Customer Reviews

Cats: Portraits of over 70 Pedigrees

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's been over a decade since my little Tabby cat, Gretchen, died at 19; her calico sister, Chowder, lived 13 years (she got diabetes and, for 6 months, I had to inject her with insulin each morning until she finally succumbed to the disease). Some of the best friends I could ever hope for. . . . So, this book was a lot of fun. Those who have cats tend to think of them as clever and smart. So, it was with pleasure that I read the section on cat intelligence (pages 226-227).

The book starts with a quotation about cats from Theophile Gautier, "Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" The book begins by placing cats in perspective (domestic cats are probably the descendants of the African wildcat), including their evolutionary history and the variety of cats on each continent. Also considered are the ways by which different cultures treat domestic cats, how cats appear in artistic works and literature, and even cat collectibles.

The next section examines different breeds of cats, including recent varieties (e.g., the Savannah originated in the 1980s in North America), and are divided into shorthaired and longhaired cats. Lots of photos and brief descriptions of each type. Just fun to rummage aimlessly through the pages.

The final segment of the book is tellingly labeled "Keeping a Cat." Here are brief essays on cat biology, how to live effectively and in harmony with felines, and a final section on cat health.

A fun book. Discussions of specific topics sometimes left me asking for more. But, that aside, this was most enjoyable.

This book was everything I would expect from DK - great pictures, good information, easy to search through, but I did not expect it to be only three inches high! Now I know to look for the dimensions with every book I order. A great book for children to look through, because the book is really to small for adults to use on a regular basis.

I own several cats, and always enjoy picking up a book on cats because I find them so fascinating. This is a good book for the novice cat owner. I liked the many color pictures throughout the book, the history of cats throughout the ages and so much more. This book is more contains more information about cats, and their place in history than it does being a pet owner.

The book has many different sections about where cats have come from, when and where they have been regarded in history, and so much more. This book will give you a good background on learning all about cats. The book does contain some information on owning cats, and how to take care of them.

My copy of the book was a paperback book that is about 8 inches high. I know other reviewers may have had a different experience. I found this book to be very entertaining in learning about cats. If you are looking for a book about how to take care of cats, you may want to chose another book. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable and an entertaining read.

There is some interesting information contained here but it is still a major disappointment. Unless one physically sees the book before ordering, one can easily take note of the 400 pages and feel they are getting something of value for their dollar. However, it should first of all be noted this book is less than four inches high! I found the book just too overwhelming small and frustrating to bother with and certainly not worth the price.

If the reader truly wants value for their dollar, I highly recommend any and all of the books by Desmond Morris, such as "Cat Breeds of the World." Readers should not be disappointed in any of his books. They contain an endless wealth of information and beautiful photographs of cats. In my opinion, all of his books are worthy of a five-star rating and certainly worth the money.

I'm submitting my review under this book as it is essentially -- almost exactly -- the same book in a beautiful thick little paperback. I adore this book! Of course it could be because I found "dead ringers" for both my Sabrina (pg60 -- Norweigian Forest cat) & my best friend's Gracie (pg 222-223 in my addition -- a Chartreux) We were both wrong on our cats' heritages. (Adopted.) I always thought she was mostly Maine coon because my neighbor's Norweigian was so much bigger. (Think he's just a tad overweight though.) 'Brina is a fit 15 lbs. I just love her long whiskers, big eyes & loving disposition. She is also good with my little grandchildren.

Anyway, it's like a cat show in a book! Dr. Fogle knows his stuff.