A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling with Gentle Self-Help for All Ages [Paperback]

Marta Felber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 2009

This book's subtitle--"With Gentle Self-Help for All Ages"--accurately defines both its focus and its audience. Sterling the Cat, in the words of one reviewer, is a furry philosopher of the human heart. In brief "Mewsings" at the end of each of sixty illustrated episodes Sterling offers insights for readers (and listeners) of any age. "Come away from your big, out-of-control world to my little, manageable world," Sterling suggests as he shares what happens to him after he meets M, the human companion to whom he dictates his stories. Curled up on the top shelf of an animal shelter waiting in vain for someone to want him, Sterling had given up hope. Then M says, "I choose you." Thus begins their life together, which Sterling recounts in sixty stories--each episode accompanied by photographs. During his stay with M, Sterling faces fear and anger, M going away, a ghost cat in the house, having to lose weight, a catastrophe he causes, moving to a new home, the birthday party that wasn't, and an intruder cat--he calls her Miss Fit--who joins them. What meaning does a cat find in life's ups and downs? With M's help, Sterling shares his wisdom and advice in sixty stories, every one based on a real experience.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

M, as referred to in Sterling's book, is Marta Felber. Before meeting Sterling, Felber held counseling positions in the US and overseas. Her last overseas posting was ten years as head counselor and later director of the expatriate counseling center in Jakarta, Indonesia. During her years abroad she also served as a consultant to teaching staffs at international schools in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. She returned to the U.S. and entered private practice. After the death of her husband, Felber wrote two books to help others in their journey through grief, "Grief Expressed When a Mate Dies," and "Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies." The loneliness of widowhood caused M to choose a cat to talk to, not realizing that, even if only in her imagination, the cat would talk to and about her!

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: LifeWords Publishing (February 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979921414
• ISBN-13: 978-0979921414
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,329,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Cat Lovers!, February 19, 2009

By 

Andrea Gambill (Fishers, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling with Gentle Self-Help for All Ages (Paperback)

This book is not just for cat lovers. Anybody who is looking for practical, common-sense wisdom delivered in plain English, without a lot of psycho-babble, will appreciate Sterling's views and advice on the ordinary and mundane puzzles of life.

Marta (in the persona of Sterling) gently brings us down to earth and helps us find our feet psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. In this wonderful book, we get the meat and potatoes of life in delicious and satisfying portions.

A Cat's Eye View... is for grownups, for kids, for the troubled, for the serene, for the rich, for the poor. In other words, it's for everybody who would like their hand held for a moment while they have some fun in the process.

Buy it for yourself; you'll like it! Give it as a gift; you'll be appreciated!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than a cat's life., February 24, 2009

By 

Nature lover (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling with Gentle Self-Help for All Ages (Paperback)

I've lived with cats throughout my life and read many cat books. I was surprised and delighted to discover, however, that "A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling" is unlike any cat book I've ever read. The book begins with M (the author Marta Felber) and Sterling, the cat, discovering one another at a local animal shelter. M is widowed and looking for a feline companion. Sterling has been abandoned, for reasons we will never know, and is hoping for a home. It is love at first sight, but when M leaves to get a carrier to bring him home, Sterling wonders if she will ever return. Thus begins the story of a relationship between a cat and his human companion. But as we read on we find it is much more. Through Felber's insight, compassion, wit and imagination, we are led to discover it is also a book about ourselves. Sterling's story parallels our own. His challenges are the same we face on a daily basis.

Each story deals with a familiar topic: fear of change, learning to love and trust, making time for play and self-care, losing weight, seeing the world through another's eyes, making room for others in our lives, and more. "Mewsings" at the end of every story offer a gentle step into greater understanding of a cat's life and of our own. Accompanying the stories are delightful photographs of Sterling, all taken by the author. The cover photo is gorgeous, highlighting Sterling's silver colored fur and ears that look like iridescent seashells.

It's hard to pick a favorite story, but one I especially enjoyed was "Ignoring Names." It speaks, in a humorous way, to the power of names and nicknames in our lives and in our self-perception. This is a lovely book to read just before bed, to read to yourself or to someone you love, to read to a child, and to give as a gift. This book not only entertains, but has the power to expand of view of ourselves and the cats in our world. Buy several and give them as gifts. Your friends will thank you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cheaper than counseling and a lot more fun..., October 10, 2011

By 

Susan Williamson - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling with Gentle Self-Help for All Ages (Paperback)

Cheaper than counseling and a lot more fun...

There is much wisdom and more than a little humor in Sterling's feline view of the world. His take on life and his relationship to his human companion should give us all pause for thought (pun intended). While Sterling's "mewsings" make great fodder for reading aloud to children of all ages, just reading a story or two can cheer a dreary day and help us forget our self-importance.

Susan Williamson

North Carolina