Meet the Cats

My Mum loves cats.
They seem to quite like her too, and we had a lovely time visiting them at a cat cafe recently. But now Mum's back in England. My home is dogless, mumless and catless. And I'm reading books. I love books. Sadly, though, they're not so soft and cuddly as cats and they usually don't wrap themselves around my neck. They were great to share with Mum though, before she left.

Having watched all those cats, a book entitled A Cat Is Watching by Roger A. Caras seems like a good place to start. It's an well-balanced mix of psychology, anecdote and opinion, and I really enjoyed it. Share it with your favorite feline and a cup of well-balanced three-star coffee.

Some of the cats at the cafe were more playful than watching. I had great fun with one who loved to bounce after feathered toys. No bird will be safe when this cat finds a home. But surely the cat knows the toy isn't real. Is it playing or training? Do Cats Think by Paul Corey might help find the answer. It's a personal account of life with many different cats, each with their own quirks and natures... and thoughts, perhaps. And it's a lovely book to share with a cat and a warmly elegant four-star coffee.


Turning now to some seriously fictional cats, the felines of Journeyman Cat and other novels by Virginia Ripple do most definitely think. They watch. They plan. And they work with their human companions in magic and politics. Religious themes underpin these stories, giving them focus and strength, but they are never intrusive, and the adventures of cats and their humans are truly gripping. I'm sure Mum would have loved this had she had time to read it. Enjoy with a middle-grade reader or young adult, and drink some well-balanced three-star coffee as you read.

And, should you find a cat cafe near you, enjoy the playfulness of cats.

Comments

Jean Harkin said…
Nice blog starting with your mum and the cats. Nice photos too! wonder who took them! ha. I just learned that the word "quite" has different meanings in England and in the U.S. Supposedly in England it means "a little bit," and in U.S. it means "totally, completely." I think your mum likes the cats in the U.S. manner.
February 19, 2017 at 9:45 AM
Sheila Deeth said…
Interesting. I hadn't heard about the difference in meaning for "quite." We often use it as understatement, so "Mum quite likes cats" would mean she loves them. I guess that's where the American usage must come from. But an answer, "Yes, I quite like them," to the question "Do you like cats," would mean you don't hate them. (Ah, but how could anyone not love cats!)

Thank you for that picture of Mum. You really caught her smile!
February 19, 2017 at 6:47 PM
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