Catworld: A Feline Encyclopedia

"Cat World: A Feline Encyclopedia" by Desmond Morris is a great reference and a wonderful browse for cat lovers. This encyclopedia contains nearly a thousand illustrated entries covering eighty breeds of domestic cats, thirty-six species of wild cats, plus articles on feline anatomy, behavior, biology, folklore, history, literature and art.Other sections list "The 100 Best Cat Books," cat films, cat societies, and cat welfare organizations. One of my favorite entries is a list of authors and their cats, and their quotations about cats. For instance, Brian Aldiss and his cats, Macramé, Yum-Yum, Foxie, Jackson, and Nickie list the two things cats cannot stand: "The wretched Door, the horrid Fence."The one deliberate omission in this encyclopedia is the subject of feline veterinary care. A good reference for this sort of information is "The Cornell Book of Cats," edited by Mordecai Siegal.Morris, a trained zoologist, was the curator of mammals at the London Zoo from 1959 to 1971, where he was responsible for the largest collection of wild felines in the world. He has also authored other popular works on zoology, including "The Naked Ape" and "Catwatching." As might be expected from his background, the author's entries on feline behavior are some of the most interesting in the encyclopedia. Morris states that cats have a much greater acoustic range than dogs or humans, especially in their ability to hear high-pitched sounds. Cats prefer to hunt by stealth and need to be able to detect the ultrasonic squeaking of their prey.I'll never forget the time I accidentally shut one of my cats in the room with me when I was practicing my violin. I happened to turn around and there was Calvin, pressing his enormous, furry body against the door, a piteous look in his eye. After reading this encyclopedia, I prefer to blame his behavior on his enhanced acoustic range rather than taking it as a commentary on my musical ability. After all, Calvin probably knew that violin strings used to be made of sheepgut, not catgut as is popularly supposed. Morris believes the term 'catgut' replaced 'sheepgut' because of the noises some people made while scraping on the strings.As to why I turned around and saw him there, read Morris's entry on feline ESP.'Cat World' is filled with feline anecdotes, both repeatable and some that are almost too bizarre to believe. Be sure to check out the entry on P.T. Barnum's 'cherry-colored cat,' and the story of what happened to the great English novelist Thomas Hardy's heart--coupled with the mysterious disappearance of his beloved cat, Cobby.

"Cat World: A Feline Encyclopedia" by Desmond Morris (Penguin, 1997) is a great reference and a wonderful browse for cat lovers. This encyclopedia contains nearly a thousand illustrated entries covering eighty breeds of domestic cats, thirty-six species of wild cats, plus articles on feline anatomy, behavior, biology, folklore, history, literature and art. Other sections list "The 100 Best Cat Books," cat films, cat societies, and cat welfare organizations. One of my favorite entries is a list of authors and their cats, and their quotations about cats. For instance, Brian Aldiss and his cats, Macramé, Yum-Yum, Foxie, Jackson, and Nickie list the two things cats cannot stand: "The wretched Door, the horrid Fence."The one deliberate omission in this encyclopedia is the subject of feline veterinary care. A good reference for this sort of information is "The Cornell Book of Cats," edited by Mordecai Siegal.Morris, a trained zoologist, was the curator of mammals at the London Zoo from 1959 to 1971, where he was responsible for the largest collection of wild felines in the world. He has also authored other popular works on zoology, including "The Naked Ape" and "Catwatching." As might be expected from his background, the author's entries on feline behavior are some of the most interesting in the encyclopedia. Morris states that cats have a much greater acoustic range than dogs or humans, especially in their ability to hear high-pitched sounds. Cats prefer to hunt by stealth and need to be able to detect the ultrasonic squeaking of their prey.I'll never forget the time I accidentally shut one of my cats in the room with me when I was practicing my violin. I happened to turn around and there was Calvin, pressing his enormous, furry body against the door, a piteous look in his eye. After reading this encyclopedia, I prefer to blame his behavior on his enhanced acoustic range rather than taking it as a commentary on my musical ability. After all, Calvin probably knew that violin strings used to be made of sheepgut, not catgut as is popularly believed. Morris believes the term 'catgut' replaced 'sheepgut' because of the noises some people made while scraping on the strings.As to why I turned around and saw him there, read Morris's entry on feline ESP.'Cat World' is filled with feline anecdotes, both repeatable and some that are almost too bizarre to believe. Be sure to check out the entry on P.T. Barnum's 'cherry-colored cat,' and the story of what happened to the great English novelist Thomas Hardy's heart--coupled with the mysterious disappearance of his beloved cat, Cobby.

Last Christmas a friend gave me the book, "Catwatching" also by Desmond Morris, and I was so intrigued with the book and the beautiful photography that I began searching for other books by the same author. I finally came across this one and was equally as pleased. Catworld is absolutely fantastic! The coloured photography is exquisite and the book, with just under 500 pages, contains anything and everything you want to know about your feline friends. From big cats of the wild to the various breeds of domestic cats, from the origin of Puss and Boots to cat care, this book contains a wealth of well-organized information, all in alphabetical order.I have two Persians, and "Catworld" is a book I definitely would not want to be without. No matter how broad your knowledge is on cats, novice or expert, you are bound to find some new and interesting facts and amusing trivia contained among the pages. There are some recently published books on the market that do not contain nearly as much information as this one. "Catworld" is an excellent resource book for your library and you are bound to enjoy the stunning photography. I highly recommend this top-notch book...and your cat will love you for it!

After looking through this book for a few hours, my husband and I immediately began trying to think of who we knew who would like it for a gift. Not only does it cover the subject matter you would normally expect from a book on cats, such as rundowns on all the recognized breeds, but it has interesting entries on such subjects as why cats eat grass. Beautiful pictures. A perfect gift for the cat lover on your list. Wish my friends would take the hint and buy me one!