[.ca] The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection ... (ISBN 0312268815)

From Amazon.com:
Part history of a species, part personal memoir, and featuring a healthy dose of wry humor, Clea Simon's The Feline Mystique shares the tale of her particular cat (Cyrus) set against a backdrop of interviews and statistics on cats throughout the world. Smoothly blending mythology with modern stories of dedicated feral cat rescuers, feline fanciers might bond with this book as tightly as they've bonded with their own wee beastie. The focus is relentlessly female and a happy counterpoint to urban myths and ancient folk tales about lonely women and their up-to-no-good pets. Simon walks us through her initial bond with a young kitten, through the warm years of record-clawing, arm-kneading, keyboard-walking, veterinarian-terrorizing cat companionship, and leads us gently through the sadness of parting with a beloved animal. You won't find practical tips on health care or soapboxes about the problem of strays in the city--just page after page of individualized love and fascination. From Norse goddess Freya and her flying cats to references of a study done on the annual kill of an outdoors-living housecat to an interview with Barnum and Bailey's female tiger tamer, each detail helps construct a solid picture of the multifaceted relationship possible between a woman and her cat. --Jill Lightner

why we connect with our kitties:
This book is a valuable addition to any cat lover's shelf. Author Simon interviews women of all ages, backgrounds and professions to find out just what holds this bond with our cats in place. Much of the pleasure of reading it comes from comparing your own relationship with your cats, both past and present, with the women interviewed and the author herself. Among the topics explored are: why are women/cats stereotyped so harshly and often similarly; why cat hoarders are so often female and why they do what they do; the mythical and historical connections between women and cats; how cats treat our significant others and what that says about how we feel about them (and how we let them treat us); letting go of our cats when it's time for them to pass on; and how our cats choose to communicate with their owners.

Simon Teakettle loves this book!:
Clea Simon manages to combine an enchanting story of her own cat with tales about other women and their cats. Some of these are charming, others sad, a few horrific, but all are at once fascinating and helpful. This would be a wonderful gift for any woman who has, or is planning to adopt, a cat. Barbara Florio Graham is the author of Mewsings/Musings, a "flip" book combining her award-winning humor with that of her cat, Simon Teakettle. Their website is: www.SimonTeakettle.com

Indescribable but wonderful:
It's hard to find words to describe this truly unique, but wonderful book. While describing her relationship with her own cat, Cyrus, Simon also explores the relationship between women and cats throughout the ages and answers some age-old questions. Never boring, this book is a must-read for anyone who's ever loved a cat or questioned why others love cats (and that should cover just about everyone!)

I wish a could rate this book nine stars for nine lives!:
It's a well known fact that female cats sometimes go into heat. Yes, I know, there's always the Q-tip trick, but these furry creatures are about more than just a good time. I have three cats, two females, and one male. My male cat is quite fat. He used to weigh 20 pounds. One day, when I was home, watching re-runs of three's company on television (it was the episode where jack gets in trouble because that couple is making out in his restaurant and the priest is there), I noticed that my fat cat was panting and going in and out of the litter box. After a few minutes, I started getting worried and took him immediately to the emergency room (for pets, mind you---as much as we like to think of our pets as human beings, Dr. Everett Koop has made it clear that it is confusing to think of cats as human beings). Anyway, my pet doctor examined my little fat cat, and said that it's quite possible he has a urinary tract infection and that he will need to take special medicine for the rest of his life. But they had to take an x-ray to be sure. Worried, I waited in the waiting area. Someone had brought a dog in that had just drank an entire bottle of vegetable oil. I need to get dinner soon. Anyway, the doctor came back out, and she had this weird smile on her face. At first I thought maybe she fancied me, but it turns out she was smiling because of the results of the x-ray. Suffice it to say that my fat cat was so fat that he had gotten dangerously constipated...to the point of popping! The solution, of course, was a simple enima. Phew!!! I am happy to say that my cat now weighs a healthy 12 pounds. Jesus was rumored to have twelve cats, which, as far as I know, is where the expression "cats have nine lives" comes from.

Great book for those who know cats:
If you know your cat's looks, meows, and feelings, this book makes sure you know you aren't crazy! We can understand cats as well as they understand us. I really enjoyed The Feline Mystique. It has wonderful cat stories, as well as great information that all cat lovers need!