The New Encyclopedia of the Cat

Rating:
Summary: The ultimate book for all cat lovers!!
Review: A very good and beautiful book for those domestic cat lovers young or old. Wonderful and magnificent pictures, informative text that covers everything to do with cats: history, anatomy, behaviour, breeds and care. My eleven-year-old cat lover refers to it all the time and simply adores the book.

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive
Review: Extremely comprehensive and loaded with information, but I was hoping for a little more on temperament/behavioral aspects for some of the cats I was interested in.

Rating:
Summary: A really comprehensive and excellent book!
Review: Great book. Informative, accurate, and lots of really good pictures. The write-ups on each breed are more detailed and informative than other so-called ultimate cat books or illustrated encyclopedias, and most importantly, this book is accurate.

If you only get one cat book, get this one. It is the best.

Rating:
Summary: A really comprehensive and excellent book!
Review: Great book. Informative, accurate, and lots of really good pictures. The write-ups on each breed are more detailed and informative than other so-called ultimate cat books or illustrated encyclopedias, and most importantly, this book is accurate.

If you only get one cat book, get this one. It is the best.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I have many cat books, but this one is my most prized. Filled with an incredible amount of information and gorgeous photos, The New Encyclopedia of the Cat is a cat enthusiasts' heaven. I also own The Encyclopedia of the Cat, and I was slightly disappointed that it didn't have the amount of new content that I thought it would. Otherwise, I love it. It's easy to read, easy to understand, absolutely purr-fect!

Rating:
Summary: The smallest feline is a masterpiece-Leonard Da Vinci
Review: If you are looking for the ultimate book on cats, this is the fully revised and expanded version. Not only is it the definitive guide to the behavior, history and anatomy of the feline species, it chronicles the history of the cat world.

More than 275 cat breeds are shown in full color photographs. There are over 1,400 photographs and illustrations in all. This specific selection also includes feline health, nutrition, behavior (indoor and out), and advice on how to deal with cat behavior.

From the first page, you will be spellbound by the pure beauty of the DK specially commissioned photographs.

The main chapters include:

The Cat Family: Ancestors, Big Cats, Small Cats of the Americas, Africa and Eurasia. How Wild Cats became domesticated.

Cats and Man: Religions, Superstitions, Folklore, Literature, Art, Cartoons, Entertainment, Collectables, Working and Companion Cats.

Feline Design: Skeleton, Brain, Nervous System, Muscles, Movement, Heart, Lungs, Reproduction, Digestion, Skin and Coat, Feline Genetics and Aging.

Feline Behavior: Mind, Communication, Social Behavior, Hunting and Play, Courtship and Mating, Mothers and Kittens.

Domestic Cat Breeds: History of Breeding, Coat Colors, Patterns, Eye Shape and Color, Breed Profiles, Introduction to Shorthairs, Introduction to Longhairs. (then cat breeds are discussed in detail)

Caring For Your Cat: Personal Relationship, Choosing a Cat, Life Indoors, Indoor Problems, Outdoor Life, Nutrition, Homemade Foods, Food Intake, Good Health, Immune System, Sighs of Ill Health, Grooming, Traveling, Training, Behavioral Problems, Caring for a Sick Cat, First Aid.

A Glossary and Index are included. About two-thirds of the book is dedicated to cat breeds. The highlight of the encyclopedia is however definitely the first four chapters and the last section on caring for you cat.

This book contains some of the most beautiful pictures of cats I have ever seen. The stories of Aesop's tale of Venus and the Cat was quite fascinating and an illustration is shown of a cat-maiden who spies a mouse and gives chase. She was transformed from a cat into a beautiful girl by Venus, however when the girl pounces on the mouse and devours it, the goddess decides she must turn the girl back into a cat since the transformation was never complete.

The "Cats and Man" section has the most interesting stories, art and fairy tales. If you love cats, you will be captivated by stories of these fascinating nocturnal creatures. Who often, it seems, sleep most of the night as well. At least, I hope that is what is sleeping at the end of the bed. >^..^<

A book that is definitely: "Impressive Enough To Meow About!"

Human beings are drawn to cats
because they are all we are not
-self-contained, elegant in everything they do,
relaxed, assured, glad of company,
yet still possessing secret lives.

-Pam Brown

Rating:
Summary: THE book for the cat-owning household
Review: Lush, fascinating and accurate. Beautifully designed, with many colorful photographs and illustrations, this book is likely to appeal as much to kids as to sophisticated adults. The individual breed descriptions are especially valuable. A great idea for a Christmas present!

Rating:
Summary: A great reference book for cat owners
Review: This is one of the best cat books I have purchased, and I have bought quite a few. It contains information on every aspect of buying, adopting, raising and caring for our feline friends. It has very thorough descriptions of the the different purebred cats and a history of the beginnings of each breed. The pictures are great, it is easily read and provides solid information on feeding, grooming, health issues and most any aspect of owning a cat.

Rating:
Summary: A great reference book for cat owners
Review: This is one of the best cat books I have purchased, and I have bought quite a few. It contains information on every aspect of buying, adopting, raising and caring for our feline friends. It has very thorough descriptions of the the different purebred cats and a history of the beginnings of each breed. The pictures are great, it is easily read and provides solid information on feeding, grooming, health issues and most any aspect of owning a cat.