CATS

This primer on cats targets feline fans who want to learn more about their furry friends.

Wallin is a cat lover, and she’s put together a book about her favorite feline subjects, complete with a number of images by various photographers of her own dear pet, Kitty, and others. The short work (under 135 pages) tackles the broadest of cat topics, with chapters on the history of felines; an anatomy of the animals, with wisdom on what a twitching tail means and how they use their whiskers and eyes; how cats and humans communicate with each other; the lore of felines, such as their nine lives and why they land on their feet; cats in literature (or “Kitty Lit,” one of several clever chapter names); how cats comfort humans; and famous felines. She ends the volume with a dog’s diary and a cat’s diary, which humorously point out the differences in these domesticated pets’ demeanors. An epilogue details the author’s history with animals, including her beloved Kitty, who’s a fixture throughout the book. The chapters are short and packed with intriguing information, even if the details don’t always advance the story of cats. Most of this material has been published somewhere before, and Wallin has simply compiled the tidbits and skillfully organized them for her readers. (She does a superb job of giving credit where credit is due.) From the introduction, it’s clear that the primer will not delve too deeply. “Cats are not perfect,” the first words read. “They can be a little demanding and to risk understatement, very self-centered.” That won’t be news to many feline lovers, and that’s a problem with the work—not much is fresh or particularly insightful. The first chapter is a brief history of cats and, though feline fans will certainly love to know where their frisky friends came from, it doesn’t rigorously cover the subject. The chapter on the feline body, “Cat-ology,” tells readers that the animals are extraordinary jumpers—a well-known fact. Still, the book doesn’t purport to break new ground in feline studies, and what’s here is sweetly and concisely presented. Cat lovers should lap it up.

An enjoyable and well-organized but familiar compendium of feline facts.