Pick of the Litter: Cat Books

I wouldn’t be KittyLiterate if I didn't love BOOKS. You might want to consider them for your puddies and/or your cat-loving friends the next time you need a gift:

CRIES AND WHISKERS by Clea Simon (Poisoned Pen Press)

My cat Sinead, an amateur sleuth herself, loves, loves, loves mysteries. So I chose this book, which got paws up raves from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist. In it, a feral cat rescuer is killed and the heroine must find out why, a search that not only puts her in danger, but also threatens her beloved housecat, Musetta. Best part of this book? The plot intertwines winter safety for cats, warnings about common poisons, messages about keeping pets safe inside, and info on feral cat TNR. Super!

OUTWITTING CATS: TIPS, TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES FOR PERSUADING THE FELINES IN YOUR LIFE THAT WHAT YOU WANT IS ALSO WHAT THEY WANT By Wendy Christensen

Angela is always trying to figure out how humans think cats think. So this is the perfect book for her. In it, she can read about what humans believe are the top twenty secrets of the feline mind…to see if she agrees. She can also find out how humans feel about cats’ penchant for chronic counter-cruising, plant-chomping, curtain-scaling, and other (perfectly normal in a cat’s eyes, but perhaps not so in the eyes of humans) behaviors. (It has really nice photos and drawings Angela will love, too.)

THE CAT IN THE HAT By Dr. Seuss

McDuff is and always has been a Dr. Seuss fan. So, naturally, what better gift than this? All the puddies, and their mommy too, will have fun reading this classic favorite this Christmas. For those who’ve been in a cave the last hundred years, this is a tale about a cat in a tall striped hat, who likes to create mischief and mayhem, and to aid him, he brings some fun characters called Thing One and Thing Two along. These two small fuzzy blue imps race around the house, wreaking havoc….just like McDuff and his sisters. What fun!

LESSONS IN STALKING: ADJUSTING TO LIFE WITH CATS By Dena Harris

Since the puddies and I are somewhat well-adjusted (come on, now, McDuff, you know we are!) I wanted to read about other cat/human family relationships. And this hilarious book fits the bill. It’s a Garfield meets Bombeck approach to subjects all cat lovers encounter one time or another, i.e. early-morning head butts, strangers in the water bowl, creatures under the fridge, cats and diets, yoga cats, and more. I can’t wait to read it and compare notes!

“ROVER, GET OFF HER LEG!” by Darlene Arden

In the spirit of the season, and so my puddies can gain insight into that OTHER species of pet, I’ve included a book about dogs. Just as cats are accused of “challenging” behavior, so, too, are their counterparts who’re often called on the carpet for acting in uncivilized (but probably perfectly normal to dogs) ways. So this humorous and informative book lays out what humans should and should not do when it comes to dog behavioral problems. As the title suggests, the book is a riotous romp peppered with laugh ‘til you split anecdotes.

Darlene Arden also writes articles for Petside! To read her piece on keeping pets safe during holiday parties, click here.