Customer Reviews

The New Encyclopedia of The Cat

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are looking for the ultimate book on cats, this is the fully revised and expanded version. Not only is it the definitive guide to the behavior, history and anatomy of the feline species, it chronicles the history of the cat world.

More than 275 cat breeds are shown in full color photographs. There are over 1,400 photographs and illustrations in all. This specific selection also includes feline health, nutrition, behavior (indoor and out), and advice on how to deal with cat behavior.

From the first page, you will be spellbound by the pure beauty of the DK specially commissioned photographs.

The main chapters include:

The Cat Family: Ancestors, Big Cats, Small Cats of the Americas, Africa and Eurasia. How Wild Cats became domesticated.

Cats and Man: Religions, Superstitions, Folklore, Literature, Art, Cartoons, Entertainment, Collectables, Working and Companion Cats.

Feline Design: Skeleton, Brain, Nervous System, Muscles, Movement, Heart, Lungs, Reproduction, Digestion, Skin and Coat, Feline Genetics and Aging.

Feline Behavior: Mind, Communication, Social Behavior, Hunting and Play, Courtship and Mating, Mothers and Kittens.

Domestic Cat Breeds: History of Breeding, Coat Colors, Patterns, Eye Shape and Color, Breed Profiles, Introduction to Shorthairs, Introduction to Longhairs. (then cat breeds are discussed in detail)

Caring For Your Cat: Personal Relationship, Choosing a Cat, Life Indoors, Indoor Problems, Outdoor Life, Nutrition, Homemade Foods, Food Intake, Good Health, Immune System, Sighs of Ill Health, Grooming, Traveling, Training, Behavioral Problems, Caring for a Sick Cat, First Aid.

A Glossary and Index are included. About two-thirds of the book is dedicated to cat breeds. The highlight of the encyclopedia is however definitely the first four chapters and the last section on caring for you cat.

This book contains some of the most beautiful pictures of cats I have ever seen. The stories of Aesop's tale of Venus and the Cat was quite fascinating and an illustration is shown of a cat-maiden who spies a mouse and gives chase. She was transformed from a cat into a beautiful girl by Venus, however when the girl pounces on the mouse and devours it, the goddess decides she must turn the girl back into a cat since the transformation was never complete.

The "Cats and Man" section has the most interesting stories, art and fairy tales. If you love cats, you will be captivated by stories of these fascinating nocturnal creatures. Who often, it seems, sleep most of the night as well. At least, I hope that is what is sleeping at the end of the bed. >^..^<

A book that is definitely: "Impressive Enough To Meow About!"

Human beings are drawn to cats
because they are all we are not
-self-contained, elegant in everything they do,
relaxed, assured, glad of company,
yet still possessing secret lives.

-Pam Brown

~The Rebecca Review

The New Encyclopedia of the Cat should come with a warning for readers who might be susceptible to falling for the charms of cats. I wasn't able to help myself; after reading it for about one hour, I was having visions of collecting a perfect specimen of each breed that caught my eye...but I only have room for two felines in my humble abode. Crashing back down to reality was a bit heartbreaking.

This does start out with a large section that does indeed resemble a real encyclopedia. There is info on the history of cats, pics of ancient paintings and artifacts, etc., followed by sections on practical cat care and current issues such as indoor vs. outdoor. All very valuable and thorough. But that's not really why we're buying this book, now is it?

This book is lavish with cat photos. We're talking lots and lots of pictures of every imaginable cat breed, full body shots that have been cut away from their distracting backgrounds and set upon a field of pure white so that the reader can appreciate their forms and finer points. Don't think it's just a boring text book, however; everything is laid out with graphic finesse, to be visually interesting and attractive as you digest the tidbits of information that have been artfully placed throughout each breed spread. You just can't make a better choice if you're looking for a gift for a cat lover or perhaps doing research into your own future pet possibilities.

What I loved best about TNEotC was the "snapshot" of breed profiles on each spread. You can look up Abyssinian for instance and see a little 2x3 box insert:
Date of origin: 1860s
Place of origin: Ethiopia
Ancestry: Ethiopian household and street cats
Outcross breeds: none
Other name: Color names vary internationally
Weight range: 9-17 lbs
Temperment: attention-demanding
Breed Colors: etc, etc, (with tiny sample coat color insets. But of course full photos of all acceptable variations are also pictured on the larger spread.)

There are even symbols that will tell you how much grooming is required, how vocal the cat is, and how sociable it is. You can get a very quick idea of a cat's likely disposition, maintenance, etc. from this very handy little box.

TNEotC is truthfully the best, most thorough listing of cat breeds I have ever found. More pages are reserved for the most popular breeds, such as Siamese and Persians, but by no means is TNEotC skimpy on the obscure ones. They even include full spreads on "newcomer" breeds like Pixiebobs and Bengals - not just passing mentions as in other cat guides. In fact, TNEotC is the only one that devotes full attention to Chartreux as a separate breed in its own right; this is sort of a litmus test of mine, because those cat books that lump Chartreux with British Shorthairs are generally lost on the whole concept of being definitive. We cat lovers enjoy lots of detail on cats, pure and simple.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

This is one of the best cat books I have purchased, and I have bought quite a few. It contains information on every aspect of buying, adopting, raising and caring for our feline friends. It has very thorough descriptions of the the different purebred cats and a history of the beginnings of each breed. The pictures are great, it is easily read and provides solid information on feeding, grooming, health issues and most any aspect of owning a cat.

Great book. Informative, accurate, and lots of really good pictures. The write-ups on each breed are more detailed and informative than other so-called ultimate cat books or illustrated encyclopedias, and most importantly, this book is accurate.

If you only get one cat book, get this one. It is the best.

A rather extensive look at the origins and development of the Domestic feline. Includes most (I'm not a cat expert) common varieties and breeds of all cats.

Lush, fascinating and accurate. Beautifully designed, with many colorful photographs and illustrations, this book is likely to appeal as much to kids as to sophisticated adults. The individual breed descriptions are especially valuable. A great idea for a Christmas present!

I JUST GOT THIS BOOK TODAY AND IT IS AWESOME!!!! THERE ARE SOOO MANY WONDERFUL COLOR PHOTOS OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF CATS. I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WOULD BE NICE BUT IT IS EVEN BETTER & MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. THIS IS A LOVELY REFERENCE AND/OR COFFEE TABLE BOOK THAT IS ALSO VERY, VERY! INFORMATIVE. IF YOU LOVE CATS LIKE I DO YOU SHOULD REALLY GET THIS BOOK. IT COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT BREEDS OF CATS AND SO MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS IT IS JUST WONDERFUL. IT'S LIKE THE BIBLE FOR CAT OWNERS. AND IT IS JUST SO LOVELY!!!!!! 5++++++ STARS. I LOVE IT!!!!

This book was great, although it did lack in some answers to questions I've been pondering about my cat. Take for example, no where did the author answer if cat's do indeed have short term memories, why my cat nibbles on my hand for affection ( or what seems like affection), or what the various movements and positions of a cat's tail mean in communication. This, however, does not take away from the fact that it's a great read and introduction to understanding your cat and where it came from. I'd definitely recommend it to all cat owners and fanciers!

i hate to complain, but this was advertised "like new." i would have said this was "good" at best... there was some mysterious smudge on the front of the paper book cover, which i cleaned off. the paper cover was nicked, also, and i could not fix that. the book content was very good though. just the paper cover was definitely not "like new". i gave it 4 stars because it was not the author's fault...

We were unable to find this book in stores, but it is well worth the online search. It is a wonderful book full of information about the history of cats, breeds and care. Perfect for anyone who has and loves cats or anyone with a curious mind.