The Quintessential Cat - Hardcover

Altman, Roberta

3.5

12 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0671850083 ISBN 13: 9780671850081

Publisher: Macmillan General Reference, 1994

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Entries arranged alphabetically cover cat breeds, cat history, cats in art and literature, and feline behavior

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From Booklist:

"After looking through countless cat books on countless shelves, I could find none that was what my fantasy cat book would be. I wanted a cat book that would have it all--from proverbs, superstitions, and fables, to cats in movies, music, and literature, to cat breeds and behavior, and so on." This is not a how-to book of cat care or a work of feline scholarship, but an idiosyncratic and literate collection by an intelligent catlover.

In dictionary format, the book includes short pieces on various professions, including writers and artists. Baker & Taylor appear in the entry Library Cat Society, and there is an entry for Switzerland's Katzen Museum. Individuals who have strong cat interests get brief paragraphs that concentrate on their cat relationships. Kingsley Amis' wish to put a cat door into his study is discussed, not his literary reputation. Sidebars are scattered liberally throughout the book. Some are brief quotations: "How neatly a cat sleeps" (Pablo Neruda). Others are longer pieces, full short stories such as Kipling's "The Cat That Walked by Himself." T. S. Eliot's cats are represented, as is Don Marquis' Mehitabel. Felix the Cat, Garfield, and Fritz the Cat are given paragraphs, as is First Cat Socks. The Cat in the Hat doesn't have one, but he is mentioned in essays on children's books and on Dr. Seuss. Cat legend and lore is not confined to the West. Japanese, Chinese, and Native American cat tales, among others, are included. The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs, line drawings, and reproductions of works of art from ancient Egypt to Andy Warhol. There are appendixes of resources (stores, humane societies, medical assistance, cat-fancy groups, etc.), a bibliography, and lists of artists and authors whose works appear. Some omissions are noted (e.g., The Cat Who Went to Paris), and a few errors (Garfield's unduly cute nemesis is Nermal, not Nermel). Quotations are usually sourced no further than the author, but that is enough for a browsing book. While not an imperative purchase, this book will be useful for casual reference in a public library.

From Library Journal:

Altman (The Cancer Dictionary, LJ 10/1/92) has done extensive research to produce this delightful A-to-Z volume celebrating the cat. She traces the history of the cat in Egypt, Rome, Europe, Asia, and America, presents fascinating accounts of cat breeds from the Abyssinian to the Turkish Van, and explains cat behaviors such as hissing, kneading, and purring. Aside from profiling famous cats in advertising, films, and cartoons such as Garfield and Krazy Kat and unusual cats such as Wiffy, the cat mayor of Guffey, Colorado, Altman offers classic short stories and poems by authors such as Aesop, Colette, and Poe. She also traces the origins of such expressions as "raining cats and dogs." There are appendixes for cat boutiques, cat clubs, and humane societies and listings of travel destinations for cat lovers, including museums, bed and breakfasts, and bookstores. One of the most charming entries is the Library Cat Society, which encourages the presence of cats in libraries. This unique work will bring hours of enjoyment to cat lovers. (Photos not seen.)-Eva Lautemann, DeKalb Coll. Lib., Clarkston, Ga.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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