Really interesting read. If you’re a fan of non fiction then I’d definitely recommend. If not, I’d check out the Netflix documentary on cats first. If you enjoy that and want more, this book does a good job providing more information similar to what’s in the documentary.

wow, very informative. Very much an eye opener. Spade and neuter your animals, please.!!!!
DONT BUY ADOPT.

Wow, I hated this book so much. The author is a distinctively unpleasant mix of condescending and overconfident, unfounded opinion. I thought it would be a cute, informative read. Instead, it was mostly toxic patriarchal capitalistic bullsh** trying to explain why we might enjoy having a pet that doesn't serve us, framing cats as a societal evil. The author spends more than a chapter on trichomonas, framed as something cats intentionally do to bend us to their will, rather than an opportunistic parasite. She keeps emphasizing that cats don't "serve a purpose" because they don't do things for us like dogs. Clearly, she hasn't seen all of the pet dogs chilling in people's houses, just eating food and begging for cuddles...

In one chapter, we're told that keeping cats indoors prevents trichomonas infection. The next chapter, we're shamed for keeping cats indoors, since they're wild things that should be allowed free reign, all the while making snide sexist comments about how only (silly, overly emotional) women are involved with Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).

She also gives a ton of space to a few very fringe psychiatrists who believe schizophrenia is caused by cats/trichomonas, using very selective correlations while ignoring those that contradict their beliefs. She falls prey to the classic research blunder of repeatedly mistaking correlation for causation over and over again. Her language around mental health is incredibly ableist and pathologizing, while she is incredibly fatphobic while talking about weight and exercise. She manages to handily avoid mentioning the actual research and evidence about the systemic influences of racism, classism, and sexism on mental health, psychiatry, medical care, body movement, weight, dis/ability, and mortality.

And to top it off, the logic of what was included in the focus of this book reminded me of college freshman composition classes, where it's a stream of consciousness/Google search spiral - the topics are only tangentially about cats but they're not directly related to each other.

Thanks to NetGalley, Abigail Tucker, and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an excellent book for cat lovers. I really enjoyed learning about the domestication of cats to become the beloved house cat. The author’s research in this field was very interesting. I highly recommend this book.

Who knew this would be kind of disappointing? I learned some stuff, I got angry with some stuff, me and Dany yelled a bit. I have complicated feelings about this book. It certainly made me think.

I loved this book.
As a cat lover and cat owner, I am not blind to the fact that cats can be jerks. This book answered the question
"Why are cat's jerks"
the answer?
Because they can be. This is their world and we're just living in it.

While every other domestic animal has evolved in ways to fit into OUR lives better, the cat, has not. At all.
While every other animal serves a purpose, protection, food, music... the cat ... nothing.
Which leans to the point that cats were never invited into our home, they just showed and said 'I'm here, feed me' and we did...

This is a really interesting book and a must read for any cat lover.