Claude
by Randy Moravec. Claude is a big, fluffy, black and white kitty who has his own website. (Check my links page to go there). Randy Moravec has taken many black-and-white photos of Claude, and then added stories to accompany the picture. He also has many "statistics" that are highly amusing: the amount of cat hair a cat sheds in a lifetime, how many nicknames they have, how much time they spend getting into trouble, etc. For a preview of his book you can go to his website. He has a few pages there to look at.

C is for Cat
by Pamela Prince, photos by Doug Benezra. A gorgeous book of cat photos. Each page has a picture of one cat, and a poem about them. They are arranged alphabetically by the name of the cat. Here's a sampling: (next to a picture of a lovely orange kitty in a suitcase)" J is for Jack, packed to go. A Jaunt to Paris? Tokyo? Maybe Manhattan? A Voyage to Rome? The truth of it is he has to stay home." This title is out of print, but I highly recommend picking up a copy if you can find one.

Martin Leman's Painted Cats
by Jill & Martin Leman. A lovely book of cat stories, sayings and wonderfully painted pictures. My favorite quote is from a schoolboy's report on cats: "The housecat is a four-legged quadruped, the legs as usual being at the corners." It is out of print, but worth it if you can find it somewhere.

Zen Cats
by Yoshiyuki Yaginuma. A beautiful book about the cats who live in and wander around the shrines and temples of Japan. The author has a special rapport with the cats and many of them even pose for him. ISBN: 0789207028

True Stories about Cats

Cats of Thistle Hill
by Roger Caras. An account of all the cats at Roger Caras' farm, how they came to be there, and personal stories about them. My favorite is Omari who, instead of bringing dead rodents to the back porch for admiration, brings small twigs. There are other animals at the farm as well, and their stories are just as endearing as the cats'.

All My Patients are Under the Bed
by Louis J. Camuti. The true stories of a New York City vet. For sixty years Louis Camuti treated cats in their own homes instead of in an office. These are his stories of all the people and cats he met, and the trials and tribulations he went through. Celebrity cats are also mentioned, as well as interesting cats such as a burglar cat who proudly brought home toupees, gloves, and other treasures.

James Herriot's Cat Stories
by James Herriott. The best cat stories from James Herriott's All Creatures Great and Small series. Oscar, the Cat About Town is here as well as the Christmas Day Kitten. A wonderful companion to the series, so you don't have to keep flipping through the pages to find a cat story!

The Cat Who Came for Christmas
by Cleveland Amory. Probably every one of you has read this, but it is still one of my favorites, so I thought I'd put it on. A book about Cleveland Amory, the head of the Fund for Animals, and a devout dog lover. Until he rescues Polar Bear. Reading about his adventures with his new cat (especially figuring out some of the cat's hiding places!), is enough to make you laugh out loud.

The Cat on My Shoulder
ed. by Lisa Angowski Rogak. Short stories about celebrities and their cats. Some of the celebrities include Lloyd Alexander, Cleveland Amory, Tomie DePaola, Sue Grafton, Daniel Pinkwater, Cokie Roberts, and Richard Scarry. This book is out of print, but you might be able to find it in used book stores, or through Amazon.com.

The Cat's House
by Bob Walker. The writer has added to his house to make it much more enjoyable for his 12 kitties. They now have over 100 feet of elevated walkways in his house. He tells fascinating stories about his cats, and also shows you how to make your house into a cat's house.

Cats Into Everything
by Bob Walker. The second book from the man who made his house into a cat house. This time he tells of how naughty his kitties can be, and what it's like to live with 10 or more cats at a time. His book, as usual, is illustrated with wonderful photographs of his animals.

Inspur-r-rational Stories for Cat Lovers
by Niki Anderson. A wonderful book about things our cats have done that we can learn from. There are stories about the cat in WWII who stayed with her kittens in the basement of a church that had been bombed (they survived), as well as countless other wonderful stories. They are not all of heroic deeds. Some are just simple everyday actions looked at in a different way. There are 6 stories about shopcats, including shopcat.com's own famous kitties from Twice Sold Tales! (Note: on Amazon.com, this book is listed as Cat Lovers)

Two Perfectly Marvellous Cats
by Rosamond M. Young. Two stories about heroic cats. Faith is a church cat who risks her own life to save her son's in a bombing in England during World War II. Simon is a ship's cat who goes along doing his duty despite his being injured in a bombing. Both wonderful stories and worth adding to your collection.

Cat Fiction

The Sacred Cat
by Marie Stuttard, photos by Denese Moore. A short story with beautiful pictures about a Birman cat who has decided to trek to Burma in order to find out if the story of the sacred cats of Burma is true. An inspiring story of dedication and faith. ©1998. ISBN: 0473051710

Cat Tails
by Elaine Bailey, pictures by Christopher Bailey.
Five short stories about different cats. "Minkey, the Siamese, considers himself 'Lord of the Pride,' while Chuck just wants to be certain there is ample food in his dish at all times. Nathan, the Maine Goon, is the outdoorsman who ventures forth in all weather. Well, sort of! Mouse, the pure white Persian, just loves to be around people. And finally, Miss Kiss, who never lets anyone forget that she is a lady, with attitude. Enjoy meeting these personalities through the anecdotes that will make you laugh or bring a tear to the eye. This, then, is their story and a few tales about their friends. " ©1997 Paws Publishing. ISBN: 096805750.

Cat Paws
by Elaine Bailey, pictures by Christopher Bailey.
"Cat Paws" is the continuing story of the author's family of cats, who came from various unwanted backgrounds. The cat family has increased since "Cat Tails" and that adds to the fun. Minkey, the Blue Point Siamese, at the age of eighteen, still acts as 'Lord of the Pride', while Chuck, the black and white Tabby, just loves to be loved. Nathan, the Maine Goon, dreams of being the great outdoorsman without the cold weather. Mr. Mouse, the white Persian, has become quite the celebrity doing public appearances and Miss Kiss just wants to be left alone. Having baby Amber, a Torte Point Himalayan, join the family has added a new dimension.

Catwings
by Ursula K. LeGuin. This is a whole series about cats that can fly. It is written for 3rd graders on up, but is also fun for adults to read. It follows the story of Miss Jane Tabby and her four kittens, who for some reason, were born with wings. They fly away from the hazards of the city, only to find different hazards in the country. Other books in this series include: Catwings Return, Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings, Jane on Her Own.

The Cat Who... series
by Lillian Jackson Braun. This series of books is one of my favorite mystery series. It features Jim Qwilleran, a reporter with two very special cats. They help him solve the mysteries that crop up in the small town of Pickax. One of the things I like about this series is that Koko, the gifted cat of Jim Q, gives clues throughout the book, and his owner and you have to try and figure out what Koko is trying to tell you. Start with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards.

Miss Murphy Mystery series
by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. Another excellent mystery series. This time you get to climb into the brains of the two cats and the dog owned by Mary Minor (Harry) Harristeen, a postmistress and amateur sleuth. The animals discuss the mysteries among each other and try to keep their "mom" out of trouble. There's also a lot of amusing bickering between the animals. A very fun read. Start with Wish You Were Here.

Cat Care/General Info

Encyclopedia of the Cat
by Bruce Fogle. A complete guide to cat's evolution, history, care and breeds. Excellent pictures (the publisher is Dorling Kindersley, so the pictures are always sharp against white backgrounds).

Catworld: A Feline Encyclopedia, and Catwatching
by Desmond Morris. From one of the most highly knowledgeable and respected cat experts are these two information-packed books. Catworld is about as complete as you can get... set up in encyclopedia form, you'll find things like what a cat is doing when it's chirping at the birds outside the window, or what traits certain breeds have. Catwatching is similar, but written in a short-story type format, with like subjects clumped together. I highly recommend the hardback copy of Catwatching, instead of the paperback, because the hardback has wonderful illustrations that the paperback doesn't.

Children's Books
(suitable for all ages)

A Visit from Dr. Katz
by Ursula K. LeGuin, Illustrated by Ann Barrow. A young girl has to stay home sick for the day, so her mother sends in Dr. Katz... two cats named Philip and The Bean. They help her get well by purring on her chest and pouncing on her toes.

Our Cat Flossie
by Ruth Brown. Incredibly realistic watercolor accompany the simple text about Ruth Brown's cat Flossie. Flossie's habits are bird watching, and fishing, gardening, and fitting herself into boxes of all sizes. This one is also out of print, but well worth the hunt.

Purr: Children's Book Illustrators Brag About Their Cats
edited by Michael J. Rosen. Short, one-page stories or poems about cats owned by children's book illustrators. All the stories are illustrated by the person who sent in the story. Contributors include Steven Kellogg, Lane Smith, Edward Gorey, George Booth, and Audrey Wood. All kinds of cats are found in these stories, from lazy to hyper. For dog lovers there is also Speak. All royalties, and some of the publisher's profits benefit the Company of Animals Fund which provides grants for veterinary services, homes for stray animals, and aid for the pets of the elderly and the ill.

Me and My Cat
by Satoshi Kitamura. "Late one night an old lady in a pointed hat came in through the bedroom window. She brandished her broom at me and fired out some words. Then she left without saying good-bye." This starts an interesting day for Nicholas, who has switched bodies with his cat. Hilarious pictures of the real Nicholas trying to get through the cat door, and Nicholas/cat meeting the neighborhood bullies.

Three Stories You Can Read to Your Cat
by Sara Swan Miller, ill.by True Kelley. A great book with stories your cat wants to hear. Each story is told using the word "you" ("One day you [the cat] woke up early"). One story is about the cat catching a bug, another is about spending a day at home being naughty.

Humor

The Silent Miaow
by Paul Gallico. Many of you already know how wonderful this book is. It is a book written by a mother cat for her kittens. She is teaching them how to train their humans. It covers all areas of training... getting food, getting let in and out, sleeping in the best chairs, etc. It is an essential book for all cat fanatics.

All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat
by Suzy Becker. A cute cartoon book about all the little things our cats teach us. A few samplings: "Be a good listener. Invite yourself to dinner. Take some time to eat the flowers. Make the world your playground." The drawings complement the text nicely.

Catmas Carols
by Laurie Loughlin, illustrations by Mary Ross. A cute little Christmas Carol book, with the lyrics slightly different than you are probably used to. Try this: "We three kings of orient are/ terrified to ride in the car." Some of the titles include "Go Smell it at the fountain","Wreck the Halls", and the "Hallelujah Pour Us". A nice gift for cat loving friends.

40 Most Wanted Cats
by Nancy Drosd, photos by Danielle Weil. A very silly book with wonderful photographs. Each page has a picture of a cat and the crime they are wanted for: loitering, breaking & entering, etc.

Novels

Diary of a Cat
by Leigh W. Rutledge. Almost a full year in the life of a domestic cat, including how he feels about a new kitten in the house, and just what can happen the a Thanksgiving turkey. He is an outdoor kitty, so we also get to meet the neighbors as he makes his rounds. There was one tough place in the book for me dealing with an elderly woman who became ill and couldn't take care of her cats, so her caretaker threw the cats out to fend for themselves. The rest of it is pretty lighthearted and funny.

The Abandoned
by Paul Gallico. A story about a boy who gets turned into a cat. He is found on the streets by a stray; she takes him under her wing and teaches him how to be a cat. They become very close friends. It sounds kind of silly as I write about it, but it really was a very good novel. I'd put it in a Young Adult category, but adults might enjoy it too.

Special Books

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