The truth about cats (and dogs)

When one is struggling to make her mark as a writer -- even if the writer is a dog -- one cannot be choosy about one's assignments. And when said doggy writer is asked to write about cats, well, she simply bites the bullet and takes on the task.

REVIEWS BY ABBEY THE DOG

And I have to say, I'm glad I did, because there are two books released this month that offer straight talk about felines. The first one is How the Cat Swallowed Thunder by Lloyd Alexander. Alexander's meticulous research unearths the origin of the purr. Alexander's findings begin with the days when cats had no purr and all they did was get into trouble (and thank you, Mr. Alexander, for pointing out what rascals these creatures can be!).

Apparently, there was an elderly woman named Mother Holly who would not let her Cat out of her sight in an attempt to keep his disasters at bearable levels. But as dear as Mother Holly was, she finally decided enough was enough, and imposed tough-love tactics to try and reform her feline companion.

Leaving home to run errands, she left a long list of chores for the Cat to do and he promised to complete them. Well, now don't believe for a second that any cat's gonna carry out instructions -- at least not in the way they're instructed.

What the Cat didn't count on was Mother Holly's enchanted household items. So begins a vicious cycle of messing up, cleaning up, and messing up again.

Somehow, the Cat manages to get everything nice and tidy just prior to Mother Holly's return. And when I say just prior, I mean just prior -- he quickly stuffs a piece of enchanted popcorn into his mouth, hoping to spit it out later. Well, of course Mother Holly praises him, and like every cat I know, he sits there, grinning and taking the credit. However, just as Mother Holly is about to reward him with a bowl of cream, that old sneaky Cat gets what's due.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't wish any ill will on cats, but they have a way of squirming out of justice. And Alexander's careful documentation here proves that the purr -- a mark of distinction in this day and age -- actually originates from a bit of magic gone awry. Now that the purr has been passed down for many generations of cats, Alexander's book underscores that the purr serves as a reminder for cats not to be so self-serving and arrogant. Yeah, right -- like they're really gonna listen.


Well, they don't, at least not at first, and that has been documented by Peter Collington's Clever Cat. As a dog, I take issue with Collington's title, but he objectively illustrates the slippery slope on which pride can carry these creatures.

Collington's case study involves one Tibs Ford, the cat of a very, very busy family. Tibs's downfall began with the best of intentions (well . . . supposedly). Simply put, he was tired of waiting -- waiting for breakfast, waiting to go outside, waiting to come inside. So Tibs took matters into his own paws and started opening his own cans of catfood. Soon enough, the Fords gave Tibs his own front door key. It doesn't take long before Tibs is living the high life: going to movies, dining out, having access to Mrs. Ford's ATM card. And all the time, Tibs is wondering, Why don't all cats live this way?

But all good things come to an end: Tibs has to pay rent and when he is fired from his job, the Fords are less than sympathetic. Was it Shakespeare or Solomon who said pride cometh before the fall? Well, in Tibs's case, a little humility brings a lot of wisdom. Just like a cat, however, Tibs lands on his feet, learning what it truly means to be a "clever cat".

Both books present a balanced view of cats. While some of my dearest friends are cats, too often these creatures are held to a standard far different from dogs. And the stuff they get away with is just plain maddening! At long last, both Alexander and Collington expose cats for what they truly are: flawed but lovable, just like the rest of us.


Abbey the Dog has close ties with the associate editor of BookPage. She would like to dedicate this piece to the memory of her best friend, Claude the Cat.

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