A CAT IS WATCHING: A Look at the Way Cats See Us

by Roger A. Caras ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 16, 1989

A delightful and informed look at cats' perceptions of, and reactions to, the humans who share their lives. Renowned pet-writer Caras here explores the ways--some conventional, some surprising--by which cats interpret the goings-on in their world. We learn in detail how felines hear, taste, touch, smell, and see, often far more acutely than humans. For instance: Cats can not only see in dim light, but can see ultraviolet rays; their hearing range is twice that of man; and they use the ""Jacobsen's organ"" in the roof of their mouths to ""taste"" particles of air--an ability possessed by only a few mammal species. Rich anecdotes about the four-footed members of the bustling Caras household and surrounds (among them a recovered feline drug-addict named Dustbin and a cadre of feral cats dubbed the Thistle Hill Regulars, who came with the family's new farm) add to the astute observations of the nature and behavior of cats. And there are intriguing intimations of the extrasensory abilities cats may make use of, such as finding their way home over unimaginably long distances by detecting variations in the magnetic intensity of the planet. Also touched upon are the role of cats in history and the value of the human/feline bond. ""If we could be as clever as the cat,"" says Caras, ""and not lose some of the more choice elements of childhood. . .not only would we be wiser in the end, but the end would perhaps be slower in coming.

Pub Date: Oct. 16, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1989

Categories: NONFICTION