A Cat Book
Makes a Great Cat Lover Gift

• Want to learn more about cats in general
• Want to learn something specific about cats
• Love cats and enjoy reading as well!

There’s always something new to learn about cats, and I'm pretty sure most of your cat-loving friends will welcome a cat book.

Always consult a vet if your pet is sick or injured. Books are great to help you expand your knowledge about pets in general. However, for medical advice and treatment you must consult a veterinarian.

A few gifts ideas

Cat Behavior

There is so much to learn about feline behavior. I’ve always been fascinated by cats’ independent nature. Felines are mysterious, gracious and elegant. Cats are very affectionate and social too and, contrary to popular belief, cats can be trained. Although I must confess I haven’t been able to completely train mine!

Felines were domesticated much later than dogs; therefore, they still retain a lot of their independent nature. But, with love and patience they can be trained, let’s say, not to scratch your furniture.

If you or your friends have recently adopted a cat or kitten, you might want to know why cats behave a certain way. I have shared my house with two wonderful kitties for a little over eight years and I’m still learning new things about them. If you too have multiple cats you will enjoy Cat vs. Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett. The author provides a lot of in-depth information about this fascinating topic.

Cat vs. Cat helps you to understand the dynamics among cats that share the same living space. Learn how they define their territories, among many other things. Pam Johnson-Bennett also gives you great tips to introduce a new cat to the family.

The Cat Who Cried for Help: Attitudes, Emotions, and the Psychology of Cats, by Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman, is an entertaining guide to understanding cats. This book provides helpful insights on feline behavior. Dr. Dodman also shares stories from his own practice.

Cat Care

If you or your friends plan to adopt a cat or a kitten, it’s important to know the basics of pet care. The best source to obtain this knowledge from is your vet or qualified health practitioner. Having said that, you can always find plenty of excellent cat books and useful written information about the care of cats.

Here are some titles you might like to check: Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by Delbert G. Carlson, Liisa Carlson and James M. Giffi, and The Complete Guide to Caring for Your Cat by Graham Meadows and Elsa Flint.

Cat Health

As I mentioned before, you must consult your vet if your cat is ill or injured. That being said, cat books and articles about cat health help you to learn more about the most common feline diseases and how to prevent them. Remember that preventive medicine is the best medicine. To expand your knowledge about cat health you might like Nature of Animal Healing: The Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat by Martin Goldstein D.V.M.

Cat Humor

Felines are very funny creatures too. Those of us who are owned by cats are always entertained by their antics. Cats have been a favorite subject matter for cartoonists, artists and authors and you will certainly find great cat books on this subject. Cat Chat: Humor for Cat Lovers by Sherry Splaver Rotman is a great example.

Cat Photography

Cat lovers can’t resist cute kitten and cat pictures. Cats 24/7, by Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen, is a hugely popular cat book. It’s filled with tons of wonderful cat pictures. It makes a perfect cat lover gift.

Cat Art

Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics and Why Paint Cats: The Ethics of Feline Aesthetics, both authored by Heather Busch and Burton Silver, explore cat art from a very different perspective.

Spiritual Wisdom and Inspiration

Cats are sources of inspiration for many people. There are several works out there featuring true stories of extraordinary cats. Zen Cat by Judith Adler and Paul Coughlin brings you lots of cat wisdom. Another great gift idea is Angel Cats: Divine Messengers of Comfort by Allen Anderson and Linda Anderson. A wonderful read, this book is filled with inspirational cat stories.

Mystery novels and true stories...

...in which cats are the protagonists, are another great gift idea. Cats and mystery seem to go together. This is a especially wonderful gift for cat lovers who also enjoy a good whodunit! A great suggestion is The Cat Who… the popular series of mystery novels by Lilian Jackson Braun. The cat-inspired novels by Rita Mae Brown make great gifts too.

Cat History

If you want to know more about cat history, you will enjoy When Cats Reigned like Kings: On the Trail of the Sacred Cats by Georgie Anne Geyer. Very informative and a great read.

Cat Breeds

Cat:The Complete Guide by Claire Bessant, Paddy Cutts and Bradley Viner is an in-depth study of cats. This tome is filled with information about cat behavior, nutrition and care. It includes descriptions and unique characteristics of over 120 known cat breeds. This is a cat book any cat lover will enjoy. Great color illustrations too.

Children’s Books

There is a vast selection of cat-themed books for kids. Of course, The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss comes to mind. You might also enjoy: Oh, Cats! (My First I Can Read Book Series) by Nola Buck and Nadine Bernard Westcott (Illustrator). This is especially great for small children who are just learning to read.

Another great idea is The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben. A great story about a determined pussycat.

As you can see, there are many options available. The gift of a cat book will definitely delight any cat lover.

If your friends love cat movies, you can find great gift ideas here

Here’s a partial list of some famous literary felines

• Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.

• The Cheshire cat, immortalized in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

• Dinah, Alice’s cat in Through the Looking Glass also by Lewis Carroll.

• Edgar Allan Poe’s short-story “The Black Cat” (A Study of the Psychology of Guilt)

• “The Cat that walked by Himself” by Rudyard Kipling

• Crookshanks, Hermione’s cat in the Harry Potter series.

• We must also mention the “The Cat Who…” series of mystery novels by Lilian Jackson Braun.

• Who can forget, Puss in Boots? by Charles Perrault (this folktale was originally compiled by Gianbattista Basile)

Related links

Find great cat movies here! Gift ideas and tips

The Cat in the Hat

The Cheshire Cat


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