First published 1998
Michael Capuzzo presents extraordinary real stories that reveal the deep connections between cats and their human families. The book features cats like Priscilla, who meowed persistently at her door until her owners discovered their elderly neighbor had broken her hip and needed help. Pearl and Skittles act as household guardians, alerting their family to problems from clogged drains to forgotten stereos. Murry becomes the devoted companion to a boy with cystic fibrosis, his loyalty so intense that he begins failing when the child's health declines. Nicholas develops an unusual friendship with the family pit bull, daily feeding him bones from the kitchen table and receiving affectionate head licks in return. Subway, an orange tabby, survives a shotgun blast and later astonishes mourners by leaping from his burial box at his own funeral. Capuzzo draws these tales from cat lovers worldwide, both famous and ordinary, as well as from historical and literary sources. The stories strip away the cat's reputation for aloofness to show their true nature as sensitive, caring companions.
Genres: animals, cats, contemporary, non-fiction
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, heartwarming
288 pages · Hardcover · Bantam