The Character of Cats: The Origins, Intelligence, Behavior, and Stratagems of Felis silvestris catus [Paperback]

Stephen Budiansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 27, 2003

Simultaneously affectionate and suspicious, adaptive and intractable, dependent and aloof, cats are the least tamed and yet the most successful domestic species. Drawing upon new research into cat genetics, brain chemistry, evolution, social behavior, and interaction with humans and fellow felines, acclaimed author and scientist Stephen Budiansky explores the mysteries of these amazing creatures. Wide-ranging, lively, and engaging, The Character of Cats also covers the full spectrum of feline fact and lore, from history, superstition, and religious imagery to hunting patterns, sexual behavior, and preferred colors. This smart, wonderfully readable book finally gives cats their due.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this enjoyable, enlightening book, Atlantic Monthly correspondent and lay animal expert Budiansky (The Truth About Dogs) explores the mysterious nature of the house cat, that least tamed and most successful of domestic species. With a narrative voice equally adept at conveying the whimsy of weird cat behaviors and the science behind them, Budiansky leads readers from a consideration of the cat's ancestors (unlike other domesticated animals, who've diverged from their wild counterparts, house cats are not a biologically distinct species from, say, African wildcats) through an investigation of feline society (cats are social animals when young and solitary when adult) and on to a discussion of what various laboratory experiments and observations have taught us about cats (there's a critical window in kittens' early lives in which they're most open to bonding with people). Budiansky offers a rudimentary cat personality test and a few extremely helpful pages on cat training, but his goal is study even celebration rather than advice. Nearly every unique cat behavior gets explained via evolutionary strategies. Why do cats always seem to head for the one person in the room who doesn't like them? Probably because the cat thinks they really do: people who don't like cats tend to avoid looking at them, and cats interpret averted eyes as unthreatening, even inviting. Cat owners are the obvious audience here (75% of them note that their cats chose them), but readers interested in the adaptive relationships between the human world and the animal one should also find plenty to purr about.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Stephen Budiansky is the author of six highly acclaimed books about animals, nature, and science. He is a correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (May 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014200281X
• ISBN-13: 978-0142002810
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #365,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Budiansky is a writer, historian, and journalist, the author of 14 books about military and intelligence history, science, and the natural world. He is a former editor and writer at U.S. News & World Report and The Atlantic and the former Washington Editor of the scientific journal Nature. He lives on a small farm in northern Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the intelligent cat lover, August 23, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Character of Cats: The Origins, Intelligence, Behavior and Stratagems of Felis silvestris catus (Hardcover)

Being an owner and lover of horses, dogs, and cats, and having enjoyed Budiansky's two books about horses and dogs, I was happy to find he had taken on cats. In this book also the wit and historic, scientific, and social details that make for an interesting read are there, and it is written upon the same premise as the books on the other two species: that the best way to love our domesticated animals is to understand and appreciate what they really are. Why cats have physically changed so little (unlike dogs) after domestication, and why they can be so social (despite being descendants of a very solitary species) are two interesting topics. I also found fascinating the story about human influence on the distribution of cat colors (and number of toes) worldwide. That traveling ancient Egyptians apparently snatched cats they found abroad to "return" them to Egypt is one bizarrely amusing historical anecdote that made this book a pleasant read for me. And the story of the cat that attacked its owner who was bathing a parrot is weirdly unforgettable. Although this isn't necessarily a how-to book, it contains good information on behavior that can help with problems cat owners encounter. I found some practical information that helped me improve a new-cat-added-to-three-cat-household problem. I'd recommend this book to cat owners who are as curious as their cats.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating read, February 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Character of Cats: The Origins, Intelligence, Behavior and Stratagems of Felis silvestris catus (Hardcover)

As a first-time cat owner, I found my cat to be a great curiosity. In particular, I often wondered what my cat was thinking. I read an excerpt of this book in the June 2002 volume of The Atlantic Monthly, and I later received the book as a gift and read it voraciously. This answers many of the minute ponderings that had crossed my mind while living with my enigmatic cat (as well as many, many questions I never thought of). Among other things, it includes the feline family tree, info on the history of cats, behavior/ communication & learning.

_The Character of Cats_ contains all sorts of fascinating tidbits, for example, I found explanations for why my cat charges if I stare at her, why she blinks her eyes at me, and why she rolls on her back to attract my attention when she wants to play. It explains cat's senses and gives an idea of how they perceive the world. It offers a kitty personality test. It explores how cats learn and therefore how they can be trained, including detailed info on training a cat to use the toilet! The only question it didn't answer is why my cat meows when I sneeze. As an added bonus, it has helped me to interpret my cat's communicative gestures and improve my relationship with her.

I highly recommend this book for cat-curious people.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written summary of scientific knowledge, July 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Character of Cats: The Origins, Intelligence, Behavior and Stratagems of Felis silvestris catus (Hardcover)

This book is a terrific, elegantly written (and occasionally funny) summary of the scientific understanding we have about cats. Among other things, its useful to know what is really demonstrated and what is just folklore. And yes, cats are just as unique as we think they are. Although solidly based on research, the book is written in a journalistic style that is easy to read. I am a high school biology teacher and read a lot of science, Budiansky is one of the very best of the popularizers. Parts of this book are so eloquent, I plan to read them aloud to my classes.