Customer Reviews

What The Cat Knows

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It always gives me a shiver when I see a cat seeing
what I can't see. ~Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)

When Brent Schofield found a kitten on the road in July of 1998 a story was born. Cupcake is the hero of the story and the author was inspired to write about her due to her more-than-wild-kitten-like-behavior.

Andy and Carol take on the responsibilities of a new kitten but are confused by her strange behavior. They buy books on cats and try to understand why she at times runs like mad through the house or goes tearing up the curtains. Cat owners will be able to relate to these stories.

The first chapter is from Andy and Carol's perspective. The second chapter is from Cupcake's perspective and from there on out, she has a real personality and talks to another cat and has her own thoughts about the situation she is in. It is cute to see how she finds courage and learns to accept the new baby and how she gets up the courage to find the germ creatures.

"Her ears picked up the scratching sound of the creature. She lowered her body and stalked along the wall toward the living room. She peered into the dimly lit room and saw the germ creature sitting on top of the coffee table. Cupcake trembled. She thought she wouldn't be afraid this time, but she didn't know where the other germ was....."

All the while, Cupcake is fighting off creatures Andy and Carol can't see in an attempt to protect them. She takes her job very seriously. This is a story for ages 9-12 which will make kids laugh and has enough suspense to keep their attention.

Much of this story reminded me of both my cats when they were kittens. Cat "pets/owners" will enjoy the humor and remember when their kittens acted in similar ways. However, now you will know why. ;) You will relate to giving a cat a bath and know it is not their favorite activity.

I would say it is not good to give cats milk, they do have milk "just" for cats now. However, the author mentions that: "The plastic from around the milk jug top was one of her favorite things to play with." This is so true! I have yet to meet a cat who did not go wild with cat-like joy when they found the ring from around the milk jug top.

Also, cats have been know to fight off disease by catching rats. The European bubonic plague of medieval times was largely due to the huge rat population. Cats are well known for controlling rodent populations, however people at that time did not see the connection and thought cats were evil.

A clever story to teach children how to respect cats and perhaps they will want to know more about cats and maybe even adopt a kitten from a shelter. Adults who
love cats might also be amused.

"What the Cat Knows" is cute, comical and creative.

~The Rebecca Review

If you own a cat, does it ever seem like you own two of them? The one
who wants to be cuddled, and the one who flees your attention. The one
who purrs calmly at your feet as you sleep and watches you build
furniture, and the one who randomly charges through the house attacking
invisible monsters?

In this book, all is explained. That is exactly what your cat is doing.
Attacking invisible monsters. Invisible to you. Not to the cat.

And, by the way, the monsters are real.

A small kitten is rescued from the roadside. Her owners, who have never
owned a cat before, don't know what to make of her strange behavior.
It's not strange at all, though. They don't realize this, because
they've never owned a cat.

As a cat owner myself, I was groaning at bits of the first chapter. It's
obvious the characters in this book don't know cats. But, lots of people
don't. Not a thing unrealistic about it. But, I know cats, so I groaned.
At the characters, not the author. The author knows how to tell a story.

Chapter two, the balancing act begins. How can an author write middle
grade fiction, largely through a cat's eyes, without the
anthropomorphism growing trite, twee or condescending? Well, they could
do far worse than follow Schofield's example.

Cupcake is a kitten, somehow separated from her mother before she could
learn the valuable purpose cats serve, much less the skills she needs.
I'd never name a cat of mine Cupcake, but again, her pet humans are new

to all this. Consider it one more obstacle she must overcome.

According to the book's web page, it contains "humor, suspense, and
lessons about finding courage." That's absolutely correct. And, I
enjoyed reading it. I recommend visiting the web page.

Oh, and please don't judge this book by its cover. Quite honestly, I
don't like the cover. But I do like the book.

...

What the Cat Knows
By Brent R. Schofield

Review by Joan Moore Lewis, author of southern fiction

Perfect Gift for first-time cat owner
Have you ever noticed the strange actions of a cat? I have noticed how friends' cats would entertain me for a while by running, jumping, attacking the drapes, and wrestling with an invisible opponent on the floor before slinking off to another room. Upon their return, they would act calm, cool and collected. Now I understand why.

When Andy and Carol take the abandoned Cupcake into their home, they are in for a number of surprises. It is fun to see Cupcake, the playful kitten, get tangled in wallpaper and glue while "helping" Andy decorate the new baby's room.

After she gets established in her new home, Cupcake becomes friendly with Thomas, an outside cat. Even though Cupcake is growing up, she is still unsure of herself and her actions. Through windowsill conversations, Thomas is instrumental in helping Cupcake overcome fear and develop courage.

Pets have a way of becoming part of the family, and Thomas is no exception. He had once been a part of a family he missed terribly. At the end of "What the Cat Knows," Thomas was leaving to go back to his family. Does Brent Schofield know what happened to Thomas, and if so, will he tell us in a sequel? I certainly hope so.

This is more than a children's book; I recommend it to anyone who has ever owned or observed a cat.

My sister bought this book for my 8 year old daughter because she too is a cat lover. She was very reluctant for me to read it to her because it was a "chapter book without pictures". She likes to look at the pictures while I'm reading. I convinced her to listen for a little while and if she didn't like it, we'd switch to another of her favorite books. She immediately fell in love with the characters in this book and she's asked me to contact the author because she wants to know what is going to happen to Cupcake and Thomas!! We found this book to be charming, well written and so funny! I have often wanted to write children's stories and after reading this book, I am more inspired to do so. We do hope there is a sequel to this book!

Looking for the perfect gift for your friend who loves kitties?...well here it is!! This a beautiful written tale of a foundling kitty, and her struggle to protect her family. All cat owners will relate to this delightful tale of understanding why kitty behaves in such odd fashion, giving kitty a bath, or how kitty loves the ring on the milk jug as the best toy in the world while ignoring all the [other] ones we buy.

I have a little grey kitten with black stripes, much like the kitty in the tale, and I found her at the same age, nearly starved and desperately needing a home, so this tale touched my heart.

Perfect for children 9-12, but one the whole family can share.

This is one of the best children's books I have ever read to my children. They loved it!!! It is an exciting and very funny story. The idea of cats fighting germ creatures is the most original story I have read in a long time. I highly recommend this book to all kids.