Cat Books - Recommendations and Posters' Opinions

[amethyst 28]

I have read 2 Bob the street cat books which I enjoyed

[emmmy_lou]

I just got a kids book from a Facebook auction (and no I dont have any kids.... )

Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag, its a very short but sweet story, with some lovely illustrations 

[Tigerlily (Allison)]

As others have mentioned: A cat called Norton - all three books.

My favourite writer of cat books has to be Tom Cox. He has now published three books about his cats - Under the paw, Talk to the tail, and the latest one, The good, the bad and the furry.

I also really enjoyed The cats of Moon cottage.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Have just finished reading Jackson's Galaxy's Cat Daddy book.  What an uncompromising read.  I have the utmost respect for that guy. 

[A Cat Called Dog]

I'll check out Best Cat Stories - that seems my bag really! Though possibly I have read these stories anyway - Mark Twain's in in the Cat Anthology with pic by Ditz I mentioned. Old stories are all out of copyright of course (which is death plus 75 years) so that's one reason you can find these stories in so many places!

I meant to say Gobolina the Witch's Cat earlier (not Orlando).

I have so many cat books no (from car boot sales mostly) I have no time to read them all - especially as I am editing my own novel (a dark satire on TV - the one I put on hold to write and publish A Cat Called Dog). Any suggestions? Maybe I can put 30 hours in a day?

[Mymblesdaughter]

I recently read Best Cat Stories, it's stories about cats from famous authors like Mark Twain and Emile Zola.

I think my favourite cat book is "The Mousehole Cat" I love the pictures in that book and having lived in Cornwall for many years I know Mousehole very well.

I generally don't enjoy book or films about animals I find them too upsetting. I think I've said on here before 'Tom and Jerry' used to make me cry when I was a child. I hated seeing Tom hurt.   

[A Cat Called Dog]

A book I recently found is A Collection of Cats Tales - a cat-lover's anthology with paintings by Ditz from 1993. A beautifully produced book with various writings from cat lovers over the centuries.

I also like Terry Pratchett's The Unadulterated Cat.

I have just bought a Tom Cox book: Under The Paw.

I generally prefer fiction and humour rather than true life stories - some are way too schmaltzy for my tastes and there are so many out there now, especially since the success of Streetcat Named Bob.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh I definitely prefer humour.     I have some wonderful cat anthologies that friends have bought me over the years, and I like reading about cats in history like Samuel Johnson's cat, Hodge ("A very fine cat indeed")

[A Cat Called Dog]

Thanks for all the responses! There's a few there I hadn't heard of.

I suppose one pays one's money and takes one's choice: some people love the emotional true life stories, the more sentimental type books; others want fiction and comedy (me); others like picture books. Room for everyone and everything really.

I do remember the children's picture book Mog the cat from Judith Kerr I think (The Tiger who came to Tea); and Orlando the Witch's Cat (right title?)

I also love certain representations of cats in films: just go Pinocchio out of our DVD club, and the silent Figaro cat in that moves utterly perfectly for a cat, and responds and reacts just as a young cat would too. Delightful!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Gawd Jo - I wish you hadn't done that Incredible Journey thing.  We still go on and on about it in our house.  "The Bodger Moment" we call it.   It's guaranteed to set my hubby off and me not far behind    There should be a law about it! 

I love Derek Tangye's Minack Chronicles - he was a guy who originally didn't really like cats.  And we all know how that can end.....   They may be a bit hard to get hold of now, as I remember reading them in the early 70's, but I bet if you hunt about, you may be able to come across some pre-loved copies.  Heartwarming true life tales of sharing his life with a series of cats. 

A Cat Called Birmingham (hilariously funny) - and of course A Street Cat named Bob which is a hugely moving book. 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Oh yes, The Incredible Journey was a childhood favourite and I enjoyed A Streetcat Named Bob.

I also enjoyed 'Cleo; the cat who mended a family' although I did sob myself into a migraine at the end 

[Kay and Penny]

Deric Longden's books for me, every time

[JackSpratt]

Homers Odyssey. I love that book. And A cat called Norton; all of them. Also A cat called Birmingham, You can take the cat out Slough....I could go on.

I don't believe I've read yours. I'll look it up.

[jezebel]

A Streetcat Named Bob is the one I've read most recently. Also loved A Cat Called Norton, The Cat Who Came for Christmas and Paw Tracks in the Moonlight.

They're all true stories about cats who came (pretty much accidentally in all of them) into people's lives and the impact they had on them.

[blackcat]

More of a cat and dog book - The Incredible Journey. It was given to me when I was 12 years old (rather a long time ago now) and I read it first while on the ferry to Sydney (from Hobart). Sobbed my little heart out. Even now if I want a good cry I read that last chapter where Tao comes bounding out of the woods, Luath close behind and they all start walking back to the cabin sadly, thinking Bodger failed to make the journey (look, I am tearing just talking about it), and then that distant bark ... quite the most moving story I have ever read...

[A Cat Called Dog]

I went to the local car boot sale on Saturday and go 6 lovely cat books for £4.50 - including:

1) a 20 year old British Museum Book of Cats (which I was about to buy new anyway), and

2) a really lovely book called A Collection of Cat Tales - A Cat Lover's Anthology, Paintings By Ditz.

I had never heard of this book before but it is right up my alley - lots of extracts from literature accompanied by some really lovely illustrations.

I was wondering if posters here could suggest their favourite cat books. Of course, I am not going to mention my own book (which I obviously like, coz I'm biased!!!)

I do appreciate that everyone's different, and some people will likevery sentimental books, cutesy picture books or true-life books more than I do.

But I just thought I'd ask for others' opinions, just in case I have missed a book out there that I'd like, and so everyone here can share their thoughts so we all know what books are out there to choose from.