,..." ignored "warnings about 'drunks, vagabonds, ladies of the night and the worst elements of society". Olson every night "found the ideal surroundings for his inscrutable and laid-back style": the nearby Alexander's Jazz Theatre. Richard Surman opens our heart not only for cats, but also for the cosy country and church-lives - not poisened by big-urban-areas hectic, brings us near to a perception of a world, in which the time seems to stopp. This tiny book inexpensive and affectionately replaces an England vacation, if the purse is empty...

1 comments about Getting in TTouch with your Cat.

1. Whether your cat is the most well-adjusted animal ever, or neurotic and nervous, there will always be times, like going to the vet, when calming and communication from the owner will help. I can't recommend the T Touch more highly. I was doubtful, but it has enormously helped my terrified Persian rescue, so I even used it on my 15-yr. old Himalayan with excellent results.

5 comments about That Yankee Cat: The Maine Coon.

1. This was a very informative book about the history and caring for a Maine Coom cat. This is one of three books that I ordered on the subject. I now feel that I am ready to obtain one of these beautiful animals.



2. A lot of ueful and interesting information in a compact book. A pity that more of the photographs were not in colour rather than B & W.



3. We recently purchased a Maine Coon kitten and found this book to be very informative. It has given us not only information for the care of our kitten, but gave us background info and info on what to expect as our kitten grows. I highly recommend this book to anyone who owns or is considering getting a Maine Coon.



4. This book was very informative for Maine Coon owners and lovers. The history and background of this breed was informative and impressive in detail. Maine Coon owners will learn a lot and give them more to admire in their very special cats. A winner of a book.



5. I bought this book due to the great reviews given by readers, but I cannot see what they are so excited about (Maybe they were the author's friends). The photographs are really poor (blurred, poorly lit) and only a few are in colour. I would have expected at least a clear description (with images) of the different colours Maine Coons available, but again here were only written descriptions. The text runs on an on with no apparent point to make. This was clearly written for purple haired ladies who attend cat shows and go on and on about standards, not a cat enthusiast who would like to learn and appreciate a specific breed.

5 comments about The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats.

1. I wanted to read this book to further explore the question posed by the title and thought there would be some answers. If you have never read any books about cats and their history before, then there is much scholarship and lovingly done research in this book and that does make it worthwhile. She is obviously well-meaning, sincere and loves cats. However, the book doesn't really explore the "mysterious connection" in any interesting or conclusive fashion. Sadly, too, her writing is a bit clunky, repetitive and formulaic, especially in her various interviews. It felt like a research paper that someone suggested could be made "more interesting" with interviews with female cat owners. I just thought it would be a better book. The book on this subject has yet to be written.



2. Not a particularly entertaining read. It reads like a thesis paper, scholarly and ponderous. Felt like I was doing homework.



3. This is a great book, especially for those that would like to know WHY so many wonmen are adopted by cats! We never really own a cat, nor should we and I think women understand this, as explained in the book. Cats are part of the family and because of that, the bond it strong. This book helped me to understand why.



4. This book has been very insightful for me and some of my friends (this was a great gift item!). What I found most intriguing was the reconstruction of the make-up of "The Old Cat Lady" myth. It makes sense that it was built out of confusion, disdain, and the urge to make women feel repressed.
   
   The stories presented here are very enjoyable, and I found myself retelling them to several friends. It's nice to realize a bit of a community here.
   
   I thought this book was going to be totally unrelated to most of the other books I've been reading lately that are about Wicca. I was pleasantly surprised to find a little blurb about Wicca in chapter 3. I am definitely glad for the positive coverage, the more informed people are about various ways of life, the less bigoted the world will be.



5. A great book for any women who loves cats. It tells about the very apprent female and feline love affair that's gone on for thousounds of years. It's really informative and interesting. It will make you feel closer to the special feline in your life. Remarkable book.