1,001 Things You Always Wanted To Know About Cats

Rating:
Summary: Pick Any Page, It's a Pleasure to Read
Review: My wife and I both fell in love with this book from the moment we saw it on the store shelf. Put simply, it is a collection of 1,001 one-paragraph tidbits about everything related to cats--different breeds, the cat anatomy, habits (good and bad), cats in history, famous people who loved cats, "catty" words and phrases, even a section about cat in movies, cartoons, and TV. As a longtime cat lover, I thought I knew cats pretty well, but I'm a lot wiser after reading this. (Finally I understand why our cats like to knead my belly.) My personal favorite was the section dealing with cats in history, particularly their connection with the ancient Egyptians.

Rating:
Summary: Like Catnip for Humans
Review: OK, I'll admit I always wondered what it is about catnip that gives a 'high' to cats, and now I know. This very enjoyable collection of cat tidbits explains catnip, purring, 'kneading' and other cat phenomena. The section dealing with myths and legends about cats is really fascinating. I never knew there were so many wild (and dangerous) misconceptions about cats. I also never knew that so many famous people through history were cat lovers--including Cleopatra, Winston Churchill, and Mark Twain. I'm writing this before Christmas, so I'm remembering the wonderful legend connecting the Nativity with the 'M' on the foreheads of tabby cats. I wish this book had better illustrations, frankly, but that is a minor point since it is a good read and a good stocking stuffer for any cat lover that is hard to buy for.

Rating:
Summary: Almost as Much Pleasure as Holding a Purring Cat
Review: Well, actually, you can read this while holding your purring cat. Anyway, if you love cats, this is a great book, full of one-paragraph tidbits about everything in the world related to cats--their health, different breeds, even off-the-wall things like cartoon cats, cat folklore, the whole nine yards. I liked the section about cats in history, since it added to what little I knew about cats being so popular in ancient Egypt. The book's first section, which explains a lot of mysterious cat behaviors like purring, kneading your belly, or getting high on catnip was really enjoyable. My cat Rufus gives it a 'paws up.'