Westerly Sun Column | Books to Help You Understand Cats

I often look into my cat’s eyes and wonder what he is thinking. Does he love me, or is he just in it for the food? Does he understand what I’m saying to him, or is he just in it for the food? Cats often get a bad rap. They have a reputation for being aloof, not friendly, and a bit unpredictable when in reality (my opinion, really) you just have to give them some time to get to know you better. Of course, we have tons of books on cats that help us understand them better, as well as stories about the human-cat relationship.

“What Cats Want: An Illustrated Guide for Truly Understanding Your Cat” is a great one by Dr. Yuki Hattori, who happens to be Japan’s leading cat doctor. Illustrations show how you can interpret a cat’s mood by understanding what the movements of their tails mean. Easy to understand charts tell you how to interpret their meows, as well as the direction their whiskers are pointing. There is TONS of information in this book!

A new book that came out in June, “Catland: Louis Wain and the Great Cat Mania” by Kathryn Hughes, explores the cat craze of the early 20th century through the life and career of Louis Wain. Wain became famous in the 1880s for his quirky drawings of cats doing very human things like riding bicycles, sipping champagne and playing cricket. Along with fabulous illustrations, Hughes tells the fascinating story of Wain’s life.

Caleb Carr’s final book, “My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me,” tells the story of the incredible 17-year bond between Carr and his rescue cat, Masha. Masha, a temperamental Siberian Forest Cat, was stuck in a shelter because previous owners had returned her. Carr was able to understand her and the story of how they saved each other is beautiful.

If you have a curious feline you’d like to know more about or are just “cat curious”, we have a fun and informative program, “Decoding the Mysteries of Cats,” with Stephen Quandt tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 17, via Zoom starting at 6:30 p.m. Stephen, a professional cat behaviorist, will explain the cycle of predation and the confidence scale, which can lead to “drive-by” ankle biting, play aggression, early morning wakeup, food aggression, fearful cats, and redirected aggression as well as other behaviors. He will also explain the mother/kitten relationship that connects them to us through food needs, attention-seeking, and their status with their most favored/least favored people. Finally the relationship between hunger, appetite, metabolism, and exercise to all the above!

A Q&A will follow the presentation. Go to westerlylibrary.org to register.

by Caroline Badowski, Head of Adult Services