Conference misery::feline

    There's a neat book out called "The Cat That Went To Paris", a
    non-fiction  book about the author's Scottish Fold Norton.
    
    Also, mentioned in the older feline notes file and too good to let
    disappear are the Lillian Braun (sp?) mystery books "The Cat Who
    <insert various titles here>".  They're all fun except I'd warn people
    away from the book of short stories (hazy recollection of the title is
    The Cat Who Had Thirteen Tails) as it is quite sad in places.
    

    RE: -1 "The Cat Who..."
    
    
      I have all 13 of these books, and I would advise that if you are
    going to read them, you should read them in the order that they were
    written, Ms. Braun is one of those authors that includes people from a
    past book into the present book. I read them as I could find them, and
    it got a little confusing sometimes when I was reading and some one was
    mentioned that I had not yet read about. "The Cat with 14 Tales" can be
    read anytime. It has no correlation with the other 12 books. I agree
    that a couple of them were sad, but worth reading anyway. This is the
    book that her famous quote about the cat staring at his person's
    forehead intently, and then the human says "time to feed the cat" just
    as if it were her own idea. (That's not the quote, just the idea of it)
     
     I loved these books, and hope she writes a lot more before she retires
    from writing. My books are on loan to a friend, but when I get them
    back, I'd be glad to put the titles in by copyright dates if anyone is
    interested. 
    
     Great series!
    
    Y
    

    BTW, I got all of my "cat Who" books at Caldor's department store, and
    they are cheaper than the cover price. Most of them were under 4.00 to
    purchase.
    
    Y

    One thing that always bothers me about the cats in the books (Cat Who)
    is that Qwilleran, their owner, feeds them stuff like cans of crabmeat,
    lobster, tuna, cereal....anything *but* normal cat food!  Now, *I* know
    that this is fiction and that cats shouldn't be fed like that, but does
    everyone know this?
    
    Jo

    
    	My parents gave us "The Mind of the Cat" for Christmas...
    
    	I'll put in a review as soon as I read it....I thumbed 
    	through it....I think it's supposed to be serious but
    	there was some humor thrown in there....
    
    	JJ
    

    	You mean lobster, cracked crab and filet mignon is not regular cat
    food?? Damn!! I've been tricked again! ;-) 

    
    
    Those Cattyshack kids are pretty tricky, huh Mike?  :')
    
    
    

    Hi,
    
     About the food Qwilleran feeds Koko and Yum Yum, I think Ms. Braun
    either remembered or it may have been brought to her attention, but if
    I remember correctly, in one of the books, one of the characters tells
    him the cats need to have more than what those foods could give them,
    and he started adding the necessary vitamins etc. to their "special"
    foods.
    
     That part bothered me too until I got to that book. The vitamins get
    mentioned quite often as I remember.
    
     I can't wait for the next one to come out!
    
    Y
     

	I'm reading The Cat Who Knew A Cardinal right now.  It's as good
                    ---------------------------
	as ever!

	I also got for Christmas:

	Cat-Dependent No More, a clever parody of cat lovers as psychologically
	--------------------- 
	disordered, but a bit dry to read.

	All the French Your Cat Will Ever Need, a cute small book which 
	--------------------------------------
	is all the same themes but as if you might teach French to your kitty
	(or he/she to you!)  For example, one page has the french phrases for
	1. I want food in my bowl.
	2. I want food in my bowl NOW.

Bill

    Re: "The Cat Who went to Paris", I gave it to my hubby for Xmas, since
    we have a Scottish Fold.  He absolutely LOVED the book, I heard him
    roaring with laughter, and he read me some of the funny parts.  I can't
    wait to read it too.  He commented that the author talks to Norton (the
    cat) just the way we talk to ours. (ie, like a person ;-)).
    
    Steffi

    I received a lovely book of cat photographs, which are really art
    photos.  The photographs were taken by Robert Vavra, a well-known art 
    photographer.  There are wild (lions, tigers, cheetahs, servals)
    and endangered (clouded leopard, snow leopard) cats, as well as 
    domesticated cats.  The wild and endangered cats are part of various
    captive breeding programs.  The domesticated cats are all pets.  
    
    Each photo has a quote about cats from famous authors - Paul Gallico, 
    Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling - whomever was owned by a cat.  
    Each photo is unique.  For instance, there's one of a black cat with huge 
    emerald eyes.  All you can see in the photo are the eyes, and an emerald 
    necklace around the cat's neck.  Another photo has a cat and a dog, and 
    the caption reads, "A dog is...., but a cat's poetry".  There's a picture 
    of a white tiger - just his face, with a turquoise necklace on his head, 
    like a tiara.  A Siamese is posed with sapphire jewlery.  
    
    The book also contains a story by Kipling, and some personal
    reflections by the author, as well as a page-by-page description of
    each cat.  For the wild and endangered animals, characteristics,
    habitat, captive breeding, etc. are all included.
    
    The book is expensive - like all art books - but is truly a collector's
    item.  I'm sure everyone, cat lover and non-cat lover, would enjoy
    owning a copy of the book.
       

    
    A favourite of mine is
    
    "The Cat who came for Christmas"  by Cleveland Amory.
    
    Really neat book.... reassured me that I wasn't nuts holding
    conversations with my best furry friend...
     
    

    
    I recently purchased a wonderful book entitled "Legacy of the Cat"
    by Gloria Stephens with photographs by Tetsu Yamazaki.  The book is 
    softbound, approximately 9 x 12 and made of high quality paper.  The
    glossy pages provide an apprpriate background for gorgeous pictures
    of cats that seem ready to leap off the pages.  Chapters include:
    "History of the Domesticated Cat", "Basics of Genetics", "Body Types"
    "Color & Pattern", "Eye Color" and "Profile if 37 Breeds".  The cost 
    was $ 16.95 (one probably could get it for less at a discount book
    store) and well worth the money.
    
    

    Gloria Stephens is a TICA Allbreed judge and this book was years in the
    making.  When I was involved in TICA I attended a clerking school in
    which she was present, and she had the contact sheets of all the photos
    that would appear in the book.  The photos were very nice.
    
    Gloria was one of my favorite judges.  She used to say that you should
    be able to distinguish the breeds by touch, with your eyes shut, and if
    you couldn't distinguish a breed that way, then it shouldn't be a
    recognized breed.  The point being that there are too many breeds whose
    conformation is too similar to an existing breed, and that the only
    thing that separates some breeds is color or pattern.
    
    Jo

    
    Jo, I think one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much (beyond the
    photos) was the obvious experience that Gloria brought to the project.
    On the subject of the photos, I was extremely pleased with the Exotic
    shots as they are usually "lumped" in with the Persians and you see
    one shot tucked up in the corner.  There are approx 8 photos of Exotics
    representing varying degrees of "extremeness".  I was disappointed in
    the representaion of the Birmans and felt that the photos used did not
    do justice to the breed.  A nice touch used throughout the breed
    profiles is the indication of gender and age under all photos allowing 
    the reader to compare and contrast the development of the breed.  I would 
    be more than happy to bring the book to the WC Feliner's dinner if anyone 
    would like to see it.
    
    

This "Tetsu Yamazaki" I think is the same guy who took pictures if many
of our cats at the Narroganset show last year.  He put a number of our
pictures in his own book.  I can't remember the name off hand.  argh! 

Sweetie has a full page in his book.  Hey Marlene, see if there's a picture
of a red tabby cornish rex in the book.  On a purple background.  It could
very well be sweetie. 

Nancy DC's Silver Shadow is in his book as well as Dianne Levin's Alexander
the great.  Maybe they're in that book too!!

Holly

    The reason for the difference in the Birmans, Marlene, is because
    Gloria is a TICA judge and probably used TICA subjects for the shots. 
    The TICA Birman standard is different than the CFA Birman standard, so
    the cats look different than we are used to.
    
    I would love to see the book.  Please bring it to the dinner.
    
    Jo

    
    Holly, I will check in the book for Sweetie.  Within the Breed Profiles
    there are no "background" colors.  The pages are all white with the
    cats placed on the page. I'll compare the shot of Sweetie in Cats
    Magazine with the one in the book.  I don't know what Shadow looks
    like but I know for a fact that Alex is not in the book.  Bailey and 
    Alex are "brothers" from different litters and I have had the pleasure
    of his company in the past.  As a matter of fact, the first time I met
    him was when we went to Brooklyn where I also met you and Sweetie.
    
    

hmmm.... must be a different book.  It is the name of the photographer that
took the pictures for the book in Japan.  Check for a red tabby cornish rex.
It just might be sweetie!

Shadow is a silver tabby scottish fold.  

Thanks Marlene!

Holly

    
    Holly, this book was originally published in 1989 and then there was
    a republishing in 1990.  Is Sweetie a classic or a mackerel tabby?
    There is a picture of a red mackerel tabby standing on it's haunches.
    I'll check on Shadow but I do not recall seeing a silver tabby fold.
    
    M
    
    
    

Well, then that settles that.  Sweetie is red mackerel tabby.  But he was
born in 1989.  This guy took pictures of Sweetie in 1990.  

Oh well!  Hope the book is good, though!  I think I'm going to check for it
anyway.

Holly

    For those of you who like fun short stories, there's a great book
    called "Catfantastic". It's edited by Andre Norton & Martin Greenberg.
    Here's the back cover:
    
    A PURR-FECT SPELL....
    
       "They prowl our homes, lords of all they survey. They gaze intently
    at seemingly empty space, spying on things no human is equipped to see.
    They choose their friends with care, and once they have chosen, their
    loyalty is unswerving.
       This volume of original stories is for all the cat-friends upon whom
    those furry felines have worked their special magic; a unique
    collection of fantastical cat tales, some set in the distant future on
    as yet unknown worlds, some set in our own world but not quite our own
    dimension, some recounting what happens when beings from the ancient
    past and creatures out of myth collide with modern-day felines.
       So pad along this paw print covered pathway to such fur-raising
    adventures as those of a noble Siamese out to defend its young mistress
    from evil, a bioengineered tabby who proves a diplomat beyond all human
    expectations, a wizard's hazasrdous encounter with his own familiar's
    kittens, and other imaginative escapades certain to capture the hearts
    of fantasy and cat lovers alike."
    
    I found the stories amusing, fun, and often find myself wondering is
    there any truth to all this especially knowing my cats the way I do.
    ;^>  The cover has a cat author dressed in Elizabethan clothing holding
    a quill and addressing an envelope. There's also a quote:
    
       "There has been a sacred and secret pact between cats and writers
    since time immemorial; these charming stories represent some of the
    fruits of that splendid fellowship."  -- Tad Williams, author of
    "Tailchasers Song"
    
    Roslyn
    
    P.S. I just saw a Catfantastic II on the shelf last weekend. 

    'A Clowder of Cats' is a paperback that Sue found for me in a
    second-hand shop over here in the UK. It's by Graham and Sylvana Nown,
    published by Futura and is full of bits & pieces about cats.
    
      Here's a couple of my favorite bits...
    
    Mice...
    
          When Miss Wanda Brittain, of Wolverhampton, suffered a minor
    plague of mice in 1962, her cat simply snoozed through it all. Despite
    adminitions, she was too lazy to leave her favorite spot by the fire
    and chase them. Miss Brittain, in desperation, bought a mouse-trap.
    It's first victim was the cat.
    	
     and Rats...
    
    	Rats are an entirely different proposition. Depending on their size
    and temperament they can be extremely aggressive when cornered and a
    match for even the bravest cat. What they lack, however, is a cat's
    intelligence and resourcefulness - against which they can rarely win.
    	A classic example was Minnie the officil mouser and ratter at
    Birmingham's Snow Hill railway station. In 1949 Minnie took on a rat
    the same size as herself and was badly bitten on the paw. With her leg
    in plaster, she was placed on the temporarily retired list.
    	But thoughts of retirement were far from Minnie's mind. She hobbled
    back in search of the rat and his chums and cornered them. Wielding her
    plaster-cast like a club, Minnie caught and battered seventeen of them
    and limped back to the station-master's office, satisfied that the
    score had been evened.

Has anyone read the above book?  I heard the author on talk radio a while back and
saw the book in an outlet bookstore so I bought it.  A few things stand out in
my mind.  First of all, this guy belives that all cats should be indoor cats, but
they should all be leash trained so that they can enjoy the outdoors without the
dangers.  I would sorta feel funny "walking" my cat, but I think I will now leash
train him for other reasons that were brought up in the book, such as trips to
vets, vacations, etc.  He is also a firm believer of bringing your cat with you
on vacations.  This seemed contrary to many things I have read in this notes file..
Personally, I have some neighbors that I completely trust my cat to and know
that they will go the extra mile to take care of him when we go away, threfore I 
also tend to disagree with bringing the cat with you.
	I thought the book gave some good info on the different signals that cats
give both physically and emotionally.   He also believes in neutering/spaying
unless you have a special breed.  His method for training is step by step, i.e.
start real small and work your way up.  Also If I had all the toys he recommends
you have my husband would have a fit after he tripped over one and fell.

	Anyone else have comments on the book or the author (who has appeared on
TV and radio)

    
    	I picked this book up for my uncle's birthday, he loves cats	
    	and mysteries, so it seemed like the perfect gift. Unfortunately,
    	curiosity got the better of me and I am now almost halfway 
    	through the book!! Oh, well, it was a few days late to begin with,
    	what's another few days?? =)  =)
    
    	"Wish You Were Here" by Rita Mae Brown and Sweetie Pie Brown.
    
    	The main character is Harry, a young woman who runs the local
    	post office. She has a tabby named Mrs Murphy, and a welsh corgi
    	named Tee Tucker. While Harry is busy solving a murder mystery
    	going on in town, Mrs Murphy and Tee are one step ahead of her,
    	always trying to get her to see what they've already found out.
    	Will they all solve it in time? 
    
    	I can't put it down. The dog and cat talk to each other and to
    	the other animal characters, then try their best to convey to
    	their humans what they know. It's a riot. At the beginning, Mrs
    	Murphy jumps into a box and Tee whines because she can't follow
    	her. Harry says to Mrs Murphy `now you know Tee can't play with
    	you in there', to which Mrs Murphy replies, 'let her bitch, she
    	stole my catnip sockie this morning!'. Tee says, `well, you only
    	have a thousand of the stupid things!'. Of course, all Harry hears
    	is a meow and a snort... =)
    
    	

    
    Sounds Marvellous!
    
    Have you got an ISBN number for those of us in the UK who might have to
    have the book store order it?
    
    Thanks,
    LaDonna

    
    	Yes, actually, I have it in my desk to read during lunch! =)
    
    	ISBN 0-553-28753-2   
    

    This is an article of interest. Found in the March/April 1992 issue of
    New Age Journal, titled "Creature Comfort: Is Your Pet Stressed? An
    Expert in Animal Bodywork Shows How You Can Lend a Hand To Your
    Four-footed Friends" by Linda Tellington-Jones with Sybil Taylor.
    
    There are two sidebar articles as well: "The Cool Cat: How to warm up
    even the most independent feline" and "The Barking Dog: How to quiet
    the insecurity of your 'best friend'".
    
    Linda also tells how she began, incorporating her Feldenkrais
    experience in gentling an unfriendly horse.
    
    Roslyn

    Re:28
    
    Linda Tellington-Jones is well known by 'horse folks'. A friend
    attented a local workshop and was extremely impressed with how
    well the Tellington-Jones method worked on horses that had been
    difficult to handle ..by massage type therapy.
    
    It would be interesting to read what she says about cats.
    
    Linda

    I think that this is the animal massage specialist that we had speak in
    our educational ring at Reveler's this year.  Will have to check it
    out.  She followed Dr. Rue in her presentation and they exchanged
    cards.
    
    Jo

    My mother gave me 2 books last night:
    
    _How To Be A Happy Cat_ by Charles Platt - cartoons by Gray Jolliffe
    (not a typo).  Called a Self-Help book for cats.  ;^)  (I read some of
    it this morning, and noticed that Alex spent more time than usual in my
    lap...facing the book!)
    
    _The (New) Official Cat Lovers Joke Book_ by Larry Wilde - 'nuff said.
    
    K.C.

        
                       Breeding Purebred Cats
               A Guide for the Novice & Small Breeder
                          by Anne S. Moore
               Abraxas Publishing, Bellevue, Washington
    
    This is such a great book!!!  It covers everything from breeding your
    cat to kittening to selling the kittens and everything in between!  For
    a novice I highly recommend it! It has helped me by answering those
    questions that were floating around in my head that, quite frankly, I
    was embarrassed to ask!  I feel prepared for Callie's delivery and
    feel confident that I can help her out if she needs a little help from
    her mum!  :'D
    
     

    Hi,
    
     Just wanted to add a note that Lillian Jackson Braun has a new "Cat
    Who..." book out. I am in the process of reading it, and am enkoyiong
    it as much as as all the others!
    
     The title is "The Cat Who Moved A Mountain". I bought the hard cover
    edition, as I just couldn't wait till the paperback came out! I love
    those books, and have them all.
    
    Y

    Has anyone read the HOWELL CAT BOOK?  It's written by a vet - who's
    name escapes me (Dr Tim Hawcroft?) I believe he is australian.  I have
    a horse book by him as well - which is why I bought the cat book.  It
    is well to say the least - graphic in its medical pictures.  If you are
    at all squeemish this book is not for you.  However if you are interested
    in all sorts of illnesses (poor kittys) and what they may look like,
    this is a good book.  It uses some medical terminology - but it is
    explained well both in British english and American english.
    I don't know what the cost is as I got it from the book club using my
    "bonus" points plus some cash (14.00 CN$).
    
    It is a large coffee table type book - but don't leave it out for non-
    feline loving guests unless you want them to leave!
    
    

    This is sort of a book review...
    
    About six months ago, I purchased a murder mystery jigsaw puzzle.  It
    was a lot of fun, and somewhat difficult.  What you do is read a short
    murder mystery (they don't tell you "who done it"), then put the puzzle
    together, and try to solve the mystery yourself. There are clues in the
    finished puzzle.  The puzzle is somewhat difficult because the picture on 
    the box is *not* the picture on the puzzle!  I didn't guess right
    myself, but it was still a lot of fun.  There are quite a few different
    mysteries to choose from, but of course I chose the one that had to do
    with cats!  ;*)
    
    When I finished, I passed the puzzle on to someone else, and requested
    that she do the same.  Otherwise, I would tell you who made it and what
    the title was.
    
    Best,
    Michelle 

    So did the cat do it in the library with a candlestick?  :')  If not, 
    then maybe this book review belongs in another conference?
    
    Jo

    No, the cat wasn't the culprit.  But the puzzle had pictures of cats on
    it.
    
    Michelle

    I was just trying to find out how the puzzle ties in with cats. :')
    
    Jo

    
    
    	That is one of those things I keep meaning to pick up, was it worth
    	the $20?

    Yes, pretty much worth the money.  I could have been better if there
    were more of a story to read.  The story was basically an interview of
    the suspects; I would have liked to have seen more of the events
    leading up to the murder, and then the interviews.  
    
    The puzzle part was great.  It's fun and interesting to put together a
    jigsaw puzzle without a complete picture to look at.  You really have
    to pay attention to color shades and design to fit the pieces together.
    
    Best,
    Michelle

    The Tiger on Your Couch -- What the Big Cats Can Teach You About 
    Living in Harmony With Your House Cat
    by Bill Fleming and Judy Petersen-Fleming
    
    WIlliam Morrow & Company, Inc. publishers  (ISBN 0-688-08750-7)
    
    Just picked this book up at Marine World/Africa USA yesterday and so
    far I really like it.  There are pictures of the tigers from Tiger
    Island at Marine World mixed in with pictures of domestic cats.  There
    are also stories about training the tigers mixed with the information
    on taking care of your domestic kitty.
    
    The book cost $20.00 at Marine World but since the Marine World
    Foundation is a non-profit organization which focuses on helping,
    training and caring for animals, I felt the money would be well spent.
    
    
    From the jacket (they're much better about describing this book):
    
    His body melts into the ground, his eyes blazing with a primitive
    excitement.  His body is tense with each muscle rippling.  Suddenly,
    all thirteen pounds of Fridge the tomcat pounce in the air and a young
    sparrow narrowly escapes.
    
    Whether a five-hundred pound Bengal tiger or a thirteen-pound house cat
    -- a cat is a cat is a cat.  Here, at last, is a book for all cat
    lovers who have always suspected that the difference between their cats
    and the majestic tigers of the wild is largely a matter of size.  The
    Tiger on Your Couch is a complete guide to natural cat care:  By
    understanding the behavior of tigers, you can have a more loving and
    rewarding relationship with your house cat.
    
    The authors are animal behaviorists who take you inside the mind of the
    tiger and give you practical examples of how you can live in harmony
    with the tiger on your couch.  Bill Fleming can play with the big cats
    because he has conditioned them to retract their claws during play. 
    Using his simple technique, any cat owner can condition his or her cat
    to play without scratching or biting.  No cat ever needs to be declawed
    again!
    
    Almost a hundred black-and-white photographs and sixteen pages of
    dazzling color photographs allow you to see the comparisons between
    tiger and cat.  Stories, fascinating facts, and analogies from their
    years of experience with the big cats allow the authors to show you how
    to play with your cat without making it wild, encourage your cat to
    sleep on your lap, introduce a dog or new family memeber into your
    cat's life -- among hundreds of other useful lessons and practical
    tips.
    
    From choosing a kitten to making cat toys, from bathing a cat to taking
    it on a trip, from making a house safe for a cat to teaching it to
    respect furniture, The Tiger on Your Couch is a total guide to natural
    cat care for both new and longtime cat owners.  The authors also
    provide information on environmentally safe cat products and on saving
    the big cats of the wild and helping America's stray cats.  The Tiger
    on Your Couch is a breathtaking visit to the world of majestic tigers
    -- and a primer for a happy life with your house cat.
    
    Bill Fleming and Judy Petersen-Fleming are animal behaviorists who have
    lived in the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asia, helping to
    preserve the natural surroundings of exotic cats and dolphins and to
    create stimulating environments for animals in wildlife parks.
    
    Bill Fleming worked for more than ten years as a trainer at Tiger
    Island, an acclaimed natural habitat and attraction at Marine World
    Africa USA, a nonprofit wildlife park and oceanarium dedicated to
    furthering an understanding of the world's wildlife.
    
    Judy Petersen-Fleming specializes in work with marine mammals.  She
    endeavors to create an awareness of, and protection for, both these
    creatures and their natural environment.  Both authors are lifetime cat
    owners.  They are married and live in Denver, Colorado.
       

    My husband came home with this book yesterday.
    
    "The Cat Who Would be President, or How I Clawed My Way to the Top."  By
    Michael Cader.  It's a little paperback book, cartoon style and very
    cute.  The premise is "haven't we had enough dogs in the White House?"
    VOTE CAT.  It's a very cute fun book.
    
    There's a store in Los Gatos called Purrsnickety with everything for
    the cat lover and lots of things for the cat.  She has the T-shirt that
    matches this book.  Along with the book there is a campaign button
    saying VOTE CAT.  
    
    Steffi

    A friend gave me a great book called "Cat Dependent No More! Learning
    to live Cat-Free in a Cat-Filled World" by "Dr." Jeff Reid.  What a
    hoot this book is!  :')  This one is at the top of the "self help" book
    lists.
    
    Couple of funny excerpts:
    
    "I had to call in sick to work today--little Mitzy has "the curse."
    "I am not only the president of the hair-ball club for men, I am also a
    client."
    
    This book is published by Ballantine Books, copyright 1991.  Check it
    out is it hysterical.
    
    Jo

    I went to the bookstore at lunch today and picked up the _Cornell Book
    of Cats_.  While there, I almost bought a book called the _New Natural
    Cat_ (it wasn't in very good condition so I decided to wait).  The book
    was written by a veterinarian, and was about a holistic and homeopathic
    approach to cat care.  It included such remedies as herbal eyedrops and
    how to administer them, but it did advocate immediate vet care in
    certain situations (such as diarrhea for more than 3 days).  
    
    Has anyone heard of this book?  Any comments, good or bad?

    I think I have that book at home.  I'll check.  If it is the same
    book I'll let you know.  I do have a book on holistic cat care so
    it may be the one, I just can't remember the name.
    
    Jan

                   <<< USER2:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FELINE.NOTE;1 >>>
           -< Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected >-
================================================================================
Note 354.29      Cat Crazies -- is there a common name for them?        29 of 31
ICS::ANDERSON_M                                      18 lines  27-AUG-1992 12:03
                             -< ...the book says! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Someone gave me a book "All I Need To Know I Learned From My Cat"
    (by Suzy Becker) and each page has drawings depicting cat
    behavior (with descriptions).
    
    This one page shows a kitchen - the sink and counter, window (with
    curtains blowing, a cat bowl with bits of food on the floor, another 
    bowl with water spilling on to the floor, a grocery bag is in mid-air
    (the cat having just run out of it), the area rug is floating 
    (having just been used as a runway) - with no cat in sight and the 
    caption reads:
    
    " ....everyone is entitled to an occasional mood swing"
    
    This book is so funny.  I've been sitting here, like a darn fool,
    laughing out loud at this woman's interpertation of cat behavior.
    She really captured life with the feline.
    
    

    Bill is back from Tokyo and with him came a nice little surprise - a
    book called "Kittens in Japan".  I believe Mary Tamir has this book
    because I know I've seen it around somewhere recently.  "Kittens in
    Japan" is full of cute pictures of kittens in innocent (and some not so
    innocent) poses.  It's a definite mood lifter for a bleak rainy day.

    My daughter gave me the book "The Cat Who Came for Christmas" which
    I have read 4-5 times.  
    
    I wrote to Cleveland Amory (the author) telling him how much I loved
    his book and he sent me a letter and a photograph of him and Polar
    Bear (...alias the Cat Who Came for Christmas) and autographed it
    "to Marilyn and Otis from Cleveland and Polar Bear".
    
    I've matted and framed it - a real treasure!  ...and Polar Bear
    is BEAUTIFUL.
    
    Marilyn & Otis
    

    This isn't actually a book review but it is a recommended reading list
    provided by the Pet Loss Support Group.  I thought it might come in
    handy.
    
    "How to Survive the Loss of a Love"
       Harold Bloomfield, Bantam, 1977
    
    "Explaining Death to Children"
       Earl Grollman (ed.), Beacon, 1969
    
    "Helping Children to Cope with Separation and Loss"
       Claudia Jewett, Harvard Common, 1982
    
    "On Children and Death"
       Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, MacMillan, 1983
    
    "On Death and Dying"
       Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Collier, 1969
    
    "When Bad Things Happen to Good People"
       Harold Kushner, Avon, 1983
    
    "Snowflake in My Hand"
       Samantha Mooney, Delacorte, 1983
    
    "Pet Loss:  A Thoughtful Guide for Adults and Children"
       Herbert A. Nieburg and Arlene Fischer, Harper and Row, 1982
    
    "When Someone You Love Dies"
       Linda Potter, Dill
    
    "When Your Pet Dies:  How to Cope with Your Feelings"
       James E. Quackenbush and D. Graveline, Simon and Schuster, 1985
    
    "The Bereaved Parent"
       Harriet Schiff, Penguin, 1978
    
    "Living Through Personal Crisis"
       Ann Kaiser Stearns, Ballantine, 1984
    
    "The Tenth Good Thing About Barney"
       Judith Viorst, Atheneum, 1975
    
    "Pet Love"
       Betty White, William Morrow and Company, 1983

    Has anyone seen The New Yorker Book Of Cat Cartoons?  It's a compact
    (about 4x4") book of cat cartoons.  Some examples are:

    two women sitting on chairs with cats everywhere.  the caption reads
    "This year I'm just going to give everybody kittens."

    then there's this real snobbish looking picture of a woman talking to
    her husband in the library and his nose is burried in a book.  she's
    straightening out a floral arrangement and says "By the way, I've
    ordered a cat."

    a little old lady in an armchair with her cat sitting in her lap like a
    baby.  She's reading him a story "But when she got there, the cupboard
    was bare, and so the poor dog had none".

    and a classic.  there's a picture of a boy coming in the front door and
    his mother is looking at him with her hands placed firmly on her hips. 
    this caption reads "Mrs. Wallace MADE me take them. She said they were
    as much ours as theirs."  There's a few cats with grins directly behind
    the mother.  :^)

    my favorite is an adult cat with paws firmly placed into the side of a
    shredded chair.  there's a little kitten watching.  the adult cat says
    "Like this -- see?  You've got to get your back into it." as he
    demonstrates the quickest way to destroy furniture!

    figured this would be the best place for this question..........

    anybody who can tell me the *best* book to get on cat care - I have
    a great one for the dogs but haven't come across one for cats yet -
    want something that I can look up general symtpoms in and get an
    idea of what might be going on, what causes certain things, treatments
    for different problems, etc..

    thanks in advance,
    Debbi

    
    The Cornell book.  I forget exactly what the title is, but it features 
    Cornell (as in University) prominently.  I can get publisher and ISBN
    for tomorrow.
    
    My only complaint about the book is that while it's very comprehensive,
    the index is not much help, so you have to learn where in the book to
    look for things that you know are there but aren't listed in the index.
    When I find something useful that isn't in the index I "annotate" the
    index.
    
    len.
    

    
    The Cornell Book of Cats
    edited by Mordecai Siegal
    Villard Books
    ISBN 0-394-56787-0
    $27.50
    
    I also very highly recommend the following large format paperback
    
    The Book of the Cat
    edited by Wright and Walters
    ISBN 0-671-41624-3
    Summit Books
    
    I got mine for about $10 12 years ago; I think it's still in print.
    
    len.
    

    Bob just gave me a new book that at a cursory glance seems hilarious.
    
    "MEDITATIONS FOR CATS WHO DO TOO MUCH" "Learning to Take things One
    Life at a time"  by Michael Cader.
    
    It's a small paperback book.  It starts with:
    
    "The 9-Life Recovery Program"
    
    1. ADMITTING that there is too much to be done, and I don't have to be
    the only cat in the world to do everything.
    
    2. ACCEPTING the Higher Power (also known as The Owner) as my
    caretaker.
     
    3. PRAYING that the Higher Power comes back from that weekend at the
    beach.
    
    4. HOPING that the Higher Power believes I destroyed the closet in her
    absence out of love and loneliness, not anger.
    
    5. REALIZING that I do not have to be the Higher Power's sole source of
    happiness and joy.
    
    6. ACKNOWLEDGING that just because my food smells funny and I refuse to
    eat for three days dosen't mean that I have an eating problem.
    
    7. RESOLVING to do what I can do well, and then take a nap.
    
    8. ALLOWING myself to take another nap if I need to (or if there is
    nothing to chase).
    
    9. TAKING things one life at a time. 	
    
    
    Steffi

    Steffi,
    
    I love it!!  That is Taja to a T!  Little brats that they are!!
    
    -Roe
    

    
    There's an interesting excerpt in the July "Atlantic Monthly" by
    Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of "The Hidden Life of Dogs",
    from her new book "Tribe of Tiger", which is scheduled to be
    published next month (by Simon and Schuster).
    
    The excerpt talks about the role of smell and sight in cat "society".
    She makes the telling observation that cats seem "mysterious" and
    "unfathomable" to humans because we project our experience of the
    world on them, when their experience of their world and one another
    is completely different.
    
    I'm a little wary of her analysis, because it's largely based on her
    personal observations with no real "objective" support, but it's
    consistent with my own experience with cats, and it's certainly
    thoughtful and thought provoking.
    
    The article is much too long to type in here, so I urge any of you who
    are interested in some insights into what being a cat is like to find
    this issue, or seek out her book next month. 
    
    len.
    

    
    Tribe of Tiger is now available.  I'll provide a book report as soon
    as I've finished it.  A quick scan looks promising.
    
    len.
    

    
    I read Tribe of Tiger over the weekend (a long weekend at Tanglewood;
    the only things worth suffering being away from the cats for are music
    and tropical islands....)
    
    I have to admit I was disappointed, but that may only have been due to
    unreasonable expectations.
    
    The book is in three parts.  Part 1 is great; it's really about cat
    society and culture and is full of interesting observations and
    insights about cats.  Part 2 was the big disappointment.  It is in
    fact often quite interesting, but it's more about people than cats, and
    the polemic flavor of it gets tiring quickly.  It's mostly about
    how African bushmen relate to the great cats (mostly lions) they live
    among.  Part 3 is as much about people as it as about cats, and runs
    the "modern civilization is out of touch with nature" theme into the
    ground.
    
    So, unless you're really in a hurry to glean the good stuff from this
    book, wait for it in paperback (and save a few bucks).  I'll post
    a few if its more interesting observations sometime soon, perhaps
    whetting your appetite.
    
    len.
     

    Has anyone read James Herriot's Cat Stories? My brother gave me this
    book for Christmas, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Herriot has a great 
    love for cats and writes about various cats that he's encountered both in
    his personal life and in his work as a veterinarian. So far each
    chapter is devoted to a different cat or cats. It's funny and touching
    and amazing and quite wonderful.
    
    Highly recommended.  
    
    Rebecca

    Yes,  got it for xmas,  only take a short while to read, but the
    stories are great!

    I got one too!
    
    The stories are wonderful.  Herriot is truely a cat lover!
    

    The New Natural Cat. 
    
    This book is great. Next week I will try to get the rest of the info
    on it ie. Author, publisher, etc.
    
    The focus is on home care. It is a great trouble shooting guide. Many
    simple solutions pertaining to medication giving, grooming, feeding,
    etc. 
    
    Perhaps if I dont get back soon enough someone else can supply the
    info.

    
    Yesterday I stumbled upon absolutely the most beautiful, wonderful,
    extraordinary, incredible book of cat photographs I have ever seen,
    and I have a *lot* of cat picture books.
    
    Its titled "Cats in the Sun", it's a big paperback (the hardbound
    edition was published a year or two ago), it's about $19, and it's
    worth every cent.  If you look at this book in a bookstore I can't
    imagine you walking out without it.  These pictures made me laugh out
    loud, weep with joy, exclaim in astonishment.
    
    The pictures are all taken in Greece, and the settings are spectacular;
    even without the cats, this would be a beautiful book of travel
    photography.  But the cats take it far beyond, into a realm where my
    supply of superlatives is simply inadequate.
    
    "But did you like it, len?"
    
    Yes, I liked it, bought it, and am going back to pick up a few more
    copies as gifts for friends.
    
    len.
     
    
    

    I was in Crete/Greece and saw a lot of cats in the sun (taken pix
    also...) and bought some cat calendars too. The feeling of the photos
    is as Len said. I like them.
    
    Nat

    I picked up Tribe of the Tiger in paperback.  It's worth
    buying, IMHO.  I skipped over the boring non-cat parts, and
    read the real cat parts. In the first two pages, one of her
    7 pound cats attempts to stalk two humongeous deer, and later
    attacks and apparently murders a loaf of Italian bread.  I
    learned some interesting things about cat behavior, although I agree
    that her observations are sometimes contradictory, so I've filed away
    what I learned in the worth checking out category.
    

    Has anyone ever read the story "Magnificat"?  My mother had the book
    many years ago and I would love to get it but don't know the author.
    
    It is the story of a cat arriving in heaven and being grilled as to how
    an animal (without a soul) was sent to heaven.  It turns out that there
    was a terrorist group who planted a bomb in a church to kill the
    visiting
    cardinal and the cat got it self inside the bomb and kept it from
    killing everyone (but lost it's life in the process).  As a child I
    loved that story as I could not imagine my animals not going to heaven
    with me (and still don't).  Does anyone know the author as I will be
    trying to replace the book?
    
    Linda

    >                                                       As a child I
    >loved that story as I could not imagine my animals not going to heaven
    >with me (and still don't).
    
    
    It wouldn'tbe heaven if there were no animals there ..
    
    As for the question, have you tried AltaVista? (I'd try to look it up
    for you but I can't get to the server)
    
    Deb

    I tried the Library of Congress, which found 36 matches but would only
    tell me about the first 15...
    
    

    If we aren't together in heaven...I BEST have my choice
    if I want to go to the human heaven or to the animal kingdom.
    Even if it means scooping every hour...I'd be there!!
    
    Sandy

    I vote for together...
    What would have my dad done without his Gordon Setter, the black dog?
    Where would have my mother just gone, just a few days ago, if not to a
    place where she will meet once with her two loved cats she left
    behind? What would I do without Smokey over there?
    
    One of you was right: it were no heaven without animals.
    Nat 

The full title is: Instructions for Veterinary Clients
		Canine and Feline Behavior Problems
		ISBN 08151-8909-5   Published by Mosby-Year Book, Inc.
		(A Times Mirror company)

It runs about 140 pages and is written in easy-to-understand language. The
topics all run a page or two at most. It comes in a 3-ring binder.  The idea is
that vets can photocopy individual pages for clients.

Sample major topics include Cat & Dog elimination problems, Aggression, Guarding
valued objects, How to react to episodes of aggression, Reproduction, Problems
relating to ingestion, Neuroses and other emotional reaction (phobias, whining,
barking, separation anxiety,...), Destructiveness (cats & dogs), Behavior and
disease, Selecting a pet, Play behavior (cats & dogs), Introducing new pets to
resident pets (cat to cat, cat to dog, dog to cat, dog to dog), Kids and pets,
Training your pet to tolerate toenail trimming, ...

Most of the above are major topics and have 5 to 10 subtopics associated with
them. Think it might cost like $45 - I just snagged it from our hospital library
rather than buying a copy. I'll keep it in my office March 6/7 if you want to
take a free peek. (ZKO2-3, Next to pole Q/J.1 - take bridge from ZKO1 main lobby
to ZKO2, turn right, 2nd office down (window office))

						Trace