Customer Reviews

My Cat Saved My Life

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This was truly one of the most insightful and heartfelt books I have ever read. This is a book not just for cat lovers, this is a book for all people. It is especially helpful for anyone who has ever felt the pain and grief of losing a loved one. Phillip Schreibman does not tell a "story," but takes the reader on a journey with him and Alice, the precious kitten he rescues, as she transforms his life and slowly, brings him back from the numbing pain that grief causes, and teaches him how to live and love again; how to look at life with wonder and joy. As a cat lover, and also as someone who is grieving, I read this book with a sense of profound wonder and amazement. Never have I been so genuinely touched by what the author refers to as a "small story." This clearly is the biggest story a person can tell -- how the love of an animal can take you from despair to and open your heart to seeing the world again (this time, through the eyes of his precious Alice), and experiencing life. As I read, I empathized, laughed, cried and was deeply touched. I took away with me "life lessons" that will remain with me forever. After reading this, I found myself watching my own cat and observing how he instinctively knew when I was sad and in his own special way that only a cat has, reached out to me. Now, I let him in and am slowly learning to open my heart up again. I applaud and thank Philip Schreibman for sharing with us this tremendous book, and give it the highest recommendation possible. Give yourself a special gift, and read this. You will be glad you did!

This book is not just about dealing with the loss of a pet. It is the best book I have ever read (and I have read many) about the process of grieving. It is true, I just lost a pet; that is why I bought the book. In reading it, though, I experienced a profound catharsis that has allowed me to move forward through the grieving process more quickly and peacefully than I have ever done before. Reading this book has helped my heart to heal, not just from the death of my cat, but from all the losses that I have experienced, which, as I get older, seem to be cumulative. While the book is superficially the tale of a mystical cat whose soul connected with the author, it is in a much more important way about living in the world, of which death is a part. The book is poem about understanding that conundrum, and I know that I will refer to it again and again. To anyone whose heart is sorely grieving, who is stuck in a rut in the mourning process, I would say: read this book, it will make you cry and it will help you heal. If it were anyone I knew, I would give them this book. Thank you, Mr. Schreibman.

if you like to cry, then read this book! of course, it's not heart - wrenchingly sad the entire way, but when you get to the part where ... well ... read the book & you'll see what i mean. i don't think i've ever sobbed so hard over a book in my entire life -- it even disturbed my cats! they thought something must be terribly wrong with me, because i was crying so hard, & so they came over to comfort me. here i was crying over a cat i had never met in my life & my cats came over to comfort ME. just like a cat! & that's why i love them so much ... so anyway, if you don't like to cry, or if you find yourself moved by very little in life, this might not be the book for you. the book is also tied together with schreibman's own brand of touchy - feely, new - agey spirituality -- if you can overlook that, or if you actually like that sort of thing, then reading this book might turn out to be a profoundly moving experience for you, as it was for me.

Don't let the title or short length of this book fool you - it contains a huge amount of wisdom. You don't have to be a cat lover to appreciate what the author is going through and what he learns. He has put exactly into words what I have been thinking for a long time. He has done an amazing job.

The author, while ostensibly telling a story about his cat, very eloquently delves into the ultimate question of the mystery of being. This is a very spiritual book, written almost like a poem. A gem. A rare treat.

My Cat Saved My Life by Phillip Schreibman is not only entertaining but an insight to the human condition. This cat truly rescued the author from deep despair and depression. The story will touch the soul of any and all animal lovers, and perhaps educate those who aren't. Readers will never look at their own pets in quite the same light after discovering the healing touch this beloved pet holds for Mr. Schreibman. Absolutely a must read for those who are possessed by a cat. If I didn't already have a cat and dog, after reading this book, I'd be looking to adopt one post haste!

Phillip Schreibman's wonderful book is about so much more than a cat. It is about no less than the true nature of the universe. His beautiful prose belong on the book shelf with the Bhagavad Gita and other texts that we turn to when we need to be reminded what we are doing here on this earth, in these bodies, with this little bit of time.

Anyone that lives with and loves animals will be touched by this book. The author spins a lovely yarn of how the cat helped him through hard times but at one point he becomes too deeply involved in his own story of depression. I found myself skimming through that part and wanting to get on with the cat adventures. I read a lot of deep psychological selections and wanted this one for a light, easy read, uplifting evening. I did find it enjoyable.

Reading Phillip Schreibman's book, "My Cat Saved My Life", was hard for me to do at first. That's because not long before, I too had lost a very special cat who was killed by a car when he was only 3 years old. But with each new page that I read, I began to share in the calming realization that I was not alone in my loss. And happily, I was also not alone in experiencing the gift of a pet's unselfish and total love. Anyone who has ever known the companionship of an animal will immediately identify with this book. Phillip has perfectly captured the very essence of the Human-Animal Bond through his skilled writing. Although we are told that this book is "a small story in the stories of the world", it is truly a delight to be invited to share in the adventures of Alice, and the very special relationship that was formed between man and cat. I thoroughly enjoyed each warm and touching anecdote that came straight from the heart, and it is easy to see how Alice had such a strong impact on Phillip as she truly "saved his life". Be prepared to gain a much greater appreciation for the times you spend with your beloved furry friend.........and don't forget the kleenex!

Phillip Schreibman's "My Cat Saved My Life" is one of the most sensitive and caring books about one of our fellow animals that I have read in a long time. Schreibman shows us how rich our fellow animals can make our lives if we find the humility and take the time to take them on their own terms. His journey of discovery into a cats' life changes his life forever and the reader's as well. Every reader will be thankful that he shared that special experience with them. If you care about our fellow animals or if you don't, this book is a must read. And if you live with a cat, it will open up a whole new world for you.