Five Best Cat Books

We didn't always live here as a couple. Apart from the brood of younger humans who have now left to start their own broods, I had a friend named Joe. Mind you, we weren't always friendly as I was quite happy patrolling the garden and keeping the cottage safe all on my own before Joe arrived.

I remember the occasion well. He turned up one rainy night, small and skinny, with oil in his fur, a piteous wail and a bad cough. The woman made a big fuss trying to get the oil out while counting her pennies to pay the Vet and to this day I don't know why she bothered. After some weeks we finally woke up that no one was going to come and claim the creature and his temporary stay turned into 13 years.

And let me tell you it wasn't all wine and roses! Or cream and catnip for that matter. There were plenty of skirmishes over breakfast which erupted into full scale war by dinnertime. He was a big tabby, and boisterous, (the word "clumsy" springs to mind), while I am naturally quiet and elegant in my ways. Between us we had the woman running around in circles trying all sorts of weird and whacky tactics to help us get along together. But we became friends after he learned what rung he occupied on the ladder.

He's crossed the rainbow bridge now, and I've adjusted to not having the bumbling fool around although at first I was, perhaps, a little crazed and demanded a lot of affection. Yes, cats grieve too. Those were the days, my friend. Those were the days.

If you have more than one cat in your house, I recommend taking some advice from Pam Johnson-Bennett.

Anyone who's been around a cat for any length of time well knows that we have enormous patience with the limitations of people. It constantly amazes me just how very tolerant we are of your foibles. But don't you want to raise the bar? Surely you would rather start off on the right foot, or paw, when you have a cat moving into your house.

We love security. We love a familiar setting. We love a routine. And we quickly become bored if you don't play with us regularly.

If you're about to share your house with a cat. I recommend another book by Pam Johnson-Bennett.

You don't know an awful lot at all do you? You could fill a book with what you don't know.

For instance, why don't you understand furballs? How do you measure my age next to yours? How do I tell the time? Bet you don't know why my whiskers twitch either.

And what is that white cat doing?

Fortunately, Why Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet? tells you lots of things that you don't know. Things you didn't know that you ever wanted to know.